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29 April 2022
Attorney General Merrick Garland and United States Attorney Roger Handberg Recognize Middle District of Florida Awardee Gail Frances Gardner for Advocacy on Behalf of Crime Victims and Commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today awarded the Special Courage Award to Gail Frances Gardner of Ocoee, Florida for her advocacy on behalf of crime victims. Ms. Gardner was among 14 individuals and teams from across the country who were honored for their work. The award recipients were recognized virtually during the annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony, as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme—rights, access, equity, for all victims—underscores the importance of enforcing victims’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all. By guaranteeing that equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive services and meaningful compensation are available to survivors, the Department helps all victims find the justice and healing they seek.
“Empowering and encouraging people who have been victimized to participate in our legal system is essential to justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “For the past 41 years, the Department of Justice has recognized the challenges, struggles and achievements of crime victims and victim advocates in their efforts to secure the rights, access and equal justice that all survivors deserve. I am pleased to congratulate this year's honorees on their selection for these distinguished awards and extend my deepest gratitude for their continued work.”
In 1988, Ms. Gardner, a single mother, was raped by an unknown perpetrator during a home invasion. Her case remained open for more than 30 years, but with the advancement in DNA testing and a 2016 law that mandated testing the backlog of sexual assault kits, she finally learned the identity of her attacker, a serial rapist known as “the Malibu rapist” who was already serving a life sentence for another sexual assault. Through DNA testing, he was connected to 26 additional sexual assaults. Ms. Gardner is the namesake for Florida’s Gail’s Law, recently enacted legislation requiring sexual assault evidence kit tracking via a database designed to keep victims aware of the status of evidence in their case throughout the testing process. State law now requires kits to be submitted for testing within 30 days and that laboratories process them within 120 days. Ms. Gardner advocates for social justice on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence who struggle with addiction or arrest after their victimization, and has helped to bring the topic of sexual assault out into the open.
“This week affords us the opportunity to recognize and honor the perseverance, innovation, and unyielding commitment of our victim service providers and the strength and resilience of crime victims,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “We congratulate Ms. Gardner on her award and thank her for her courage and dedication as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault in Florida and across the country. This week, we celebrate Ms. Gardner’s achievement, as well as the advancement of victims’ rights in the criminal justice system.”
Ms. Gardner and the other award recipients were selected from public nominations in 10 categories, including federal service, public policy, victim services and a Special Courage award. The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, placing crime victims' rights, needs, and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda. He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.
“This time every year, we honor and remember victims of crime, not only for the trauma that they have endured and the adversity they have encountered, but also for their courage and resilience and for paving the way toward justice and healing for countless other survivors across the country,” said Amy L. Solomon, Principal Deputy Attorney General for OJP. “These extraordinary individuals and teams embody an ethic of service and compassion that distinguishes them from an already exceptional field of victim-serving professionals. We join the Attorney General in expressing our deepest appreciation for providing crime victims—all crime victims—a place to turn in their time of need.”
Following is a list of the 2022 NCVRW award recipients:
- The Allied Professional Award recognizes individuals working outside the victim assistance field for their service to victims. Recipients: Deborah Flowers, Pittsboro, North Carolina and Dr. Linda Laras, Caguas, Puerto Rico
- The Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services recognizes a program, organization or individual who expands the reach of victims’ rights and services. Recipients: Barrier Free Living, Bronx, New York and LGBTQ+ Victim Advocacy Initiative at Eskenazi Health, Indianapolis, Indiana
- The Financial Restoration Award recognizes individuals, programs, organizations, or teams that have instituted innovative approaches for securing financial restoration for crime victims. Recipient: Asset Forfeiture Unit and Financial Litigation Program in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville.
- The Victims Research Award recognizes individual researchers or research teams who made a significant contribution to the nation’s understanding of crime victim issues. Recipient: John Chapin, Ph.D., Monaca, Pennsylvania
- The Crime Victims’ Rights Award honors the dedicated champions throughout our nation whose efforts to advance or enforce crime victims’ rights have benefited victims of crime at the state, tribal, or national level. Recipient: Derek Marchman, Conyers, Georgia
- The Federal Service Award recognizes federal agency personnel for service to victims of federal, tribal, or military crimes. Recipient: Environmental Crime Victim Assistance Team, Washington, D.C.
- The National Crime Victim Service Award honors extraordinary efforts to provide direct services to crime victims. Recipient: Brenda J. Muhammad, Atlanta, Georgia and Michelle L. Shae, Abbottstown, Pennsylvania
- The Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award honors leadership, innovation, and vision that lead to noteworthy changes in public policy on behalf of crime victims. Recipient: The Every Voice Coalition, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Special Courage Award honors extraordinary bravery in the aftermath of a crime or courageous act on behalf of a victim or potential victim. Recipients: Gail Frances Gardner, Ocoee, Florida and Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman, Seattle, Washington.
- The Volunteer for Victims Award recognizes individuals who serve without compensation. Recipient: Linda Stambaugh, Newell, South Dakota
“The Office for Victims of Crime works every day to support victims in every corner of our country, ensuring that no crime survivor feels voiceless, marginalized or alone,” said Kristina Rose, Director of OVC. “Through their tireless work, boundless capacity for empathy and fierce devotion to justice, these award recipients have made it possible for victims to find their voice and to begin, with a feeling of hope, the long journey toward healing.”
During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.
To see the complete list of awardees and learn more about past NCVRW recipients, visit the OVC gallery.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Recognizes Individuals and Organizations for Service to Victims of CrimeRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, joined by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, today recognized 14 individuals, organizations, and teams for their advocacy on behalf of victims of crime. The award recipients were honored during the annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony.
“Empowering and encouraging people who have been victimized to participate in our legal system is essential to justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “For the past 41 years, the Department of Justice has recognized the challenges, struggles, and achievements of crime victims and victim advocates in their efforts to secure the rights, access, and equal justice that all survivors deserve. I am pleased to congratulate this year's honorees on their selection for these distinguished awards and extend my deepest gratitude for their continued work.”
The awardees were selected from public nominations in multiple categories, including federal service, public policy, victim services, and a Special Courage award. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, placing crime victims' rights, needs and concerns in prominence on the American agenda.
President Reagan also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims. This year is the 40th anniversary of the Task Force’s Final Report and marks 50 years since the establishment of the first three victim assistance organizations — Bay Area Women Against Rape in Oakland, California; the D.C. Rape Crisis Center in Washington, D.C.; and Aid for Victims of Crime (now the Crime Victim Advocacy Center) in St. Louis, Missouri. The creation of these organizations, all of which still exist today, is considered to be the genesis of the crime victims’ movement in the United States.
The 41st observance of NCVRW takes place this year, April 24-30, and features the theme, “Rights, Access, Equity, for All Victims.”
“This time every year, we honor and remember victims of crime, not only for the trauma that they have endured and the adversity they have encountered, but also for their courage and resilience and for paving the way toward justice and healing for countless other survivors across the country,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “These extraordinary individuals and teams embody an ethic of service and compassion that distinguishes them from an already exceptional field of victim-serving professionals. We join the Attorney General in expressing our deepest appreciation for providing crime victims — all crime victims — a place to turn in their time of need.”
Following is a list of the 2022 NCVRW award recipients:
- The Allied Professional Award recognizes individuals working outside the victim assistance field for their service to victims.
- Recipients: Deborah Flowers, Pittsboro, North Carolina, and Dr. Linda Laras, Caguas, Puerto Rico.
- The Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services recognizes a program, organization or individual who expands the reach of victims’ rights and services.
- Recipients: Barrier Free Living, Bronx, New York, and LGBTQ+ Victim Advocacy Initiative at Eskenazi Health, Indianapolis, Indiana.
- The Financial Restoration Award recognizes individuals, programs, organizations, or teams that have instituted innovative approaches for securing financial restoration for crime victims.
- Recipient: Asset Forfeiture Unit and Financial Litigation Program in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville.
- The Victims Research Award recognizes individual researchers or research teams who made a significant contribution to the nation’s understanding of crime victim issues.
- Recipient: John Chapin, Ph.D., Monaca, Pennsylvania.
- The Crime Victims’ Rights Award honors the dedicated champions throughout our nation whose efforts to advance or enforce crime victims’ rights have benefited victims of crime at the state, Tribal, or national level.
