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13 April 2022
Milton Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a used car dealership in Fall River has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to money laundering.
Augustine Osemwegie, 54, of Milton, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of money laundering. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to court documents, Osemwegie used his car dealership, vehicle auctions and international car shipping to launder and transmit the proceeds of romance scams, pandemic unemployment fraud and other fraudulent schemes. Specifically, Osemwegie accepted fraud proceeds in cash from “customers,” took a percentage fee for laundering the funds and then used the remaining funds to purchase used vehicles at auto auctions, purportedly for the use of his customers. Osemwegie then shipped those vehicles abroad, principally to Nigeria, where they were sold for the benefit of Osemwegie’s customers.
In September 2020, during recorded calls and meetings with an undercover agent, Osemwegie agreed to accept fraud proceeds from the agent and transfer them abroad, under the guise of purchasing a used luxury sedan.
The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Stearns of Rollins’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Middleburg Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Intensive Care Patients’ MedicationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Monique Elizabeth Carter (35, Middleburg) today pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, specifically, injectable fentanyl. Carter faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Carter, a registered nurse who previously was employed by a hospital in Jacksonville, worked in a neural intensive care unit (ICU) providing intensive and specialized care to critically ill patients with life-threatening neurological problems. Certain ICU patients were prescribed intravenous doses of fentanyl, which is synthetic opioid used as a pain medication and as anesthesia.
After Carter’s shift on September 28, 2021, a hospital pharmacist examined the ICU wing’s inventory of fentanyl and found a fentanyl syringe missing a tamper-proof cap, but with some form of foreign adhesive remaining at the tip. A second fentanyl syringe had a cap that appeared to have been glued back onto the syringe. After reviewing hospital records, a pharmacist supervisor noted a pattern of Carter checking out doses of fentanyl for patients, but then cancelling the transactions and checking syringes back into the hospital’s inventory. Records showed that Carter did so 24 times between August 29 and September 28, 2021. Carter was the only nurse on her ICU wing who persistently engaged in such conduct.
The next day, when Carter arrived for work, hospital representatives interviewed her. Confronted with the pharmacists’ findings, Carter eventually admitted that – to obtain drugs for personal use at home – she had been removing injectable fentanyl from syringes, replacing the drug with saline, and then gluing the plastic tampering caps back onto the syringes with an adhesive that she obtained from the hospital. Carter admitted that she had been tampering with fentanyl syringes since the summer of 2021. Carter denied injecting fentanyl while on duty at the hospital, however, law enforcement later located needles, saline syringes, and adhesive in her bag.
Carter, as a trained healthcare professional, knew that her activities likely resulted in critically ill patients receiving diluted fentanyl that was not safe and effective. Having been deprived of sterile, medically necessary medication, such patients were exposed to possible infection and endured unnecessary pain and suffering. In addition, Carter knew that the failure to anesthetize or control pain in ICU patients can result in increased risks of illness or death, stemming from, among other things, respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal complications.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office – Pharmaceutical Diversion and Designer Drug Unit attached to the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Mexican citizen who bragged about drug activities sent to prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 47-year-old non-U.S. citizen illegally residing in Donna has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery
Jose Alejandro Ramirez pleaded guilty Nov. 13, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge J Ricardo Hinojosa ordered Ramirez to serve 130 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Ramirez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the Ramirez played an important role in attempting to distribute the meth in this case.
On Feb. 13, 2020, an undercover federal agent met with Ramirez to negotiate the purchase of meth. At that time, Ramirez provided a sample.
During the exchange, Ramirez bragged about his previous narcotics transporting activities throughout the Rio Grande Valley area. He also talked about his experience in trafficking humans and firearms.
The undercover agent agreed to purchase five kilograms of meth from Ramirez. While enroute to the location for the transaction, authorities intercepted Ramirez’s vehicle and located approximately five kilograms of meth in a backpack within the vehicle.
Ramirez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Greenbaum and Colton Turner prosecuted the case.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.
Fernando Garcia-Guerrero, age 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Williamsburg, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on February 14, 2022, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
At the guilty plea, Garcia-Guerrero admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Garcia-Guerrero was deported to Mexico by immigration officials in March 2005. He claimed to have illegally re-entered the United States by wading across the Rio Grande River near Hidalgo, Texas, in August 2005. In August 2017, Garcia-Guerrero was deported to Mexico following his arrest on state charges in Texas. In September 2017, Garcia-Guerrero was caught by immigration officials in the Rio Grande Valley near Hidalgo, Texas and was again deported to Mexico. On January 12, 2022, immigration officials learned Garcia-Guerrero had illegally returned to the United States and found Garcia-Guerrero at the Iowa County Jail following his arrest on state charges.
Garcia-Guerrero was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Garcia-Guerrero was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Garcia-Guerrero is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-06.
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Member of Philadelphia ‘Hilltop’ Drug Gang Sentenced to over Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Hyneef Harvey, 30, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison, and six years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter for distributing narcotics as part of the Hilltop Drug Trafficking Group (DTG), an organization responsible for putting large amounts heroin and other narcotics including crack cocaine, oxycodone and fentanyl on the streets of West, Southwest, and Northwest Philadelphia, and Upper Darby between 2013 and 2018.
In November 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple felony narcotics charges including distribution and intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances near a school, stemming from his role in the Hilltop organization. The DTG operated seven days a week from approximately 9:00 am until midnight as a phone order/delivery service, through which customers called a cell phone number belonging to the leaders of the organization to place orders for illegal narcotics. The customers were then redirected to “runners,” who would meet the customers on the street, often entering the customers’ vehicles, to deliver the narcotics in exchange for payment. Hilltop was a violent group that often defended its territory and narcotics with firearms, and through distribution of narcotics is responsible for multiple overdose deaths.
“This case is an excellent example of all levels of law enforcement collaborating to dismantle a dangerous drug trafficking operation putting deadly narcotics on streets all across Philadelphia and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “This defendant directly threatened the safety of children by conducting the business of drug dealing adjacent to schools and playgrounds, actions for which he will now spend years behind bars.”
The case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and the Philadelphia Police department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell and Everett Witherell.
Man from Belen sentenced to five years in federal prison for carjacking and illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Michael Deherrera, 26, of Belen, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court on April 11 to five years in prison for carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Deherrera was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 29, 2020. According to the plea agreement, on Feb. 3, 2020, DeHerrera carjacked a victim by threating her with a screwdriver in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. DeHerrera began to drive away with the victim still in the car, causing her to jump from the moving vehicle to escape. DeHerrera also admitted that on Feb. 18, 2020, he possessed a firearm before attempting to dispose of it by throwing it from the window of a moving vehicle.
At the time DeHerrera possessed the firearm, he had a prior felony conviction for armed robbery. As a convicted felon, DeHerrera could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fredrick T. Mendenhall is prosecuting the case.
Man Arrested in Placer County Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ricardo Manuel Duran, 37, of San Francisco, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to four years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 20, 2020, Duran, who was serving a term of supervised release for a previous offense, was arrested in Lincoln. He was found to be in possession of a Smith and Wesson handgun and was further found to be in possession of heroin and methamphetamine. Duran has been convicted of six prior felonies – two of them for being a felon in possession of a firearm – and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Lincoln Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Klein prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Logan County Woman Pleads Guilty to U.S. Post Office EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County woman pleaded guilty today to misappropriation of postal funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brittany Ellis, 31, of Blair, was a former employee of the United States Postal Service who worked at the Blair Post Office in Logan County. Ellis admitted to taking approximately $4,486.45 in proceeds from the sale of money orders between October 11, 2018, and December 7, 2018, which came into her possession in the execution of her employment with the United States Postal Service.
Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the work of the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-148.
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Lee County Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber today sentenced Jarvis Bernard Bowens (35, Lehigh Acres) to 25 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Bowens had pleaded guilty on January 6, 2022.
According to court documents, in July 2021, DEA agents executed search warrants at Bowens’s residence in Lehigh Acres and at his business in Fort Myers. Between the locations, agents seized more than one kilogram of fentanyl, more than two-and-a-half kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, quantities of powder cocaine and crack cocaine, and two loaded firearms, all belonging to Bowens.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Large Scale Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Marijuana Trafficker Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Steven Bernard Norwood, age 46, of Lutherville, Maryland to 13 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture containing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a substance containing cocaine, and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“Drug trafficking on the scale practiced by Norwood not only fuels fatal fentanyl overdoses and opioid addiction, but it also fuels violence in our communities” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “In partnership with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to actively infiltrate and prosecute drug traffickers that pollute our communities with lethal substances for their financial benefit.”
