Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
8 April 2022
Three Plead Guilty to Cedar Rapids Heroin Conspiracy Uncovered by Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
Three individuals who were caught conspiring to distribute heroin during a wiretap investigation pled guilty recently in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Cody Scott Deklotz, age 31, from Shellsburg, Iowa, Andrew James Lehman, 29, from Marion, Iowa, and Jerry Dwayne Banghart, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, were all convicted of conspiring to distribute heroin. Deklotz admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
At their plea hearings, all three individuals admitted that they joined a conspiracy to distribute heroin with others in Cedar Rapids. The conspiracy had been running since at least 2017 and continued until June 2021. Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Deklotz allowed a heroin dealer from Chicago, Brian Dennis, to sell heroin out of Deklotz’s Cedar Rapids residence in early 2020. The DEA in Cedar Rapids initiated a wiretap investigation of Dennis in early 2021. Deklotz was intercepted over the wire purchasing heroin and also facilitating transactions between the suppliers and users. Court records also reflect that Deklotz was stopped by officers in May 2021 while in possession of over two grams of a mixture containing heroin, fentanyl, and a powerful synthetic opioid called metonitazene, as well as about 22 grams of methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Banghart admitted that he bought heroin from Dennis and others, some of which he redistributed to others. In March 2021, Banghart called Dennis and asked for “half a zip,” or a half ounce, of heroin for $1,400. Banghart ended up purchasing approximately 10.5 grams of a substance that contained heroin, fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and metonitazene, which he distributed to another co‑conspirator, Taylor Leyden. Banghart also admitted to tipping off Dennis when another co‑conspirator was arrested to try to warn Dennis that the other co‑conspirator may have cooperated with police.
Two other individuals, Ryan Rick Schlitter and Melinda Salvatora Werning, previously pled guilty to the heroin conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. Six other individuals, including Dennis, charged in the same indictment are still pending trial. As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after presentence reports are prepared. All three defendants remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Deklotz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Lehman and Banghart both face a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of imprisonment following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-32-CJW.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Three Oklahoma Sisters Sentenced to Federal Prison for Crimes Related to Walker County ShootingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced three Oklahoma sisters to prison for convictions related to a shooting in Walker County in 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
In July 2021, a federal jury convicted the Tulsa, Oklahoma sisters of various crimes related to shots fired at a Florida resident and his wife as they sat in their car at a rural Walker County convenience store.
Tierzah Mapson, 29, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and discharging of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of interstate domestic violence and two counts of interstate stalking.
Elisa Mapson, 25, and Charis Mapson, 33, each were sentenced to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and discharging of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of stalking.
Testimony at trial showed that Tierzah Mapson and the male victim had a child together in 2013. In June of 2018, the child’s father and his wife, also a victim, were planning to meet Tierzah Mapson halfway between their home in Orlando, Florida, and her home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to take temporary custody of the child. The victims and Tierzah Mapson agreed to meet on June 18th at a rural convenience store in Eldridge, Alabama, northwest of Jasper.
Testimony and evidence established that the couple drove to Alabama on June 18th, believing that Tierzah Mapson and the child were driving from Oklahoma. While they waited at the store for over four hours, they received text messages from Tierzah Mapson explaining delays in her travel. Around 5:40p.m, the victims heard shots, one of which came through the trunk of their car, hitting the child’s father in the shoulder and lodging in his chest. Store security video showed that as he made two attempts to get out of the car, additional shots hit the ground on his side of the vehicle. After the two took cover inside the store, the shooting stopped. The wounded father was later transported to a Tuscaloosa hospital where his wound was treated and determined to be nonlife-threatening. It was later determined that the shots were fired by a rifle from a wooded hill behind a nearby church.
“These convictions are the result of a collaborative effort by a multitude of agencies, both here and outside the district,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “ I commend all those who were involved in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“I applaud the sentences handed down today, as the Mapsons showed no regard for human life as they carried out their conspiracy,” SAC Sharp said. “This case is a perfect example of how law enforcement can combine resources and efforts to bring violent criminals to justice.”
The FBI North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force and the Walker County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with assistance from the Walker County District Attorney’s Office, the Orlando, Tulsa, and Eureka-Fortuna (CA) offices of the FBI, the Orlando Police Department, the Hoover Police Department, the Tennessee Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, and the FBI Electronic Device Analysis Unit at Quantico, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan Baty and Jonathan Cross prosecuted the charges.
Three Drug Traffickers Sentenced to 48 Years After Striking Police VehicleRead the Press Release
Three drug traffickers who attempted to run a sheriff’s office vehicle off the road have been sentenced to a combined 48 years in federal prison, announce U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Kyle Willeke, 31, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk to 20 years in federal prison. His coconspirator, Ricardo Rodriguez, 35, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced on Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison. Monique Derau, 26, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and misprison of a felony and was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in federal prison.
According to plea papers, on Aug. 19, 2021, a Potter County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to pull over a Toyota Rav4 for a traffic violation. The deputy activated his lights, but a Nissan Infiniti struck his patrol car, causing the vehicle to spin out of control. Both the Rav4 and the Infiniti continued without stopping following the collision.
Law enforcement later identified the diver of the Rav4 as Ricardo Rodriguez, the driver of the Infiniti as Monique Derau, and the passenger who grabbed the wheel of the Infiniti to strike the deputy’s vehicle as Kyle Willeke.
Officers traced Ms. Derau’s phone and located her traveling east on Interstate 40 in a rental car. They stopped the vehicle, which at that point was carrying Ms. Derau, Mr. Rodriguez, and Mr. Willeke.
During a safety sweep of Ms. Derau’s rental, they found a box containing seven bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 7.57 kilograms. Ms. Derau later told HSI agents that the drugs belonged to Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Willeke. When asked about their travel plans, she changed her story several times.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division and the Potter County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s South Central Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Fausto prosecuted the case.
Third Man in Multi-Kilogram Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute over seven kilograms of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Taurean Venable, 37, and others would obtain kilogram quantities of fentanyl from various sources of supply. The group would then use a pill press to manufacture thousands of counterfeit prescription pills resembling legitimate pain medications, such as Oxycodone. In actuality, the pills contained fentanyl and other cutting agents, and the group would then distribute the pills to redistributors and users in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for profit.
During a court-authorized search of a coconspirator’s residence in Arlington in June of 2020, law enforcement seized pill manufacturing materials along with over seven kilograms of fentanyl in both pill and raw form, along with a loaded AK-47 semi-automatic firearm and $34,828 in U.S. currency. Upon his arrest, law enforcement also obtained court authorization to search Venable’s residence, where they located an additional $23,193 in drug proceeds. Venable is the third member of the conspiracy to be sentenced. Cornelius Frazier, 33, of Arlington received a sentence of 151 months’ imprisonment and Kyle Bouldin, 31, of Woodbridge, received a sentence of 72 months’ imprisonment for their respective roles.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Andy Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police; Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police; and David Huchler, Chief of Police, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bibeane Metsch and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Roberts prosecuted the case.
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-39.
Test Taker in College Admissions Case SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A test taker who played a critical role in the college admissions case was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with accepting nearly $240,000 in payments to cheat on the ACT and SAT exams, and other tests.
Mark Riddell, 39, of Palmetto, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to four months in prison and two years of supervised release. Riddell was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and forfeit $239,449 – of which, the government has already collected $165,878. In April 2019, Riddell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
From 2011 through February 2019, Riddell conspired with William “Rick” Singer, and others, to cheat on college entrance exams in the United States and Canada. As part of the scheme, Riddell secretly took college entrance exams in place of students through the use of fake IDs with the student’s name but his picture with their registration. In other instances, he also posed as a proctor and corrected the students’ answers after they had taken the exam.
In many cases, Singer facilitated the cheating by counseling his clients to seek extended time on the exams, including by having their children purport to have learning disabilities in order to obtain the required medical documentation. Once the extended time was granted, Singer instructed the clients to change the location of the exams to one of two test centers: a public high school in Houston, Texas, or a private college preparatory school in West Hollywood, Calif. Singer had established relationships at those locations with test administrators Niki Williams and Igor Dvorskiy, who admitted to accepting bribes of $5,000 to $10,000 per test in order to facilitate the cheating scheme. Specifically, Williams and Dvorskiy allowed Riddell to take the exams in place of the students; to give the students the correct answers during the exams; or to correct the students’ answers after they completed the exams.
Singer typically paid Riddell $10,000 for each test. Singer’s clients paid him between $15,000 and $75,000 per test, with the payments structured as purported donations to the Key Worldwide Foundation charity Singer controlled or as purported consulting fees to his for-profit business The Key. In many instances, the students taking the exams were unaware that their parents had arranged for the cheating.
In total, Riddell received just under $240,000 for inflating scores for 24 students on 27 exams over the course of eight years.
Singer and Dvorskiy previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Williams pled guilty and was sentenced in December 2020 to one year of probation and was ordered to pay forfeiture of $12,500.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, is available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie A. Wright and Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Tampa Bay Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Bank of $20 MillionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Loyd Tomlinson, I (St. Petersburg, 79) to four years and four months in federal prison for defrauding a federally insured financial institution out of more than $20 million. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $400,000, the proceeds of the fraud. Tomlinson had pleaded guilty on August 5, 2021.
According to court documents, Tomlinson, I and his son, Loyd Tomlinson II, owned and operated LTA International Global Services LLC (“LTA”), a distribution company. In or around 2015, LTA began to have severe financial problems. In 2016, Tomlinson, I and Tomlinson, II devised a plan to fabricate documents and records to raise money from investors and financial institutions in hopes of salvaging LTA’s business.
