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Friday 4 March 2022
Man Responsible for Violent Crime Spree in Central Virginia to Serve 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.-A Gordonsville, Virginia man, who committed a series of armed robberies of commercial businesses in the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and Stafford County in the Summer of 2020, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison.
Dominique Dejone Thurston, 23, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Throughout the summer of 2020, Thurston terrorized local businesses and endangered the lives of numerous store clerks during his armed robbery spree. In many cases, his brutality was remarkable. He pistol-whipped store employees who were not even resisting his demands. This case shows how just one person can undermine how safe a community feels, and how important it is that federal, state, and local resources come together when the effects of violence are felt. His violent spree ended as a direct result of the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today.
“Today’s announcement sends a true message that acts of violence like those involved in this investigation will not be tolerated. We are extremely thankful that none of the hardworking people who were victimized by this individual were killed. We hope this sentencing will help calm fears and restore our community to some sense of normalcy. I am proud that our agents and partnering agencies worked around the clock to bring justice to those responsible. ATF is always honored to stand side by side with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Albemarle County Police Department, the City of Charlottesville Police Department, and the Stafford County Police Department as we collectively disrupt violent offenders,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson said. “The ATF Washington Field Division will continue to collaborate with our partners to ensure citizens are protected against those individuals who have no regard for others or property within our communities.”
“Cases such as this one demonstrates the Albemarle County Police Department’s continued commitment to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and is a prime example of how investigators have success when law enforcement agencies cooperate and share information. Due to the diligence and cooperation between our department, Charlottesville Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, District 9 Probation and Parole and the US Attorney’s Office, our community is that much safer,” said Colonel Sean Reeves, Chief of Albemarle County Police.
According to court documents, Thurston committed a series of armed Hobbs Act robberies at commercial businesses in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. These robberies included the Oak Hill Market in Albemarle County, the 7-Eleven on Ivy Road in the City of Charlottesville, a BP gas station convenience store in the City of Charlottesville, the 7-Eleven on Greenbrier Drive in Albemarle County, a Kangaroo Gas station in Albemarle County, a 7 Day Junior Store in the City of Charlottesville, and the 7-Eleven on Boulderview Road in Albemarle County.
During each robbery, Thurston entered the store, placed an item on the checkout counter, and then brandished his gun at the clerks while demanding all the cash in their registers. In several of the robberies, Thurston pistol-whipped clerks even though none of them were resisting his demands.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Albemarle County Police Department, the City of Charlottesville Police Department, the City of Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Huber and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nina-Alice Antony with the Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case for the United States.
Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at A Woman in A Bronx Apartment Building DoorwayRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RAKIM BROWN, a/k/a “Rah,” pled guilty yesterday to firearms and narcotics offenses, including for his participation in a January 28, 2018 shooting at a woman in an apartment building vestibule in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx. BROWN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Rakim Brown was a violent drug dealer who sold crack cocaine on the streets of the Bronx. In order to protect his drug crew’s territory and reputation, Brown resorted to violence, including shooting at a woman associated with a rival drug crew in the vestibule of an apartment building in the Bronx. Brown now faces significant prison time for his crimes and the harm he inflicted on the victim and his community at large.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings:
RAKIM BROWN, a/k/a “Rah,” was a member of a narcotics conspiracy that operated in and around 183rd Street and Davidson Avenue in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx. BROWN and others sold crack cocaine throughout the neighborhood. In 2017, a rivalry developed between BROWN’s drug crew and another drug crew when a member of the other drug crew shot and paralyzed BROWN’s brother. In retaliation, on January 28, 2018, BROWN and others chased an associate of the rival drug crew until they cornered her in the vestibule of an apartment building. BROWN then entered the vestibule, beat the victim, and shot at her multiple times. The victim sustained multiple injuries to her face and legs.
In connection with BROWN’s guilty plea, BROWN specifically admitted that he committed perjury at a pre-trial hearing before Judge Stein and that he possessed crack on particular occasions in 2016 and 2017 in connection with the narcotics trafficking conspiracy.
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BROWN, 26, pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, and using and carrying a firearm, which was brandished and discharged, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. BROWN will be sentenced before Judge Stein on June 6, 2022.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and thanked the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their assistance with the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Christopher Brumwell, Alexandra Rothman, and Danielle Sassoon are in charge of the prosecution.
Luzerne County Couple Sentenced for Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud Offenses Committed Against Their NeighborsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Ernest Stonebraker, age 33, and his wife, Theresa Stonebraker, age 42, both of Berwick, Pennsylvania, were sentenced on March 3, 2022, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, to terms of imprisonment as a result of their participation in a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme. Ernest Stonebraker received a sentence of 48 months, while his wife and coconspirator, Theresa Stonebraker received a sentence of 30 months. Each defendant was also ordered to serve a term of supervised release following imprisonment and to make restitution in the amount of $8,039.55, which represents the amount of unreimbursed loss suffered by their victims.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, from March 2019 to May 2019, the Stonebrakers used the personal identification information of their neighbors, which they obtained from mail that they stole from their neighbors’ mail boxes, and through other means, including by accessing victims’ MyGeisinger accounts, to open credit card accounts in their victims’ names. The couple then used the fraudulently obtained credit cards to purchase thousands of dollars of goods and services from local retailers. In all, the Stonebrakers either victimized or attempted to victimize (by compiling the personal information of) approximately 70 of their fellow residents of Luzerne and Columbia Counties. The total amount of loss attributable to the scheme was approximately $52,000.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Salem Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
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Lowell Man Indicted for Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston on firearms trafficking charges.
Isael Rodriguez, 27, was charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of making false statements to acquire firearms from a licensed dealer. Rodriguez was released on conditions following an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. District Court Chief Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez purchased firearms from a licensed dealer, falsely claiming that he was purchasing them for himself and then resold the firearms for profit to individuals in Boston.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making false statements to acquire firearms from a licensed dealer provides for a sentence of up to 10 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 other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; Lowell Superintendent of Police Raymond Kelly Richardson; Brookline Police Acting Chief Richard Allen; and Brockton Police Acting Chief Steve Williamson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Local and federal law enforcement work together to address illegal drug distribution and rising crime in Seattle’s International DistrictRead the Press Release
Seattle – The Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration have been using targeted undercover operations to combat open air drug markets in Seattle. Today, U.S. Attorney Nick Brown joined Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and law enforcement leaders to highlight a series of arrests aimed at removing persistent fentanyl dealers—some of whom are illegally armed with firearms—from the 12th and Jackson area in Seattle’s International District.
In all 16 people have been arrested for felonies in the undercover operation.
“There are too many guns in our communities, and we’ve seen a significant increase in shootings throughout Seattle and a rise in violent crime. This week I convened a meeting of law enforcement leaders to share strategies on how federal agents and local police can work together to reduce community violence,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “In this undercover operation, we have charged three people federally, who were illegally possessing firearms while dealing fentanyl. The Department of Justice will do everything that we can to help break the cycle of crime—not only with federal prosecution—but also with support for programs that keep our youth out of the criminal justice system.”
Mar’jon Guyton, 21, of Kent, Washington is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Ceandrick M. Davis, 29, of Seattle, is charged with distribution of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Cuong Cao, 54, of Seattle, is indicted for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The first two defendants are detained at the Federal Detention Center pending further hearings. Law enforcement is actively looking for Cao.
A fourth defendant who was originally arrested for state charges at 12th and Jackson, is now facing federal prosecution following a second arrest, with a firearm at 3rd and Pike.