As the result of a Baltimore County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation, it was determined that from March 2019 to July 2020, Norwood acted as a large-scale cocaine and marijuana trafficker within the Baltimore area. Norwood conspired with others to have large quantities of cocaine transported from California to Maryland, where Norwood would further distribute the cocaine.
During the investigation, law enforcement identified an Owings Mills, Maryland apartment which Norwood used to receive, store, and package drugs. Investigators also learned that Norwood’s co-conspirators frequently used hotels in the Owings Mills, Maryland area to carry out drug transactions.
For example, on November 24, 2019, Co-conspirator 1 flew from San Francisco to Baltimore. Upon arrival, Co-conspirator 1 traveled with Norwood to the Owings Mills apartment where investigators saw the men drop off several suitcases. Ultimately, Co-conspirator 1 delivered several kilograms of cocaine to Norwood.
On March 21, 2020, another co-conspirator (Co-conspirator 2) was in the Baltimore area after traveling from San Francisco. Later that evening, one of Norwood’s co-conspirators (Co-conspirator 3) booked a room at a hotel that was used by Co-conspirator 2. After the hotel room was secured, Co-conspirator 2, Norwood, and Co-conspirator 3 were seen entering the Owings Mills apartment. At that time, Co-conspirator 2 was carrying several pieces of luggage. Norwood obtained several kilograms of cocaine during this meeting.
As stated in his plea agreement, on July 13, 2020, Co-conspirator 2 traveled from San Francisco to Maryland and later traveled with Norwood to the Owings Mills apartment. Shortly after their arrival, law enforcement executed a search and seizure warrant at the Owings Mills apartment and a Baltimore storage unit maintained by Norwood.
As a result of the executed search and seizure warrant at the Owings Mills apartment, law enforcement recovered approximately 14 kilograms of cocaine, nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, $369,000 in cash, a 9mm pistol, a money counter, and a boarding pass in Co-conspirator 2’s name. The search and seizure executed at Norwood’s storage unit resulted in the discovery of approximately $1,759, 618 in cash, two .45 caliber pistols, and documents in Norwood’s name. Norwood admits that the $2,128,618 in cash seized from him were proceeds of his drug trafficking activities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, 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 is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Rigali and Anatoly Smolkin, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach and click on “Save A Life - Opioid Abuse”.
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KC Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Crack Cocaine Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man with an extensive history of violent crime was sentenced in federal court today for trafficking crack cocaine and illegally possessing a firearm.
Mitchell B. Byrd, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Today’s sentence is an upward variance from the recommended federal sentencing guidelines, as advocated by the government due to his extensive criminal history involving drugs and firearms, including two murder convictions, and his involvement in three separate knife attacks while incarcerated in this case.
On Aug. 13, 2021, Byrd pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Detectives with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department’s gang squad utilized a confidential informant to make a series of three controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Byrd in September 2018. Following the third transaction, on Sept. 20, 2018, officers executed a search warrant at a residence used by Byrd for drug trafficking. Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on a glass table in the living room, within reach of Byrd, who was the only occupant of the house. Officers also found a clear plastic bag on the table that contained approximately 2.9 grams of marijuana and $121 in cash.
On the mantel above the fireplace, detectives found a square plate with a razor blade and 4.865 grams of crack cocaine. Detectives found three cell phones in the living. In a bedroom, detectives found a bag that contained 36.595 grams of crack cocaine and $1,100 in cash.
The court found that Byrd breached the terms of his plea agreement by attempting to assault another inmate with a large knife. While in federal custody in this case, Byrd worked with two other inmates to attempt to kill an inmate by stabbing him at least 13 times. About a month later, Byrd and another associate of the 246 gang were involved in a stabbing incident with two other inmates. A few months later, he tried to stab another inmate. Byrd also threatened to kill or have someone kill two law enforcement officers who collected a DNA sample from him pursuant to a federal search warrant.
In 2018, one year after his early release from his state sentences for two murder convictions, Byrd was included in a rap video titled “Wit My Killas (in my feelings freestyle)” with several other 246 gang members who have been indicted in a separate case for drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms and violent crimes. The song, which is about shooting and killing people who have issues with the gang, was posted on YouTube in July 2018.
In advocating for an upward variance in today’s sentence, the government noted that Byrd has also committed numerous crimes while he was on court supervision, and has an alarming record of probation violations, conduct violations while incarcerated, and committing new offenses while incarcerated.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Justice Department Reaches Agreement with City of Springfield to Reform Police Department’s Unconstitutional PracticesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts today filed a complaint and a proposed consent decree with the City of Springfield, Massachusetts, to resolve its investigation of the Springfield Police Department’s Narcotics Bureau. This is the first pattern or practice police investigation to be resolved through a settlement under the Biden Administration.
The settlement agreement, in the form of a proposed consent decree, which must be approved by a federal District Court Judge, would resolve the United States’ claim that the City and the Narcotics Bureau of the Springfield Police Department engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force that deprived individuals of their rights under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.
Under the agreement, the Springfield Police Department will improve policies and training related to officers’ use of force. These improvements will ensure that officers avoid force whenever possible through the use of de-escalation tactics; that officers know when force can and cannot be used; and that officers report all instances where force is used. In addition, the Springfield Police Department will provide better supervision to officers and improve internal investigations of complaints of officer misconduct. When officers violate use-of-force policies, the agreement will ensure that the Springfield Police Department holds officers accountable.
The agreement also provides for the federal judge to appoint an independent monitor, with the title of Compliance Evaluator, based on the recommendation of the parties. The Compliance Evaluator will assess Springfield’s implementation of the agreement’s requirements and file public reports with the court on Springfield’s progress.
“The public’s trust in law enforcement is a critical component of promoting public safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Excessive force erodes that trust and makes our communities less safe. This consent decree will rebuild the public’s trust by ensuring that Springfield officers who use excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment are held accountable. We look forward to working with city officials to ensure constitutional policing in every corner of the Springfield community and fostering better relationships between law enforcement and the community.”
“When communities don’t trust or fear law enforcement, it undermines public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “Some within the Springfield Police Department, through their sustained and documented constitutional violations, have tarnished the name of the many upstanding and decent police officers working in Springfield. Today is the first step in repairing the harm and mistrust their misconduct and violence caused. After lengthy negotiations, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that includes significant and sustainable reforms to ensure effective and constitutional policing going forward in the City of Springfield. This is the first police misconduct settlement agreement entered during the Biden Administration. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office will always protect the constitutional rights of Massachusetts residents.”
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts initiated the investigation of the Springfield Police Department in April 2018 under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. This law authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit to address a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of their rights under the Constitution or federal law. In July 2020, the department announced findings that officers in SPD’s Narcotics Bureau, which has since been renamed the Firearms Investigation Unit, engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force. The department found that Narcotics Bureau officers often failed to report use of force incidents. At times officers’ reports were inconsistent with available evidence, including video and photographs.
This investigation was conducted jointly by the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Unit, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Justice Department Announces Civil Settlement in Lafayette Square CasesRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced that it has reached an agreement to settle claims in four civil cases arising from the June 1, 2020, law enforcement response to racial justice demonstrations in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.
As part of the settlement, the United States Park Police (USPP) and the United States Secret Service (USSS) agreed to update and clarify their policies governing demonstrations, and to implement the policy changes within 30 days of today’s settlement. The plaintiffs, Black Lives Matter D.C. and individuals who attended the protests, agreed to dismiss their claims for equitable relief against the United States.
Changes to the agency’s policies include more specific requirements for visible identification of officers, limits on the use of non-lethal force and procedures to facilitate safe crowd dispersal.
“The federal government is committed to the highest standards for protecting civil rights and civil liberties in any federal law enforcement response to public demonstrations,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “These changes to agency policies for protest responses will strengthen our commitment to protecting and respecting constitutionally protected rights.”
“From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the White House sidewalk, the National Park Service takes immense pride in caring for some of our nation’s most storied civic spaces,” said Director Chuck Sams of the National Park Service. “We hope this updated policy can serve as a model for others to uphold civil rights and facilitate safe demonstrations. It is good for the public and good for our officers. The United States Park Police is committed to ensuring people can gather safely to express our most fundamental and cherished right to free speech. This updated policy is designed to be accessible and understandable to both our officers and the public, further strengthening that commitment.”
“We appreciate the Park Police and Secret Service for their efforts to constantly review and revisit their law enforcement policies to evolve and protect those that seek to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “These revisions to our law enforcement partners’ policies will further protect those rights.”
USPP’s updated policy, which it released today, will:
- Require officers to wear fully visible badges and nameplates including on outerwear, tactical gear and helmets;
- Implement guidelines concerning the use of non-lethal force, including de-escalation tactics;
- Adopt clearer procedures for issuing dispersal warnings and permitting demonstrators to disperse; and
- Strengthen pre-event planning and on-site coordination between USPP and other law enforcement agencies.