- Recipient: Derek Marchman, Conyers, Georgia.
- The Federal Service Award recognizes federal agency personnel for service to victims of federal, Tribal, or military crimes.
- Recipient: Environmental Crime Victim Assistance Team, Washington, D.C.
- The National Crime Victim Service Award honors extraordinary efforts to provide direct services to crime victims.
- Recipient: Brenda J. Muhammad, Atlanta, Georgia and Michelle L. Shae, Abbottstown, Pennsylvania.
- The Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award honors leadership, innovation, and vision that lead to noteworthy changes in public policy on behalf of crime victims.
- Recipient: The Every Voice Coalition, Boston, Massachusetts.
- The Special Courage Award honors extraordinary bravery in the aftermath of a crime or courageous act on behalf of a victim or potential victim.
- Recipients: Gail Frances Gardner, Ocoee, Florida and Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman, Seattle, Washington.
- The Volunteer for Victims Award recognizes individuals who serve without compensation.
- Recipient: Linda Stambaugh, Newell, South Dakota.
“The Office for Victims of Crime works every day to support victims in every corner of our country, ensuring that no crime survivor feels voiceless, marginalized, or alone,” said OVC Director Kristina Rose. “Through their tireless work, boundless capacity for empathy, and fierce devotion to justice, these award recipients have made it possible for victims to find their voice and to begin, with a feeling of hope, the long journey toward healing.”
During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local, and Tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.
To learn more about past NCVRW recipients, visit the OVC Gallery.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims, and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
- The Allied Professional Award recognizes individuals working outside the victim assistance field for their service to victims.
Ariel Quiros Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for EB-5 Fraud in Vermont’s Northeast KingdomRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Ariel Quiros, 65, of Puerto Rico, and formerly of Key Biscayne, Florida, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison by Chief Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford in United States District Court in connection with his involvement in the AnC Vermont EB-5 investment project. Chief Judge Crawford also ordered Quiros to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay $8,338,600.77 in restitution. Today’s sentencing follows Quiros’s guilty pleas in August 2020 to three felony charges: conspiring with co-defendants William Kelly, Jong Weon (Alex) Choi, and William Stenger in a multi-year wire fraud scheme to defraud immigrant investors seeking green cards through the EB-5 program; money laundering for using a loan collateralized with investor funds to pay a personal tax obligation; and concealing material facts in a matter within the jurisdiction of a federal agency, namely United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which oversaw the EB-5 process.
According to court records and proceedings, the AnC Vermont project was designed to raise $110 million from 220 immigrant investors in order to construct and operate a biotechnology facility in Newport, Vermont. From 2012 to 2016, the defendants convinced approximately 169 investors to invest approximately $85 million in the AnC Vermont project, in addition to paying approximately $8 million in “administrative fees.” The facility was never constructed. As Chief Judge Crawford observed during Stenger’s sentencing hearing, in reality the AnC Vermont project was a “ghost.”
When Quiros pleaded guilty, he admitted that he and his co-conspirators misled AnC investors about important information, including how investor money would be used, the timing of job creation for the project, and Choi’s role in the project. For example, Quiros knew that investors were given a use-of-funds chart that contained a number of misrepresentations about the amount of funds Quiros and Choi planned to receive. Moreover, as the defendants raised investor money, Quiros used investor funds for purposes unrelated to the project, and he participated in concealing this misuse of funds. Quiros further admitted that the scheme included misrepresentations about the timing of the jobs that would be created by the project and the business revenue that would be generated from the project.
In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy charges, Quiros admitted using AnC investor funds for personal expenses, specifically a $6 million payment to the IRS in early 2015 funded by a loan collateralized by investor funds. Quiros also admitted helping to conceal from the Vermont Regional Center that Choi, who was deeply involved in the project, was being investigated in Korea for financial crimes.
As part of his plea agreement, Quiros agreed to cooperate in the government’s ongoing matters related to this case. The plea agreement signed by Quiros and the government capped Quiros’s potential jail sentence at 97 months, so long as he abided by the terms of the agreement. In connection with Quiros’s sentencing proceeding, the government informed the Court that Quiros should receive significant credit for his cooperation and would be an important witness at any trial of his co-defendants.
Quiros’s sentencing concludes the criminal proceedings for all three of the defendants who have appeared in this matter. Co-defendants Stenger and Kelly were each sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment by Chief Judge Crawford earlier this month. Co-defendant Choi remains at large.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest expressed his continued gratitude for the outstanding investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations in this case. U.S. Attorney Kerest also thanked the Justice Department’s Fraud Section and the Office of International Affairs for their invaluable collaboration in this prosecution.
“The Jay Peak EB-5 fraud was massive, lengthy, and wide-ranging. The defendants’ scheme impacted the lives of many hundreds of individuals, including not only investors from all over the world who dreamed of one day becoming United States citizens, but also Vermonters in Northeast Kingdom communities who hoped for the economic development and new jobs that the defendants promised to deliver,” said U.S. Attorney Kerest. “The conclusion of the criminal cases against Ariel Quiros, William Kelly, and William Stenger demonstrates that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to addressing the most challenging cases and to rooting out fraud in all corners of Vermont. I commend our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their dogged investigation and prosecution of this complex matter.”
"Ariel Quiros, William Kelly, and William Stenger knowingly took advantage of innocent EB-5 investors," said Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Albany Division. "Their deceptive scheme destroyed their plans and ruined the promise of economic development in the city of Newport and the Northeast Kingdom. This sentence should send a message that the FBI takes our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain very seriously. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means to take advantage of others."
“EB-5 investors contribute significant resources to American businesses and the U.S. economy with the aim of preserving jobs and seeking a pathway for obtaining lawful permanent residency,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to bring our forensic accounting expertise in this multiagency effort to help ensure the integrity of this program and bring to justice those seeking to defraud it.”
“The U.S. public relies on FDA oversight to ensure that their medical products are safe and effective,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice companies that attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA, which are intended to protect the public health. We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice for their vigorous pursuit of justice in this matter.”
The prosecutors handling the case are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Van de Graaf and Nicole Cate. Ariel Quiros is represented by Neil Taylor, Esq. and Robert Katims, Esq. William Kelly was represented by Robert Goldstein, Esq. and Mary Kehoe, Esq. William Stenger was represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq. and David Williams, Esq.
Alaska Dentist and Wife Indicted for Tax Evasion, Bankruptcy Fraud, Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
In an indictment unsealed yesterday, a federal grand jury in Anchorage, Alaska, charged an Alaska dentist and his wife with tax evasion, conspiring to defraud the United States, bankruptcy fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and other federal crimes.
According to the indictment, from approximately 2013 to present, Glenn and Saray Lockwood, of Kenai, evaded payment of millions of dollars of federal income taxes and filed false bankruptcy petitions to impede the IRS’s collection efforts. To conceal their assets from both the IRS and their bankruptcy creditors, the Lockwoods allegedly formed an LLC and transferred assets into the LLC. During the bankruptcy proceedings, the Lockwoods allegedly denied ownership of the LLC and other assets. According to the indictment, the Lockwoods attempted to evade more than $3.5 million in taxes.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States and bankruptcy fraud, and 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman for the District of Alaska are 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.
Alaska Dentist and Wife Indicted for Tax Evasion, Bankruptcy Fraud, Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – In an indictment unsealed yesterday, a federal grand jury in Anchorage, Alaska, charged an Alaska dentist and his wife with tax evasion, conspiring to defraud the United States, bankruptcy fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and other federal crimes.
According to the indictment, from approximately 2013 to present, Glenn and Saray Lockwood, of Kenai, evaded payment of millions of dollars of federal income taxes and filed false bankruptcy petitions to impede the IRS’s collection efforts. To conceal their assets from both the IRS and their bankruptcy creditors, the Lockwoods allegedly formed an LLC and transferred assets into the LLC. During the bankruptcy proceedings, the Lockwoods allegedly denied ownership of the LLC and other assets. According to the indictment, the Lockwoods attempted to evade more than $3.5 million in taxes.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States and bankruptcy fraud, and 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman for the District of Alaska are 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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28 April 2022
Woman admits to trafficking over $1M in crystal meth and black tar heroinRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old Mission woman has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute more than 31 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Cristina Inez Marquez pleaded guilty to knowingly transporting and possessing over 31 kilograms of meth and five kilograms of heroin.