The King County Prosecutors Office is prosecuting 12 defendants in state court.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Larry W. Carter, 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, to a total of 190 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Carter to 130 months in prison on the drug conviction and a consecutive 60 months in prison on the gun conviction. After serving his prison sentence, Carter will serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On September 30, 2020, law enforcement contacted Carter as he was leaving a store. Carter ran from law enforcement and was apprehended shortly thereafter. During his apprehension, a handgun was retrieved from his person. Carter was arrested and an inventory search of his vehicle was conducted. During the search, law enforcement found a bag in the backseat that contained three self-sealing baggies of suspected methamphetamine, other suspected controlled substances, several empty baggies, a glass pipe with burnt white residue, and a black digital scale. Those items were seized by law enforcement and the suspected methamphetamine was sent to the lab for testing. A lab determined that there was 110.86 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 100 grams was actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – A Lewiston man was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, Richard Lee Black, 43, of Lewiston, conspired with Helene Martensen, 51, and Adam Johnson, 34, both of Clarkston, Washington, to distribute methamphetamine in the Lewiston area. Lewiston Police Department detectives, assigned to the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, arrested 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 the vehicle of Martensen and Johnson and seized approximately two pounds of methamphetamine. The key evidence, however, was obtained through FBI search warrants for cell phone 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. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2022.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Black to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Black pleaded guilty to the charge in October 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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Leader of Local Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Oregon City, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for his leadership role in a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl from Mexico for resale in Oregon and Washington State and for illegally reentering the U.S.
Victor Alvarez Farfan, 50, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, Farfan received approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, half a kilogram of heroin and two kilograms of fentanyl from a drug cartel based in Michoacan, Mexico. He and his associates would then resell the methamphetamine and heroin in Hillsboro, Gresham, Portland and Hood River, Oregon, and Tacoma, Washington. Farfan also oversaw the manufacturing of crystal methamphetamine from its liquid form. As part of the conspiracy, one of Farfan’s co-conspirators, Eduardo Alvarez Farfan, 27, of Gresham, provided the two kilograms of fentanyl to a co-conspirator, Noe Antonio Machado-Madrano, 26, who had flown in from Baltimore, Maryland. Investigators arrested Machado-Madrano at a bus station and seized the fentanyl.
Farfan, a citizen of Mexico, was found in the U.S. on October 16, 2018 after having previously been removed in June 2015 following multiple federal convictions. Previously, in 2006, in the District of Oregon, Farfan was convicted for drug trafficking and illegally reentering the U.S. and sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
On October 17, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a nine-count indictment charging Farfan and 21 co-defendants with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine; use of a communication facility, including cellular telephones, in the commission of a controlled substances felony; maintaining drug-involved premises to manufacture and distribute controlled substances; interstate distribution of drug proceeds and money laundering.
On October 24, 2018, a coordinated law enforcement operation led by the FBI with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Task Force and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) resulted in the arrest of Farfan and 17 co-defendants.
Later, on November 27, 2018, Farfan was charged in a second indictment with illegal reentry.
On November 23, 2021, Farfan became the last of 23 co-defendants charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy to plead guilty. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances and illegal reentry.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and is the result of a joint investigation by FBI, HSI, WIN, and CCITF. Forfeiture was litigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division.
WIN includes representatives from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Beaverton Police Department, Hillsboro Police Department, Tigard Police Department, Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Program, and FBI. CCITF includes representatives from Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, HSI, and FBI.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
Lead defendant sentenced in middle Georgia methamphetamine-trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: The lead defendant in a now-disrupted Laurens County methamphetamine-trafficking ring has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to his leadership role in the conspiracy.
David Alex Monroe, 32, of Dexter, Ga., was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. As part of the plea, Monroe forfeited a machine gun, an illegal short-barrel rifle, and two silencers seized during the investigation, and abandoned his interest in 54 additional firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also fined Monroe $2,000 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“While many of the defendants implicated in this large-scale drug trafficking organization await their day in court, it is significant that the leader has been sentenced for his role in the conspiracy,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “David Alex Monroe is being held accountable for profiting from misery in the greater Laurens County area, and I am committed to directing our resources toward these crimes which are often catalysts to violent crime in our district.”
Monroe, for whom Operation Monroe Doctrine was named, was indicted in July 2021 along with 29 other defendants in USA v. Monroe et. al. The indictment was the culmination of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation that identified a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy operating throughout Laurens and Telfair counties and beyond, operating from at least January 2020 through January 2021.
As described in court documents and testimony, Monroe conspired with other defendants, including a supplier, to distribute illegal drugs throughout the greater Dublin and Laurens County community. Of the 30 defendants, three have now been sentenced; four await sentencing after pleading guilty; and 22 defendants await trial and are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This investigation was a success thanks to the hard work and exceptional cooperation between law enforcement professionals from the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, the DEA, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean. “I pledge to continue to the best of my ability, using the best resources available, to protect the citizens of Laurens County from drug traffickers.”
“This dangerous ‘meth’ trafficker was caught because of the joint efforts between DEA and its law enforcement partners,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division. “This defendant will now spend well-deserved time in prison and his sentencing makes the South Georgia community a safer place today.”
“ATF is committed to assisting our law enforcement partners in targeting armed drug traffickers and removing them from our communities” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “Monroe’s use of a machinegun and other firearms as part of his drug trafficking operation highlights the danger that he posed to the community and law enforcement and we are proud to announce that he will be spending a substantial amount of time in prison.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
The case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III, Frank M. Pennington II, and Southern District of Georgia OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.
Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced to 33 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicole Ann Bozek, age 32, of Nicholson, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 2, 2022, to 33 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion following her conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Bozek conspired to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin (which is approximately equivalent to 50,000 individual retail bags of heroin) during the conspiracy.
Bozek was one of eleven defendants indicted in May 2020. With the exception of Tysheen Gott, a/k/a “LB,” all other co-conspirators pleaded guilty. Gott was convicted after trial in August 2021 and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was the result of a year-long investigation, in part driven by multiple federal wiretaps conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Pittston City Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.”
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Kalamazoo Woman Arrested and Federally Charged for Possession with Intent to Distribute 1.5 Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan filed a criminal complaint today to arrest and charge Candi Taylor (39) of Kalamazoo, Michigan for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force, has been investigating Taylor for her involvement with fentanyl distribution in and around Kalamazoo. KVET obtained a warrant to search Taylor’s residence, vehicle, and a second residence believed to be Taylor’s stash house. Taylor was in her vehicle when KVET executed the warrants and officers found her with a baggie containing approximately 10 grams of fentanyl in her hand and a digital scale nearby. Investigators found two more baggies in her coat pocket containing over 100 grams of fentanyl. A search of Taylor’s suspected stash house yielded seven baggies containing over 1,400 grams of fentanyl. For more information, please see the continuation in support of the criminal complaint available on the public docket. United States v. Taylor, No. 1:22-MJ-122 (PJG), ECF No. 1 (W.D. Mich.)
If convicted of the charges in the complaint, Taylor faces a statutory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
Taylor made her initial appearance on March 4, 2022 before Magistrate Judge Phillip J. Green in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge of the Western District of Michigan, Acting Special Agent in Charge Kent R. Kleinshmidt of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Detroit Field Division, and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Vernon L. Coakley, Jr. made the announcement.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team are investigating the case.
Under the United States Constitution, the government must present felony cases to a grand jury and obtain indictments to proceed with prosecution. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Judge sentences California man to life in prison for being the leader of a large-scale fentanyl distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Gerald Hunter, 56, of Los Angeles, appeared today before United States District Judge John A. Ross and was sentenced to life in federal prison. Hunter was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, and two counts of money laundering. A federal jury returned the verdicts after a week-long trial in October 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a long-term investigation of a fentanyl and cocaine distribution organization in St. Louis. Agents identified Hunter of Los Angeles as an out-of-state source of supply for the St. Louis organization. On April 27, 2017, DEA agents seized approximately 27 kilograms of fentanyl in Florissant, Mo. Hunter was in possession of the bags containing the fentanyl, and his fingerprint was recovered from packaging material. However, Hunter ran from investigators, and made good his escape.
The jury found that Hunter conspired to distribute fentanyl in St. Louis, but also that he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute the drug in St. Louis. The evidence at trial established that the fentanyl was the equivalent of 270,000 usage units before being diluted, with a street value of $1 million. Hunter evaded arrest for three years before the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Hunter was in possession of $220,000 in United States currency, 11 cellular phones and two identification cards with someone else’s name. Flight records established Hunter’s frequent pattern of travel to St. Louis from Los Angeles.