Tomlinson, I instructed others to create fake bank statements, inflated sales, accounts receivable, and inventory documents; borrowed money from private investors (who were often also provided fake documents) as off-the-book loans; used other entities as possible alter egos to raise money or divert sales off the books; and concealed from others the true facts about the financial state of LTA. Based on these false statements and representations, in or around July 2019, a financial institution loaned LTA approximately $21 million, which was not recovered.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel K. Jones. Asset forfeiture and restitution matters were handed by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie A. Simonsen and Suzanne Nebesky.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Sexually Abusing Minor Under 12 in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Michael David Jackson, age 40, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was sentenced to three individual life sentences on two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years. Jackson was also sentenced to 360 months for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and 240 months for two counts of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. All sentences will run concurrently.
The defendant was convicted by a federal jury on July 1, 2021. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Jackson began sexually abusing the victim in the fall of 2019 and the abuse continued until late-December 2019. The child’s parents testified they relied on Jackson to provide childcare while they worked because they thought they could trust Jackson. In his caretaking role, Jackson had continued access to the child, which included staying overnight. Jackson used this time with the victim to sexually abuse her. The trial evidence also proved Jackson used a cell phone camera to capture images of the abuse.
“The sentence ordered by the Court will ensure that the defendant will never have the ability to abuse or exploit another child," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Cases like this are especially heart-wrenching. I am thankful for the work of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office to see to it the defendant was brought to justice.”
“Our children undoubtedly represent our nation’s future”, said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Ed Gray. “This sentence provides a clear depiction of what will continue to happen to perpetrators who defile our nation’s innocent. As protectors of the American people, the FBI will continue its unwavering fight against those who try to thwart our nation’s bright future in any capacity.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing. Jackson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney Jordan and Dean Burris prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Statement of United States Attorney Breon Peace on the Verdict in U.S. v. Roger NgRead the Press Release
“A short time ago, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted former Goldman Sachs managing director Roger Ng of participating in a bribery and money laundering scheme related to a Malaysian investment development fund known as 1MDB.
The scheme was massive in its scale – the defendant and his co-conspirators embezzled billions of dollars from the fund. It was brazen in its execution – Ng obtained lucrative business for his employer by bribing a dozen government officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. And it was obscene in its greed.
Today’s verdict is a victory for not only the rule of law, but also for the people of Malaysia for whom the fund was supposed to help, by raising money for projects to develop their country’s economy. The defendant and his cronies saw 1MDB not as an entity to do good for the people of Malaysia, but as a piggy bank to enrich themselves with piles of money siphoned from the fund.
Between 2012 and 2013, the defendant, Roger Ng, received more than $35 million in kickbacks for his role in the scheme to steal and launder billions of dollars from 1MDB, including funds 1MDB raised in 2012 and 2013 through three bond transactions and to use that money for bribes. Ng also conspired to circumvent Goldman Sachs’s internal accounting controls to ensure that Goldman Sachs would approve the three bond deals that were critical to the scheme. Ng conspired with others to launder the proceeds through the United States financial system by purchasing, among other things, luxury real estate in New York City, valuable artwork, jewelry, and funding Hollywood films like “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
In another film made about Wall Street, not related to the criminal scheme in this case, a character infamously suggested that greed is good. But, greed is not good, particularly when it leads to corruption and abuse, circumvention of corporate policies and controls, and the violation of federal law. With today’s verdict, a powerful message has been delivered to those who commit financial crimes motivated by greed. You will be caught, prosecuted and convicted, like Ng, and face a long prison sentence.
This case was a team effort by prosecutors from my Office, Alixandra Smith, Drew Rolle and Dylan Stern along with trial attorneys Brent Wible and Jennifer Ambuehl from the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agents Sean Fern, Ryan Collins and Jarrett Brown, FBI forensic accountant Eric Van Dorn, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Robert Heuchling, and Special Agent Marty Sullivan from the Eastern District of New York. They were assisted by EDNY paralegal Daniel Youkilis and Criminal Division paralegals Robert Dwyer and Lianis Marrero Mendez. Their work was outstanding.
And finally, I commend the jury for their attention to the evidence, their dedicated service over the past seven weeks, during a pandemic, and their commitment to do justice.”
Click here for the video of the statement.
Sex Trafficking Conspiracy Leader Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Joshua Lankford a/k/a “20-20”, a/k/a “Light Bright”, a/k/a “Yellow”, age 33, of Federalsburg, Maryland, to 17 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for kidnapping in relation to a sex trafficking conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Michael McDermott of the Federalsburg Police Department; and Colonel Melissa Zebley of the Delaware State Police Department.
“Lankford exploited a young woman’s drug dependency and desire to establish a better life for herself and her child to deprive her of her basic humanity his own profit. He also attempted to undermine our justice system by conspiring to kill the victim” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “Let this sentence serve as a light to survivors impacted by human trafficking and as a deterrent to those conspiring to commit heinous human trafficking crimes.”
“This defendant preyed on a vulnerable young woman and cruelly exploited her for his profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for Justice Department’s the Civil Rights Division. “Sex trafficking is a heinous crime that has no place in our society. This sentence reflects the defendant’s horrific crime – a crime that deprives some of society’s most vulnerable members of their freedom and dignity. The Civil Rights Division will continue its vigorous enforcement of our human trafficking laws to hold perpetrators accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“Joshua Lankford’s crimes were nothing short of horrific; he kidnapped and victimized a vulnerable woman then plotted to kill her in order to save himself,” said James R. Mancuso, the Special Agent in Charge of HSI Baltimore. “The atrocities of his crimes are clearly reflected in the severity of his sentence, and today, he will begin to pay his debt to society. HSI Baltimore remains committed to investigating human trafficking organizations as they prey upon the most vulnerable populations in our communities.”
According to his guilty plea, from October 25, 2018, to October 30, 2018, Lankford led and organized a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and to commit kidnapping. Lankford induced Victim 1, who suffered from drug addiction, to travel from Maryland to Delaware to engage in prostitution, and transported Victim 1 across state lines to engage in commercial sex acts.
Knowing of Victim 1’s drug addiction, Lankford lured her into performing commercial sex acts at his direction by falsely promising the victim that he would help her buy a house, make more money, and regain custody of her son. Lankford also told Victim 1 that she would have to give all of the money she made from commercial sex acts to him.
Lankford continued to make false promises to Victim 1 in order to compel her to engage in commercial sex acts for his benefit for approximately two days. Lankford also recruited Lakeya Aldridge, age 41, of Federalsburg, Maryland; Kevonne Murphy, age 31, of Federalsburg, Maryland; and David Goodwin, age 29 of Federalsburg, Maryland to engage in his sex trafficking conspiracy. Specifically, Aldridge helped maintain Victim 1 while Murphy acted as the “muscle”. Lankford informed Victim 1 that these co-conspirators would manage her when he was not physically present.
As stated in the plea agreement, between October 25, 2018, and October 27, 2018, Victim 1 performed commercial sex acts at two motels in Seaford, Delaware. After meeting with clients, Victim 1 was required to give the money she made to Lankford or his co-conspirators.
On October 29, 2018, the co-conspirators drove Victim 1 back to Maryland where she continued to engage in commercial sex acts and provided all funds she was paid to the conspirators. After one commercial sex act, Victim 1 returned to the co-conspirators and gave them the money she had collected. Aldridge and Murphy yelled at Victim 1 for not making enough money. Fearing for her safety, Victim 1 attempted to escape by attempting to jump out of Aldridge’s moving car. Aldridge then removed her belt and put it around Victim 1’s neck to prevent her from escaping. Murphy contacted Lankford and informed him of Victim 1’s escape attempt. Lankford directed the conspirators to pick him up from his residence and stated that he knew where to take Victim 1 to punish her. Lankford instructed the conspirators to drive to railroad tracks in a dark and remote location. There, Lankford and his co-conspirators physically assaulted Victim 1 for her poor earnings and to maintain her compliance. During Victim 1’s entrapment in the conspiracy, Lankford and his co-conspirators repeatedly told Victim 1 that Lankford had recently committed and had been acquitted of murder to keep Victim 1 fearful of her life and compliant to their demands.
After assaulting Victim 1, Lankford and his co-conspirators transported Victim 1 to a motel in which Victim 1 was prohibited from wearing clothes for the remainder of the evening. Victim 1 was also forced to take a cold shower for the purpose of causing her to suffer. Later that night, Lankford and his co-conspirators drafted a sex acts sheet which listed acts that the victim would be required to perform for customers moving forward. The sex acts sheet was later recovered pursuant to a search warrant of the motel room.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on the morning of October 30, 2018, Victim 1 accessed Aldridge’s cell phone and called 911. Upon arrival at the motel room, Murphy opened the door for Delaware State police troopers. Troopers saw Victim 1 standing behind Murphy and Victim 1 began indicating that she was in distress. The three conspirators were then detained. Prior to his arrest, Murphy called Lankford and informed him that Victim 1 was detailing her experience to the police. At that time, Murphy told Lankford to go “underground”. In response, Lankford told Murphy not to worry as he would send Victim 1 a lethal dose of heroin laced with battery acid.
Lankford was arrested two days later and informed officers that he deleted the contents of his cell phone in anticipation of his apprehension. While incarcerated, Lankford told a co-conspirator that he intended to kill Victim 1 to prevent her from testifying against them at trial.