As part of her plea, Marquez admitted that on Dec. 29, 2021, she drove a gray Ford Explorer northbound on Highway 281 near Alice.
Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and conducted an inspection. At that time, they discovered the fuel tank had been tampered with and removed. Upon examining the contents, authorities found 12 concealed bundles of what appeared to be crystal meth and black tar heroin. The weight of the bundles exceeded 85 pounds.
Analysis later confirmed the substances in the bundles were in fact crystal meth at 95% purity with a net weight of 31.41 kilograms and black tar heroin with a net weight of 5.95 kilograms. The drugs had an estimated street value of more than $1.3 million.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing July 20. At that time, Marquez faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
She has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case.
Wilmington Man Sentenced for Stealing Firearms from a Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Naushad Khan, age 24 of Wilmington, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for stealing numerous guns from a federal firearms licensee and for possession of a stolen firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence.
Court records show that, during the early morning hours of May 31, 2020, Khan and four co-conspirators broke into American Sportsman, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Newark, on three separate occasions, stealing a total of 35 firearms. During the first burglary, Khan remained outside as his co-conspirators broke into the store and removed as many handguns and shot guns as they could in two minutes. Khan then returned with two additional co-conspirators and broke into the store two more times. Khan was the only individual present during all three burglaries. Eleven stolen firearms have since been recovered by law enforcement, but the location of the remaining two dozen guns is unknown. Co-defendants Nahsiem McInstosh and Derris Lloyd have pled guilty and are pending sentencing. Investigators continue to search for the remaining firearms and investigate the involvement of the two additional, currently unidentified, co-conspirators.
The government argued for an enhanced sentence based on two aggravating factors: first, that the firearms were stolen during the civil unrest related to George Floyd’s murder; and second, that the stolen firearms were likely sold to persons who could not legally possess guns.
“Ready access to illegal guns endangers lives. Stolen guns give dangerous felons the ability to destroy our communities, shot by shot. Of the eleven firearms that have been recovered, four have been linked through preliminary ballistic testing to other shootings and homicides in Delaware and Pennsylvania. My office will continue to work with all of our partners in law enforcement to hold accountable those who steal guns and sell them to criminals,” stated U.S. Attorney Weiss.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe and Daniel Logan prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Delaware State Police.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 20-03-CFC.
West Haven Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics and Ammunition OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHAZ REDDICK, 39, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and ammunition possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, West Haven Police made three controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Reddick. Reddick was arrested on April 20, 2021. On that date, a court-authorized search of his apartment revealed approximately 160 grams of crack, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, and multiple rounds of ammunition.
Reddick’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm, drug and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for someone previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Reddick has been detained since his arrest. On December 6, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor M. Reardon and 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.
Vicksburg Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Vicksburg man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana.
U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Todd Damiani of the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Transportation made the announcement.
According to court documents, John Travis Ross, 34, flew a drone carrying approximately 60 grams of marijuana, lighters, a cell phone, and various cell phone cables over a fence onto the grounds of the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl, Mississippi during the early morning hours of August 6, 2020. Ross’s actions were captured on surveillance video. Ross has felony convictions for burglary of a building and sale of methamphetamine.
“Among the various intended uses of drone technology, illicit distribution of contraband, particularly inside a correctional facility, is not one,” said Todd Damiani, Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “We continue to diligently work with our Federal and State partners in identifying, investigating, and disrupting criminal drone activities.”
Ross pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D). He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4, 2022 and, due to the relatively low amount of marijuana involved, faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Mississippi Department of Corrections and the DOT OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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.
Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Flying to the Philippines with the Intention of Engaging in Sexual Conduct with a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Balbino Sablad, 80, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2019, Sablad flew to the Philippines with the intention of engaging in sexual conduct with a child under the age of 16. Using Facebook, Sablad had engaged in sexual chats with a person he believed was the intended minor victim and he sent the intended minor victim over $2,000 prior to his travel to the Philippines. Before he arrived, he also discussed with a co-conspirator his plan to sexually abuse the intended minor victim in the Philippines.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne Rust is prosecuting the case.
Sablad a sentencing hearing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Aug. 1, 2022. Sablad faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 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 case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Two charged in $10M Medicare fraud/kickback schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A home health agency owner and patient recruiter have been arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit, committing health care fraud and conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal grand jury in Houston returned the five-count indictment against Okorie Oko, 63, Fresno, and Henry C. Dobbins, 57, Houston, April 26 which was unsealed today upon their arrests. They are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray today at 2 p.m.
According to the indictment, Oko is the owner and Dobbins is a patient recruiter, respectively, of Elitte Healthcare and Service Inc.
The indictment alleges that from 2015 to 2022, Oko billed Medicare for home health care services that were never provided and created false medical records. Oko allegedly paid kickbacks to Dobbins, patients and marketers that Elitte employed to obtain new patient referrals. Oko also allegedly billed Medicare for home health care services provided to Elitte marketers while transporting and recruiting patients within the community.
The indictment further alleges Oko and Elitte fraudulently billed more than $10 million to Medicare.
If convicted, both face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Department of Health and Human Services ‐ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and FBI. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Defendants Sentenced on Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE, La. – Two defendants involved in separate Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) cases were sentenced yesterday on drug charges in the Western District of Louisiana, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
Djavious T. Evans, 23, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 120 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In July 2020, agents with the DEA began an investigation into the trafficking of methamphetamine in the Shreveport area. This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation was named “Operation Lost and Found” and resulted in federal indictments against nine defendants for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Through their investigation, agents learned that Demetrius Loston, Evans and other co-defendants were distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the Shreveport area.
Law enforcement agents intercepted phone calls between Loston and an unnamed individual wherein they communicated about meeting to pick up methamphetamine at a local gas station. Agents observed Loston’s vehicle travel to the gas station, then to a residence in Shreveport. A traffic stop was conducted, and the driver was Evans. He had an outstanding warrant for child support and was arrested. During a search of the vehicle, officers found two loaded firearms, and a bag with several bags of methamphetamine inside. Another bag of methamphetamine was found under the radio console, along with 141 ecstasy pills. The narcotics were taken to the crime lab and were determined to have a net weight of 253.6 grams of methamphetamine and the ecstasy pills weighed 30.7 grams.
This case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
Jhailen Zeno, of 27, of Lafayette, Louisiana was sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 85 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation was named “Operation All Star Millennials” and resulted in a federal indictment against ten defendants for conspiring together to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in the Morgan City area. Law enforcement agents began an investigation in September 2019 into the drug trafficking activities of Zeno and his co-defendants and learned that Zeno conspired with nine others to acquire and distribute heroin for profit. During their investigation, Zeno was stopped on two occasions in June 2020 and found to have heroin in his possession, along with a 9mm handgun. Zeno pleaded guilty on charge on July 7, 2021.
This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, ATF, and Lafayette Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Nickel and Robert C. Abendroth.
These cases are part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Two Leaders and an Associate of Little Havana Drug Trafficking Organization Found GuiltyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Following a nine-week trial, a federal jury in Miami has found two leaders and an associate of a violent drug trafficking and money laundering organization operating in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood guilty of various firearms, narcotics, and money laundering crimes.
According to the trial evidence, from 2013 to 2018, Ulysses Cabrera, a/k/a “Uley,” a/k/a “Big Cuz,” 32, and Bernardo Quinonez, a/k/a “Macho,” 34, both of Miami, led a continuing criminal enterprise that distributed cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana onto the streets of Little Havana. Cabrera supplied the cocaine and managed the operation. B. Quinonez was a co-manager who supervised the people turning the cocaine into crack inside local homes. The third trial defendant, Victor Smith, a/k/a “OGP,” 26, of Miami, oversaw the street-level drug sales. When rival drug dealers threatened the territory that they controlled or questioned their authority, Cabrera and B. Quinonez directed Smith and other armed members of the ring to intimidate, maim, and, in some instances, kill people. Innocent bystanders were sometimes shot and injured. Cabrera and B. Quinonez laundered the dirty drug money in various ways, including buying Opa-Locka real estate.