“The sentence remanded to Gerald Hunter is a reminder there is a price to pay for those that choose to poison our communities with fentanyl. This drug trafficking organization was dismantled by the hard work of numerous law enforcement agencies working together to stop the spread of fentanyl proliferated by Hunter and others,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our federal, state and local partners stand together to protect the community from those like Hunter and his associates.”
“This sentencing today is good news for anyone who seeks justice for the many overdose deaths fentanyl is causing in St. Louis,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, supervisor of DEA operations in Eastern Missouri. “Hunter and his associates are no longer a threat to St. Louis, but our job continues. Drug traffickers should heed the message we delivered to Hunter: DEA and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in dismantling and destroying the drug networks that cause harm to our communities.”
This case was investigated by the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
Jefferson Parish Man Sentenced for 3 Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – ZACHARY VERDIN, age 29, a resident of Marrero, was sentenced this week by United States District Judge Susie Morgan, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. VERDIN was sentenced on March 3, 2022 to 48 months of incarceration, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee, as to each count. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,061.
According to Count One of the bill of information, on July 19, 2021, VERDIN robbed a Capital One Bank in Marrero, Louisiana. He obtained approximately $521 in the robbery. According to Count Two of the bill of information, on July 26, 2021, VERDIN robbed a Chase Bank located in New Orleans, Louisiana. He obtained approximately $1,000 in that robbery. According to Count Three of the bill of information, on August 2, 2021, VERDIN robbed a Regions Bank in Gretna, Louisiana. He obtained approximately $12,540 in that robbery.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, and St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on March 1 was:
Leslie Patricia Rivera, 51, and Miguel Angel Medina, 61, both of the Seattle, Washington, area, on charges of conspiracy to transport and transportation of illegal aliens. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Both defendants were released pending further proceedings. The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-13.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 1 was:
Winchester Glen Wiseman, 41, of Helena, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Wiseman faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the possession with intent to distribute crime and a mandatory minimum five years in prison consecutive any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. Wiseman was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Missoula Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-13.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 4 was:
Jesse Michael Montagna, also known as Jeffery M. Rothenberg, 55, of Billings, on charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Montagna faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years in prison on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the identity theft crime. Montagna was detained pending further proceedings. The Homeland Security Investigations and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-19.
Appearing on March 1 was:
Ross James Thomas, 35, of Big Timber, on charges of unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Thomas faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Thomas was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-89.
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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Indian National Sentenced in Tech Support Scheme that Defrauded Elderly AmericansRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – An Indian national who sought asylum in the United States and then played a critical role in ensuring that an international tech-support scheme succeeded in defrauding Americans, many of them elderly, of their life savings, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
While living in California, Angad Singh Chandhok, 34, operated a long-running and complex money laundering network, in which he created and used shell companies to move millions of dollars stolen from Americans through an online tech support scheme, and later an online travel fee scheme. Chandhok, who had at least five others working at his direction, was in direct contact with high-ranking international members of the scheme.
United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha noted, “It is the sad reality that, each and every day, fraudsters all over the world target vulnerable and elderly Americans in efforts to trick them out of their savings and livelihoods; sophisticated criminals like Mr. Chandhok are an essential part of these fraud schemes. Fortunately, thanks to a superb investigation undertaken by Newport Police in seamless collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations, this defendant has been brought to justice and held accountable for the financial harm he has visited on his victims.”
Newport Police Chief Gary T. Silva commented, “This case is a perfect example of how local detectives Lt. Michael Naylor and Sgt. Scott Moody, working alongside the United States Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, were able to follow the money taken from fraud victims in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and laundered to California and countries abroad, and eventually arresting Chandhok and holding him accountable.”
“Chandhok operated a sophisticated money laundering network to launder the fraudulent proceeds of scams targeted at elderly individuals—defrauding them of over a million dollars. This laundering network allowed the fraudsters to move the proceeds of their scams out of the country, but our investigation caught up with them.” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston Field Office. “These types of scams are all too common and we encourage any other victims to come forward and reach out to law enforcement for assistance.”
According to court documents, Indian students who were present in the United States on visas, including four in Newport, RI, received funds from victims of the tech support scheme. They then transferred the funds to accounts controlled by Chandhok for further laundering. Chandhok’s money laundering business provided an essential link between the participants of the fraud scheme in the United States and others who were operating internationally.
According to information presented to the court, Chandhok’s criminal activity spanned two years, during which time he “cleaned” at least than $1.5 million dollars. The government’s evidence showed that in just one month he laundered nearly $930,000.
Chandhok pleaded guilty on August 19, 2019, to conspiracy to launder criminal proceeds. He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 72 months of incarceration to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release.
Chandhok is wanted in his native country of India for fraud, and he was an international fugitive from justice at the time he engaged in his sophisticated money laundering activities here in the United States.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.
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Independence Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing and sharing hundreds of videos and images of child pornography over the internet.
James Andrew Clingenpeel, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to nine years and one month in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 2, 2019, Clingenpeel pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to distribute child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Clingenpeel admitted that he utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing network to distribute a video of child pornography over the internet. Clingenpeel’s criminal conduct was discovered during an FBI national investigation into the network, which allows users to share child pornography on their computers with other members over the internet. Clingenpeel was an “Ultimate” member with an account since October 2013. An undercover FBI undercover operative invited Clingenpeel to join his network; Clingenpeel then shared 436 files that contained 9.1GB of content to the network.
Clingenpeel also admitted that he was in possession of child pornography. On April 19, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Clingenpeel’s residence. Officers seized three electronic devices; a notebook computer contained 550 videos and 180 images of child pornography and a computer hard drive contained one video of child pornography, more than 100 images of possible child erotica, and one video of possible child erotica.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the FBI and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Illegal Firearms Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for 15 YearsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, MARIO LAIVEL THOMAS, 43, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for illegal possession of firearms after he had sustained a felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On October 7, 2020, a Superseding Indictment charged Thomas with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. On February 24, 2021, Thomas pleaded guilty to two counts of the Superseding Indictment. Federal law prohibits a person who has previously been convicted of a felony from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Public records reflect that on May 11, 2020, Thomas was under the influence of methamphetamine, marijuana, and a prescription opiate when his vehicle struck a gas pump at a gas station in northwest Oklahoma City. He fled the scene and was stopped by Oklahoma County Sheriff Office deputies and Oklahoma City Police Department officers. When Thomas exited the vehicle, a loaded firearm fell from his lap. Public records also reflect that on August 9, 2020, while out of custody on bond on related state criminal charges, Thomas, again under the influence of drugs, possessed another firearm. Thomas fired that stolen firearm multiple times at his girlfriend’s son as an argument escalated in front of the girlfriend’s residence.
Court records show Thomas has multiple felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including:
- Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance in case numbers CF-2014-8162, CF-2013-4776, CF-2010-2265, CF-2010-1840, CF-2007-616, CF-2000-2644, CF-1998-7923, and CF-1996-2644;
- Possession of an Imitation Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute in case number CF-2010-2265;
- Domestic Abuse in case number CF-2008-3116;
- Escape from a Penal Institution in case number CF-2011-3373;
- Eluding a Police Officer in case number CF-2015-4324; and
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm in case numbers CF-2003-493 and CF-2014-8162.
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Thomas to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the nature and circumstances of the offenses, and highlighted Thomas’ lengthy and violent criminal history.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle M. Connolly and Jacquelyn M. Hutzell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods violent crime initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. "Operation 922" prioritizes firearms prosecutions connected to domestic violence, including domestic violence abusers who possess a firearm and are either subject to a victim protective order or have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
ICYMI - Weekly Roundup March 4, 2021Read the Press Release
HOUSTON – “In case you missed it,” one of the largest-scale drug enforcement operations, a life sentence for a child exploitation predator and an extradited Clan Del Golfo associate who was sent to U.S. prison are just a few of the notable matters the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced this week.
Some of the other criminal matters involved firearms, kidnapping, stalking, child pornography, bulk cash smuggling, public corruption, escape, tax fraud, immigration and several instances of meth smuggling.