Within the next 30 days, the USSS will:
- Amend its policies to provide that the fact that some demonstrators have engaged in unlawful conduct does not ordinarily provide blanket grounds for use of force, crowd dispersal or declaration of unlawful assembly.
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Justice Department Announces Civil Settlement in Lafayette Square CasesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced that it has reached an agreement to settle claims in four civil cases arising from the June 1, 2020, law enforcement response to racial justice demonstrations in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.
As part of the settlement, the United States Park Police (USPP) and the United States Secret Service (USSS) agreed to update and clarify their policies governing demonstrations, and to implement the policy changes within 30 days of today’s settlement. The plaintiffs, Black Lives Matter D.C. and individuals who attended the protests, agreed to dismiss their claims for equitable relief against the United States.
Changes to the agency’s policies include more specific requirements for visible identification of officers, limits on the use of non-lethal force and procedures to facilitate safe crowd dispersal.
“The federal government is committed to the highest standards for protecting civil rights and civil liberties in any federal law enforcement response to public demonstrations,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “These changes to agency policies for protest responses will strengthen our commitment to protecting and respecting constitutionally protected rights.”
“From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the White House sidewalk, the National Park Service takes immense pride in caring for some of our nation’s most storied civic spaces,” said Director Chuck Sams of the National Park Service. “We hope this updated policy can serve as a model for others to uphold civil rights and facilitate safe demonstrations. It is good for the public and good for our officers. The United States Park Police is committed to ensuring people can gather safely to express our most fundamental and cherished right to free speech. This updated policy is designed to be accessible and understandable to both our officers and the public, further strengthening that commitment.”
“We appreciate the Park Police and Secret Service for their efforts to constantly review and revisit their law enforcement policies to evolve and protect those that seek to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights,” said Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “These revisions to our law enforcement partners’ policies will further protect those rights.”
USPP’s updated policy, which it released today, will:
- Require officers to wear fully visible badges and nameplates including on outerwear, tactical gear and helmets;
- Implement guidelines concerning the use of non-lethal force, including de-escalation tactics;
- Adopt clearer procedures for issuing dispersal warnings and permitting demonstrators to disperse; and
- Strengthen pre-event planning and on-site coordination between USPP and other law enforcement agencies.
Within the next 30 days, the USSS will:
- Amend its policies to provide that the fact that some demonstrators have engaged in unlawful conduct does not ordinarily provide blanket grounds for use of force, crowd dispersal or declaration of unlawful assembly.
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Jury Finds Defendant Guilty in Multi-State Mother-Son Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Quinae Shamyra Stephens, 41, of Douglasville, Georgia, was convicted following a jury trial in federal court for multiple charges relating to a multi-state identity theft and fraud ring she was running with her son, who previously pled guilty to a wire and bank fraud conspiracy. Stephens’s trial marked the first federal criminal jury trial in the Pee Dee region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Identity theft is a crime that impacts every American and can create lifelong victims. This office will vigorously prosecute criminals who steal from hardworking taxpayers to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. “Stephens enlisted her son in a sophisticated scheme that involved using the dark web, among other resources, to steal the identities and credit card information of numerous individuals across the country. Stephens, who had at least two felony convictions, committed part of her scheme from a stolen van and while carrying a loaded firearm. I appreciate the quick work of our local partners with the Latta Police Department, and the thorough investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service. This case would not have been possible without them.”
“The primary investigative mission of the U.S. Secret Service is to protect the financial infrastructure of the United States by investigating complex, often cyber-enabled, financial crimes,” said John Hirt, Special Agent in Charge of the Columbia Field Office for the U.S. Secret Service. “The Secret Service is also home to expert forensic analysts who employ advanced investigative and technological capabilities in support of this integrated mission along with our law enforcement partners. This case is an excellent example of the success of teamwork amongst the Latta Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service, utilizing our combined expertise to bring criminals to justice for committing a variety of complex financial crimes which are the focus of the Secret Service’s investigative work.”
“On behalf of the Latta Police Department and the citizens of our town, we give the utmost appreciation to our federal partners in this conviction,” said Josh Holt, Chief of the Latta Police Department. “Financial crimes cover all demographics and identity fraud affects so many unknowing victims. Even in a small town like ours, crime doesn't pay.”
Evidence presented by the Government at trial established that Stephens and her son, Deandre Copes, 23, also of Douglasville, were travelling from New Jersey to Florida in a stolen rental van when they drew the attention of law enforcement officers in Latta because they were going back and forth from a bank to a local retail store. A search of the van ultimately revealed more than a dozen identification documents – including several with Stephens’s picture in various names, a device for re-encoding credit cards with different account information, and more than 25 debit and credit cards, most in the name of individuals other than Stephens or her son.
Further forensics investigation by the Secret Service revealed that Stephens would download instructional material from the dark web related to credit card fraud and identity theft, and used software form the dark web to procure personally identifiable information. The laptop also contained instructional material and files that could be used to create fake banking websites to steal account information.
Evidence also showed that Stephens possessed a loaded semi-automatic handgun. Stephens is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition based upon at least two prior felony convictions in Georgia.
More than 120 exhibits were entered into evidence during the trial, and more than a dozen witnesses and victims travelled from California, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina to testify. The jury ultimately convicted Stephens on all six charges brought against her, including conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, credit card fraud, identity theft, aggravated identity theft, interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and will sentence Stephens and her son after receiving and reviewing pre-sentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office. Stephens and her son each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of $1,000,000, for conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. Stephens also faces a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Latta Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Everett McMillian prosecuted the case.
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Jury Convicts Monticello Man of Selling Methamphetamine Multiple TimesRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Monticello man has been convicted of selling methamphetamine three different times in 2018 following a two-day trial that featured videos of all three sales. A federal jury convicted Ramien “Rambo” Collins, 40, on all three counts for which he was indicted.
The jury returned their verdict Wednesday morning after deliberating for approximately 30 minutes. United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr., presided over the trial, and Judge Moody will sentence Collins at a later date. Collins, based on his charges, criminal history, and the jury’s verdict, faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment, and an anticipated recommended sentencing range of 360 months to life in federal prison.
A grand jury indicted Collins on September 5, 2019, on three counts of distribution of more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine for transactions that occurred in September and November 2018. Testimony during the trial established that in 2018 the FBI developed a confidential informant who was being supplied with multiple pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine by Collins. The informant then made three purchases directly from Collins three different times—one-quarter pound of methamphetamine on September 12 and September 26, and three ounces of methamphetamine on November 7.
At trial the jury heard evidence that Collins had previously been convicted of a federal drug trafficking crime and was on federal supervised release when he was selling methamphetamine in 2018.
All of Collins’s offenses of conviction, in addition to the imprisonment ranges, include a potential penalty of not more than a $10,000,000 fine and not less than five years of supervised release.
The investigation into Collins was part of the larger “Quack Attack” operation that resulted in the arrests of 15 defendants. During the course of Operation Quack Attack, investigators conducted 58 controlled purchases of drugs and executed two search warrants. Authorities seized more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 229 grams of cocaine, 200 grams of crack cocaine, 128 grams of marijuana, and 6 firearms, as well as almost $17,000 in cash.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation into Collins was conducted by the FBI, the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Arkansas State Police, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters and Chris Givens.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Jury Convicts Delaware County Man for Physically Abusing an InfantRead the Press Release
A federal jury found a Colcord man guilty Wednesday for shaking a 4-month-old infant while she was in his care, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The child abuse incident led to the girl’s hospitalization several days later.
Lucas Jack Woods, 21, of Colcord, was convicted of child abuse in Indian Country.
“An infant has sustained life altering injuries resulting from the abusive actions of Lucas Woods. This week, he has been held accountable by a federal jury,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am thankful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors Adam Bailey and Edward Snow whose commitment to this case ensured justice was secured for this young victim.”
“It is despicable to see harm inflicted upon the most precious beings in our society,” stated Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray, FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Let the conviction of Mr. Woods be a cautionary tale with the clear lesson that the abuse of children will never be tolerated or go unpunished. The FBI will never stop fighting for the vulnerable.”
On Aug. 29, 2021, Woods was caring for the child when he began sending panicked messages via Snapchat to the girl’s mother while she was at work. The messages indicated that he was struggling to care for the child and was growing frustrated and desperate, stating at 6:03 am “I can’t do this taking care of [child’s name] by myself…She’s not stopped since you left.” At 6:36 am, he messaged, “Baby I need you.” Sixteen minutes later, he messaged that the child had finally fallen asleep. At some point during the conversation, prosecutors said that Woods shook the child in frustration, injuring her. Over the next two days, the child became increasingly ill, which included vomiting, and began suffering seizures.