Aldridge pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping in 2020. Murphy and Goodwin pled guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in 2019.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking and sex trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke commended the HSI Baltimore and Philadelphia offices, the Maryland State Police Department, the Federalsburg Police Department, and the Delaware State Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary W. Setzer and Leah Branch of the Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution unit, who are prosecuting 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/human-trafficking and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Sex Offender Going to Prison for 10 Years on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Daniel Rammacher, 63, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possessing child pornography following a conviction for the New York State crime of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Rammacher was also ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Rossi, who handled the case, stated that in 2014, Rammacher was arrested by the New York State Police in Warren County, NY, after it was discovered that he sexually abused a four-year-old child in his care. Rammacher was sentenced to serve a 10-year term of sex offender probation, which was transferred to the Monroe County Probation Department in 2015, after Rammacher moved to Rochester. During a routine visit in 2019, probation officers discovered that Rammacher possessed a laptop computer, which contained sexually explicit material, in violation of probation conditions. Officers confiscated the computer and, after a preview did not reveal the presence of any additional contraband, submitted the computer to the Regional Forensic Computer Laboratory in Rochester for a full forensic review. While the computer was being forensically examined, Rammacher confessed to probation officers that he had used the computer to access and view child pornography. The forensic analysis ultimately confirmed the presence of images of child pornography on the computer.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Probation Department, under the director of Chief Probation Officer Jennifer Ball, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
# # # #
Senior Leader of Massive No Fault Automobile Insurance Bribery Scheme Sentenced to 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JELANI WRAY, a senior leader of a conspiracy in which he and his co-conspirators bribed 911 operators, medical personnel, and police officers for the confidential information of tens of thousands of motor vehicle accident victims, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison. WRAY was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul G. Gardephe. He previously pled guilty on October 12, 2021, to making payments of bribes and gratuities to an agent of a federally funded organization.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jelani Wray and the other leaders of this scheme brazenly exploited New York’s no fault automobile insurance laws by lining their pockets with millions of dollars in illegal profits. In the process, they corrupted 911 operators, hospital workers and police officers; injured accident victims by depriving them of a choice in medical providers and attorneys, lying to them, and subjecting these victims to unwanted medical treatments; and caused licensed drivers in the state of New York to suffer higher insurance premiums by enabling the submission of millions of dollars in false medical reimbursement claims. Wray and his coconspirators will now pay for their crimes, and this Office will never stop pursuing those who seek to profit by corrupting our public institutions.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, the Superseding Information, court filings, and statements made in court:
JELANI WRAY was one of several leaders of a massive no fault automobile insurance scheme spanning New York and New Jersey from at least in or about 2013 through in or about 2019. As part of the scheme, WRAY personally bribed and arranged for others to bribe 911 operators, medical personnel, and police officers for the confidential information of tens of thousands of motor vehicle accident victims. Using this information, WRAY and his co-conspirators contacted victims, lied to them, and steered them to clinics and lawyers handpicked by WRAY and his associates. These clinics and lawyers then paid WRAY and his associates kickbacks for these referrals, which they distributed to coconspirators as payments and bribes.
Specifically, in approximately 2013, while WRAY was working as the manager of a medical clinic, WRAY and a coconspirator, ANTHONY ROSE, a/k/a “Todd Chambers,” reached an agreement that for each patient ROSE sent to the clinic, WRAY would pay him approximately $2,000 to $3,000 in illegal referral fees.
Thereafter, in or about 2016, WRAY began to recruit and acquire his own “lead sources,” which were individuals willing to sell the confidential information of motor vehicle accident victims. From approximately 2016 through in or about December 2017, WRAY bribed at least five NYPD 911 operators to provide him with the names and numbers of motor vehicle accident victims. WRAY then transferred this information to an illegal call center that was operated by ROSE and funded in part by WRAY. ROSE’s call center called the unsuspecting accident victims, lied to them, and then steered them to particular clinics and lawyers that were part of ROSE and WRAY’s illegal referral network. The clinics and lawyers then paid ROSE and WRAY kickbacks by cash and check. WRAY also similarly recruited attorneys and clinics to participate in this portion of the scheme.
Among other things, WRAY concealed his bribery of the 911 operators by providing them with prepaid “burner” phones, using encrypted messaging applications to communicate with them, and by assigning them code names. ROSE and WRAY also received further kickbacks for steering accident victims to a particular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility. In addition, in or about 2017, ROSE, WRAY, a paralegal (“Paralegal-1”), and a physician (“Physician-1”) agreed to open a medical clinic in the Bronx (“Clinic-1”). WRAY funded Clinic-1, steered accident victims to Clinic-1, and exercised substantial control over its medical operations, which is illegal under New York law, because WRAY is not a physician.
WRAY received millions of dollars in illegal profits from his involvement in the various aspects of this scheme. In addition to his prison sentence, WRAY, 37 of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit $2,200,000 and pay a fine of $250,000.
* * *
The United States Attorney’s Office charged JELANI WRAY and 26 other defendants in November 2019. All 27 defendants admitted guilt; 25 of 27 defendants pleaded guilty and the remaining two defendants had their prosecutions deferred. WRAY is the sixteenth defendant to have been sentenced; ten defendants have been sentenced to serve time in prison. The principal aspects of each defendant’s sentence are reflected in the chart below. To date, the defendants have also been ordered to pay approximately $5 million in forfeiture from this scheme.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the FBI, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Financial Services, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, and the White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mathew Andrews and Louis A. Pellegrino are in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant
Age
Hometown
Principal Aspects of Sentence
JELANI WRAY,
a/k/a “Lani,”
a/k/a “J.R.”
37
Brooklyn, NY
- 7 years prison
- 3 years supervised release
- $250,000 fine
- $2,200,000 forfeiture ordered
NATHANIEL COLES,
a/k/a “Nat”
69
Cortlandt Manor, NY
- 5 years prison
- 3 years supervised release
- $100,000 fine
- $2,594,000 forfeiture ordered
ANTHONY ROSE, Jr.,
a/k/a “Sean Wells”
34
Cambria Heights, NY
- 2 years prison
- 2 years supervised release
- $69,000 forfeiture ordered
CHRISTINA GARCIA,
a/k/a “Cindy”
37
Jersey City, NJ
- 366 days prison
- 3 years supervised release
- $3,000 fine
- $30,000 forfeiture ordered
LEON BLUE,
a/k/a “Boochie”
56
Brooklyn, NY
- Time served prison (approx. two years)
- 3 years supervised release
- $8,310 forfeiture ordered
CLARENCE FACEY,
a/k/a “Face”
36
Brooklyn, NY
- 6 months prison
- 2 years supervised release
- $25,000 forfeiture ordered
ANGELA MELECIO,
a/k/a “Angie,”
a/k/a “P5”
43
Amityville, NY
- Time served prison
- 3 years supervised release, with 6 months’ home confinement
- 250 hrs. community service
- $8,000 forfeiture ordered
STEPHANIE PASCAL,
a/k/a “Steph,”
a/k/a “P2”
49
Brooklyn, NY
- Time served prison
- 2 years supervised release
- $2,000 forfeiture ordered
EDWARD ABAYEV,
a/k/a “Eddie”
54
Staten Island, NY
- 366 days prison
- 3 years supervised release
- $20,000 fine
- $18,000 forfeiture ordered
TONJA LEWIS,
a/k/a “J1”
55
Belleville, NJ
- Time served prison
- 2 years supervised release
- 250 hrs. community service
- $8,310 forfeiture ordered
BERLISA BRYAN,
a/k/a “Lisa”
55
Edison, NJ
- Time served prison
- 3 years supervised release
- 250 hrs. community service
- $20,000 forfeiture ordered
ANGELA MYERS,
a/k/a “Angie”
40
Brooklyn, NY
- Time served prison
- 2 years supervised release
- 250 hrs. community service
- $10,000 forfeiture ordered
SHAKEEMA FOSTER
29
Brooklyn, NY
- Time served prison
- 2 years supervised release
- 250 hrs. community service
- $3,000 forfeiture ordered
KOURTNEI WILLIAMS
35
Brooklyn, NY
- 6 months prison
- 2 years supervised release
- $20,000 forfeiture ordered
MAKKAH SHABAZZ, a/k/a “Mecca”
45
Long Island City, NY
- 6 months prison
- 2 years supervised release
- $36,000 forfeiture ordered
YANIRIS DELEON, a/k/a “Jen”
32
New York, NY
- 6 months prison
- 2 years supervised release
- $10,000 forfeiture ordered
Second of four men charged in racially motivated hate crime enters guilty pleaRead the Press Release
Seattle – The second of four defendants pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to a federal hate crime, and making false statements in connection with a December 8, 2018, racially-motivated assault, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jason DeSimas, 47, of Tacoma, Washington, is one of four men from across the Pacific Northwest being prosecuted for punching and kicking a Black man and making derogatory comments about his actual and perceived race at a bar in Lynnwood, Washington. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, DeSimas was a prospective member of a white supremacist group that was traveling in the Seattle area to celebrate a known white supremacist, killed in a standoff with police in the 1980s. DeSimas had discussed using “mutual combat” against members of groups he opposed such as Antifa and Black Lives Matter. DeSimas believed that he and his group could go into bars and initiate fights, so that the rest of the members of the group could join in. In the early morning hours of December 8, 2018, the men went to the bar in Lynnwood, Washington and assaulted a Black man who was working as a DJ. The group also assaulted two other men who came to the DJ’s aid. The attackers shouted racial slurs and made Nazi salutes both before and during the assault.
In addition to the hate crime DeSimas admits making false statements to the FBI during the investigation of the case. Jason DeSimas falsely claimed that neither he nor anyone else used a racial slur during the assault. In fact, DeSimas now admits that he repeatedly used a racial slur before, during, and after the assault.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides will recommend a 37-month prison term. U.S. District Judge Richard Jones is not bound by the recommendation. The ultimate sentence will be determined by Judge Jones after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Daniel Delbert Dorson, 27, of Corvallis, Oregon, has pleaded guilty in the case and is scheduled for sentencing August 19, 2022. Jason Stanley, 46, of Boise, Idaho and Randy Smith, 42, of Eugene, Oregon, are also charged in the case and are in custody awaiting trial.