Law enforcement seizures in this case included approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, several grams of crack cocaine, more than 26 pounds of marijuana, four assault rifles, 10 pistols, 10 extended magazines, 10 semi-automatic firearms, a short barrel rifle, a revolver and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The jury convicted Cabrera of one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, four counts of money laundering crimes, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The jury convicted B. Quinonez of one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, one count of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of drive-by shooting, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, three counts of money laundering, seven counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of maintaining an establishment to distribute controlled substances. It convicted Smith of one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, one count of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, as well as one count of armed robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Sentencing is set for August 1, before Chief United States District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. Cabrera, B. Quinonez, and Smith face up to life in prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; George A. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD); Manuel A. Morales, Chief of Police, City of Miami Police Department (MPD); and Gadyaces S. Serralta, U.S. Marshal, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), made the announcement.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case and prosecution were carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused on the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.
This investigation, Operation Havana Ghost, is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
ATF Miami, MDPD (including the MDPD Street Terror Offender Program (STOP)), MPD, and U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen D’Angelo and Rilwan Adeduntan are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 18-cr-20946.
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Two Harrisburg Men Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Steven Seibert, age 42, and Dennis Banegas, age 46, both of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, were indicted on April 28, 2022, by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Seibert and Banegas with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine between October 2018 and January 2019, and attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on January 7, 2019, in Dauphin County.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian T. Haugsby is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Seibert and Banegas face a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of up to life. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Tracy Man Charged with Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography and Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Wayne Lee Hauzer, 57, of Tracy, charging him with distribution and possession of child pornography and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Hauzer used the Kik messaging application to communicate with an undercover FBI agent whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, and sent the undercover agent a video of child pornography. Hauzer also possessed additional images of child pornography. In addition, Hauzer possessed 35 rounds of 9 mm caliber ammunition in a closet near a firearm without a serial number, which is known as a “ghost gun.” Hauzer is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition after having been convicted of felonies, including the enticement of a minor and distribution of child pornography.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) with assistance from the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hauzer faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and potentially a lifetime of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
Thrice-Convicted Rhode Island Businessman Sentenced for Pocketing Employee Federal Withholding TaxesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island businessman convicted of misusing more than a half-million dollars in employment taxes collected from his employees to finance his own personal expenditures, including rent payments on a luxury home and fess for online dating services, has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Steven M. Allard, 60, of North Scituate, owner and operator of BR Steel Corporation in Burrillville and Greystone Iron Corporation in Smithfield, previously admitted in court that from at least 2017 through 2018, he failed to turn over to the IRS more than $570,000 in federal employment taxes and FICA payments withheld from his employees. Instead, Allard used the money to pay for personal expenditures including the purchase of more than $216,000 in “credits” to an online dating website, RussianBrides.com, and $93,000 in rent payments for a luxury home in Scituate.
Allard pleaded guilty on September 20, 2020, to willful failure to collect or pay over taxes. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 33 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release; and pay $625,186.29 restitution to the IRS.
This case marks the third federal conviction and sentencing of Allard in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island. In 2009, Allard pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. In that matter, Allard admitted that from March 2005 to July 2006, he diverted for his own use $1.6 million dollars due the IRS; and that he made false statements about real estate holdings in a bankruptcy filing in 2005. Prior to that, Allard was found guilty by a jury at trial of accepting kickbacks from public employees and was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison.
Allard’s most recent federal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.
The matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration.
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Texas Man and Arkansas Woman Arrested for Running Illegal Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man and an Arkansas woman were arrested today in connection with allegedly operating a money transmitting business that laundered the proceeds of online investment fraud schemes.
Charles Ochi, 27, of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Danielle Liggins, 32, of Little Rock, Ark., were charged with one count of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business. Ochi and Liggins were arrested this morning in the Northern District of Texas and the Western District of Arkansas, respectively, and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, Ochi met Liggins in Texas through a dating website and convinced Liggins to help him run a cryptocurrency company, even though Liggins did not know anything about cryptocurrency. It is alleged that Ochi and Liggins used two sham companies to transmit proceeds of Ponzi-style investment fraud schemes based in Nigeria. Specifically, the schemes purported to offer trading and Bitcoin investing services when, in fact, investor funds were stolen and later victims’ investments were used to pay purported returns to earlier investors.
To conduct the scheme, Liggins allegedly opened bank accounts at Ochi’s direction and used sham businesses, Global Prime and Liggins Starflexx Commercial, to receive money from investing victims, which she either withdrew or mailed to individuals designated by Ochi using cashier’s checks. For each transaction, Ochi paid Liggins about $1,000. Liggins and Ochi allegedly transmitted fraud proceeds from at least three online investment fraud schemes, with victims in Massachusetts, California, Florida and Canada. Ochi and Liggins did not hold money transmitting licenses in Texas, nor were they registered as money transmitters as required by federal law.
The charge of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds, whichever is greater. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Division of Enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tampa Man Who Brandished Firearm While Driving Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Karey Tyrone Taylor, II (42, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Taylor qualifies for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on January 2, 2021, Taylor brandished a firearm at a woman while they were driving in adjacent lanes on East Fowler Avenue in Tampa. Units from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) subsequently located Taylor’s car at a nearby gas station. After apprehending Taylor, TPD discovered a black handgun in the driver’s side door pocket of Taylor’s car. The handgun had one round of ammunition in the chamber and 14 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine. Taylor had previously been convicted of several felony offenses, including a conviction for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and convictions for multiple serious drug offenses, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.
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.
Tallahassee Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Tallahassee convicted Tyron Columbia Watson, 39, of Tallahassee, Florida of two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor Under the Age of 14. The guilty verdict, returned yesterday, at the conclusion of a three-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The jury’s verdict provides justice for this child victim and affirms our commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Through concerted efforts like Operation Stolen Innocence we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”
“Operation Stolen Innocence was part of the Tallahassee Police Department’s collective commitment to dismantle sexual exploitation in our community,” said Chief Lawrence Revell. “We are pleased to see another offender found guilty of their crimes against those most vulnerable in our community. The continuous arrests resulting from this operation are a true testament to the diligent work of our investigators and every agency we have worked with in this mission.”
“The successful federal prosecution of this child predator is a testament to the partnership, dedication and commitment of HSI, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Northern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office, to aggressively protect our most vulnerable victims, the children in our communities,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips.
Watson faces a mandatory minimum term of fifteen years imprisonment to Life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a maximum term of Life on supervised release.
This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Stolen Innocence, a multi-agency coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit, to combat human trafficking in the Tallahassee area. First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven and Special Assistant United States Attorney Khari James prosecuted this case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Strongsville Man Charged with Defrauding SNAP Program and Theft of Public MoneyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Sleiman Awada, 54, of Strongsville, Ohio, with stealing public funds and with participating in a conspiracy to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program.
According to the indictment, the defendant worked with others at a convenience store on Warrensville Center Road in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. This convenience store was registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) to participate in the SNAP program and receive benefit payments. The indictment alleges that from May 2019 through September 2020, the defendant and others directed certain individuals to use their SNAP benefits to purchase items at other stores only to be resold in the Warrensville Heights convenience store at a profit.
In one example, it is alleged that the defendant met with an individual at the convenience store and provided that person with $150.000 in exchange for $389.37 worth of products that the defendant knew had been acquired outside of the convenience store and purchased with SNAP benefits.
The indictment also alleges that during this time, the defendant was fraudulently receiving benefits through Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP. Though the defendant worked at the convenience store, he failed to disclose that work when applying for benefits. The defendant also created fictitious paystubs indicating that the defendant’s wife worked for and received payment from the convenience store. It is alleged that the defendant knew this to be untrue and failed to disclose his own work at the store in order to receive government benefits to which he was not entitled, including SNAP, Medicaid, and Social Security disability benefits.
In total, the defendant is accused of receiving more than $215,000 in Medicaid benefits, $100,000 in SNAP benefits, and more than $200,000 in disability insurance benefits.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to drug trafficking charges involving fentanyl.
Juan Jimenez, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2022. Jimenez was charged in May 2021 and subsequently indicted in June 2021.
On multiple occasions in May 2021, Jimenez sold fentanyl to an undercover agent. Specifically, on May 12, 2021, Jimenez met the undercover officer at a parking lot in Sturbridge where he provided the agent with a package containing almost 50 grams of fentanyl. During the meeting, Jimenez expressed to the agent that he did not want to have “that much” on him and therefore intended to bring another individual to future meetings to handle transactions. On May 19, 2021, Jimenez drove himself and another individual to the same parking lot to meet with the undercover agent. There, Jimenez sent his accomplice to provide the agent with a package containing 50 grams of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charges of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, eight years of supervised release and a fine of up to $8 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson; and Sturbridge Police Chief Earl Dessert made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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 that U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter today 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.