The victim was then taken to the hospital in Grove then flown to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City for emergency pediatric treatment for a brain bleed. The infant was placed on a ventilator and was near death at times during her treatment. Medical tests revealed extensive retinal hemorrhages with subdural hematoma consistent with physical abuse, specifically abusive head trauma. A bruise described as “a squeeze mark” was also found on the child’s right upper arm. Physicians stated the injuries could not be plausibly explained by an accidental injury or other conditions. The infant was eventually discharged but continues to be treated for lasting injuries due to the abuse.
During an initial interview with FBI agents, Woods said he could not remember doing anything to the child but was having a mental health episode that day and was scared he could have harmed her. At a later interview on Nov. 8, 2021, Woods was re-interviewed and confessed to shaking the infant sometime while he was messaging the child’s mother on Aug. 29. He explained that he had taken his frustration out on the child and that he was ashamed. He told agents he could not face the reality of what he had done.
Following his conviction at trial, Woods was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The FBI, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, and Grove Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam C. Bailey and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Illinois Woman Charged with Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Preparing False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
In an indictment unsealed today, a federal grand jury in Chicago charged an Illinois woman with conspiring to defraud the United States and helping clients file false tax returns with the IRS.
According to the indictment, Stephanie Fagairo, of Frankfort, owned Double Vision Tax Service, a return preparation business. From 2014 through 2017, Fagairo and one of her employees allegedly conspired to file false tax returns for a number of Double Vision clients. They allegedly did so by including on client tax returns false Schedules C, which reported to the IRS fabricated business income and loss amounts in order to generate inflated refunds the clients were not entitled to receive. Fagairo also allegedly instructed other individuals on how to prepare false tax returns for clients.
Fagairo’s initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Fagairo faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and three years in prison for each of 11 counts of helping her clients file a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros and Trial Attorney Eric Taffet of the Justice Department’s Tax Division 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.
Harrison County Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Provide False Statements to MedicareRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi man was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison and pay restitution in the amount of $1,537,326.14 for providing false statements in connection with the delivery of payments for health care benefits to Medicare beneficiaries.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
According to court documents, Douglas Christopher Gorman, 41, conspired with others between January 2016 through March 11, 2019, to provide fraudulent statements to Medicare for reimbursements of claims for patient treatment and prescriptions. Gorman was also ordered to pay $1,537,326.14 in restitution. Gorman held himself out as a licensed physician and treated patients, ordered diagnostic testing, ordered laboratory work, and prescribed medications while employed at Coast Neurology in Biloxi, Mississippi. Gorman was not licensed to practice medicine in Mississippi or any other state in the United States. Gorman, through his co-conspirators, submitted documents seeking reimbursement for the provided services under another co-conspirator’s Medicare identification number. Medicare reimbursed for the services and prescriptions believing the services were provided by a licensed physician.
Gorman pled guilty on December 20, 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and HHS OIG investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk prosecuted the case.
Great Falls construction company official sentenced to 14 months in prison for embezzling from clientRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — The finance manager of William Tempel Construction in Great Falls was sentenced on April 12 to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised released, for embezzling, as alleged by the government, more than $500,000 from a client who had hired the company to build her multi-million-dollar dream home, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Lynn Bapp Tempel, 60, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to wire fraud.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered restitution and set a subsequent hearing to determine the full amount. A plea agreement calls for Tempel to be responsible for complete restitution, which the government estimated is $519,524. Chief Judge Morris allowed Tempel to self-report to prison.
In court documents, the government alleged that Tempel managed the finances of William Tempel Construction, which the victim trusted, hired and paid $4.41 million to build a dream home. Instead, Lynn Tempel stole money from the victim from 2013 to 2016. When caught, Lynn Tempel did not admit her fraud, rather she falsified 153 subcontractor invoices to cover up her scheme. Lynn Tempel provided to the victim invoices in which she had fraudulently inflated the amount of payment required. Lynn Tempel also withdrew $566,848 in cash from the company’s business account during the period of the fraud. The government further alleged at sentencing that Lynn Tempel falsified IRS form 1099s for a family member, which underreported income for that family member by $399,525. Such an underreport then allowed the family member to illegally receive Medicaid.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Great Falls Police Department.
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Frank James Charged in Brooklyn Mass Shooting on New York SubwayRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Frank James with conducting a violent attack on a mass transportation vehicle in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1992(a)(7) and (b)(1). The charge, terrorist attacks or other violence against a mass transportation system, relates to the April 12, 2022, mass shooting on the New York City subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. James was arrested earlier today by New York City police officers in Manhattan and will make his initial appearance tomorrow before United States Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), John DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York (ATF) and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charge.
“As alleged, the defendant committed a heinous and premeditated attack on ordinary New Yorkers during their morning subway commute,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “All New Yorkers have the right to expect that they will be safe as they travel throughout our great city and use our vital transportation systems. I am grateful to our law enforcement partners, the first responders and the everyday New Yorkers who stepped up during this crisis and showed the best of our city. And, we continue to pray for the victims and their loved ones as they recover from this traumatic event, both physically and emotionally.”
Mr. Peace praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies.
“Yesterday, as everyday New Yorkers commuted through Brooklyn on our subway system, Frank James – as alleged – committed a horrific act that resulted in an around-the-clock effort by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York, the NYPD, and the ATF to find him and bring him to justice. Thanks to the incredible work by all involved to identify James and get the proper information out to the public, he's in federal custody and New Yorkers can breathe a little easier in our city today,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“Today’s arrest of Frank James was in large part due to the vigilance and a concerted effort by New Yorkers to aid law enforcement in the apprehension of violent criminals. We at ATF applaud the public’s engagement and participation in providing vital information to apprehend James, and we hope for a speedy recovery for all victims. ATF will continue to utilize our nationwide Crime Gun Intelligence capabilities to support our partners in the continued investigation of Tuesday’s horrific attack on the NYC subway,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
“Today, after nearly 30 hours of dogged police work, Frank James was arrested by the NYPD without incident,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “From the moment Mr. James committed this appalling crime, the police began shrinking his world until he had nowhere to turn – and the people of our city were working right alongside us. So together with our law enforcement partners at the FBI, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, I want to thank New Yorkers for their vigilance and their help in taking this violent criminal off our streets.”
As set forth in the complaint, during rush hour on the morning of April 12, 2022, James used a Glock 17 pistol he purchased in Ohio to conduct a mass shooting on an N subway train in Brooklyn. James, dressed in an orange reflective jacket, yellow hard hat, and surgical mask, set off a smoke-emitting device in one of the train cars before firing at subway riders. James had arrived in New York earlier that day in a rental van driven from Pennsylvania. He parked the van on Kings Highway, approximately two blocks from the entrance to an N-train station, near where the shooting took place. After the attack, James abandoned a bag containing, among other items, fireworks, a plastic container containing gasoline, and a torch.
In videos he posted publicly on YouTube before the attack, James made various statements about the New York City subway system. Among other things, James addressed statements to New York City’s mayor: “What are you doing, brother? What’s happening with this homeless situation?” and “Every car I went to wa[s] loaded with homeless people. It was so bad, I couldn’t even stand.” James also made statements, in sum and substance, about various conspiracy theories, including that: “And so the message to me is: I should have gotten a gun, and just started shooting motherf---ers.”