The hate crime charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. The false statements charge carries a maximum penalty of five years.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca S. Cohen and Ye-Ting Woo and Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Sacramento Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Marcus Lawrence Weber, 26, of Sacramento, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Weber had four pending felony arrest warrants when officers located him driving in Roseville. When they tried to pull him over to arrest him, Weber led them on a car chase. Eventually, Weber stopped his car and fled on foot, wearing a black ski mask. He ran into a creek bed, where he dropped a Ruger 5.7 firearm and was eventually arrested. The firearm was loaded with an extended magazine and had a round in the chamber. Weber is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of felony offenses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Weber faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Rochester Man Arrested at the Peace Bridge with A Gun Is Going to PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Christopher Kendrick, 27, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2011, Kendrick was convicted in Monroe County Court of 3rd Degree Robbery and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. On May 11, 2021, while traveling in Buffalo, Kendrick made a turn onto the Peace Bridge and entered the Customs and Border Patrol passenger processing area. At that time, U.S. Border Patrol Agents observed Kendrick in his vehicle and questioned him. Kendrick, who presented a New York State identification but had no other identification, was removed from his vehicle, and escorted to the Peace Bridge Administration Building. During a secondary screening of Kendrick’s vehicle, a .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and ammunition were located in the glove compartment.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
# # # #
Queens Man Sentenced to 55 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Orlando Lopez was sentenced by United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee to 55 years’ imprisonment for nine counts of child exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography. Lopez was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims. Lopez pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2021.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“The defendant raped and sexually abused numerous vulnerable children, many of them infants and toddlers, for his own gratification,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Although today’s lengthy sentence cannot undo the harm that he inflicted on the victims and their families, it represents some measure of justice for his horrific crimes and ensures that no more children will suffer at the hands of this predator.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the prosecution.
“The conduct for which Mr. Lopez was convicted is among the most depraved our experienced investigators have ever encountered. Prior to law enforcement intervention, he raped and sexually exploited children - some of whom were infants when their abuse began - for more than a decade,” said Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “Today's sentence insures he will never harm another child, and our hope is that it brings some measure of comfort to his victims and their families as they continue their recovery from the harm he inflicted upon them.”
Beginning in approximately 2008, and for more than a decade, Lopez raped and sexually exploited children who lived at or near his apartment building in Jamaica, Queens, and took video and photographs of the abuse. Lopez typically abused his victims in his apartment or their residence, but on occasion abused them in other locations, including a local YMCA facility. During the sexual abuse, Lopez sometimes attempted to distract his child victims by providing them with candy or toys.
Law enforcement recovered approximately 13,000 files of child pornography from Lopez’s residence depicting sexual activity with at least 15 child victims, some of whom were infants with the abuse began. Lopez distributed some of the child pornography he created to others.
This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc
Assistant United States Attorney Tanya Hajjar is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ORLANDO LOPEZ
Age: 66
Jamaica, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-52 (EK)
Previously convicted felon sentenced to prison for possessing firearm during rival neighborhood shootingsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A previously convicted felon was sentenced in federal court here today to 70 months in prison for possessing a firearm.
Tevaughn Presley, 27, of Cincinnati, was on supervised release from a separate federal gun conviction when he was involved in a retaliatory shooting on April 17, 2020, at the Villages at Roll Hill in Cincinnati.
The shooting was one of four episodes of gun violence in early April 2020 between the Villages at Roll Hill and Cumminsville.
“The cost was grave to those involved in the series of shootings – two men lost their lives, and two others were seriously injured from gunshot wounds,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “The Cincinnati Police Department and the ATF expended significant resources to curb that surge of violence, and today’s sentence is one of many examples resulting from their joint law enforcement efforts.”
According to court documents, after the shooting, Presley disposed of the gun. However, Presley had taken a picture of himself with the firearm that day – including the weapon’s serial number – lying in his lap. Officers discovered the photo while executing a search warrant of Presley’s phone.
The ATF and Cincinnati Police Department matched two types of shell casings from the vehicle in which Presley was a passenger to the April 17 shooting scene using National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) technology.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Previously convicted felon sentenced to prison for possessing firearm during rival neighborhood shootingsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A previously convicted felon was sentenced in federal court here today to 70 months in prison for possessing a firearm.
Tevaughn Presley, 27, of Cincinnati, was on supervised release from a separate federal gun conviction when he was involved in a retaliatory shooting on April 17, 2020, at the Villages at Roll Hill in Cincinnati.
The shooting was one of four episodes of gun violence in early April 2020 between the Villages at Roll Hill and Cumminsville.
“The cost was grave to those involved in the series of shootings – two men lost their lives, and two others were seriously injured from gunshot wounds,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “The Cincinnati Police Department and the ATF expended significant resources to curb that surge of violence, and today’s sentence is one of many examples resulting from their joint law enforcement efforts.”
According to court documents, after the shooting, Presley disposed of the gun. However, Presley had taken a picture of himself with the firearm that day – including the weapon’s serial number – lying in his lap. Officers discovered the photo while executing a search warrant of Presley’s phone.
The ATF and Cincinnati Police Department matched two types of shell casings from the vehicle in which Presley was a passenger to the April 17 shooting scene using National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) technology.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Mid-Level Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 77 months’ imprisonment and four years’ supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws in connection with a large-scale investigation conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV, imposed the sentence on Brandon Green, age 37, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from January 2018 through June 2019, Green participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Pittsburgh area. Green was intercepted on a court-authorized wiretap arranging purchases and discussing prior dealings of heroin/fentanyl. He and his codefendants were also the subject of physical surveillance while engaging in drug-trafficking activity. Green took responsibility for distributing 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman noted Green’s mid-level role in the charged conspiracy and his extensive criminal history, which included numerous felony convictions for drug trafficking and fleeing apprehension by law enforcement. The court further recognized Green’s long-standing drug use and recommended that he receive necessary drug treatment while serving his sentence.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Philadelphia-Based Fentanyl Distributor SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 148 months in prison for supplying over 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl to multiple redistributors in Prince William County.
According to court documents, Eronus Blay, 45, served as the source of supply for tens of thousands of counterfeit, pressed pills containing fentanyl that were distributed to users in and around Manassas. The blue pills bore the markings of Oxycodone, and local distributors including Cameron Jackson, 23, Lander Milla, 23, and Nicole Oliphant, 36, all of Manassas, would travel to Philadelphia or New Jersey to meet with Blay and purchase the pills, which became known locally to users as “Phillies.”
Once the pills were acquired, the local distributors would return to the Eastern District of Virginia and sell them at a mark-up. Between June and October of 2020, law enforcement utilized an undercover officer and purchased hundreds of the fentanyl pills from the local members of the distribution network. In December of 2020, during court-authorized searches of residences tied to Jackson, Milla, and Blay, law enforcement recovered two firearms along with over $100,000 in drug proceeds.
The other three members of the conspiracy have already been sentenced for their respective roles in the conspiracy. On February 25, Jackson was sentenced to 130 months in prison. On August 17, 2021, Milla was sentenced to 84 months in prison. On September 3, 2021, Nicole Oliphant, was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Roberts prosecuted the case.
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-126.
Perpetrator of Multiple Carjackings, Kidnappings, and Robberies Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A 28-year-old Sunrise, Florida, man has pled guilty to federal carjacking, kidnapping, bank robbery, and firearms offenses.
Court filings reveal that from January 1, 2021, through January 29, 2021, defendant Tevin Shane Souffranc committed multiple violent crimes throughout Broward and Collier Counties. During his crime spree, Souffranc kidnapped a woman and forcefully struck her in the face three times with his gun, chipping two of her teeth and causing lacerations on her face; stole a vehicle at gunpoint and attempted another woman on a different occasion; robbed two banks; and attempted to rob two other banks. At the time of his arrest, Souffranc was in possession of the firearm that he used in the crimes.
Souffranc pled guilty to one count of carjacking, one count of kidnapping, two counts of bank robbery, one count of attempted bank robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Souffranc is scheduled for sentencing at 11:00 am on June 15, before U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman, who sits in Fort Lauderdale. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from Broward Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Hollywood Police Department, Collier County Police Department, Boca Raton Police Department, and Sunrise Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Ajay Alexander and Brooke Latta are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated 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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-60069.
###
Omaha Man Sentenced to 65 Months for Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jerome Davis, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on Friday, April 8, 2022, in federal court in Omaha for Interference with Commerce by Robbery. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Davis to 65 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
Between August 19, 2020, and September 3, 2020, Davis and a coconspirator committed a series of five robberies at businesses throughout Omaha. During the robberies, Davis, whose face was concealed, would either claim to have a gun or weapon or brandish a knife and demand money from the employees and owners of the businesses. The businesses included the Everest Gas Mart (Phillips 66), on Leavenworth Street, which Davis robbed twice, a Speedee Mart on South 84th Street, the Nu Trend Dry Cleaners located on Center Street, and a Subway sandwich shop located on North Saddle Creek Road. At several of the locations Davis was observed leaving the area in a white Buick sedan bearing in-transit tags.
On September 3, 2020, Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers were dispatched to a robbery that occurred at the Subway restaurant. The suspect, later determined to be Davis, was reported to be armed with a knife. Davis robbed the Subway and fled from the business. Officers observed the white Buick sedan in the area following the robbery and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle refused, leading them on a vehicle pursuit. OPD officers observed Davis in the passenger seat and a female suspect, later determined to be co-defendant Capreeca Jackman, who was driving. During the pursuit Davis threw paper and coin currency and a green cash register drawer from the passenger window of the Buick. The pursuit continued for several minutes before the Buick slowed, allowing Davis to get out and flee on foot in the area North 20th and Charles Streets. Officers arrested him. Officers continued to pursue Jackman in the white Buick sedan until she stopped near North 42nd and Izard Streets where she also was arrested.