Sioux City Man Who Distributed over 90 Pounds of Methamphetamine Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who sold large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine around Sioux City was sentenced April 28, 2022 to more than 20 years in federal prison. Isidro Jaramillo, age 41, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a November 17, 2021, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence showed that beginning in 2019 Jaramillo started selling approximately 40 pounds of meth per month in the Siouxland area. By December 2019, he stored over two pounds of cocaine, 68 pounds of marijuana, and 28 pounds of methamphetamine in a co-conspirator’s basement and coordinated the sale of the drugs, which originated from Mexico, over the course of a few months. In March of 2021, Jaramillo sold 6 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer for $10,000. During a subsequent search of Jaramillo’s residence, agents located approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine and the $10,000 in cash used to purchase the 6 pounds of methamphetamine. Jaramillo was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Jaramillo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Jaramillo was sentenced to 250 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jaramillo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-04021.
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Seal Cove Man Sentenced to 70 Years for Multiple Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Seal Cove man was sentenced today in federal court for three counts of production of child pornography, one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Keegan Richardson, 28, to 70 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution. Richardson pleaded guilty on October 4, 2021.
“These cases shock the conscience,” Judge Walker said in handing down the sentence. “It is impossible to overstate the harm the defendant has inflicted on [these children] and, by extension, to an unknown degree, on the community at large. What is just punishment for terrorizing [these children] and marketing that terrorism to strangers over the internet?”
According to court records, on July 6, 2020, Richardson entered a private internet chat group and began communicating with an undercover FBI agent. This chat group was known to the agent as a place where people met, discussed and traded original child sexual abuse material of underage children and links to child pornography. Richardson confirmed that he had access to a female minor and shared multiple sexually explicit images of the minor with the agent. A search warrant was obtained for Richardson’s residence and phone, and he was arrested. Investigators later learned that he had access to two additional minors. On his phone, a forensic examiner found multiple sexually explicit images of the three minors that Richardson had taken with his phone. Additional child sexual abuse material involving different minors was also discovered.
The FBI, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
“Holding those who engage in child exploitation enterprises and create child sexual abuse material accountable is and will remain a top priority for the Justice Department, the FBI and our office,” McElwee said. “Keegan Richardson not only preyed on children, he callously violated three children who trusted him, causing lasting and profound damage. I can think of no greater violation, and I commend the FBI for their quick action to protect those children from further harm.”
Project Safe Childhood: 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 Department’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.
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*Corrected 04/29/22: U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker was incorrectly listed as “U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Walker” in the original press release dated 04/28/22. The press release has been updated with the correct information.
Schenectady Man Sentenced for Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – James King, age 33, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen; and Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his guilty plea, King admitted that between February and March 2021, he sold methamphetamine twice and possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute on March 17, 2021. In total, King admitted to selling more than 150 grams of methamphetamine.
Chief United States District Judge Hon. Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a term of 4 years of supervised release to follow the term of incarceration.
This case was investigated by DEA, the New York State Police, and HSI, with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and the Guilderland Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping.
Salamanca Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography Charges Including Production, Receipt and PossessionRead 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 Robert Calkins, Jr., 37, of Salamanca, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in April 2020, the New York State Police (NYSP) began an investigation after receiving multiple reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referencing Calkins as the subject of activity and material involving suspected child pornography. In September 2020, NYSP investigators executed a search warrant at Calkins’ E. Jefferson Street residence in Salamanca, seizing four cell phones and an SD card. A forensic analysis recovered thousands of images and videos of suspected child pornography on the phones and SD card. Some of the images depict a minor female whom Calkins had contact with. Also recovered were sexually explicit Facebook Messenger conversations between Calkins and what is believed to be a 16-year-old minor female.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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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Robert Lenard Booth Convicted of Defrauding Investors of Nearly $2 MillionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ROBERT LENARD BOOTH, a/k/a “Trevor Nicholas,” was found guilty on all counts of a three-count Indictment that charged him with defrauding victim investors in countries around the world and laundering the proceeds of the fraud. The verdict followed a six-day jury trial in Manhattan Federal Court before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Robert Lenard Booth stole his victims’ lifesavings and moved the money around the world to hide his elaborate fraud. He thought he could get away with it. Today the jury showed him he was wrong.”
According to the Indictment and the evidence at trial:
From at least June 2019 through August 2021, BOOTH ran, and conspired with others to run, a boiler room operation that impersonated Manhattan-based brokerage firms and sold investors nearly $2 million in securities that they never received. To deceive investors, BOOTH and his co-conspirators created fake identities and false and misleading webpages, email addresses, and phone numbers. On phone calls with investors, BOOTH and others pretended to be licensed brokers, lied, and used high-pressure tactics to pitch stocks for American companies. They followed up by sending the victims false paperwork to confirm the alleged stock purchases and trades.
The victims were directed to wire payments—sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars—to shell company accounts in New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The funds were laundered and distributed to BOOTH and his co-conspirators.
BOOTH was convicted of conspiracies to commit securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.
Formerly a resident of Brooklyn, New York, BOOTH, 68, relocated overseas and spent years operating his scheme from Thailand and Panama. In August 2021, BOOTH flew from Thailand into JFK International Airport and was arrested on arrival. Pending trial, BOOTH resided in Brooklyn, where he lived until his conviction today. Judge Rakoff revoked his bail and remanded him following the conviction.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and their partnership with the J5. The J5 works together to gather information, share intelligence and conduct coordinated operations against transnational financial crimes. The J5 includes the Australian Taxation Office, the Canadian Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs from the U.K. and IRS-CI from the U.S.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Jones, Jane Y. Chong, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.
Retired Jacksonville School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Possessing Videos and Images Depicting the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Michael Paul Gillis (64, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing computer media containing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Gillis was arrested by FBI agents on February 2, 2022, and has been detained since that time. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents and information provided in open court, FBI agents were investigating individuals who were using a particular online file-sharing network to receive and share child pornography. The investigation revealed that Gillis, a retired public-school teacher, had accessed this network from his residence.
On February 2, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Gillis’s home. Gillis, who was home at the time, admitted that he had been accessing child sexual abuse materials using the internet for at least the past 15 years, that he had viewed materials depicting children as young as 3 years old, and that he currently had “a couple hundred” contraband videos on his computer. Gillis also admitted that he viewed child sexual abuse materials while working as a teacher and would fantasize about touching children inappropriately but claimed that he never acted on it. During the execution of the search warrant, FBI personnel seized several computers belonging to Gillis that contained at least 2,000 images and 210 videos depicting infants, toddlers, and other young children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. The forfeiture of assets is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of 12-Year-Old and 9-Year-Old Girls and Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEVE ROSADO, a registered sex offender, was sentenced today by the Honorable Jed S. Rakoff to 20 years in prison for attempting to entice two minor girls to engage in illegal sexual activity, and for attempting to receive child pornography after having been previously convicted of sex offenses involving minors. ROSADO was arrested in December 2020 and pled guilty to the charges in November 2021.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Steve Rosado tried to – and in some cases, did – prey on the most defenseless members of our community. He attempted to engage in repeated sexual activity with multiple children, some of whom he believed to be as young as 9 years old, even after having been twice before convicted of sex offenses and required to register as a sex offender. Crimes like this can have devastating and lasting effects on minor victims, and I once again thank the FBI and the NYPD for their work in investigating and arresting Rosado before he could harm any others.”
According to public court filings:
On November 29, 2020, an undercover FBI agent (the “UC”), posing as the mother of a 12-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl, initiated a series of conversations with ROSADO, then 41 years old, via an online messaging service. The UC and ROSADO later exchanged telephone numbers, and they proceeded to communicate over the next week via the online messaging service, text message, and lengthy telephone conversations that were recorded by the UC.
In hundreds of text messages, and hours of calls, ROSADO repeatedly expressed, in graphic and unambiguous terms, his desire to engage in repeated sexual activity with both children – including both oral and vaginal sex – as part of their “new routine together.” To help alleviate any concerns the UC might have regarding ROSADO having sexual relations with her young children, ROSADO provided the UC with his recent test results for COVID-19 and HIV, and he discussed what he and the UC could do if he were to impregnate one of the children.