Following the attack, members of law enforcement executed court-authorized search warrants for properties associated with James in Pennsylvania. Agents recovered, among other items: 9mm ammunition; a threaded 9mm pistol barrel, which allows for a silencer or suppresser to be attached;.223 caliber ammunition, which is used with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle; a taser; a high-capacity rifle magazine; and a blue smoke canister.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone with information about Mr. James or this incident is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI. Digital tips may also be submitted by visiting www.fbi.gov/brooklynshooting.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas M. Pravda, Alexander A. Solomon, Craig R. Heeren, David K. Kessler, Ian C. Richardson, Artie McConnell, Alexander Mindlin, Sara Winik, Ellen Sise, and Meredith A. Arfa, and Paralegal Specialists Wayne Colon and Benjamin Richmond, handled the investigation, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Larry Schneider of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
FRANK JAMES
Age: 62
Milwaukee, WisconsinE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-MJ-429
Four Individuals Charged with Conspiring to Launder Money Obtained from Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four individuals were charged with conspiring to launder money taken from victims across the United States, many of whom were elderly, as a part of a series of romance scams, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
William Kwabena Goeh, 47, of Somerset, New Jersey; Nana Yaw Marfo, 37, of Virginia; and Shannon Braxton, 45, and Chevon Braxton, 42, both of Maryland, are each charged by complaint with one count of money laundering conspiracy. Goeh was arrested this morning in New Jersey, had his initial appearance by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III, and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
Marfo was arrested this morning in Virginia and is scheduled to have his initial appearance this afternoon before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan Davis in the Eastern District of Virginia. The Braxtons were both arrested this morning in Maryland and are scheduled to have their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms in the District of Maryland. Marfo and the Braxtons are scheduled to have their initial appearances in the District of New Jersey on.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants used bank accounts and accounts at credit unions to launder the proceeds of money obtained by victims of romance scams. Several victims throughout the United States fell victim to romance scams after meeting individuals online who they thought were interested in a romantic relationship. The victims, many of whom were elderly, sent thousands of dollars to accounts controlled by Goeh, Marfo, the Braxtons, and others, believing the money was being sent for the benefit of their online romantic interest. Goeh and Marfo opened up business bank accounts in the names of various entities to conceal the romance scam fraud proceeds. Goeh received at least $530,000; Marfo received at least $4.7 million; Shannon Braxton received at least $500,000; and Chevon Braxton received at least $1.3 million. The Braxtons withdrew a large portion of the fraud proceeds as cash, while Goeh and Marfo wired thousands of dollars overseas, including to accounts in China, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Singapore, and Mauritius.
The money laundering conspiracy charge has a maximum term of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the funds involved in the transfer, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agents in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark and Eric B. Smith in Cleveland, Ohio; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Irene Lindow in Chicago, Illinois, and the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Paul Duran in San Antonio, Texas, with the investigation leading to the charges. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie L. Hoxie of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fort Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALPINE – A Fort Stockton man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing methamphetamine.
According to court records, on December 5, 2021, Tristian William Zly, 27, was observed in a heated argument with a female inside his vehicle while parked outside a residence in Fort Stockton. Officers were called to de-escalate the situation. After confronting Zly, officers observed a 30-round firearm magazine sticking out of Zly’s pocket. On further search of the vehicle, officers found a 9mm firearm and a plastic bag containing 299.3 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Further investigation revealed that Zly had a previous felony conviction and possessed the firearm illegally.
Zly pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Zly faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison on the narcotics charge and a five-year mandatory minimum sentence on the firearm charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard, El Paso Division, made the announcement.
The Alpine DEA, with valuable assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Pecos County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lance L. Kennedy and Matthew H. Ellis are 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.
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Former San Pedro Train Engineer Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Intentionally Derailing Locomotive Near U.S. Navy Hospital ShipRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former train engineer at the Port of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for intentionally running a locomotive at full speed off the end of railroad tracks near a United States Navy hospital ship that was deployed to provide medical relief during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eduardo Moreno, 46, of San Pedro, was sentenced by United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez, who also ordered him to pay $755,880 in restitution.
Moreno pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of committing a terrorist attack and other violence against railroad carriers and mass transportation systems.
On March 31, 2020, Moreno drove a train at high speed, did not slow down near the end of the railroad track, and intentionally derailed the train off the tracks near the United States Naval Ship Mercy – a hospital ship then docked in the Port of Los Angeles.
No one was injured in the incident, and the Mercy was not harmed or damaged. The incident resulted in the train leaking a substantial amount – approximately 2,000 gallons – of diesel fuel, which required clean up by fire and other hazardous materials personnel. Clean-up crews recovered approximately 400 gallons of fuel from the fuel tank and the ground adjacent to the derailment, according to court documents.
Moreno caused $755,880 in damage because of the derailment.
In his first interview with the Los Angeles Port Police, Moreno acknowledged that he “did it,” saying that he was suspicious of the Mercy and believed it had an alternate purpose related to COVID-19 or a government takeover, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case. Moreno stated that he acted alone and had not pre-planned the attempted attack. While admitting to intentionally derailing and crashing the train, he said he knew it would bring media attention and “people could see for themselves,” referring to the Mercy, according to the affidavit.
In a second interview with FBI agents, Moreno stated that “he did it out of the desire to ‘wake people up,’” the affidavit states. “Moreno stated that he thought that the Mercy was suspicious and did not believe ‘the ship is what they say it’s for.’”
“[Moreno’s] offense was extraordinarily serious, and he used his unique access as a licensed train conductor to derail a multi-ton train toward a government hospital ship whose purpose was to treat vulnerable patients in the midst of a global pandemic,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Port of Los Angeles Police investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Reema M. El-Amamy and Christine M. Ro of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, along with Trial Attorney Taryn Meeks of the Justice Department’s National Security Section’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case.
Former Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced today on racketeering charges.
Luis Mendez, a/k/a “King Primo,” 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 100 months in prison, with credit for time served in related state cases, and three years of supervised release. On Nov. 3, 2021, Mendez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
Mendez was a member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings and as such he participated in the drug distribution activities that were based in multi-unit apartment buildings, known as “trap houses” that the Latin Kings controlled in the northern section of New Bedford. Multiple search warrants executed by the New Bedford Police Department targeted locations where Mendez resided, and drug were seized as a result. Mendez was also present during a December 2018 group assault in a garage, where co-defendant Michael Cotto, a/k/a “King Gordo,” was captured participating in a group assault of another individual and observed striking the victim with a baseball bat.
Mendez also participated in a shooting of two victims in May 2018. During that incident, multiple Latin Kings members chased the two victims to a vehicle, surrounded the vehicle, and slashed their tires. Another Latin Kings member then fired gunshots at the two victims striking them. Both victims fled in the vehicle and survived. Mendez admitted that these victims were targeted because one of the victims previously objected to Latin Kings members conducting drug transactions in the victim’s driveway. Following the shooting, Mendez discussed the incident on a court-authorized wiretap and advised the shooter that the victims would not be coming to court due to the efforts of the Latin Kings to intimidate them.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Mendez is the 50th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Madison County Detention Center Captain Pleads Guilty to Assault of DetaineeRead the Press Release
Gregory Evans, 50, a former Captain with the Madison County Detention Center, in Richmond, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to using unreasonable force against a detainee, thereby violating the detainee’s civil rights. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV made the announcement.
According to court documents and admissions made during the plea hearing, Evans was escorting the victim, E.B., down a hallway when Evans grabbed E.B. out of anger, strangled him, and repeatedly punched him. Evans’s assault caused E.B. to lose consciousness, and Evans then punched E.B. in the back and face while E.B. was unconscious. E.B. suffered a broken jaw as a result of the assault. Evans was aware that chokeholds were banned at Madison County Detention Center and that punching and strangling E.B. out of anger was an unreasonable use of force. Following the assault, Evans falsified an incident report and made false statements to the FBI. Specifically, Evans falsely claimed that he had ordered E.B. to turn around prior to the assault, that E.B. ignored his commands, and he deliberately omitted the fact that he had strangled E.B.
“The defendant is being held accountable for using excessive force to assault and strangle a man out of anger,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officials who deprive individuals of their Constitutional rights.”
“When members of law enforcement engage in excessive force, they not only victimize an individual but do grave disservice to the dedicated work of so many others who honorably serve the public,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Investigating and prosecuting this conduct is critically important, both to the victims and the Constitutional rights of all individuals.”
“Corrections officers have extremely difficult jobs; however, our community demands these officers conduct themselves professionally,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “Today’s guilty plea is a reminder that the FBI and the Department of Justice will aggressively investigate and prosecute public officials found to have abused those they have been sworn to protect.”
The crime Evans pleaded guilty to carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Evans is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Lexington RA, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Former Bank Employee Admits Role in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAYQUAN FITZGERALD-WILLIAMS, 26, formerly of Connecticut and currently residing in North Carolina, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today via videoconference before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court today, Fitzgerald-Williams used his position as a bank employee, first at Citizens Bank and then at Santander Bank, to access customer information and provide that information to others who obtained funds from the accounts through unauthorized transactions. Between late 2018 and early 2020, as a mortgage development officer at Santander Bank, Fitzgerald-Williams searched bank records for older customers who had at least $100,000 in their accounts. He then passed along customer identifying and account information to others who used that information to cause approximately 70 fraudulent checks totaling approximately $1.6 million to be issued and more than $2 million in ACH transactions to be made or attempted. Not all of the fraudulent checks or ACH transactions ultimately cleared customers’ accounts.
During the conspiracy, Fitzgerald-Williams also attempted to negotiate a fraudulent check in the amount of $34,700 made payable to him.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Fitzgerald-Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
Fitzgerald-Williams is released pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
Former Analyst Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Committing Insider Trading Through Front-RunningRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SERGEI POLEVIKOV, a former quantitative analyst, was sentenced late yesterday to 33 months in prison by United States District Judge Lewis J. Liman. POLEVIKOV pled guilty on December 15, 2021 for his role in a scheme to misappropriate confidential information about pending trades by his former employer, an investment adviser, on behalf of its investment company clients.