“These criminal cases are just a small sample of what we do each and every day,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. “Through the pandemic or any other personal or professional challenge, the dedicated workers of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) are hard at work every day alongside our partners in law enforcement to ensure our streets are safer and those that commit federal crimes answer for their actions. We hope the messages we send not only inform the public of our mission, but serve as a deterrent to those that even think about violating federal law.”
Also announced this week was the cooperative and collaborative effort with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR). “This is not an investigation into the rodeo,” said Lowery. “In fact, HLSR has been very receptive and helpful. They want the NRG grounds and facilities to be accessible and are very willing to work with us throughout this review process.”
ICYMI:
Houston - Dozens arrested in 105-count narcotics indictment
Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi man gets life for exploiting Filipino children
Houston - Clan Del Golfo associate ordered to prison for international cocaine distribution
Brownsville – Young man pleads guilty after crashing into patrol unit
Victoria – South Texas woman convicted for arranging smuggling attempt that led to death
Laredo - Texan admits guilt to multiple charges under Project Safe Childhood
Corpus Christi - Prisoner pleads guilty to escaping from halfway house
McAllen – La Joya trustee convicted of extortion
Houston - Tax preparer sent to prison for tax fraud…again
Corpus Christi - Foreign citizen imprisoned on weapon charge
Galveston - Out of state man indicted for stalking local victim
Laredo - Kidnappers admit to holding four migrants hostage at gunpoint
Corpus Christi - Felon sentenced for trafficking meth
Galveston - Santa Fe resident sentenced for receiving child pornography via Kik
Laredo - Driver convicted of transporting kilos of drugs
Corpus Christi -Un“lucky” fugitive pleads guilty to double firearms charges
Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi man gets life for exploiting Filipino children
McAllen - Million dollar smuggler sent to prison
Corpus Christi - Meth dealer heads to prison
Corpus Christi - South Texas woman admits to trafficking over $2 million in meth
Civil Houston - Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to undergo ADA compliance review
The SDTX handles criminal, civil and appellate matters and typically prosecutes more cases against more defendants than most other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide. The district represents 43 counties and more than nine million people and covers 44,000 square miles. It comprises seven divisions with federal district courts in Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo. The SDTX, headquartered in Houston, has offices in all seven divisions. The cases announced this week cover all of those areas.
Honduran Man Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry by an Alien Removed After Conviction of a FelonyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Honduran national was sentenced to 15 months in prison for unlawful reentry by an alien removed after felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, Wilmer Josue Pavon-Hercules, 40, was arrested on September 12, 2021, following a traffic stop by a Picayune Police officer on Interstate 59 in Pearl River County. Pavon-Hercules did not have a driver’s license and provided only a Honduran identification card. The officer was assisted on-site by a deputy of the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department. While officials were attempting to arrest Pavon-Hercules for careless driving and driving under the influence (DUI), he attempted to flee law enforcement and then bit the police officer while being handcuffed. Pavon-Hercules was taken into custody and transported to Pearl River County Jail. Later, he escaped from the Pearl River County Jail and was recaptured by deputies.
Picayune officials contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) regarding the immigration status of Pavon-Hercules. HSI determined through electronic database queries that Pavon-Hercules was a citizen of Honduras who was previously deported from the United States to Honduras. Immigration Records revealed that Pavon-Hercules had been removed from the U.S. on August 23, 2012. He returned to the U.S. and was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in 2017 for reentry by an alien following removal. He was again returned to his home nation of Honduras.
Pavon-Hercules pled guilty on December 14, 2021, to unlawful reentry by an alien removed after felony conviction.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Picayune Police Department, and the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.
Former Tungsten Heavy Powder & Parts CEO Arrested and Charged with Unlawful Exportation of Defense Articles including to the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kareem A. Salem (619) 546-8904 and John Parmley (619) 546-7957
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 4, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Joe Sery, former owner and chief executive officer of Tungsten Heavy Powder & Parts, and his brother, Dror Sery, are charged in a federal grand jury indictment unsealed today with violations of federal export laws pursuant to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Tungsten Heavy Powder & Parts, or THPP, is a San Diego-based company that provides tungsten fragments, sub-assemblies, and other weapon grade components for United States military contracts.
According to the indictment, between January 1, 2016, and December 12, 2019, Joe Sery entered into contracts with various aerospace and defense companies on behalf of THPP. Joe Sery then obtained ITAR- controlled technical data and drawings from these companies to allow THPP to fulfill the contracted order. Some of THPP’s projects included the construction of an Advanced Rapid Response Weapon, a 155-millimeter Bi-Modal Warhead, a R9E Warhead, and an 81-millimeter Cowling Cone. These drawings contained information, which is required for the design, development, production, manufacture, assembly, operation, repair, testing, maintenance, or modification of defense articles.
Despite being educated and trained regarding the requirements of ITAR, Joe Sery and his brother Dror Sery – a foreign national and dual citizen of Israel and South Africa – knowingly and willfully exported from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of India and elsewhere overseas, defense articles covered by the United States Munitions List without first obtaining permission from the United States Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.
The indictment further alleges that Joe Sery and Dror Sery accomplished this, in part, by creating a non-THPP email address to surreptitiously receive ITAR-controlled documents. Additionally, shortly after Dror created the outside email address Joe Sery provided Dror Sery with administrative level access of THPP’s “ShareFile system,” which contained ITAR-controlled data. Subsequently, on several occasions, Joe Sery and Dror Sery exported technical drawings from the United States via email messages to each other, including while Dror was located in India and the People’s Republic of China.
Joe Sery is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday; an arrest warrant has been issued for fugitive Dror Sery. He is believed to be residing in Israel.
THPP is cooperating with the investigation.
“The indictment alleges that these brothers disregarded important regulations designed to keep sensitive information from falling into the hands of those who would harm America,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will work together with our law enforcement partners to protect military technology.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team, HSI and DCIS for their excellent work on this case.
“This arrest highlights the outstanding partnerships between HSI and the Department of Defense’s investigative agencies who work tirelessly every day to ensure our protected military technology and weaponry are not used by foreign actors against our warfighters and allies on the battlefield,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This arrest sends a clear message that those entrusted with our country’s military technology and weaponry will be held responsible for its safeguarding.”
“Mr. Sery is accused of compromising sensitive defense technology, and today’s arrest is an important step toward protecting our country’s information,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “DCIS will always take aggressive action with our law enforcement partners to deter and investigate any such threats to our national defense.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21CR2898-GPC
Joe Sery Age: 77 San Diego, CA
Dror Sery Age: 70 Israel/Unknown
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Offenses Against the United States- Title 18 U.S.C., Sections 371,554; Title 22 U.S.C., 2778(b)(2), (c); Title 22 CFR Sections, 120, 121.1 , 123.1, 127.l(a)(4)
Exportation of Defense Articles Without a License and Aiding and Abetting To Do Same
Title 22 U.S.C., Sections 2778(b)(2), (c); Title 22 CFR 120, 121.1, 123, 127; Title 18 U.S.C., 2
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18 U.S.C., Sections 98l(a)(l)(c); Title 28 Section 246l(c); Title 22 U.S.C., 401
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
AGENCIES
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Services
U.S. Army, Criminal Investigation Division
National Security Division, Department of Justice
Former Real Estate Attorney and Wife Plead Guilty to Mortgage Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Massachusetts attorney and his wife pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with various mortgage fraud schemes.
Barry Wayne Plunkett Jr., 61, and Nancy Plunkett, 56, both of Hyannis Port, pleaded guilty to five counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Barry Wayne Plunkett Jr. also pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2022. The Plunketts were indicted in July 2020.
Prior to being disbarred in October 2017, Barry Wayne Plunkett Jr. owned and operated the Plunkett Law Firm where his wife, Nancy Plunkett, was his office assistant and paralegal.