The UC and ROSADO arranged to meet at a bar in Manhattan on the evening of December 7, 2020, with the understanding that they would return to the UC’s apartment afterward and ROSADO would then engage in sexual activity with the children. On the evening in question, ROSADO met the UC at the agreed-upon location. After the two of them left the bar and began walking toward the UC’s purported apartment, law enforcement arrested ROSADO. ROSADO was at the time in possession of gifts for the children – including dolls and a stuffed animal – and an overnight bag containing, among other things, lubricant.
That same day, law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices belonging to ROSADO. Subsequent searches of those devices by law enforcement, pursuant to search warrants, revealed that ROSADO had for weeks been communicating online with several other individuals who purported to be minors – some purporting to be as young as 13 years old – in an ongoing effort not only to receive child pornography, but also to persuade the young victims to move to New York to live with him, so that he could engage in sexual activity with them, impregnate them, and eventually engage in sexual activity with their future children. ROSADO’s electronic devices further revealed that during this same period, ROSADO was engaged in an ongoing sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female victim.
At the time he committed the aforementioned offenses, ROSADO was a registered sex offender, having twice before been convicted of sex offenses involving minors. In 2004, ROSADO was convicted of possessing a sexual performance by a child, in violation of New York State Penal Law § 263.16; and in 2005, ROSADO was convicted of four counts of rape in the second degree, in violation of New York State Penal Law § 130.30(1), four counts of rape in the third degree, in violation of New York State Penal Law § 130.25(2), and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, in violation of New York State Penal Law § 260.10(1). The 2004 conviction arose out of ROSADO’s stalking and attempted kidnapping of a 13-year-old female victim he met online, and the 2005 conviction arose out of ROSADO’s having had sexual intercourse approximately 24 times with a 14-year-old female victim. As a result of his prior convictions, ROSADO was incarcerated from December 2005 to October 2013.
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In addition to his prison term, ROSADO, 42, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to lifetime supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky, Jane Y. Chong, and Elinor L. Tarlow are in charge of the prosecution.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco’s Trip to New York CityRead the Press Release
This week, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to New York City for a series of engagements that highlighted the department’s efforts to root out corporate crime, reduce violence and reform the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
On Tuesday, DAG Monaco visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), where she met with U.S. Attorney Breon Peace and his leadership team. She received an update on the investigation into the recent mass shooting on the New York Subway in Brooklyn, and she commended the case team for their hard work. The DAG also chaired a roundtable discussion with federal and local law enforcement leaders on violent crime, and she answered questions from the EDNY office during an all-hands meeting.
Also on Tuesday, DAG Monaco visited the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn to observe its operation and integration of inmates from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. The DAG made the decision to close that facility following a visit last year. At the MDC in Brooklyn, she met with BOP staff, heard about their efforts to improve facility operations and thanked them for their commitment to BOP’s dual mission of providing safe, humane custody while also preparing individuals for a return to society.
On Wednesday morning, DAG Monaco participated in a moderated discussion as the keynote address at the New York City Bar Association’s 10th Annual White Collar Crime Institute. The DAG warned that the department is seeing a growing overlap between corporate crime and national security, in areas such as terrorist group financing, money laundering to evade sanctions and cybercrime. In the course of her conversation, the DAG reiterated that the Department of Justice is committed to enforcing the sweeping sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and stressed that it is critically important for financial institutions and international corporations alike to pay close attention to these sanctions.
From there, the DAG went to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), where she joined the U.S. Attorney and other law enforcement leaders to announce the unsealing of charges against four individuals for the multibillion-dollar collapse of Archegos Capital Management. In her remarks, the DAG stressed that the Department of Justice’s first priority in corporate criminal matters is unambiguously “to prosecute the individuals who commit and profit from corporate malfeasance — including when those individuals occupy the C-Suite.”
The DAG also met with U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and his leadership team, and she received a series of case briefings from SDNY personnel. Her visit to SDNY concluded with an all-hands meeting, where she addressed an office-wide gathering and fielded questions. In her remarks to the office, she thanked the women and men of SDNY for their hard work on behalf of the citizens throughout the district.
Finally, on Wednesday afternoon, the DAG met with NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. She discussed the work of the Department of Justice to combat violent crime and gun trafficking and thanked the Commissioner for the work of the NYPD, and for the vital partnerships among state, local and federal law enforcement that are essential to keeping our communities safe. The DAG also acknowledged the recent, tragic shootings of NYPD officers and the sacrifices made by law enforcement around the country every day.
The DAG returned to Washington this morning.
Previously convicted felon pleads guilty to firearms possessionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Richard “Sky” Kuykendall, 42, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Kuykendall will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Kuykendall on June 9, 2021. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on May 12, 2021, Kuykendall was present at the scene of a gun fight in Albuquerque. After that gun fight, Kuykendall possessed a Beretta 9mm pistol.
Prior to the offense, Kuykendall, who is originally from Gloucester, Massachusetts, had been convicted of larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny, receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle, unlawful taking of a vehicle, forgery and identity theft. As a previously convicted felon, Kuykendall cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Kuykendall faces 18 months in prison.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and Samuel Hurtado are prosecuting the case.
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Phoenix Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Smuggling Firearms and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Pedro Adan Sevilla, 25, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 12 years in prison for his role in smuggling firearms and munitions from the United States into Mexico and for drug trafficking. Sevilla previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Sevilla’s co-defendant, Francisco Dario Mora, 28, of Tucson, Arizona, was previously sentenced on April 29, 2021 to five years in prison for his role in the smuggling activity. On Monday, Judge Rash also issued a Final Order of Forfeiture for the value of the firearms and munitions in the amount of $32,663.48 against both defendants and ordered $12,970 cash forfeited against Sevilla.
In September 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) initiated an investigation into firearms purchased by Mora and Sevilla that were recovered in Mexico by Mexican law enforcement officials. ATF agents discovered that from June 2019 through September 2019, Mora and Sevilla conspired to export 40 firearms to Mexico, including AK-type rifles and AR-type pistols, 25,000 rounds of ammunition, and 760 AK-type and AR-type magazines. During this time frame, Mora purchased at least 19 firearms, one of which was recovered in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico just 27 days after he purchased it. Sevilla purchased at least 21 firearms, two of which were recovered in Mexico a short time after they were purchased. Mora and Sevilla spent approximately $45,000 for the firearms and ammunition and crossed into Mexico from the United States on several dates to the deliver the firearms and munitions.
On November 13, 2019, ATF agents executed search warrants on residences and vehicles tied to Mora and Sevilla in Tucson and Phoenix. During the search of Sevilla’s Phoenix residence, agents located a safe in Sevilla’s bedroom where they found 19 grams of cocaine and 11.9 pounds of fentanyl pills. Agents also located a bag inside Sevilla’s bedroom that contained six bags of fentanyl pills, an AR-type pistol with a loaded magazine, $12,970 cash, and a digital narcotics scale.
ATF conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution .
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-3289-SHR-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-055_Sevilla# # #
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.Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty in Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and unlawfully spending the proceeds of his $6.8 million fraud.
According to court documents, Robert John Sabet, 46, of Brooklyn, the owner of two New York City pharmacies, conspired to bill Medicare and Medicaid for expensive prescription drugs that were not needed by patients, were dispensed in connection with kickbacks, or, in some cases, not dispensed at all. As part of the conspiracy, Sabet and others paid kickbacks and bribes to customers to convince them to fill prescriptions at his pharmacies, and paid customers cash in exchange for the ability to bill Medicare and Medicaid for over-the-counter health care-related products on their behalf. Sabet used proceeds of the scheme to purchase luxury items, such as a 2020 Porsche Taycan worth over $250,000.
Sabet pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and committing unlawful financial transactions. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York; Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Office of Investigations, New York Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso of IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York; and Acting Medicaid Inspector General Frank T. Walsh Jr. of the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, IRS-CI, and OMIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Miriam Glaser Dauermann of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan King for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Panola County Men Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – Three brothers and another man, all from Carthage, have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Lavara Geray Hinton, 39, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2021; Perry Cornelius Hinton, 42, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2021; Alex Christopher Hinton, 41, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2021; and David Wayne Anderson, 41, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2021--all to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Lavara Hinton was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, Perry Hinton was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison, Alex Hinton was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, and David Anderson was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.
