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7 April 2022
Seymour Manufacturing Company Pays $2.4 Million for Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division for New England, and Commissioner Katie Scharf Dykes of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced that MARMON UTILITY LLC was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport for violating the Clean Water Act by knowingly failing to properly operate and maintain the industrial wastewater treatment system and sludge-processing equipment at the Kerite Power Cable & Pump Cable factory located at 49 Day Street in Seymour, Connecticut. Marmon Utility LLC (“Marmon Utility”), a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, owns and operates the factory.
Judge Dooley ordered that Marmon Utility will be under federal probation for three years and must pay $2.4 million to the government: $800,000 as a federal penalty and a $1.6 million community service payment to remediate the Naugatuck River, as administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“CT DEEP”). Marmon Utility pleaded guilty to the offense on December 21, 2021.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Kerite Power Cable & Pump Cable (“Kerite”) factory in Seymour manufactures large power cables and generates industrial wastewater containing heavy metals such as lead and zinc. Under its 2015 CT DEEP permit, Marmon Utility was required to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment system at the factory to reduce the heavy-metal content by chemical precipitation before the wastewater could be discharged to the sewage treatment plant.
The investigation revealed that Marmon Utility had been cutting back on its environmental compliance program for many years, and had not had an employee with an environmental background running its wastewater treatment system since February 2004. When the operator of the wastewater treatment system became ill in March 2016, Marmon Utility ran the system for at least five months with maintenance employees who lacked environmental training and training on the treatment system.
On September 7 and 8, 2016, the superintendent of the Seymour treatment plant observed unusual, rusty brown wastewater flowing into the plant and notified CT DEEP. This rusty brown influent was interfering with the plant’s ability to treat the sewage. The superintendent took samples and determined that the lead concentration of the rusty brown influent was approximately 127 times greater than the plant’s normal lead measurement, and that its zinc concentration was over 10 times the typical zinc concentration. During the next several days, the superintendent had to order several truckloads of biologic microorganisms to break down the unprocessed sewage. It took two weeks for the treatment plant to return to usual operational capacity.
On September 27 and 29, 2016, CT DEEP and the plant superintendent inspected Marmon Utility’s Kerite facility and concluded that it had discharged the rusty brown influent with the high lead and zinc concentrations on September 7, 8, and 9, 2016. CT DEEP issued a Notice of Violation to Marmon Utility based on, among other evidence:
- The Marmon Utility facility manager’s statements (1) that the wastewater treatment operator had not been at the facility since the end of March 2016 due to medical reasons; (2) that no sludge had been processed in the filter press since this employee’s departure; and (3) no other Marmon Utility employee had been trained to process sludge as required under the CT DEEP permit.
- The Kerite factory had discharged 5,725 gallons of industrial wastewater on September 7, 2016, and 5,225 gallons on September 8, 2016, which exceeded the daily discharge limit in Marmon Utility’s CT DEEP permit.
- The lead concentration in water samples taken from Marmon Utility’s final discharge tank, which flows to the Seymour sewage treatment plant, was 69 times greater than the permissible limit in Marmon Utility’s CT DEEP permit. The zinc concentration was 8.5 times greater than the prescribed limit.
The EPA’s investigation further disclosed that from at least April 24 to September 29, 2016, the Marmon Utility maintenance employees operating the wastewater treatment system did not know how to check and maintain the pH probe, operate the sludge filter press, check or change certain filters. These were all key components of the treatment system used to remove heavy metals from the factory’s industrial wastewater. These employees did not even have access to the system’s operational manuals.
In fact, these Marmon Utility employees informed investigators that, during this time period, when certain tanks became full and the system was imbalanced, they would empty the tank by opening certain valves to discharge the industrial wastewater without treating it. As of mid-October 2016, the 3,000-gallon holding tank in Marmon Utility’s wastewater treatment system held 1,000 gallons of sludge.