The defendants engaged in several bank fraud schemes. In one scheme, from September 2012 to July 2016, the defendants defrauded six mortgage lenders and 14 homeowners for whom the Plunkett Law Firm handled the closings for new mortgage loans to refinance residential properties. The defendants informed the mortgage lenders that pre-existing mortgages were paid off from the new loan proceeds when, in fact, the Plunketts intentionally failed to pay off the prior liens and instead converted more than $900,000 in payoff funds for their own purposes.
In other bank fraud schemes – between April 2015 and March 2018 – the Plunketts fraudulently used various names, entities and false documents to obtain three successive mortgage loans on their home in Hyannis Port in amounts of $412,000, $470,000 and $1.2 million. The defendants pledged as collateral a property in Hyannis Port that was held in a family trust for which Barry Wayne Plunkett Jr. was one of three beneficiaries. Both defendants participated in providing false documents to the lenders, including false title reports and other records to falsely represent that the property was free and clear of existing mortgage liens and forged documents in the names of other people. The defendants also made misrepresentations to a lender that Nancy Plunkett was a single woman living in Wellesley who was purchasing the property in her maiden name as a business investment when, in fact, the defendants had been married since 2014 and the property was their residence.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael 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. Attorneys Victor A. Wild and Mackenzie Queenin, of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, and Carol Head, Chief of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit, are prosecuting the case.
Former Port Orchard, Washington attorney sentenced to prison for defrauding clientsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A former Port Orchard, Washington attorney, who stole a bequest left by a client for the benefit of a children’s hospital, and then defrauded a close friend, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 18 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Darlene Piper, 57, of Bremerton, Washington pleaded guilty on August 30, 2021. Piper was indicted in September 2020, following a multi-year fraudulent scheme. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan said Piper “became a thief and a crook” through “a long series of criminal acts.” In addition to her financial victim Judge Bryan said “the legal profession is a victim as well.”
According to records filed in the case, Piper practiced law in Port Orchard, handling wills, trusts and probate of estates. In 2011, she prepared a will for a client who left his entire estate to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. However, when that client died in 2014, Piper as executor of the estate, stole $500,000 from the estate and invested it in Paraguay. When the children’s hospital inquired about the funds it was owed, Piper stole from a friend to repay the hospital. She told the friend that she had invested the money in Paraguay. The victim had just sold a home, and the money was for her retirement. The victim sued Piper and won. Piper has not paid the victim any of the money awarded through the litigation.
In sentencing documents prosecutors described how Piper continues to falsify her finances. She failed to list homes she owns in Cabo San Lucas and property on the coast of Mexico as assets that could be liquidated to pay her victims.
Judge Bryan ordered Piper to sell the waterfront property within 6 months to compensate her victims. He ordered her to pay restitution of $500,000.
Piper had already given up her law license and bar membership, after the Washington State Bar Association was poised to sanction her for stealing $42,000 from two other clients.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion, and by former Assistant United States Attorneys Arlen Storm and Andre Penalver.
Former Beaverton Mayor Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Dennis “Denny” Doyle, the former mayor of Beaverton, Oregon, is facing federal charges for illegally possessing child pornography.
Doyle, 73, a Beaverton resident, has been charged by criminal information with one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the information, between November 2014 and December 2015, Doyle is alleged to have knowingly and unlawfully possessed digital material containing child pornography, including images depicting minors under twelve.
Doyle will make his first appearance in federal court today.
If convicted, Doyle faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a life term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF). It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at www.missingkids.org.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Porum Resident of Illegal Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Justin Miles Ness, age 40, of Porum, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Felon in Possession of Firearm & Ammunition.
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, with a verdict of guilty. Based on the jury’s verdict, the defendant could potentially receive up to ten years of imprisonment.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on September 8, 2021, federal agents served a federal search warrant on Justin Miles Ness’ residence in Porum, Oklahoma. Agents seized a firearm and over 500 rounds of ammunition. The evidence also included photographs, video/audio and text messages from Ness’s Facebook account wherein the defendant, a convicted felon, was shown to be in possession of a firearm and discussing the acquisition of firearms.
The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Ness was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney William Cosner and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Federal Indictment Returned in Kidnapping Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Kimon Burton-Roberson made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday for charges related to the kidnapping, resulting in death, of a Wilmington resident.
According to an indictment filed on February 22, 2022, in the early hours of July 21, 2021, Burton-Roberson, 28, and co-conspirators, entered a residence in Wilmington, Delaware where they knew their victim to be staying. Burton-Roberson and others beat the victim with a blunt object until the victim was bleeding, tying the victim’s hands together with zip ties. Burton-Roberson and others then removed the victim from the residence, placed the victim into Burton-Roberson’s car, and drove the victim across state lines into Pennsylvania. Members of the conspiracy shot the victim in the head, leaving the victim’s body in an industrial park in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
Burton-Roberson is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Kidnapping. If convicted, he faces life in prison or capital punishment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation is ongoing and involves close collaboration between FBI, the Yeadon Borough Police Department, and the Wilmington Department of Police.
“This case is an excellent example of federal and state law enforcement cooperation and coordination across geographical boundaries. This unified effort resulted in the Indictment of this case,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “Those who commit violent crime in Delaware, and elsewhere, will be brought to justice.”
Rohan K. Hepkins stated, "As Mayor of Yeadon Borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, we salute the combined efforts of the FBI, the Wilmington, DE Police Department, along with the Yeadon and Delaware County law enforcement agencies. This combined effort underscores our collective commitment to bring fugitives to justice. It reassures the public that those who commit crimes and seek to take refuge across state lines, will be sought out, and brought to justice as we were successfully able to do in this case."
“The strong multi-jurisdictional collaborations that our agency has with our local, state and federal partners are critical, especially when criminal acts are committed across jurisdictional boundaries,” said Wilmington Police Chief Robert J. Tracy. “I am proud of the work of our investigators, and our partner law enforcement agencies, in bringing justice for the victim of this chilling crime.”
The brutality and indifference to human life displayed in this case is unacceptable,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Know that the FBI and our partners will be relentless in our efforts to identify, locate and apprehend dangerous offenders who threaten the safety our communities.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Emergency Room Doctor Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Oxford, Miss. – A federal jury convicted a Mississippi man of tax evasion after a three-day jury trial in Oxford this week before District Judge Sharion Aycock. According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Kevin L. Crandell of Golden, Mississippi, was an emergency room physician making a monthly salary of approximately $30,000 to $40,000 who stopped paying personal income taxes in 2007. During the years 2006 through 2012, Crandell accrued approximately $972,493 in tax debt, including penalties and interest.
At trial, the Government presented evidence that in 2014 Crandell submitted a false and fraudulent IRS Form 433-A to the Internal Revenue Service in an attempt to negotiate a payment plan for his outstanding tax liabilities. The Form 433-A misrepresented to the IRS that Crandell could not make tax payments because his personal income was lower than his expenses. The Form 433-A also failed to list assets and business bank accounts, which Crandell was using for personal expenses. Though Crandell attempted to blame a tax resolution service he hired in 2010, the evidence at trial showed that Crandell intentionally manipulated his pay stubs to show a decrease in his 2014 annual income before submitting the pay stubs to the tax resolution service.
Crandell is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7, 2022 and faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. Crandell also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and a fine.
“Millions of Americans pay their income taxes every year,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Those who intentionally attempt to mislead the IRS and fail to pay income taxes that they legitimately owe will face the consequences.”
The IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clay Dabbs and Philip Levy are prosecuting the case.
El Salvadoran Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return by an Alien Removed After Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – An El Salvadoran national pleaded guilty to the federal felony offense of unlawful return of an alien removed after felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Kenneth Blanchard.
According to court documents, Yohalmo Eliseo Pineda-Cruz, 46, of El Salvador, was arrested on October 6, 2021, by the U.S. Border Patrol on Interstate 10 in Jackson County. A Border Patrol K9 Agent, assigned to the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team (MET) was patrolling on Interstate-10 near Ocean Springs, when a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle driven by Pineda-Cruz. Pineda-Cruz did not have a driver’s license and had an extensive criminal/immigration arrest history.