According to information presented in court, the Hinton brothers, Anderson, and other co-conspirators purchased bulk methamphetamine from various suppliers and distributed it to mid-level dealers and retail customers in the Panola County area. Lavara Hinton would accept firearms in trade for methamphetamine and would later sell the firearms. Lavara Hinton sold more than 600 grams of pure methamphetamine and 33 firearms to confidential informants working with law enforcement. Perry and Alex Hinton assisted Lavara Hinton by coordinating bulk methamphetamine purchases from their suppliers and also sold methamphetamine to their own customer bases. Anderson purchased methamphetamine from Lavara Hinton for personal use and for further distribution to his own customers.
The Hinton brothers, Anderson, and two others whose cases remain pending were indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 17, 2020, and charged with federal drug trafficking and firearms violations.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Panola County Sheriff's Office, the Gregg County Sheriff's Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Ryan Locker.
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Panamanian National Guilty of East Texas Drug Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Panamanian national has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking violations during his federal trial in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jorge Albeiro Silva-Salazar, 53, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for distribution into the United States and manufacturing and distributing five kilograms or more of cocaine for distribution into the United States. Silva-Salazar changed his plea to guilty on April 26, 2022, in the middle of the second day of his federal trial, before U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III.
According to information presented in court, Silva-Salazar, aka Don Guillermo, is a Panamanian-based cocaine broker who utilized couriers to transport cocaine shipments from Colombia into Panama for further distribution to the United States. Airplanes, go-fast boats, semi-tractor trailer trucks, and passenger vehicles were used to transport most of the cocaine shipments.
“The coordination between the Eastern District of Texas and Republic of Panama is a premier example of law enforcement not only crossing borders, but continents, to keep our communities safer,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We are grateful to the Panamanian prosecutors, law enforcement officers and forensic chemists who work alongside our own federal agents and prosecutors to ensure justice prevails.”
“While thousands of miles away, the cocaine trafficking activity Mr. Silva-Salazar affected the lives of many people living in our East Texas neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “DEA offices both here in Dallas and in Panama are committed to ensuring justice is served and are continually working with our foreign counterparts to achieve our mutual goals of safety and security for our neighborhoods, whether in Sherman, Texas, or Panama City, Panama.”
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Silva-Salazar with federal drug trafficking violations on August 9, 2017. He faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Panama National Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Bloss.
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Owner of Pharmacies in Brooklyn and Queens Pleads Guilty in Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Robert John Sabet, the owner of Brooklyn Chemists in Gravesend, Brooklyn, and Lucky Care Pharmacy in Flushing, Queens, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and unlawfully spending the proceeds of his $6.8 million fraud. When sentenced, Sabet faces up to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, New York Regional Office (HHS-OIG); Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI); and Frank T. Walsh, Jr., Acting Medicaid Inspector General, New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG), announced the guilty plea.
According to court documents, Sabet conspired to bill Medicare and Medicaid for expensive prescription drugs that were not eligible for reimbursement because they were not needed or not dispensed, and because they were dispensed in connection with kickbacks. As part of the conspiracy, Sabet and others paid kickbacks and bribes to customers to convince them to fill prescriptions at his pharmacies, and paid customers cash in exchange for the ability to bill Medicare and Medicaid for over-the-counter health care-related products on their behalf. Sabet used proceeds of the scheme to purchase luxury goods and a 2020 Porsche Taycan worth over $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Miriam L. Glaser Dauermann of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan King of the Eastern District of New York’s Asset Recovery Section, is handling forfeiture matters. The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The Defendant:
ROBERT JOHN SABET
Age: 46
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 21-CR-140 (EK)
Old Town Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Old Town man pleaded guilty in federal court today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, in October 2021, a concerned citizen saw William Abney, 57, in possession of an AK-47 style rifle in the living room of Abney’s Old Town residence and notified the police. Based on this and other information, a search warrant was executed at Abney’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, Abney admitted that he possessed an AK‑47. In Abney’s room, law enforcement found an AK-47 under the mattress and an AK-47 magazine full of ammunition. Abney has a 1999 conviction in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Abney faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Old Town Police Department and the Brewer Police Department investigated the case. The Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the case.
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New York Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice Minor to Have SexRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor and traveling from New York to New Jersey to meet an individual, whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl, to engage in sexual activity, U.S Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Eduardo Silva, 44, of Bronx, New York, previously pleaded guilty via videoconference before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Sept. 5, 2020, Silva, while using an online social media application, sent a message to an individual he believed was an underage girl, but who was in fact an undercover federal agent. Silva asked whether the minor was “into older guys” and over the next several days sent a series of explicit online communications and text messages, discussing his intent to travel to meet the minor and engage in sexual activity with her. On Sept. 23, 2020, Silva was arrested when he traveled from the Bronx to a motel in Bordentown, New Jersey, intending to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Silva to lifetime supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina, and the Bordentown Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Brian Pesce, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 27, 2022, Michael Muse, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to the charge of armed bank robbery.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Muse committed armed robbery of the ESSA Bank, located in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, on September 16, 2021. During the robbery Muse pointed what appeared to be a firearm (later discovered to be an air pistol) at the bank tellers. Muse stole approximately $9,031.
Judge Mannion ordered that a presentence investigation take place. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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.
Under federal law, Muse faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty-five years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 24-30. This year’s theme “Rights, Access, Equity, for all Victims,” emphasizes the importance of helping crime survivors by enforcing federal victim’s rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.
“This week we reflect on our responsibilities to crime victims in our communities and renew our commitment to enforcing victims’ rights and providing victim services,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Working together with community partners, we are better able to serve victims of crime and support them through the healing process.”
Over the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama has provided direct services to over 900 crime victims. We also worked alongside community partners to raise awareness and host trainings and events for community members and law enforcement focused on human trafficking and opioids. Our office continues to maintain pivotal partnerships with One Place Metro Birmingham Family Justice Center, One Place of the Shoals, North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force, Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Vicarious Trauma Initiative Team. These partnerships are key to expanding access to services and enabling crime victims to find the justice they seek, in whatever form that might take.
The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), during which victim advocacy organizations, community groups, and state, and local agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. For more information about this year’s NCVRW and how to assist victims in your own community, please visit the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week website.
The following event will be held in our local area to commemorate NCVRW 2022:
- NCVRW Candlelight Vigil hosted by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Bessemer Division on Thursday, April 28, 2022, beginning at 6 p.m. at Perfecting Reconciliation Church, 1723 3rd Avenue North, Bessemer.
Morgan City Man Pleads Guilty in Staged Automobile Collision SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that DAVID BROWN (“BROWN”), age 50, of Morgan City, pled guilty on April 27, 2022 to Count One (1) of his indictment, charging him with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. By pleading guilty to Count 1, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years; and a fine of up to $250,000.00, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Today’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted in Operation Sideswipe to 37.
According to court documents, BROWN falsely claimed that he was a passenger in a car that was struck by a tractor-trailer on May 11, 2017. In fact, the defendant conspired with Damian Labeaud (“Labeaud”), Mario Solomon (“Solomon”), and others to intentionally collide with a tractor-trailer in the area of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road in New Orleans. After the intentional collision, BROWN falsely informed NOPD officers at the scene that he had been driving the vehicle and that the tractor-trailer was at fault. BROWN also filed a fraudulent lawsuit and lied in a deposition. This scheme caused the insurance company for the tractor-trailer to pay over $140,000.00 in settlement funds for the May 11, 2017 collision. The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing in this matter for July 27, 2022.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni; Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long.
Money Courier for Large-Scale Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Sentenced to More than 9 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DOMINGO GUZMAN, 45, last residing in Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 114 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a fentanyl trafficking ring, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2019, the DEA’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a Mexican-based drug trafficking organization that was distributing fentanyl and heroin in Connecticut. The investigation revealed that members of the organization were receiving kilogram-quantities of narcotics, primarily fentanyl, from a source of supply, and then distributing the drug to various narcotics traffickers who sold the drug to street-level distributors. Guzman collected narcotics proceeds on behalf of members of this organization. A money broker in Brooklyn, New York, assisted in laundering the narcotics proceeds before they were transferred to leaders of the drug trafficking organization. Between August and October 2019, investigators seized more than $200,000 in cash from members of the drug trafficking organization.