During the interview, Jackman confirmed she drove the defendant to the areas of two of the targeted businesses. Jackman provided information that she and Davis were staying at the Motel 6 on South 84th Street. Jackman gave consent to search their shared room and to search her white Buick sedan. Additional evidence was in the Buick including the knife brandished by Davis and the face coverings he wore during the robberies.
Jackman’s trial is scheduled to begin May 23, 2022, before Chief Judge Rossiter.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Oglala Man Found Guilty of Possession of Body Armor by a Violent FelonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Kane Youngman, age 26, of Oglala, South Dakota, was found guilty of Possession of Body Armor by a Violent Felon following a federal jury trial in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on April 7, 2022.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Youngman was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 17, 2022. The conviction stems from Youngman, having been previously convicted of a crime of violence, being in possession of a ballistic vest on January 22, 2022, at Oglala.
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.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 151 Months Imprisonment for Heroin and Cocaine Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHNNY TRIPLETT (“TRIPLETT”), age 33 of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 7, 2022 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride and 100 grams of heroin.
According to court records, TRIPLETT and others conspired to transport multiple kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and heroin between Texas and New Orleans.
The court sentenced TRIPLETT to 151 months of imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release. TRIPLETT must also pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Jonathan L. Shih are in charge of the prosecution.
Nebraska Man Sentenced for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Matthew Carpenter, 37, of Holdrege, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 9 years in federal prison for possession of 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine, with intent to distribute. Following his prison term, Carpenter will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On January 25, 2020, a Kearney Police Officer attempted a traffic stop of Carpenter. Carpenter initially pulled over. Moments later, he sped away through a trailer court. The police officer caught up to the vehicle within a minute. Carpenter had left the car abandoned in the street with his passenger still sitting in the car. Officers were able to follow Carpenter’s foot tracks in the snow leading to a storage shed. Inside the shed officers found Carpenter hiding. Carpenter had a scale in his pocket. Police also found three bags of suspected methamphetamine just inches from where Carpenter had been crouched down hiding. The substance was later sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory where it was confirmed to be at least 52 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Kearney Police Department and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Minneapolis RestaurantRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for an armed Hobbs Act robbery of a Minneapolis restaurant, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 9, 2020, Abdiweli Mohamed Jama, 32, entered Market Barbecue in Minneapolis, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, and attempted to rob the business. An employee tried to thwart the robbery and engaged in a physical altercation with Jama. During the altercation, Jama’s pistol discharged, and the employee was struck in the shoulder and the knee. Jama fled the scene on foot.
On November 16, 2021, Jama pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and one count of discharge firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, James Meeks-Little, 29, of West Bloomfield, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the United States Marshals Service on June 24, 2021, in Beckley. At the time of the traffic stop, Meeks-Little was the subject of an arrest warrant. A search of the vehicle revealed 247.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl found hidden behind the glove box. Meeks-Little admitted that the fentanyl belonged to him and that he intended to distribute it.
A Springfield, model XD, 9mm semi-automatic pistol was also found during the search of the vehicle. Meeks-Little is prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his 2014 Michigan felony conviction for home invasion.
At the conclusion of the plea hearing, Meeks-Little was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-129.
###
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to the distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kevin Glenn, 37, of Detroit, admitted that he sold heroin to a confidential informant on May 21, 2020, in Beckley. He also admitted he had $32,020 in drug proceeds in his possession when he was detained by law enforcement on April 20, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Glenn is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for their assistance in the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-116.
###
Mexican Man Sentenced for Unlawful Return by an Alien Removed After Conviction for a FelonyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national was sentenced to “time served” (178 days or about 6 months) in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for unlawful reentry by an alien deported or removed after conviction of a felony, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent in Charge David L. Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
Francisco Alvarado-Zacarias, 49, of Mexico, pleaded guilty and was convicted of the crime on December 15, 2021, before U.S. District Court Judge Taylor B. McNeel. Alvarado-Zacarias is also subject to Department of Homeland Security proceedings to remove him again from the United States.
According to court documents, Alvarado-Zacarias was arrested on October 12, 2021, on Interstate 10 in Harrison County. The U.S. Border Patrol conducted a vehicle stop on a white Ford panel van with a Texas license plate based on a Border Patrol “Be on the Lookout” (BOLO) Alert. Three passengers fled the van on foot, including the defendant in this case, Francisco Alvarado-Zacarias. A Supervisory Agent had arrived to assist, and two of the three fleeing passengers were apprehended. One of the three was not apprehended and remains at-large. Inspection of the van revealed two aftermarket bench seats were placed in rear of the van. The bench seats each seated three passengers, however, there were no seatbelts available for passengers in the bench seats. All vehicle occupants (except for the one who escaped) were transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station for processing.
One of the passengers was identified as Francisco Alvarado-Zacarias. Agents confirmed that Alvarado-Zacarias is a citizen of Mexico who was previously ordered removed from the U.S. on multiple occasions, including in 1992, 2006, 2007, and 2020. Agents also confirmed through official records that Alvarado-Zacarias had been convicted in 2005 in the District Court for the First Judicial District of Wyoming, for the felony offense of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine. He had been sentenced to a term of not less than 22 months and not more than 36 months in the custody of the Wyoming Department of Corrections. After his release from prison, Alvarado-Zacarias had been removed from the United States.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
Mexican Businessman Who Absconded in 2015 Sentenced for BriberyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – A Mexican national who failed to appear for sentencing in 2015 was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $884,174.47 in restitution for his role in a bribery scheme.
According to court documents, German Garcia Cano, 62, was the owner of GGC Enterprises, Inc., (GGC) a construction equipment rental company. Between 2009 and 2012, Maverick County paid GGC hundreds of thousands of dollars leasing heavy equipment purportedly used in construction projects in Maverick County. On October 9, 2014, Cano pleaded guilty to one count of paying a bribe to an agent of an organization receiving federal funds. By pleading guilty Cano admitted he paid bribes to Maverick County employees to insure that GGC secured leasing contracts with Maverick County.
On February 24, 2015, Cano was scheduled to be sentenced and failed to appear. A warrant for his arrest was issued that same day. In March 2015, the Court entered a bond forfeiture against Cano and a surety and a restraining order against Cano’s assets. The United States subsequently garnished on bank accounts associated with Cano, including recovering $10,000 transferred to his sister, despite his fugitive status. On July 8, 2021, Cano was rearrested and has remained in federal custody.
“The sentencing of German Cano today demonstrates our steadfast commitment to the pursuit of justice, even when criminals flee,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “By paying bribes to receive government funds, Cano fostered a culture of corruption in Maverick County, undermining the public’s faith in government. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use all available resources to root out corruption and hold wrongdoers accountable.”
“Corruption damages the very fiber of our society, as it undermines public trust,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson. “Thankfully, with today’s sentencing, the defendant in this case will now have to face the consequences of his actions.”
The FBI, with assistance from the Customs and Border Protection Office Internal Affairs; DEA; Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigative Division; Texas Rangers; and Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Ward and Michael Galdo, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, prosecuted the case.
###
Metairie Man Sentenced to Three Years of Probationfor Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Duane A. Evans, announced that MARIO DELUCA (“DELUCA”) has been sentenced on April 6, 2022 to 36 months of probation after pleading guilty in federal court relating to his role in a health care fraud conspiracy.
DELUCA, age 39, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty on February 24, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to Count One of a bill of information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
According to the bill of information, in or around March 2014, continuing through in or around October 2016, co-defendants conspired to knowingly and willfully execute a scheme and artifice to defraud TRICARE, a federal health care benefit program affecting commerce, and other health care benefit programs.
Prime Pharmacy contracted with various entities, including Pharmacy Benefit Managers (“PBMs”), obligating Prime Pharmacy to collect copayments from beneficiaries in order to be reimbursed by various health care benefit programs, including TRICARE. Deluca worked with codefendants to market the compounded medications produced by Prime Pharmacy. Deluca and coconspirators worked with marketers outside of the state to find beneficiaries that were willing to receive medically unnecessary compounds and doctors willing to prescribe compounds without medical necessity.
Beginning in or around March 2014, and continuing through in or around April 2016, Prime Pharmacy dispensed prescriptions for High-Yield Compounded Medications to beneficiaries of TRICARE and other health care benefit programs that were not medically necessary, induced by kickback payments, or where copayments were either waived or credited by Prime Pharmacy, and accordingly, submitted or caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to TRICARE, other health care benefit programs, and PBMs.
DELUCA was also ordered to repay TRICARE $777,000 in restitution.
“Individuals involved in this scheme illegally billed TRICARE out of close to $15 million and I am pleased that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is requiring justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Bruce, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “There are no victimless crimes and DCIS agents will continue to pursue unscrupulous greedy individuals who steal from our military health care system and all taxpayers.”
“Those entrusted with providing health care services to veterans and their family members will be held accountable should they violate that trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG is grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.”
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General.
The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh.
* * *
Mayor of Guayama Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Executing Municipal Contracts and Approving Invoice PaymentsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The mayor of Guayama, Puerto Rico, Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, pleaded guilty today in Puerto Rico to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments in exchange for executing municipal contracts and approving invoice payments for an asphalt and paving company.
Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 54, was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Guayama from 2013 until 2022. Starting in 2013, Cintrón-Suárez executed asphalt and paving contracts and also approved municipal payments to Company A. In exchange, Cintrón-Suárez agreed to receive a kickback payment corresponding to $1.00 per square meter of new asphalt laid by Company A in the municipality of Guayama under the contracts. This kickback scheme continued until approximately February 2021.