Record checks revealed that Pineda-Cruz, a/k/a Eliseo Hernandez-Diaz, had been arrested on several occasions by the Border Patrol and had been officially deported or removed from the U.S. in 2012. Since 2012, Pineda-Cruz had returned and been removed from the U.S. on multiple occasions. Official records also revealed that Pineda-Cruz had been convicted of the federal felony offense of unlawful return after removal, under his alias name of Eliseo Hernandez-Diaz, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona in May 2019. After serving his prison sentence, Pineda-Cruz’s prior removal order was reinstated and he was again physically removed from the United States in late 2019.
Pineda-Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. After completing any sentence of incarceration, he also is subject to Department of Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Edgewood Man Sentenced to over 18 Years in Federal Prison for an Attempted Carjacking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On February 10, 2022, U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Amir Stanley Turner, age 20, of Edgewood, Maryland, to 222 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for carjacking resulting in death, in connection with the fatal attempted carjacking of a delivery driver in Harford County, Maryland on February 10, 2019. There is no parole in the federal system.
Two alleged co-conspirators have been arrested on related State charges.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and Harford County State’s Attorney Albert Peisinger.
According to Turner’s guilty plea, on February 10, 2019, Turner and at least two co-conspirators attempted to carjack T.Y, who was working as a delivery driver for a local restaurant. As T.Y. was delivering food to a residence in Edgewood, Maryland, he saw an individual enter his vehicle, a 2000 Honda Accord and ran to prevent the perpetrators from taking the vehicle.
As detailed in the plea agreement, as Turner and his associates tried to take the vehicle, T.Y. fought back, hitting Turner’s associates with an expandable baton. When T.Y. refused to retreat and stop the confrontation, Turner shot T.Y. multiple times and Turner and his associates fled the scene. Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies arriving at the scene found T.Y. lying on the ground next to the Honda, suffering from gunshot wounds to his hand, back, and chest. Deputies noted that the driver’s side front door was open and that an expandable baton was adjacent to T.Y. in a fully extended position. T.Y. was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a nearby hospital.
Turner, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting, waived his juvenile status and consented to be prosecuted as an adult for this offense.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Maryland State Police, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Austin, 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/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Drug Trafficker Who Distributed Narcotics While on State Bond Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Jarran Riley (37, Clearwater) to 15 years in federal prison for distributing narcotics. Riley had pleaded guilty on December 9, 2021.
According to court documents, on June 5, 2019, at approximately 10:30 p.m., detectives from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Dunedin Cove Motel regarding the opioid overdose death of N.R. On the same day, detectives interviewed Heidi Kalous who had distributed the narcotics to N.R. Motel video surveillance and phone records showed that Kalous had obtained the narcotics from Riley before Kalous distributed them to the victim. Riley later distributed narcotics to confidential informants on two occasions in August 2019.
On October 8, 2019, Riley was arrested for fleeing and eluding, a state offense, and was released on a bond the same day. Approximately 14 hours after bonding out of state custody, on October 8, 2019, Riley was captured on video surveillance distributing controlled substances to M.J. Less than five hours later, M.J. was pronounced dead, the result of a multi-drug overdose. The following day, Riley was arrested again by local law enforcement. On November 15, 2019, Riley posted bond and was released from state custody. While on bond for his state distribution offenses, and after N.R. and M.J. had died, Riley continued to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, doing so on January 21, 23, and January 28, 2020. On February 12, 2020, agents executed a federal search warrant at Riley’s residence, and Riley was taken into federal custody.
Kalous was also charged with drug distribution offenses. On February 24, 2022, she was sentenced to eight years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clearwater Police Department as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. It 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.
Defendant Who Stole Money from Veterans and Social Security Beneficiaries Headed to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A 29-year-old Georgia man who redirected the benefits of veterans and social security beneficiaries to accounts that his co-conspirators set up and controlled has been sentenced to 78 months in prison by a South Florida federal district judge. In addition, the man must pay more than $900,000 in restitution to his victims.
Defendant Ronaldo Green was a member of a conspiracy that obtained the personal information (including names, dates of birth and social security numbers) of disabled veterans and social security beneficiaries. The co-conspirators used this information to fraudulently open bank accounts and prepaid debit cards in the victims’ names. They also forged documents in the victims’ names that directed the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration to deposit benefit payments into those fraudulent accounts, instead of the victims’ legitimate bank accounts. Green and his co-conspirators withdrew the diverted money from ATMs and banks in South Florida and Georgia. They used it on personal expenses. Much of the money was ultimately funneled to architects of the scheme, located in Jamaica.
From 2012 to 2017, members of the conspiracy attempted to redirect over $1.8 million in benefits from more than 100 disabled veterans and social security beneficiaries. Although several of the attempts failed, the defendants’ actually stole more than $1 million. The victims have been reimbursed for their losses.
Green’s co-defendants, Omar Bailey and Jamare Mason, were sentenced during prior hearings. Bailey received 24 months’ imprisonment. Mason received 78 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution. U.S. District Judge James Cohn, who sits in Ft. Lauderdale, imposed the sentences.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; David Spilker, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) Southeast Field Office; and Rodregas Owens, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez commended the investigative efforts of the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, including partners from VA-OIG, SSA-OIG, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lois Foster-Steers and Sajjad Matin.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. The mission of the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors. To learn more visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The public is encouraged to report suspected elder victimization and fraud by visiting https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap or calling the victim connect hotline at 1-855-484-2846.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-60313.
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Decatur Man Sentenced to 160 Years of Imprisonment for Soliciting Videos and Webcam Shows of Filipina Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Decatur man on child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
U. S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced Benjamin Walter, 41, of Decatur to 160 years’ imprisonment for using internet applications to seek images and live transmissions of the violent sexual abuse of Filipina children as young as five years old.
Benjamin Walter was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 5, 2021, of four counts of producing and attempting to produce child pornography and one count each of receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Walter used two web service provider accounts, including messenger and webcam applications, to seek women in the Philippines to sexually abuse their own children and relatives. Walter’s requests to these women, which spanned approximately three years, included directions to arrange for the gang rape of young children and to sexually assault several young children in other harmful ways.
Walter sent money to the Philippines for the videos, images, and live transmissions via Moneygram, Western Union, and other money remitters in $25 to $50 increments. In addition to the live webcam shows, Walter also sent and received emails to which the senders attached images and videos of young children engaged in sex acts with adult men. This investigation and prosecution were part of a joint FBI and Homeland Security Investigations operation that targeted the buyers and sellers of these types of webcam shows in the Philippines.
The FBI’s Huntsville Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Charles Schmitz and Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White of the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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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Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, David James Baber, age 53, was sentenced on March 2, 2022, to 36 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession of Firearms. Baber was also sentenced to 24 months for a supervised release revocation, to be served consecutively for a total sentence of 60 months in prison. Baber was ordered to serve three years of supervised to follow his imprisonment and pay a $100 Special Assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, this investigation began when law enforcement attempted to stop a moped driving erratically. Officers located the moped, without a driver, in a cornfield. A grey backpack was attached to the moped and contained guns and magazines. The moped had previously been reported stolen. Officers located Baber in the same cornfield later that morning. At the time of the offense, Baber was aware he had prior felony convictions, which prohibited his possession of firearms.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Department of Natural Resources investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs, Iowa, Man Sentenced for Interstate Sex OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Achocho Enita, age 28, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced today for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Enita to 97 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. It is anticipated that he will be removed to Micronesia following completion of his prison sentence.
On July 13, 2021, Enita responded to an online ad posted by a law enforcement officer who posed as a 15-year-old female offering commercial sex. Through text message exchanges over the next ten days, Enita arranged to meet the person he thought was a minor female and pay to have sex with her. Enita was arrested after he had traveled from Council Bluffs to Omaha, Nebraska, for the meeting.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, as part of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF).