Members of the organization used several locations to store, process and package fentanyl for street stale, including office space on Pratt Street in Hartford, an apartment in the Asylum Hill neighborhood in Hartford, and an apartment in New Britain. On March 13, 2020, investigators searched an apartment on South Street in West Hartford that a co-defendant of Guzman used to process, package and store narcotics, and seized approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 500 wax folds of the drug.
Guzman and several co-defendants were arrested on April 28, 2020. On that date, investigators seized approximately $100,000 in cash, a firearm, several thousand wax folds of suspected fentanyl, and numerous items used in the processing and packaging of narcotics.
Guzman has been detained since his arrest.
On June 3, 2020, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Guzman and nine others with narcotics distribution and money laundering offenses. On November 22, 2021, Guzman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Guzman’s criminal history includes state drug convictions for drug, firearm, larceny and other offenses, and a federal conviction for operating an extensive cocaine and heroin trafficking enterprise out of a previous residence in Bridgeport. Guzman was sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment for his prior federal conviction, was released from prison in August 2019, and was on supervised release at the time of his arrest for his conduct in this case.
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. Agencies assisting the investigation include the DEA New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) Strike Force and the New York Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Milwaukee Woman Federally Indicted for Purchasing a Firearm for Another PersonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced on April 27, 2022, that a Milwaukee woman was indicted for purchasing a firearm for another person and making a false statement to a firearm’s dealer. Marquita A. Hale, (age: 26), was charged with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer in connection with the purchase of a firearm on June 17, 2021, which false statement was intended or likely to deceive the firearms dealer about whether to proceed with the sale. In particular, the indictment charged that Ms. Hale falsely indicated on a standard form that she would possess the firearm after the sale, when in fact, she knew she was buying the firearm for another person.
“The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to improve the safety of all of our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Frohling. “This includes working together to hold individuals accountable who ‘straw purchase’ and supply firearms for others – including individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law.”
“The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) appreciates the hard work and effort from the ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and MPD members that have been collaborating on this and other firearms investigations. Gun violence is an issue that is affecting our community and it is everyone’s responsibility to keep guns away from individuals that are prohibited from possessing a firearm,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.
If convicted, Ms. Hale faces up to ten years in prison and three years of supervised release, plus up to a $250,000 fine.
This matter has been investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen A. Ingraham.
The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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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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Manchester Man Charged with Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Manchester Police Chief William Darby today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging ELLIOTT OTERO, 32, of Manchester, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The indictment was returned under seal on April 20, 2022. Otero appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on February 25, 2022.
As alleged in the indictment, on February 25, 2022, Otero possessed a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield pistol.
It is further alleged that Otero’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm, robbery and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
If convicted of the charge, Otero faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles.
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.
Man Who Spent A Year Distributing Child Pornography Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A 31-year-old Miami man was sentenced yesterday in Miami federal court to 20 years in prison followed by 50 years of supervised release for distributing child pornography over the course of one year.
Gross spent a year on a social media messenger application, chatting and sharing videos and images of children being sexually abused. In the chats, Gross boasted about his sexual exploits with young girls, asked for explicit videos of young girls having sex, and sent a picture of his penis to ask if a young girl could “handle” it. During trial, he took to the witness stand and lied about his actions and signing a statement confessing to his actions, among other things, which caused an obstruction of justice enhancement to be applied at sentencing.
In addition to his 20-year prison sentence, Gross will be placed on supervised release for 50 years. A restitution hearing will be held in a few months to determine what he will have to pay the victims.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck.
FBI Miami - in particular FBI Miami’s Child Exploitation Task Force -, and the Miami Dade Human Trafficking Unit investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Egozi and Abbie D. Waxman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-20532.
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Luzerne County Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Marchese, age 30, of Swoyersville, Luzerne County, pleaded guilty on April 28, 2022, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Marchese admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Luzerne County area in 2020. The charges stem from an investigation in May 2020 in which police obtained a search warrant for a residence where Marchese was residing in Swoyersville and seized crystal methamphetamine, a scale, drug packing materials, and $2245 in U.S. Currency.
The investigation was conducted by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Kingston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of forty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Louisiana Man Guilty of East Texas Federal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Baton Rouge man has been convicted of federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Marland Henry Gibson, 52, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.
According to information presented in court, on March 20, 2021, Gibson was stopped for speeding on Interstate-20 in Gregg County. During the traffic stop, it was determined Gibson had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in Marion County, Indiana on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. Gibson was arrested on the warrant and a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed not only a handgun hidden in a compartment behind the vehicle’s dashboard, but a suitcase in the rear of the vehicle containing the following items:
- a 144 Tactical LLC, model PS 15, 300 Blackout, multi caliber, handgun with magazine;
- six (6) .45 caliber cartridges;
- thirty (30) assorted .223/300 caliber cartridges;
- two (2) extended P-mag magazines containing ammunition;
- twenty-seven (27) .300 caliber cartridges;
- forty (40) .223/300 caliber cartridges;
- a Springfield XD magazine containing ammunition;
- six (6) .45 caliber cartridges;
- a box containing forty-seven (47) .45 caliber, Federal brand, cartridges; and
- a box containing forty-six (46) .45 caliber, Winchester brand, cartridges.
Further investigation revealed Gibson is a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
Gibson was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 17, 2021. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
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Las Vegas woman guilty of fraud and money laundering chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shelly Anne Leipham, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was found guilty by a federal jury today of fraud charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
After a three-day trial, Leipham, 66, was found guilty of three counts of “Wire Fraud,” five counts of “Mail Fraud,” and three counts of “Money Laundering.” Leipham called an elderly victim living in Harrison County and claimed the victim won one million dollars. Leipham defrauded the victim of nearly $25,000 by directing the victim to send that amount to her over the course of a two-year period by mail and wire.
“Sweepstakes schemes like this continue to be a problem and the victims are often senior citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “We will seek a long prison sentence for Ms. Leipham and anyone else like her who preys upon older West Virginians.”
The government is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $336,402.
Leipham is facing up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the wire fraud and mail fraud counts. She’s facing up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000 for each of the money laundering counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Wagner and Andrew R. Cogar are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This case is being prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice Elder Fraud Initiative. Since the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) was signed into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
La Joya residents sentenced for fraud schemesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – The former mayor of La Joya and two others have been ordered to federal prison for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Former mayor Jose Adolfo Salinas, 83, pleaded guilty July 19, 2021, while his daughter - Frances Salinas De Leon, 54 - and Ramiro Alaniz, 40, both admitted to their guilt June 17, 2021. All are from La Joya
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Salinas to 33 months in prison, while his daughter was ordered to serve a 39-month-term of imprisonment. Alaniz received nine months. All must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional information concerning the financial damage the fraud schemes had caused.
In assessing the financial loss, Judge Crane considered additional relevant conduct including property Salinas had sold to the City of La Joya at an inflated rate as well as De Leon’s theft from the La Joya Housing Authority while she was acting as the interim executive director. Judge Crane noted how the case demonstrates the culture of corruption that existed in La Joya at the time of the schemes, adding that while public office is for service and self-sacrifice, Salinas used his position to benefit himself and his family financially.
“Rio Grande Valley residents rightfully expect elected leaders to remain ethical and trustworthy while serving the community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s firm commitment to address public corruption and hold corrupt officials accountable.”
Salinas entered his plea in relation to a public relations contract his daughter had drafted and brokered with the city on behalf of another individual. She was, in turn, to receive some of the proceeds resulting from that deal. De Leon was not a city employee, but used her relationship with Salinas to get the contract approved so she could receive a significant amount of the contract’s proceeds. Salinas used his authority to approve and city funds to pay for the contract.
Additionally, Le Leon admitted to wire fraud in connection with loans received for a children’s day care project. During 2017, the La Joya Economic Development Corporation, which her father headed, provided approximately $341,000 in loans to De Leon and other individuals to pay for the construction of the project. De Leon stole some of the funds and also received kickbacks from some of the subcontractors.
De Leon hired Alaniz as a general contractor. He also received kickbacks from the project.
All were permitted to remain on bond pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI, Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and U.S. Department of Agriculture - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarina S. DiPiazza, Roberto Lopez Jr. and James Sturgis prosecuted the case.