In addition to improperly operating and maintaining the wastewater treatment system and sludge-processing equipment at the Seymour factory, Marmon Utility has also admitted to knowingly exceeding its maximum daily discharge limit in its CT DEEP permit on September 7 and 8, 2016, knowingly failing to notify CT DEEP promptly of the improper bypass, and that it had stopped processing the sludge using a sludge filter press as required under the CT DEEP permit.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen, with assistance from the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
Santa Clara man in federal court to face child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Michael Rivera, 31, of Santa Clara, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court today facing charges of production of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor. Rivera will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for April 12.
According to a criminal complaint, a few days before March 23, 2021, Rivera allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with a victim who was 12 years old at the time. Rivera allegedly began to request naked images of the victim. On Jan. 19, investigators seized the victim’s cell phone and conducted a forensic examination. The examination allegedly revealed sexually explicit images and videos of the victim.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Rivera faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography and a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for coercion and enticement.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating this case with assistance from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Rocky Mount Gang Member Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for possessing a handgun as a convicted felon. On November 16, 2021, Raekwon Laderek Briggs pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Raekwon Briggs, 26, possessed two handguns during a high-speed chase in Edgecombe County. On March 21, 2019, a deputy pulled Briggs over for an expired registration. Briggs stopped his car and then accelerated when the deputy opened the door to his patrol car. Several law enforcement officers pursued Briggs. During the chase, Briggs sped through two school zones, ran a stoplight, and crossed the center line into oncoming traffic several times, which forced one car off the road. Briggs eventually stopped, and deputies observed two handguns on the dashboard. Both firearms were loaded with 28 rounds each. After his arrest, Briggs told the deputies that he knew the firearms were in the vehicle. Briggs also said he would have ended the chase in a shootout if Rocky Mount police officers had been involved in the chase.
Briggs had previously been convicted of several felonies, including robbery with a dangerous weapon and attempted possession of a firearm as a felon. Briggs was also validated by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety as a member of the Bloods street gang.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parris prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-00010-FL.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on April 1, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Will LaClaire, age 37, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
LaClaire was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 20, 2018, and pleaded guilty on November 12, 2021. The conviction stems from LaClaire, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing a Glock, model 36, .45 caliber pistol, which was found after LaClaire came into contact with law enforcement in January 2018 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
LaClaire was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
RGV tax preparer pleads guilty to preparing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A local tax preparer admitted to preparing false and fraudulent tax returns on behalf of taxpayers, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Linda Lopez was the owner and operator of a tax preparation business known as Premier Tax Solutions, which operated from 2012 through 2022 in and around Mission.
Lopez admitted that in or around February 2017, she prepared a federal tax return for a taxpayer that included multiple instances of false and fraudulent information, including false employee business expenses and false residential energy credit qualifying expenses.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez set sentencing for July 18. At that time, Lopez faces up to three years in prison and a possible $100,000 maximum fine.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz prosecuted the case.
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Putnam County man pleaded guilty today to attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, James Michael Pritt, 40, of Buffalo, admitted to contacting another man online and arranging to pay him $150 in exchange for the man providing him with a 14-year-old girl for sexual intercourse. When Pritt arrived at the meeting location in South Charleston, he was placed under arrest.
Pritt is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2022, and faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Andrew Isabell are prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-200.
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Providence Man Sentenced on Firearm, Transportation of Stolen Property ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man who admitted to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and with participating in a conspiracy to transport stolen recreation vehicles into Rhode Island was sentenced on Wednesday to thirty-seven months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
On December 21, 2020, Luis M. Morales, 39, pled guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and, in a separate case, to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, Morales is one of nine individuals who participated in a conspiracy, stretching across several states, to steal and sell sport boats, jet skis, all-terrain vehicles, excavators, and trailers. Morales admitted that on July 17, 2020, he drove a pick-up truck to a Stafford, CT, recreational vehicle dealership where he and others stole a 2020 Yamaha watercraft, a 2019 Can-Am Maverick Sport off-road vehicle, and two trailers; all of these items were transported into Rhode Island. Morales similarly admitted that he and others stole three jet skis from a dealership an Easton, MA, on July 20, 202, and transported them to Rhode Island.