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 United States Attorney’s 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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Springdale man was sentenced today to 100 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, on or about May 28, 2020, officers with the Springdale Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Alexander Ramon Perez, age 34. One of the officers attempting to stop Perez witnessed him throw an object from the window prior to stopping his vehicle. Officers searched the area where the object was thrown and found a 9mm pistol. After the stop, police interviewed two passengers in the vehicle who both confirmed that Perez possessed the firearm and threw it from the vehicle. Perez is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Springdale Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter Bridges prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Colorado Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Selling Firearm to Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Colorado man was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for selling a firearm to a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Terence Darnelius Hinton, 38, of Colorado Springs, sold a Harrington and Richardson 20-gauge shotgun and narcotic pills to an individual at a Hattiesburg apartment. Hinton had been previously advised by the individual that he was a convict and was not supposed to possess the firearms. The Court imposed sentencing enhancements for Hinton’s conduct which included those for the number of firearms involved, the possession or attempt to possess a semiautomatic firearm that is capable of accepting a large capacity magazine, and for engaging in the trafficking of firearms.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
Co-conspirators Sentenced for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Pablo Leyva, age 28, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and Chrystian Townsley, age 34, of Sioux City, Iowa, were both sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leyva to 20 years of imprisonment and sentenced Townsley to 15 years of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing their terms of imprisonment, both Leyva and Townsley will begin 5-year terms of supervised release.
On March 8, 2020, Leyva, Townsley, and a female were traveling in a truck in Arizona on their way to Mexico to engage in drug trafficking. They traveled through Nebraska on their way to Mexico and brought a Diamondback Arms, Inc., DB-15 rifle to facilitate the drug trafficking. Officers in Arizona pulled them over as they traveled toward Mexico and took the rifle. After the traffic stop, Leyva, Townsley, and the female continued traveling to Mexico. During the next few days, Leyva, Townsley, and the female reached the Mexican border, entered Mexico to facilitate drug trafficking, left the truck in Mexico, and then re-entered the United States on foot. After re-entering the United States, a female from Nebraska drove to Arizona to pick them up and began driving them back to the Nebraska area. On March 14, 2020, in Liberal, Kansas, while driving back to the Nebraska area, an officer pulled them over and located 5 cellophane wrapped packages collectively containing about 4 pounds of methamphetamine and 65 fentanyl pills in the vehicle. Leyva and Townsley were transporting the drugs in the vehicle to distribute them.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the United States Secret Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Clinton Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man, Eric Lee Coleman, age 47, was sentenced on March 2, 2022, to 262 months in federal prison for two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine. Coleman was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and immediately pay a $200 Special Assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, Coleman sold various amounts of methamphetamine to a confidential source on two occasions in an undercover operation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. On September 20, 2021, Coleman pleaded guilty to the charges.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Chadron Man Sentenced to 156 Months for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Bryan Morse, 61, of Chadron, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Morse to 156 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Morse will begin a 20-year term of supervised release.
Morse received an enhanced sentence because he had two prior convictions relating to the sexual abuse of children. In January 1988, Morse was convicted of sexual assault on a child. He was later convicted of enticement of a child in April 2001.
Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from a social media company, Kik, that a Kik account was involved with sharing child pornography. Another tip was provided to law enforcement about child pornography being traded over Skype. Both tips led agents to Morse. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence in Chadron. The warrant was executed on December 18, 2019. During the execution of the warrant, several electronic devices were seized.
Morse was home at the time when the search warrant was executed. Morse told the agents that he used chat rooms to trade child pornography. He also said law enforcement that child pornography would be found on the seized devices. When the devices were examined, the agents did in fact find numerous photographs and videos depicting child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and 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 United States 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.
Camp Hill Man Charged with Attempted Arson and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 2, 2022, Yevgeniy Maksymiv, 33, of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for maliciously attempting to damage or destroy a building by fire, and for knowingly possessing an unregistered destructive device.
According to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Maksymiv attempted to damage or destroy Zembie’s Sports Tavern in Harrisburg by fire on February 28, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian T. Haugsby.
The total maximum penalties under federal law for the charged offenses is up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, followed by a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man, Daniel Joseph Fritzjunker, age 35, was sentenced on March 2, 2022, to 144 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Fritzjunker was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and immediately pay a $100 Special Assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, the investigation into Fritzjunker began when the Mount Pleasant Police Department received information of his involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Henry County area. During the investigation, Fritzjunker was repeatedly identified as a major source for methamphetamine, of which he admitted in later interviews with law enforcement. On September 17, 2021, Fritzjunker pleaded guilty to the charge.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Burlington Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Brockton Man Charged for Lakeville RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was charged today in federal court in Boston with the Nov. 8, 2021 robbery of an Eastern Bank branch in Lakeville.
Nathon Caeser Ribeiro Neves, 22, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. Ribeiro Neves was detained following an initial appearance this morning before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judith G. Dein.
According to the charging documents, on Nov. 8, 2021, a masked individual – later determined to be Ribeiro Neves – entered an Eastern Bank branch located in Lakeville. There, Ribeiro Neves allegedly passed a teller two demand notes indicating a robbery and that, “a bombing would happen if no payment was made.” The teller gave Ribeiro Neves cash from her drawer and Ribeiro Neves exited the bank leaving the demand notes behind. The notes were later processed and determined to contain fingerprints.
On Nov. 15, 2021, an individual – later determined to be Ribeiro Neves – allegedly robbed a Cornerstone Bank branch in Worcester. Ribeiro Neves was arrested by law enforcement a few minutes after the robbery. According to the charging documents, Ribeiro’s fingerprints were obtained during his booking and found to be a positive match for the prints from the demand note in the Lakeville robbery.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Lakeville Police Chief Matthew Perkins; and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Role in Courthouse ShootingRead the Press Release
MARQUIS ISREAL, also known as “Garf” or “Gbaby,” 25, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 210 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for racketeering offenses related to his participation in a gang-related shooting in front of a state courthouse in Bridgeport in January 2020.
Today’s announcement was made by Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Isreal has been a member of the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport whose members sold narcotics, laundered narcotics proceeds, robbed drug dealers, stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used them to commit crimes, and tampered with witnesses who might testify against them. From approximately 2017 until August 2020, O.N.E. members were aligned with the “Greene Homes Boyz” (“GHB/Hotz”), a gang based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End, against rival groups in Bridgeport, including the East End, East Side and PT Barnum gangs, as well as 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport.
Isreal and his associates attempted to kill members and associates of the East End gang on January 27, 2020, in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a Bridgeport courthouse. At 12:11 p.m. on that date, Bridgeport Police responded to the area of 172 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport after a Shot Spotter activation detected approximately 20 shots being fired in front of the state courthouse located there. Upon arrival, investigators discovered that four victims had been shot while sitting inside a black Chevrolet Impala. One victim was shot in the side of his chest and was left paralyzed and a second victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his back, shoulder and wrist. The victims’ vehicle had approximately 23 entry bullet holes in the driver’s side and windshield area.
As alleged in court documents in a related case, Isreal had previously been shot and seriously wounded by one of his victims in a restaurant at 1653 Barnum Avenue in the East End of Bridgeport on September 15, 2019.
Isreal has been detained since August 6, 2020. On September 10, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and aiding and abetting, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder, both in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Karen L. Peck and Stephanie T. Levick.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is 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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
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.
Berwick Bank Officer Charged with False Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Matthew W. Mensinger, age 48, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with aiding and abetting false statements on loan applications.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the criminal information alleges that Mensinger was the Chief Lending Officer of a Berwick, Pennsylvania-based financial institution. Between approximately November 2011 and June 2020, Mensinger caused other individuals and entities to obtain approximately $690,000 in loans from the financial institution, purportedly for small business purposes. In fact, however, the individuals and entities provided the money to Mensinger, who promised that he would repay the loans.
The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Office of the Inspector General, and from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Berkley Nurse Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tampering with Patients' FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Berkley nurse was charged and agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Boston to tampering with fentanyl intended for patients at a hospital’s post-surgery recovery unit and an outpatient vascular surgery center.