According to the allegations in the Complaint, the Information to which POELVIKOV pled guilty, and statements made during court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2014 through in or about October 2019, SERGEI POLEVIKOV was employed as a quantitative analyst at an asset management firm with headquarters in New York, New York (the “Employer Firm”). In his role at the Employer Firm, POLEVIKOV had regular access to information regarding contemplated securities trades on behalf of the Employer Firm’s clients, which included investment companies. During the period charged in the Complaint, POLEVIKOV engaged in a front-running scheme to misappropriate confidential, material, nonpublic information about the securities trade orders of the Employer Firm on behalf of its clients in order to engage in short-term personal securities trading in a brokerage account opened in his wife’s name. POLEVIKOV’s scheme was designed to profit by executing trades that take advantage of relatively small price movements in a company’s stock that follow from large securities orders executed by the Employer Firm on behalf of its clients. In total, POLEVIKOV’s scheme yielded more than $8.5 million in illicit profits.
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In addition to his prison sentence, POLEVIKOV, 48, of Port Washington, New York, was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $8,564,977 and a fine of $10,000.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiersten A. Fletcher is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts Morgan County Man of Child Exploitation and Escape Attempt ChargesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 13, 2022, a federal jury convicted a registered sex offender, Everett Eugene Miller, Jr., 55, of Sunbright, Tennessee, of enticement of a minor for sex, transporting a minor in interstate commerce for sex, committing those offenses while being required to register as a sex offender, and attempting to escape from the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. As a result of the convictions, the defendant is subject to a prison sentence of 20 years up to life. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge.
According to the evidence at trial, the investigation began when the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip that Miller, an over-the-road truck driver, was transporting a minor across state lines. When asked, the minor revealed that the defendant had transported her across-state lines and had coerced her to have sex with him in the sleeper cab of his truck. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted consensual forensic exams of the minor’s cellular telephones, one of which the defendant had provided to the minor without her mother’s knowledge. A forensic exam pursuant to a search warrant was also performed on the defendant’s cellular telephone. The forensic exams revealed evidence which confirmed that the defendant had communicated extensively with the minor and that he had transported her across country. Additionally, witness testified that, after the defendant had been arrested and was detained in federal custody, he tried to escape from custody while at a medical facility to which he had been transported for a heart procedure.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Morris and Jennifer Kolman represented the United States in court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Federal Jury Convicts Fridley Felon for Selling Methamphetamine, Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a Fridley man of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, John Edward Juneau, 48, was convicted yesterday of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing firearms as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 1, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Columbia Heights. Officers encountered Juneau and two other people inside a detached garage. As a result of the search, officers found three plastic baggies containing more than 23 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. Subsequent testing determined that Juneau’s DNA was present on the baggies.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 9, 2019, police executed a search warrant at a Coon Rapids residence. Officers saw Juneau trying to exit the residence through a basement bedroom window of the residence. Juneau dropped a bag outside the window that contained, among other things, a safe containing $6,000 in cash and numerous empty plastic baggies. Inside the residence, officers found quantities of 99% pure methamphetamine. The police also searched the garage located on the property and found a Ruger, .380 caliber pistol, a Ruger, .22 caliber pistol, two scales, several empty plastic baggies, and more than 40 grams of high purity methamphetamine.
Because Juneau has multiple prior felony convictions in Anoka, Sherburne, Hennepin, and Ramsey Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Anoka-Hennepin Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Dunne and Harry Jacobs.
Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cornell Williams, age 25, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for possessing a weapon in prison.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Williams possessed a sharpened piece of metal, commonly referred to as a “shank,” on October 9, 2021.
The charges stem from an investigation by FCI Schuylkill and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Williams faces a maximum penalty of five years of incarceration 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.
Criminal indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Extradited Colombian National Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for International Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Oscar Marsiglia Barrios (54, Colombia) to 17 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine knowing and intending that it be imported into the United States. Marsiglia Barrios had pleaded guilty on January 12, 2022. Marsiglia Barrios had been arrested in Colombia in August 2019 and extradited to the United States in March 2021.
According to court documents, beginning around February 2015 and continuing until October 26, 2017, Marsiglia Barrios was part of a transnational criminal conspiracy that transported cocaine from Colombia to the United States. Marsiglia Barrios operated out of the Puerto Nuevo region of Colombia and was responsible for recruiting, hiring, and paying individuals to transport cocaine out of Colombia into the United States in cargo ships. Between 2015 and 2018, fifteen of Marsiglia Barrios’s co-conspirators were arrested, indicted, and sentenced to federal prison in the Middle District of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance with the defendant’s extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided critical assistance by extraditing Marsiglia Barrios from Colombia to the Middle District of Florida. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
El Paso Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for production of child pornography.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2019, Steven George Sperling, 36, was an active-duty service member stationed at Fort Bliss when he produced a lewd video of a minor child.
On July 14, 2021, Sperling pleaded guilty to one count of production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest on July 18, 2019.
“Prosecuting dangerous sexual predators that exploit the innocence of children and cause unspeakable harm is always going to be a top priority for our office. Along with the FBI and our other valued partners in law enforcement, we remain dedicated to ensuring the safety of children in our community and online,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “We will continue to use every resource available to identify and prosecute offenders like the defendant in this case to the full extent of the law.”
“A heartbreaking reality of the world we’re living in is the hidden abuse of children,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey. “They’re suffering in silence every day, both in our community and around the world, as we go about our daily lives. The FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will relentlessly pursue every lead to rescue children who are being victimized and bring their perpetrators to justice. We strongly urge members of the public to help us in our fight to protect children, as they are some of the most vulnerable in our community. FBI El Paso can be reached 24 hours/ 7 days a week at (915) 832-5000.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian M. Hanna and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana O’Reilly prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Yomelvin Abreu Bonilla, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Bonilla will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. On Dec. 16, 2021, Bonilla pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
In March 2021, federal agents encountered Bonilla in Bedford and determined that he was illegally present in the United States. Bonilla was previously deported in August 2016.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Diesel Trucking Companies Conspire to Violate Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
Denver - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Pro Diesel Inc. and Endrizzi Diesel, LLC. pleaded guilty to conspiring with a Colorado-based diesel shop to remove or alter the monitoring component of emissions control systems on Class 8, commercial heavy-duty diesel trucks and semi-trucks, thereby violating the Clean Air Act.
According to plea agreements, between July 2017 and May 2020, Iowa-based Pro Diesel Inc. paid a Colorado diesel shop identified as “E.D.” more than $76,000 to disable on-board diagnostic systems on 34 Class 8 trucks. And, between January 2017 and December 2020, Missouri-based Endrizzi Diesel, LLC paid E.D. more than $149,000 to disable the diagnostic systems on approximately 60 class 8 trucks. Both diesel shops pleaded guilty to one count of violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
On-board diagnostics systems (OBDs) are monitoring devices required under the Clean Air Act to be installed on vehicles to monitor emissions control systems and to ensure they are functioning properly. Tampering an OBD is frequently referred to as “tuning.” One purpose for “tuning” an OBD is to allow the vehicles to continue to seemingly operate normally while the emissions control system is disabled. This reduces the high costs associated with maintaining or repairing components of the emissions control systems on heavy-duty diesel trucks. However, as a consequence, tampered vehicles spew substantially more deleterious pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, non-methane hydrocarbons and particulate matter into the air, presenting a risk to the environment and public health. Nitrogen oxides from tailpipe emissions are a major contributor to the creation of ozone on the front range. Tests conducted by the EPA have found that completely deleting a diesel pickup truck’s emissions controls can increase the truck’s tailpipe emissions of nitrogen oxide by a factor of approximately 310 times, carbon monoxide by a factor of approximately 120 times, and non-methane hydrocarbons by a factor of approximately 1,100 times. The pollutant increase is even greater when the emission controls on Class 8 vehicles, such as the ones tampered with here, are disabled.
Through a remote connection, individuals at E.D. would run software programs to reprogram or “tune” the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic systems. These programs would tamper with, render inaccurate, and disable the monitoring functions of the OBDs so they would no longer detect malfunctions in the emissions control systems.
Defendant Pro Diesel will be sentenced by Judge Daniel Domenico on June 14, 2022. Defendant Endrizzi Diesel will be sentenced by Judge Regina Rodriguez on June 29, 2022.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Weber and Special Assistant United States Attorney Linda Kato.