Cintrón-Suárez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Erbe of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
###
Maryland Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Kidnapping and Leading Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Joshua Lankford, aka “20-20,” aka “Light Bright,” aka “Yellow,” age 33, of Manchester, Maryland, was sentenced to 17 years in prison with five years of supervised release and $2,320 in restitution for kidnapping in relation to a sex trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Lankford led and organized a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and to commit kidnapping. The evidence indicated that Lankford recruited the victim, a young adult woman, to engage in prostitution under fraudulent pretenses. Lanford knew that the victim was addicted to heroin and withheld drugs from her when she did make enough money for him engaging in commercial sex. When the victim attempted to escape, Lankford and his three co-defendants drove the victim to a rural road on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where they beat, whipped and choked her with a belt, and then drove her to a hotel in Delaware to engage in prostitution. While incarcerated, Lankford told a co-conspirator that he intended to kill the victim to prevent her from testifying against them at trial.
“This defendant preyed on a vulnerable young woman and cruelly exploited her for his profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sex trafficking is a heinous crime that has no place in our society. This sentence reflects the defendant’s horrific crime – a crime that deprives some of society’s most vulnerable members of their freedom and dignity. The Civil Rights Division will continue its vigorous enforcement of our human trafficking laws to hold perpetrators accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“Lankford exploited a young woman’s drug dependency and desire to establish a better life for herself and her child to enslave her and deprive her of human rights and dignity for his own profit,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Further, he attempted to continue the abuse the victim and sabotage our justice system by conspiring to kill the victim in the effort to derail the federal prosecution of his dehumanizing crimes” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Let this sentence serve as a light to survivors impacted by human trafficking and as a deterrent to those conspiring to commit heinous human trafficking crimes.”
“Joshua Lankford’s crimes were nothing short of horrific; he kidnapped and victimized a vulnerable woman then plotted to kill her in order to save himself,” said Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of HSI Baltimore. “The atrocities of his crimes are clearly reflected in the severity of his sentence, and today, he will begin to pay his debt to society. HSI Baltimore remains committed to investigating human trafficking organizations as they prey upon the most vulnerable populations in our communities.”
This case was investigated by law enforcement agencies that are members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/human-trafficking.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking and sex trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
The guilty plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke; U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Michael McDermott of the Federalsburg Police Department; and Colonel Melissa Zebley of the Delaware State Police Department.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, the Federalsburg Police Department, and the Delaware State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Setzer for the District of Maryland and Trial Attorney Leah L. Branch of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to I-D FraudRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eric Kelechi Nwachukwu, 32, of Baltimore, MD, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to fraud in connection with a means of identification. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that on June 20, 2020, Nwachukwu, and two passengers, were referred for secondary inspection by Customs and Border Protection at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. During the secondary inspection, CBP Officers found multiple fraudulent driver’s licenses in the names of other individuals known to the government, as well as two cellular telephones. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents subsequently executed search warrants on the phones and recovered identification consisting of names and dates of birth, among other information, belonging to approximately 30 other individuals known to the government. Nwachukwu possessed the identifications without authorization and with the intent to commit bank fraud. The investigation determined that between April 26 and September 25, 2019, Nwachukwu used the identifications of four these individuals to conduct approximately 11 unauthorized withdrawals totaling $52,800 at financial institutions in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 6, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
# # # #
Magnolia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Magnolia man was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, Detectives with the Hot Springs Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation into Brandon Dwight Jenkins, age 39, for drug trafficking in the Western District of Arkansas. In September of 2019, detectives conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Jenkins. The methamphetamine purchased was sent to the DEA lab where it tested positive for more than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Hot Springs Police Department and the DEA investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s David Harris and Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case.
Leader of North Carolina Chapter of Proud Boys Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Assault Charges in Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A leader of the Proud Boys pleaded guilty today to felony charges for his actions before and during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Charles Donohoe, 34, of Kernersville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. As part of the plea agreement, Donohoe has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation.
According to court documents, the Proud Boys describes itself as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world, aka Western Chauvinists.” Donohoe joined the Proud Boys in 2018 and became the president of his local Proud Boys chapter in North Carolina. As of Jan. 6, 2021, he was a fourth-degree member of the Proud Boys, the highest rank within the organization.
In December 2020, according to the court documents, Enrique Tarrio, then the Proud Boys national chairman, formed a new Proud Boys’ chapter known as the “Ministry of Self Defense,” which focused on the planning and execution of national rallies. The first objective of the Ministry of Self Defense was to plan for actions in relation to the Washington, D.C., rally on Jan. 6, 2021. Donohoe was a leader of this new chapter, which eventually grew to include at least 65 members.
At least as early as Jan. 4, 2021, Donohoe was aware that the Ministry of Self Defense’s leaders were discussing the possibility of storming the Capitol. Donohoe believed that storming the Capitol would achieve the group’s goal of stopping the government from carrying out the transfer of presidential power. Donohoe understood from discussions that the Proud Boys would pursue their objective through the use of force and violence.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Donohoe was part of a group of 100 or more Proud Boys who marched away from a rally near the Washington Monument towards the Capitol. Shortly after 12 p.m., the group was assembled two blocks west of the Capitol, and Donohoe understood that other Proud Boys leaders were searching for an opportunity to storm the Capitol. At approximately 1 p.m., the group arrived at the Capitol and began breaching the barriers surrounding the Capitol grounds. While in the West Plaza of the Capitol, Donohoe threw two water bottles at a line of law enforcement officers who were attempting to prevent the mob’s advance in the West Plaza at the Capitol building. As events continued, Donohoe joined with a crowd, including other Proud Boys, to push forward to advance up the concrete stairs toward the Capitol. The crowd overwhelmed law enforcement officers on the stairs, continued toward the Capitol, and ultimately entered the Capitol building after Donohoe’s co-defendant, Dominic Pezzola, allegedly broke open a window of the building.
Hours later, Donohoe posted messages to the Ministry of Self Defense Leadership Group celebrating the group’s actions that day.
Donohoe was arrested on March 11, 2021, and he has been detained since his arrest. He is among six defendants – including Tarrio and Pezzola – indicted in the District of Columbia on conspiracy and other charges; the others have pleaded not guilty. Donohoe faces up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to eight years in prison on the charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. Both charges also carry potential financial penalties. No sentencing date was set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Charlotte Field Offices.
In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
###
Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rudolph Ford, age 33, formerly of Olyphant, Lackawanna County, was sentenced on April 7, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to seven years’ imprisonment for his role in a methamphetamine and heroin trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Ford previously pleaded guilty and admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between 350 and 500 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 20 to 40 grams of heroin in the Lackawanna County area in 2018. Ford was one of five individuals indicted by a grand jury in December 2018 for methamphetamine trafficking in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Schuylkill Counties
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
Previously, Amanda Boyle, age 37, of Sweet Valley, Luzerne County, was sentenced by Judge Mariani to nine years in prison for her role in this same drug trafficking conspiracy.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
# # #
Kansas Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN.– A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of failure to pay over payroll taxes.
According to court documents, Jesus Perez-Aguayo, 39, of Wichita as owner and operator of two companies, JLP Construction and JP Remodeling, has a responsibility to collect employee payroll taxes then forward the funds to the Internal Revenue Service. Between 2014 and 2019, Perez-Aguayo admits he didn’t pay the full amount due to the IRS, creating a tax loss of approximately $286,049. He also admits to using his business bank account for his personal expenses.
“Mr. Perez-Aguayo’s guilty plea shows that IRS Criminal Investigation will aggressively pursue those who commit employment tax fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “When business owners collect and then fail to pay over employment taxes, it not only hurts the government but all of the honest and hardworking employees as well.”
After pleading guilty to failure to pay over payroll taxes, Perez-Aguayo faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
###
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 Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 7 was:
Kyle Jason Swindler, 41, of Billings, on charges of attempted coercion and enticement. If convicted of the most serious crime, Swindler faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Swindler was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-27.
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.
XXX
Independence Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearms, CarjackingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing methamphetamine, carjacking, and illegally possessing firearms after leading officers on three high-speed vehicle pursuits.
Charles V. Bai, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 13 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 13, 2021, Bai pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of willfully damaging federal property, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, one count of carjacking, and one count of brandishing of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence.
On March 8, 2020, Bai fired three shots at a motorist on Highway 24 in Independence, Mo., during a road rage incident. The victim reported that Bai, driving a stolen Toyota 4Runner, pulled up beside the driver’s side of his/her truck, brandished a black handgun with an extended magazine, and fired three shots at him/her, striking the victim’s vehicle with all three rounds.
On March 11, 2020, federal agents with the U.S. Marshals Service attempted to apprehend Bai on a felony arrest warrant. Bai, still driving the stolen Toyota 4Runner, struck a Marshals Service vehicle and was able to elude law enforcement after a brief vehicle pursuit was terminated due to Bai traveling at excessive speeds.
On March 17, 2020, an Independence police officer spotted the Toyota 4Runner parked in the garage at Bai’s residence. The officer recognized the vehicle as the same vehicle Bai had been driving during the high-speed chase a few days earlier. When Bai left the residence driving the Toyota 4Runner, officers attempted to stop him but he fled and a pursuit was initiated.
The pursuit continued for several minutes at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour as Bai drove erratically, putting numerous motorists at risk, through Independence. The pursuit ended on Blue Ridge Cutoff at Interstate 70 after Bai’s vehicle was involved in a single car accident, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Bai fled on foot but was apprehended by officers. During the apprehension, law enforcement received an emergency call regarding a gun that was lying in the road on eastbound Interstate 70, outside of the center lane, west of Noland Road. An officer recovered the Ruger 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. The extended magazine of the handgun had been run over by passing motorists and approximately 26 9mm bullets were spread across Interstate 70. When officers searched the Toyota 4Runner they found four handgun magazines, 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a handgun holster. Investigators also found Facebook messages from Bai offering the pistol for sale.