Hugo Vieira, 41, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
According to the charging documents, from December 2018 through January 2019, while working at a Massachusetts hospital and an outpatient vascular surgery center, Vieira removed fentanyl from vials meant for patients who were undergoing surgery or recovering from surgery. To conceal his conduct, Vieira allegedly replaced the diverted fentanyl with saline. Sixty tampered vials were identified at the vascular surgery center and two vials at the hospital post-surgery recovery unit. As a result, each of those vials contained less than 1.3–7% of the declared concentration of fentanyl citrate.
The charge of tampering with a consumer product provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge provides for a sentence of up to four years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Margret R. Cooke, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Wan of Rollins’ Healthcare Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James David Morris, Jr., 43, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and 11 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and violating his supervised release that was imposed as a result of his 2018 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morris had been out of prison for less than one year and was serving a term of supervised release when he committed the 2021 offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Morris admitted to being in possession of a Winchester 12 gauge shotgun found by law enforcement officers in his home on June 10, 2021. Morris was not legally permitted to possess firearms due to two prior convictions for federal firearms offenses. In addition to the 2018 conviction, Morris has a 2013 federal conviction for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. That conviction resulted from an incident in which Morris and an associate pointed firearms at West Virginia State Troopers, and Morris’ associate fired at least one shot at the troopers.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
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 Nos. 5:18-cr-00071 and 5:21-cr-00158.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Valdosta resident, who is an armed career criminal, was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison after state and federal agents arrested him in possession of two loaded firearms during a county-wide operation.
Frankie Shearry, Jr., 43, of Valdosta, Georgia, was sentenced as an armed career criminal to serve 188 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It is unwise for a convicted felon to unlawfully own a gun, with armed career criminals facing even lengthier federal sentences for possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are helping us hold repeat and violent offenders accountable for their continued criminal activities.”
“This sentence makes it very clear that criminals who repeatedly break the law and continue to possess illegal firearms, will be held accountable with lengthy prison terms,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies make these arrests possible, ultimately making our communities safer.”
“This is another great example of the agencies working together to take another armed career criminal off the streets,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk.
According to court documents, federal and state law enforcement began a county-wide operation focused on probationers requiring home checks due to their criminal history or current status as probationers. Officers had information that Shearry, a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history, was allegedly distributing narcotics from his place of work as a barber. Agents found two firearms inside Shearry’s bedroom that Shearry admitted belonged to him: a loaded semi-automatic pistol located near the top of his bed and another loaded semi-automatic pistol under his mattress. Shearry also admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his criminal history, which includes four prior convictions in Lowndes County Superior Court for various drug distribution charges.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case.
Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to over 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jeffrey Patterson, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 155 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Patterson previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, one count of armed bank robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
In early 2021, Patterson robbed six banks in Arizona. In each robbery, Patterson approached a teller and produced a note demanding money. During his last robbery, Patterson’s demand note included a threat to shoot up the bank. After the teller handed him some money, Patterson pointed a handgun at the teller and demanded more. In total, Patterson stole more than $28,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Police Department, Tempe Police Department, Chandler Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Peoria Police Department, and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00231-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 020_Patterson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Alexandria Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for conspiracy, possession, and distribution of fentanyl and Eutylone, and being a felon in possession of a firearm during drug trafficking.
According to court documents, from in or around June 2020, through at least December 2020, Kibruysday Degefa, 29, conspired with others to distribute counterfeit, pressed pills containing fentanyl, as well as Eutylone, which is a designer drug similar in character to MDMA. Pills distributed by the conspiracy twice on December 20, 2020, contributed to the mixed drug overdose death of a 20-year-old female in Arlington, whose blood was later determined to contain fentanyl. A search warrant on the hotel room where Degefa was staying at the time revealed additional narcotics for distribution, including Eutylone, along with multiple firearms concealed in the bathroom ceiling tiles. Degefa was previously convicted of robbery in Alexandria in 2015.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Andy Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Roberts and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Trump, Ryan Bredemeier, and Michael P. Ben’Ary prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principle mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-104.
Alabama Man Sentenced to 160 Years of Imprisonment for Soliciting Videos and Webcam Shows of Filipina Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
A federal judge sentenced an Alabama man today to 160 years’ imprisonment for using internet applications to seek images and live transmissions of the violent sexual abuse of Filipina children as young as five years old.
Benjamin Walter, 41, of Decatur, was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 5, 2021, of four counts of producing and attempting to produce child pornography and one count each of receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Walter used two web service provider accounts, including messenger and webcam applications, to seek women in the Philippines to sexually abuse their own children and relatives. Walter’s requests to these women, which spanned approximately three years, included directions to arrange for the gang rape of young children and to sexually assault several young children in other harmful ways.
Walter sent money to the Philippines for the videos, images, and live transmissions via Moneygram, Western Union, and other money remitters in $25 to $50 increments. In addition to the live webcam shows, Walter also sent and received emails to which the senders attached images and videos of young children engaged in sex acts with adult men. This investigation and prosecution were part of a joint FBI and Homeland Security Investigations operation that targeted the buyers and sellers of these types of webcam shows in the Philippines.
The FBI’s Huntsville Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Charles Schmitz and Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White of the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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.
21 Alleged Gang Members and Associates Charged in RICO IndictmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal indictment was unsealed yesterday charging 18 alleged members of the Simon City Royals gang with a racketeering conspiracy involving murder, attempted murder, narcotics trafficking, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The indictment charges Allen Posey, 47; Jonathan Davis, 38; Jeremy Holcombe, 42; Jonathan Burnett, 38; Hank Chapman, 37; Jason Hayden, 41; Joshua Miller, 40; Gavin Pierson, 32; Justin Shaw, 35; Bobby Brumfield, 42; Jordan Deakles, 30; Bryce Frances, 42; Anthony Murphy, 29; Chancey Bilbo, 30; Dillon Heffker, 31; Douglas Jones, 33; Cody Woodall, 30; and Michael Muscolino, 42, with racketeering conspiracy. The indictment also charges those individuals and Valerie Madden, 53; Samuel Conwill, 43; and Jason Collins, 38, with narcotics conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Nine of the defendants – Shaw, Posey, Brumfield, Jones, Pierson, Deakles, Davis, Frances, Heffker and Murphy – are additionally charged with murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, or assault in aid of racketeering.
“The Criminal Division is committed to dismantling gangs, like the Simon City Royals, that use violence and intimidation to damage our communities and interfere with our justice system,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment demonstrates that the Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting people victimized by these gangs and holding the alleged offenders accountable.”
“This case is an example of ATF’s dedication and commitment to combating violent crime in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) New Orleans Field Division. “ATF is proud to work with our law-enforcement partners to bring violent criminals to justice and to help make our neighborhoods safer.”
According to the indictment, the Simon City Royals are a national criminal gang whose dealings include extortion, narcotics, identity-theft, money laundering, and violent crime. The gang has a formalized hierarchy involving numerous “boards” and “teams,” including a team dedicated to carrying out violent gang punishments, and a “money team” responsible for earning revenue through fraud, illegal gambling, and identity theft.
According to the indictment, the defendants murdered or attempted to murder numerous individuals, including a suspected law-enforcement cooperator, a rival gang leader, and individuals perceived to have shown disrespect to the gang. The defendants employed various methods to conceal their activities and finances, including communicating via encrypted messages and filing articles of incorporation to establish a fraudulent nonprofit organization with the State of Mississippi.
If convicted, the defendants face penalties ranging from 10 years and life for narcotics conspiracy; up to 20 years for money laundering conspiracy; 20 years to life imprisonment for the racketeering conspiracy; up to 10 years in prison for attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and up to 20 years for assault in aid of racketeering; and a mandatory life in prison sentence for murder in aid of racketeering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The defendants were arrested yesterday, March 3, and are scheduled to make their initial court appearances today at 2 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Roy Percy of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Secret Service; the FBI’s Jackson Field Office; the Mississippi Department of Corrections; and local law enforcement agencies across multiple states are investigating the case. The Tupelo Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff's Department, Benton County Sheriff's Department, and Tippah County Sheriff's Department provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Brendan Woods, Christopher Taylor, and Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Stringfellow for the Northern District of Mississippi 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.