In a separately charged case, an Easton Police Detective encountered Morales while investigating the theft of the jet skis. During interviews police obtained his cell phone, which was turned over to the FBI and searched pursuant to a federal warrant. The FBI review discovered text messages indicating that Morales was also brokering the sale of fentanyl to a Massachusetts drug user in exchange for firearms. An analysis of these text messages established that Morales received or brokered the sale/trade of six firearms. Among the firearms obtained by Morales was an AR-15 assault rifle.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Morales to thirty-seven months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. In addition, Judge McElroy ordered Morales to pay a combined total of $55,455 in restitution to the owners of the stolen property and to insurance companies. Additionally, Judge McElroy ordered Morales to pay a $1,000 fine.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Ferland and Ly T. Chin.
An investigation by the Johnston and North Providence Police Departments, joined by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and merged with a parallel investigation by Rhode Island and Connecticut State Police, and the Easton, MA, and the Hampstead, NH, Police Departments, determined that between November 2019 and July 2020, three Bobcat excavators, ten jet skis, four boats, eight all-terrain vehicles, and ten trailers valued at over $700,000 were stolen.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the FBI and ATF for their assistance in investigating Morales’ firearms trading activity.
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Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Rodney Varela, 38, of Columbus, Indiana, was sentenced late yesterday to twenty years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on March 10, 2020, Varela was found to be in possession of approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded pistol while driving his vehicle. After further investigation, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Varela’s residence where agents seized approximately 700 grams of pure methamphetamine and five additional firearms.
Varela has numerous prior felony convictions in California and Indiana and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. He was also on parole at the time of the offense.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Matthew A. Myers, Sheriff of Bartholomew County, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that the defendant be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash who prosecuted this case.
Postal Worker Sentenced for Issuing Money Orders Without Receiving Full PaymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States District Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced SHANNEL SMITH, age 41, of Orleans Parish, Louisiana, to three (3) years of probation for issuing money orders without receiving full payment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The sentencing occurred on April 6, 2022.
According to court documents, beginning in May 2019 and continuing until August 2019, SMITH, being an employee of the Postal Service, for the purpose of fraudulently enabling herself to obtain and receive, directly and indirectly, a sum of money from the United States, issued eight (8) postal money orders with face amounts of $150.00, $110.71, $100.00, $125.00, $80.00, $140.00, $100.00, and $150.00 without having previously received the full amount payable to the United States for these money orders, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 500.
Judge Africk sentenced SMITH to serve three (3) years of probation, to pay $955.74 in restitution, and ordered that she pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by special agents from the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”). The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachal Cassagne.
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Poplar man sentenced to more than three years in prison for stabbing two people on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Poplar man who admitted to stabbing two individuals at a Wolf Point residence on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced today to three years and two months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Dewayne C. Shoots, Jr., 29, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to an indictment charging him with two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 5, 2020, a Wolf Point police officer responded to a report that Shoots had stabbed multiple victims at a residence. The officer saw a victim, identified as John Doe, outside of the residence and bleeding from multiple stab wounds. The second victim, identified as Jane Doe, was lying on the floor inside of the residence and suffering from multiple stab wounds. Both victims identified Shoots as having stabbed them. Both victims suffered serious injuries. Witnesses confirmed they saw Shoots stab both John Doe and Jane Doe. All of the individuals at the scene had been consuming alcohol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy A. Johnson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Wolf Point Police Department and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office.
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Picayune Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Video of Minor Engaging in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune man was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to a victim, for producing a video of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Joshua Christopher Stockstill, 29, enticed a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct with his cell phone camera in Pearl River County in November of 2018. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) became aware of the video and other images. On July 14, 2021, with the assistance of NCMEC, the FBI in Gulfport identified then Picayune Police Sergeant Joshua Christopher Stockstill as the producer of the video.