Bai told investigators after his arrest that he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine. The conspiracy, which lasted from June 2019 to August 2020, distributed more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine.
On July 14, 2020, Bai, along with co-defendants Destiny J. White, 33, of Blue Springs, Mo., and Kerri J. Seaboldt, 31, no address, carjacked a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro. White met the victim of the carjacking and rode with him in the Camaro as they were followed by Seaboldt in a separate vehicle. White directed the victim to an alleyway, where they met Seaboldt. White told the victim they were there to pick up Seaboldt because she was having an argument with her boyfriend. Seaboldt was on the phone with Bai and pretended to engage in an argument, as White and the victim waited. Meanwhile, Bai entered the alleyway, wielding a Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. Bai pointed the handgun at the victim and ordered him to get out of the Camaro and leave his personal belongings. Bai then got into the driver’s seat and drove away.
Bai later fled from officers in the stolen vehicle, which he ultimately wrecked, then fled on foot. Officers were unable to apprehend Bai at that time.
White and Seaboldt have pleaded guilty to their roles in the carjacking and to using a firearm in a crime of violence, and await sentencing.
Bai was stopped by Kansas City police officers on Aug. 19, 2020. He was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, but was unable to provide a driver’s license or proof of insurance on the car. The license plate on the Monte Carlo was registered to another vehicle. Bai was issued a municipal summons and released. Officers prepared to have the car towed, but found a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol in the driver’s side door panel (in a cavity where a speaker had been removed). Officers determined the pistol had been stolen.
Officers then located Bai, who was driving another vehicle, and arrested him. Bai had a bag of 3.6 grams of methamphetamine in his front pants pocket and had been holding a box that contained items associated with drug distribution.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Huntsville Doctor Charged with Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Huntsville doctor has been charged for conspiring to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles.
An information filed yesterday in U.S. District Court charges, Dr. Eric Beck, 63, of Huntsville, Alabama, with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Beck operated Valley Center for Nerve Studies and Rehabilitation in Huntsville. According to the information, Beck conspired with the owner of QBR, a Huntsville-based testing company, to bill insurers millions of dollars for electro-diagnostic testing that its technicians performed, regardless of whether there was a medical need for them. Beck billed insurers for tests using his National Provider Identifier (NPI) number, even where he did not conduct the tests, supervise the tests, interpret the test results, or have anything to do with the tests beyond allowing his NPI number to be used for billing purposes.
In a plea agreement also filed yesterday, Dr. Beck agreed to plead guilty to the information. According to the plea agreement, the defendant caused health insurance programs to be billed over $28 million for medically unnecessary electro-diagnostic testing QBR performed. Dr. Beck has fully cooperated with the investigative team during its investigation.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit health care fraud is five years in prison.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Long and J.B. Ward are prosecuting it.
An information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Holyoke, Massachusetts Man Indicted for Selling Fentanyl and Heroin in Bennington County, VermontRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that John Pena Baez, 18, of Holyoke, Massachusetts has been indicted on drug distribution charges. Pena Baez pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Pena Baez detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl and heroin from Pena Baez in the Bennington area on February 22, 2022, March 15, 2022, and March 23, 2022. Law enforcement arrested Pena Baez on the evening of April 6, 2022. At the time of his arrest, Pena Baez was the front seat passenger in a vehicle. He was in possession of about 20 grams of suspected crack cocaine and about $7,100. Also in the vehicle, a loaded handgun was found on the floor area of the front passenger seat where Pena Baez had been sitting.
The U.S. Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and Pena Baez is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
If convicted, Pena Baez faces up to twenty years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000 on each offense. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to the federal sentencing guidelines.
The Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bennington, Vermont Police Department are the investigative agencies on this case.
Pena Baez was represented at today’s hearing by the Office of the Federal Defender. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
This case also is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. https://www.justice.gov/psn
Haitian National Charged with International Narcotics Conspiracy, Narcotics Distribution, and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Robert J. Bell, Special Agent in Charge, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chicago Field Division, and Renita D. Foster, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Caribbean Field Division announced the expulsion of Jean Eliobert Jasme (a/k/a “ED-1,” “Eddy One,” “Tio Loco”), age 60, from Haiti based on an indictment returned in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Jasme was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Dries in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At today’s hearing, Judge Dries ordered that Jasme be detained pending trial.
On September 28, 2021, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Wisconsin returned an indictment against Jasme alleging one count of international drug trafficking, one substantive count of international drug trafficking, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. According to the indictment, from approximately February 2019 through September 28, 2021, Jasme conspired with others to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States; on or about October 28, 2020, Jasme distributed five kilograms or more of cocaine intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States; and on or about October 28, 2020, Jasme carried a firearm during and in relation to the aforementioned drug-trafficking offenses.
An indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The DEA Port-au-Prince Country Office and the DEA Milwaukee Field Office investigated this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Haitian National Government, including the Haitian Ministry of Justice, the Haitian National Police and La Brigade de Lutte contre le Trafic de Stupéfiants (BLTS), provided substantial assistance in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Brady, Jr. and Gail J. Hoffman of the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
# # #
For further information contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Gilbert Man Sentenced to Prison for PPP FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – James Theodore Polzin, 48, of Gilbert, Arizona, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 48 months in prison and ordered to pay over $2.2 million in restitution. Polzin pleaded guilty in October 2021 to fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES”) is a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, including PPP loans.
Polzin submitted materially false loan applications that claimed non-existent employees and revenues for business entities he owned and operated. From April 2020 to August 2020, Polzin applied for loans totaling over $3.5 million. Polzin then used a portion of the proceeds for his own personal benefit, which included purchasing a Porsche, a home, and stashing money offshore.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00264-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-039_Polzin# # #
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.Galesburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Galesburg, Illinois, man, Ricky Dale Niswonger, Jr., 32, of the 1300 block of Grand Avenue, was sentenced on April 6, 2022, to 10 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on Niswonger’s car as part of an investigation into a suspected methamphetamine-trafficking operation. In the car, they found five firearms, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow found that Niswonger possessed the firearms in connection with methamphetamine trafficking. Chief Judge Darrow also found that Niswonger had attempted to intimidate a possible witness in his case, which warranted a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice.
Niswonger had pleaded guilty to the offense in April 2021. The statutory penalties for felon in possession of a firearm are a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release.
The Galesburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Mathew and Grant Thomas Hodges represented the government in the prosecution.
Four Men Indicted for Fentanyl Conspiracy That Resulted in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Four Kansas City, Missouri-area men have been indicted for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death.
Dmitry Cattell, 22, Joseph Burgess, 21, and Jordon Simmer, 20, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Kelton Hill, 22, of Parkville, Mo., were charged in a nine-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, April 5. That indictment was unsealed and made public following the arrests of all four defendants on Thursday, April 7. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on April 12, 2022.
The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants have participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl since Sept. 12, 2019.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, the indictment charges Cattell and Simmer with aiding and abetting each other to distribute fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person, on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents.
Cattell is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Cattell allegedly was in possession of a Taurus handgun on Nov. 10, 2020.
Simmer, Burgess, and Hill each are also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron Black and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Kearney, Mo., Police Department, the Olathe, Kan., Police Department, and the Riverside, Mo., Police Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces 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 against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Former Village of Brewster Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Wayne Peiffer, a former police officer in Brewster, New York, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and conspiracy to commit bribery in violation of the Travel Act. Peiffer was charged for his role in protecting two Queens-based prostitution businesses from law enforcement when operating in Brewster, in exchange for free sexual services. Today’s proceeding was held before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak. When sentenced, Peiffer faces up to 25 years in prison and forfeiture of $5,000.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant disgraced his sworn oath to protect and serve the community by using his badge as a shield for prostitution rings in exchange for sexual services from victims of sex trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Rooting out official corruption and protecting victims and survivors of trafficking are top priorities of this Office.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance throughout this investigation.
“Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are crimes against the body and soul that shock the conscience of society,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Patel. “For years, Wayne Peiffer abused his position as a law enforcement officer and betrayed the trust given to him by society, taking sexual favors from the women he was sworn to protect. Due to the hard work of HSI, EDNY prosecutors, and our law enforcement partners, Peiffer has pleaded guilty to his crimes and his network of violators has been dismantled. HSI will vigorously pursue criminals like Peiffer, whether they operate in the U.S. or abroad.”
“Corruption is a crime and a stark violation of a police officer’s sacred oath,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “With today’s guilty plea, this former officer admitted to disgracing his shield and betraying the public trust. The NYPD and our law-enforcement partners will continue to proactively identify and expose such unethical and immoral behavior committed by anyone sworn to enforce and uphold the law.”
According to court documents and facts presented during today’s proceeding, from approximately 2010 through October 2018, Peiffer provided protection to members of a prostitution business and a sex trafficking organization that each transported women from Queens to Brewster, New York, for the purposes of engaging in prostitution. Peiffer’s protection included advance notice of law enforcement activities and assistance with avoiding detection and apprehension. In exchange, Peiffer directed members of the prostitution business and sex trafficking organization to deliver women to him, including at the Brewster Police Department station, for free sexual services.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren H. Elbert, Nicholas J. Moscow and Rachel A. Bennek are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
WAYNE PEIFFER
Age: 48
Highland, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-622 (LDH)
Former USC Head Water Polo Coach Convicted by Jury in College Admissions SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former head coach of the University of Southern California (USC) water polo teams was convicted by a federal jury today in connection with soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of students to USC as purported athletic recruits.