Case numbers: 22-cr-00064-RMR, 22-cr-00062-DDD.
Dearborn Man Sentenced to 15 years in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Sean McClanahan, 51, of Dearborn, Michigan, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison on charges of distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris, III, Department of Homeland Security.
According to court records, after McClanahan sent a link containing files of child pornography to an undercover officer, on July 1, 2018, he admitted to distributing child pornography on that day, and as part of his plea agreement, further admitted to involvement with more than 600 images of child pornography and images of infants and toddlers. This was McClanahan’s second conviction for a federal child pornography offense, and he engaged in this conduct while he was still on supervised release for his first offense.
“Each time an image of an abused child is distributed or viewed online it revictimizes that child. We will protect these children and hold individuals accountable each and every time they prey on our most vulnerable citizens,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.
“HSI is committed to protecting the innocent and ensuring offenders like McClanahan are removed from our communities,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris III.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Bean and Christopher Rawsthorne.
Colorado Man Charged with Unlawfully Transporting Guns over the InternetRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Colorado man was arrested today for conspiring to unlawfully transport firearms via the internet, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Hunter Weeks, 22, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was arrested in Colorado and is charged by complaint with conspiracy to unlawfully transport firearms, and possession and transportation of an unregistered firearm. He is scheduled make his initial appearance today in the District of Colorado.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2021 through July 2021, undercover law enforcement agents communicated with several individuals, including Weeks, via a social media platform where individuals advertised for sale various narcotics and firearms. During this time period, Weeks’ fingerprints were found on the parcels used to mail three firearms from addresses in Colorado to New Jersey that were sold to the undercover agents, including: a Glock firearm with an auto sear switch, making it a fully-automatic firearm; an Uzi assembled to function as machine gun; and an AR-15 firearm.
The count of conspiracy to unlawfully transport firearms charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The possession of unregistered firearms charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; and special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PEDRO RIVERA, 50, last residing in St. Cloud, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 100 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service into individuals who were receiving shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico and California and distributing the drug in and around Hartford. The investigation revealed that Rivera arranged to have a cocaine source in Puerto Rico send parcels containing kilograms of cocaine to addresses in Hartford. When the cocaine parcels arrived, Jesus Rodriguez, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, delivered the cocaine to Rivera. Rodriguez also distributed cocaine to his own drug customers, and delivered parcels to other cocaine traffickers in the Hartford area.
Investigators intercepted numerous communications over a court-authorized wiretap during which Rivera and Rodriguez arranged the delivery of a cocaine parcel. Investigators subsequently seized the parcel, which contained three kilograms of cocaine.
Rivera was arrested in Florida on June 3, 2019. On June 4, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Rivera, Rodriguez and 17 others with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related offenses. On November 3, 2021, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Rivera has been detained since his arrest.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone 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.
Co-Owner of Georgia Bars Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A co-owner of a group of eight Georgia bars pleaded guilty today to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, William Britt engaged in a scheme to evade taxes owed to the IRS on income from bars he and others owned. Although each establishment had a nominal sole owner, in reality the bars all had a group of co-owners, including Britt, with varying percentages of ownership. Britt held an ownership interest in entities such as Chrysha Inc., which operated a bar in Statesboro, and BGRG Inc., which operated a bar and a restaurant in Milledgeville. Britt, along with the other true owners, shared in the bars’ profits in proportion to their respective ownership percentages.
Britt provided false information to an accountant for the preparation of tax returns related to some of the businesses. Specifically, Britt misrepresented the businesses’ true ownership, understated the bars’ income and omitted cash distributions to the owners. This conduct caused Britt and other owners of the bars to file false tax returns with the IRS by paying less than their actual income tax liabilities. Through his guilty plea, Britt admitted to willfully underreporting his income on his 2014 individual tax return.
Last month, James Stafford, who was nominally the sole owner of Chrysha Inc. and BGRG Inc., also pleaded guilty to tax evasion as part of the same scheme.
Britt will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Estes for the Southern District of Georgia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Casey Smith of the Tax Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, are prosecuting the case.
Clarkston Washington Man Sentenced to over 8 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Adam Christopher Johnson, of Clarkston, Washington, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Johnson to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge on April 20, 2021.
According to court records, Johnson, 35, conspired with Helene Martensen, 51, Chandler Lee Black, 21, and Richard Lee Black, 43, to distribute methamphetamine in the Lewiston, Idaho area. Lewiston Police Department detectives, assigned to the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, arrested Richard Black in January 2020, when he was found in possession of distribution quantities of methamphetamine, empty baggies, a digital scale, and cash. Several months later, in June 2020, after a significant collaborative effort, the FBI North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force stopped Martensen’s vehicle and found that she and Johnson possessed two pounds of methamphetamine. The key evidence, however, was obtained through FBI search warrants for cell phones and cell phone records. These records showed the effort of each conspirator to sell illegal drugs and firearms in the Lewis and Clark Valley, and on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.
Martensen was sentenced on March 17, 2021, to 90 months in federal prison, Chandler Black was sentenced on July 7, 2021, to 78 months in federal prison, and Richard Black was sentenced on March 2, 2022, to 120 months in federal prison.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Johnson to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge on April 20, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, Lewiston Police Department, Nez Perce Tribe Police Department, Idaho State Police, Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office, Clarkston Police Department, Asotin County Sheriff’s Office, Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which led to charges.
The Quad Cities Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement officers working together to target drug trafficking in Lewiston and Moscow, Idaho, and Clarkston and Pullman, Washington.
The North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force (NIVCTF) is an FBI led task force with law enforcement officers from Lewiston Police Department, Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office, Grangeville Police Department, Nez Perce Tribe Police Department, Idaho State Police, and Post Falls Police Department. The mission of the NIVCTF is to identify and target for prosecution criminal enterprise groups and individuals responsible for crimes of violence and the manufacture and distribution of illegal narcotics.
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.
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Clark County man sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for narcotics, gun crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Luis Garza, 32, of Springfield, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 188 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine, carfentanil and fentanyl, and for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through the violent-crime reduction program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders.
According to court documents, in October 2019, Garza was stopped in Indiana for speeding when a canine alerted to marijuana in his car. At the time, Garza was on parole in Ohio for aggravated robbery.
During a subsequent search of Garza’s residence in Springfield, Ohio, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Adult Parole Authority discovered distributable amounts of fentanyl, carfentanil and methamphetamine, as well as a handgun.
Hancock County, Indiana Sheriff’s deputies searched Garza’s vehicle at a tow yard, where the vehicle was impounded on a police hold. Deputies discovered more than 800 grams of pure methamphetamine in vacuum sealed packages between the rear seats. The DEA conducted the substance testing.
“This case highlights good investigative coordination between local, state and federal agencies in both Ohio and Indiana,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Thanks to their cooperation, we were able to take off the streets what would equal thousands of dosages of methamphetamine.”
Garza was indicted by a federal grand jury in Dayton, Ohio in June 2020. He pleaded guilty in January 2021.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf; and Hancock County, Indiana Sheriff Brad Burkhart announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
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Chicopee Company Controller Pleads Guilty to Stealing $1.4 Million from Company FinancesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Springfield man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to embezzling of over $1.4 million from his employer.
Gerald Burke, 70, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bank fraud, two counts of mail fraud and three counts of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2022. Burke was charged on April 8, 2022.
Until 2018, Burke was employed as the controller of a privately owned metal stamping company in Chicopee and was responsible for the company’s finances, including directing payroll and signing checks on behalf of the company. From October 2011 until his termination in 2018, Burke embezzled $1.4 million by authorizing additional payroll payments to himself and by writing checks to himself and his credit card company from the company account. Burke failed to report any of his illegal income to the IRS over the nearly seven-year duration of the embezzlement scheme, thereby evading more than $160,000 in federal taxes.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution and forfeiture. 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 Rachel S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Morgan of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Champaign Sex Offender Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Illinois, man, Charles Howard, 41, of the 400 block of North James St., was sentenced on April 12, 2022, to 40 years’ (480 months) imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Howard sexually abused and exploited a 15-year-old minor female in his care and threatened to kill her and himself if she disclosed the abuse.
Howard has two prior convictions for criminal sexual abuse in Champaign County, from 2000 and 2001, and was a registered sex offender on the date of this offense. Howard was initially arrested by state authorities in June 2020.
A federal grand jury charged Howard with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of commission of a sex offense as a registered sex offender in September 2020. Howard was transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshals service, where he has remained. He pleaded guilty in October 2021 to the three-count indictment.
Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm found that the defendant engaged in pattern of abuse that caused physical injury to the victim and would have lasting effects on the victim’s life. In imposing the 40-year imprisonment sentence, Judge Mihm said Howard’s conduct was “as bad as it gets.” Judge Mihm also sentenced Howard to a lifetime term of supervised release, following his release from prison.
“HSI is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities by making sure offenders like Howard are investigated,” said Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Angie Salazar. “We will continue to identify and investigate those who endanger our most vulnerable population and protect our children. We will not allow crimes against children to go unpunished.”
“It takes dedicated investigative work and coordinated effort to ensure that our young people are protected from such heinous actions. I am thankful to our law enforcement partners for their assistance in seeing this case to its lawful conclusion,” said Champaign Interim Police Chief Thomas Petrilli.
“Through the cooperation and tireless work of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, we are able to ensure that repeat offenders who destroy children’s adolescence are brought to justice,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson.
U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Champaign Police Department conducted the investigation with the cooperation of Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Reitz. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson represented the government in this prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Cascade woman charged in student loan fraud schemeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Cascade woman suspected of fraudulently obtaining federal student financial aid by using the names of other individuals to enroll at the Great Falls College and then using those identities to receive financial aid appeared on April 12 on conspiracy, fraud and identity theft crimes, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Ricci Lea Castellanos, 34, also of Redding, California, pleaded not guilty during an arraignment to a 14-count indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and student financial aid fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Castellanos faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the conspiracy and wire fraud crimes and two years in prison in addition to punishment for underlying felony, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided. Castellanos was released pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that between January 2016 and December 2019, Castellanos enrolled unwitting family members and others in online classes at the Great Falls College, Montana State University. When doing so, Castellanos and others applied for and received Federal Student Aid totaling approximately $126,219, none of which was allowed. The indictment further alleges that Castellanos and others fraudulently used and submitted multiple American Indian Tuition Waivers. To support such applications, Castellanos and others created and used false tribal enrollment forms from Native American Tribes, all of which were designed to result in larger student living expense refunds, and which were then diverted by Castellanos and others.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Department of Education Office of Inspector General.
PACER case reference. 22-17.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine 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 Swazine Swindle, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan E. Leydecker, who is handling the case, stated that on September 22, 2021, the Buffalo Police Department Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant on a vehicle in the vicinity of 320 Kenmore Avenue in Buffalo. During the search, Swindle was in the driver's seat of the vehicle. Investigators seized approximately four plastic bags, which contained a total of 10 grams of crack cocaine, and $3,349 in cash. Prior to executing the search warrant, investigators observed Swindle enter and exit 319 Kenmore Avenue. After securing the vehicle, a search warrant was executed at the residence and approximately 1.79 grams of cocaine was seized as well as two digital scales.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; and the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 31, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Obstruction ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jacques Laventure, age 35, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to obstructing an official proceeding by selling a mansion and estate that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was seeking to forfeit as part of a criminal case against his brother.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Laventure is the brother of Jean Lavanture, of Saugerties, New York. Jean Lavanture was indicted in October 2020 for fraudulently obtaining nearly $5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) intended to help legitimate businesses during the pandemic. As part of that prosecution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to forfeit a mansion and estate in Byram Township, New Jersey, that Jean Lavanture bought with approximately $850,000 in fraud proceeds.
In pleading guilty, Jacques Laventure admitted that between January and March 2021, he schemed to sell the Byram Township property, knowing that the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to forfeit it. He also admitted that on March 10, 2021, he completed the sale of the property for $443,920 net of fees, and knew that by selling the property to a third party, he was preventing its forfeiture in the criminal case brought against his brother.
Laventure faces up to 20 years in prison, and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, when Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby sentences him on August 25, 2022. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Laventure has agreed to forfeit $443,920 that the FBI has already seized, and to pay an additional $331,080 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Joshua R. Rosenthal.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced on Monday, April 11, 2022, in connection with attempting to purchase six firearms from an undercover agent.
Rotchill Seme, 21, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release, with the first 11 months spent in home detention. On Dec. 15, 2021, Seme pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms.
On May 25, 2020, Seme began texting with an uncover agent about purchasing multiple firearms. After meeting on May 27, 2020, Seme agreed to purchase six handguns from the undercover agent for $3,500. Seme’s text messages to the undercover agent indicated that he intended to sell the newly acquired firearms and looked forward to buying and selling a steady flow of firearms.
On June 3, 2020, Seme met the undercover agent in a Brockton fast food restaurant parking lot to conduct the transaction. As the meeting concluded, uniformed law enforcement approached the vehicle to arrest Seme. Seme jumped out of the driver’s side window and attempted to flee, resulting in a chase through the parking lot during which Seme engaged in struggles with the pursuing officers on two occasions, but was subsequently apprehended. Seme, who was wearing an ankle GPS bracelet at the time of his arrest, was on parole following state convictions for various drug and firearms offenses and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced for Role in Wide-Ranging Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a wide-ranging cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Luis Mejia Guerrero, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 37 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On Dec. 6, 2021, Guerrero pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to court documents, in the fall of 2018, law enforcement began investigating a violent Brockton drug crew led by Djuna Goncalves. The investigation revealed that Goncalves worked with others to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana throughout southeastern Massachusetts from a base of operations at a family home in Brockton. The neighborhood surrounding the crew’s Brockton base has been the scene of numerous murders, shootings and other crimes of violence for several years.
The investigation identified Guerrero and other members of his Boston-based drug cell as cocaine suppliers to Goncalves’s crew. Guerrero and others distributed cocaine on a daily basis out of a stash house in Dorchester. Intercepted communications indicated that Guerrero negotiated cocaine deals for co-conspirators and delivered drugs to customers. In May 2019, Guerrero was arrested along with his partner, Luis Alfredo Baez, after a kilogram of cocaine being transported to the stash house was intercepted.
On June 23, 2021, Baez was sentenced by Judge Gorton to 41 months in prison. Goncalves pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2022.
In total, 17 individuals were indicted in wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy reaching from Boston to Brockton to Lawrence to Cape Cod. Guerrero is the 13th defendant to be sentenced in this case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; and Brockton Police Acting Chief Steve Williamson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea E. Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Blount County Man Sentenced to More Than 23 Years on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Blount County man on gun and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley.
U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Stephen Matthew Laughlin aka “Country”, 38, to 286 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Laughlin pleaded guilty in December 2021.
According to the plea agreement and evidence at sentencing, on September 29, 2021, law enforcement conducted a joint operation of a safety and driver license inspection checkpoint in Blount County. An officer approached Laughlin’s vehicle when it stopped at the checkpoint and asked Laughlin to produce his driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. The officer walked to the rear of the vehicle to check the status of the tag and noticed a large metal piece sticking up off the trailer hitch. The metal piece obstructed the view of the vehicle tag and was in violation of Alabama state law. The officer returned to the driver's window and asked Laughlin to pull to the side of the road and wait for the officer to issue a warning citation for the violation. As the officer walked to his patrol unit, he asked a K-9 deputy to use his narcotics detection K-9 to conduct a free air sniff of the truck. The K-9 positively alerted for the presence of the odor of drugs coming from the truck. The officer asked Laughlin to exit the vehicle so officers could conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle based on the positive K-9 alert. Laughlin then became argumentative with the officers, put his truck in drive and fled the scene. A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officer (TFO), who was at the checkpoint, began to pursue Laughlin. Laughlin accelerated to speeds exceeding eighty miles per hour and threw a red bag out of the driver's side window. Another officer stopped and retrieved the bag, which was found to contain methamphetamine. Spike strips were deployed by officers. Laughlin ran over the spike strips and eventually stopped, surrendering to law enforcement officers. During the search of Laughlin’s vehicle, officers found a PPS43C Pioneer Arms Corp 9mm semi-automatic pistol and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223 caliber rifle in a soft rifle case located behind the driver's seat on the bench seat. The drugs seized from Laughlin totaled 997.1 grams of 94% pure methamphetamine.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Garnett prosecuted the case.
Billings meth trafficker sentenced to more than nine years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the community after law enforcement found more than three pounds of the drug and firearms at his residence was sentenced today to nine years and nine months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Anthony Ray Morgan, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth in October 2021.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in 2019, law enforcement became aware of Morgan’s drug dealing and found a handgun and 15 grams of meth in a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Morgan. In another traffic stop in September 2021 of a vehicle driven by Morgan, investigators found an ounce of meth, $950 in U.S. currency and a firearm on his person. Investigators executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found nearly one pound of meth and fentanyl pills. Law enforcement served a search warrant on Morgan’s residence and found a handgun that had a laser sight and loaded magazine, U.S. currency concealed in a soft body armor carrier, a rifle and approximately 3.75 pounds of meth, which is the equivalent of about 13,616 doses, in several plastic bags.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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