This verdict represents the final conviction in the college admissions scandal involving William “Rick” Singer. 54 defendants have either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a federal jury.
Jovan Vavic, 60, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., was convicted following a five-week jury trial of conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and honest services wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 20, 2022. Vavic was arrested and charged in March 2019.
“With today’s conviction, the government has now held 55 individuals accountable for what is arguably one of the largest scandals in academia history. To say that the conduct in this case is reprehensible is an understatement. The rich, powerful and famous, dripping with privilege and entitlement, used their clout and money to steal college admissions spots from more hard-working, qualified and deserving students. This case was a righteous one and I could not be prouder of our prosecutors in securing this verdict,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“Today’s verdict proves that Jovan Vavic participated in a rigged system that robbed students of their right to a fair shot at getting into the University of Southern California. By taking $220,000 in bribes, Vavic fostered a culture of corruption and greed that created an uneven playing field for hard-working student athletes said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “We are grateful for the jury’s decision to hold him accountable.”
“Today’s guilty verdict proved that Mr. Vavic’s credibility and character was for sale,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Office. “Without the willful participation of University coaches and officials like Mr. Vavic, this scheme would have failed at the outset. Instead, Mr. Vavic and others abused the positions they held at prestigious universities for nothing other than financial gain.”
“Today’s action shows that Mr. Vavic abused his position of trust for personal gain, and in doing so, damaged the reputation of the school and hurt the school and the legitimate students he was supposed to serve. That is unacceptable,” said Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office. “Deservedly, he will now be held accountable for his criminal actions.”
Mr. Vavic was a highly successful coach and served as head coach of the men’s and women’s water polo teams at USC for more than 20 years. During this time, he led the teams to a history-making more than a dozen national championships.
Evidence at trial established that Mr. Vavic participated in an illicit path that Singer, the scheme’s mastermind, dubbed the “side door”— securing admission to selective colleges via athletics, regardless of whether or not the students actually played the sports.
Beginning in at least 2013, Mr. Singer made payments to a USC account that funded Mr. Vavic’s team and paid private school tuition for his children. In return Mr. Vavic would flag students as purported water polo players to be admitted as recruited athletes. Mr. Vavic also agreed to recruit other coaches to join in the scheme.
Singer previously pleaded guilty and is schedule to be sentenced at a later date.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, is available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta, IRS CI SAC Simpson and DOE OIG SAC Harris made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank, Leslie A. Wright and Ian Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
UPDATE: In September 2022, the Court ordered a new trial for the defendant in this case.
Former Trousdale Turner Supervisory Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A former supervisory corrections officer at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility in Hartsville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to two counts of civil rights violations.
Kenan Lister, 42, of Clarksville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for using unlawful force on an inmate, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for being deliberately indifferent to the inmate’s medical needs.
“All persons, including prison inmates, are guaranteed under the Constitution the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Wildasin. “I commend our partners at the FBI and the prosecution team for their diligent work in bringing this case and ensuring accountability for the unlawful actions of a prison guard.”
Lister was indicted in September 2021 and today admitted that, on August 30, 2019, he was on duty as the prison’s security threat group coordinator and escorted an inmate to a holding cell after the inmate assaulted a prison employee. At the time, and while the inmate was sitting in a holding cell and not resisting, Lister punched the inmate in the head, knocking him to the ground, and then kicked, punched, and struck the inmate multiple times in his head, chest, and torso after he was on the ground. The assault caused serious bodily injury to the inmate, including fracturing his ribs and puncturing his lung, which required the inmate to undergo surgery and to be hospitalized for several days.
Despite Lister’s knowledge that the inmate needed medical attention, Lister failed to provide medical care or to make the necessary notifications to get the inmate medical care and, instead, locked the inmate in a holding cell.
“When a correctional officer violates the civil rights of an inmate whose safety he is charged with, it undermines the respect and reputation of all law enforcement officers," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski of the FBI Memphis Field Office. "The FBI will vigorously investigate and bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the constitution and the trust of the people."
Lister faces up to 10 years in prison on each count when he is sentenced on August 17, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf and Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer of the Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
# # # # #
Former Tennessee Supervisory Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations for Assaulting InmateRead the Press Release
Former supervisory corrections officer Kenan Lister, 43, pleaded guilty today to two civil rights offenses: one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for using unlawful force on an inmate and one count of being deliberately indifferent to the inmate’s medical needs.
The facts admitted in the plea agreement establish that, on Aug. 30, 2019, Lister assaulted an inmate in a holding cell at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility in Hartsville, Tennessee. At the time, Lister was on duty as the facility’s security threat group coordinator. While the inmate was sitting calmly in a holding cell, Lister punched the inmate in the head, knocking him to the ground. Lister then kicked, punched, and struck the inmate multiple times in his head, chest, and torso after he was on the ground and not resisting. The assault fractured the inmate’s ribs and punctured his lung. After the assault, Lister knew that the inmate had serious medical needs. Despite this knowledge, Lister failed to provide medical care to the inmate or obtain medical care from others. Instead, Lister left the inmate locked in a holding cell and filed a report that omitted any mention of his assault.
“The defendant abused his power as a supervisory corrections officer by brutally assaulting a person in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Officers who willfully use excessive force in our jails and prisons not only violate the Constitution, they erode the public trust in law enforcement. The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting these abuses of power and upholding the Constitutional rights that protect us all.”
“All persons, including prison inmates, are guaranteed under the Constitution the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I commend our partners at the FBI and the prosecution team for their diligent work in bringing this case and ensuring accountability for the unlawful actions of a prison guard.”
“When a correctional officer violates the civil rights of an inmate whose safety he is charged with, it undermines the respect and reputation of all law enforcement officers," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI will vigorously investigate and bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the constitution and the trust of the people."
Sentencing is scheduled for August 17. Lister faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, as well as a maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf for the Middle District of Tennessee and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer.
Former State Department Employee Sentenced to Prison for Honest Services FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MAY SALEHI, a former State Department employee, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for conspiring to commit honest services fraud. SALEHI was a longtime State Department employee who was involved in evaluating bids for critical overseas government construction projects such as U.S. embassies and consulates. SALEHI gave confidential inside bidding information to a Government contractor, and received $60,000 in kickback payments in return. SALEHI was sentenced by United States District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As a State Department employee, May Salehi was entrusted to serve the public. Instead, she abused her position to line her own pockets. Salehi revealed, and traded on, confidential information—corrupting the bidding process and receiving lucrative kickbacks in return. Thanks to our partners at the State Department’s Office of Inspector General, Salehi’s crime of deception has been uncovered, and Salehi has now been sentenced to prison.”
According to the allegations in the Information, court filings, and statements made in court:
From 1991 until mid-2021, MAY SALEHI was a State Department employee. For many years, SALEHI worked as an engineer in the State Department’s Overseas Building Operations division (“OBO”), which directs the worldwide overseas building program for the State Department and the U.S. Government community serving abroad.
In 2016, the State Department solicited bids for a multimillion-dollar construction project known as a compound security upgrade to be performed at the U.S. Consulate in Bermuda (the “Bermuda Project”). The bidding process involved the submission of blind, sealed bids from various bidders. Six companies submitted sealed bids, one of which was named Montage, Inc. (“Montage”).
SALEHI was involved in the Bermuda Project in several respects. Among other things, SALEHI served as the Chair of the Technical Evaluation Panel (“TEP”)—a panel of experts that evaluates the technical aspects of bids, including whether they meet the State Department’s structural and security needs. In connection with the Bermuda Project, the TEP determined that five bids—including Montage’s bid—were technically acceptable.
In September 2016, the State Department’s employees who evaluate the cost of bids gave these five bidders—including Montage—the opportunity to re-bid, if they wished to do so. Montage had two days to decide whether to submit a re-bid. During that two-day window, Montage’s principal, Sina Moayedi, contacted SALEHI by phone to seek confidential inside bidding information about the relationship between Montage’s bid and those of its competitors. SALEHI agreed to meet Moayedi in person during the work day. In response to Moayedi’s inquiry, SALEHI told him that all five bids were low, and that his bid was lowest by about a million dollars. Moayedi said that he would give SALEHI 1% of the contract value if he won; and as she walked away, SALEHI proposed a cover story by stating: “I have rugs to sell.” SALEHI knew that it was unlawful to provide this confidential bidding information to a bidder. After Moayedi received this inside information from SALEHI, Montage immediately increased its bid by nearly $1 million. In its revised bid to the State Department, Moayedi and Montage lied as to the reason it had increased its bid by nearly $1 million, falsely claiming that it had discovered “an arithmetic error” in its estimates. Montage was ultimately awarded the Bermuda Project with a revised bid of $6.3 million.
In the months that followed, Moayedi provided SALEHI a total of $60,000 in kickbacks, which he paid in three installments. In making these kickback payments, Moayedi used intermediaries to obscure the link between him and SALEHI. To conceal the true purpose of the kickback payments, as she had suggested, SALEHI gave Moayedi a Persian rug, by providing it to an intermediary who passed it to Moayedi. SALEHI did not report the $60,000 kickback payments on her taxes, her State Department financial disclosure forms, or her application to renew her top-secret national security clearance.
* * *
In addition to her prison sentence, SALEHI, 66, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to three years of supervised release. SALEHI was also ordered to forfeit $60,000 and to pay a $500,000 Fine.
Sina Moayedi has been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and major fraud against the United States. The charges against Moayedi are pending. See 22 Cr. 188 (JSR).
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the State Department OIG, Special Agents from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and IRS‑CI.
The Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit is handling this criminal case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Neff and Louis A. Pellegrino are in charge of the prosecution.