Stockstill pled guilty on November 30, 2021 to producing a video of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
At sentencing, Stockstill was also ordered to pay a $10,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with the assistance of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Phoenix Man Charged After 150,000 Suspected Fentanyl Pills and Other Drugs Seized from ApartmentRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jesus Osvaldo Aguilar Rosas, 20, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged by criminal complaint with four counts of possession of controlled substances for distribution. Aguilar was arrested on April 5 and had his initial appearance in federal court today.
The complaint alleges four violations of United States law related to Aguilar’s possession and intended distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. It further alleges that, on April 5, 2022, Aguilar was observed participating in a suspected drug transaction in Phoenix, Arizona. United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and Task Force Officers later determined that a bag Aguilar had been carrying contained methamphetamine and blue pills that are suspected to contain fentanyl. Aguilar was also in possession of a handgun. A subsequent search of Aguilar’s apartment led to the seizure of approximately 150,000 blue pills of suspected fentanyl, over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, over three kilograms of cocaine, over one kilogram of powdered fentanyl, approximately one kilogram of heroin, a second firearm, and over $30,000 in cash.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-3103MB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-037_Aguilar# # #
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.Philadelphia Man Sentenced to One Year in Jail for Shining Laser into Police HelicopterRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Raji Yusuf, 36, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to one year in prison and three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine by United States District Judge Michael Baylson for shining a laser pointer into a Philadelphia Police helicopter while it was airborne and for violating the terms of his supervised release.
In December 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge of aiming a laser at an aircraft. The charge stemmed from an incident that occurred in June of that year when two Philadelphia police officers were operating a helicopter as part of a regular nightly patrol. At approximately 9:55 p.m., while in flight in the area of the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, their helicopter was struck multiple times with a high intensity green laser. The laser flashes illuminated the cockpit, causing the officers to temporarily see spots in their vision. After regaining normal vision, the officers pinpointed the source of the laser on the ground in the Roosevelt Mall parking lot. Using the helicopter’s flood light, the officers saw a male wearing a blue shirt and jeans, later identified as the defendant, with the laser pointer. The officers radioed for assistance and Yusuf was taken into local custody by officers on the ground. At the time, Yusuf was on federal supervision for a 2016 conviction for trafficking firearms; accordingly, he was arrested by federal authorities a few days later for violating his supervised release.
“There is a reason that aiming a laser at an aircraft is a federal offense – the consequences for those onboard and anyone in the vicinity could be disastrous,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Let this be a warning to anyone who might consider trying something similar: you could face serious federal prison time as a result.”
“Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft risks the safety of those onboard, as well as people on the ground. If a pilot’s vision is compromised, it could prove disastrous,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Mr. Yusuf made an extraordinarily bad decision — and did so while on federal supervision for his previous offense. This sentence not only holds him appropriately accountable, it shows how seriously we take it when someone uses a laser pointer in such a reckless and risky way.”
“Today’s sentencing shows that there are real consequences for pointing a laser at any aircraft,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Northeastern Region. “DOT-OIG will continue working with our Federal and State law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to vigorously pursue anyone who chooses to compromise the safety of the Nation’s airspace.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wolfe.
Pennsylvania Man Admits Bank Fraud Conspiracy that Operated in South Jersey and Southeastern PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man today admitted to his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted 12 different financial institutions in southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Ahmed Bamidele Ponle, 42, of Darby, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud,.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Ponle was part of a multi-defendant, Nigerian-based, multi-layered criminal organization that engaged in a massive bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020. Members of the group acquired numerous business checks that were stolen from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name. They deposited the checks into bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent U.S. visas that matched the names on the stolen checks. Once the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts, but before the checks had cleared, the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts. Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts opened with fake identity documents to defraud the victim banks. To date, the total loss to the victim banks is approximately $6 million.
Ponle admitted his role in the conspiracy, which included using several false identities to open fraudulent bank accounts. He then made numerous deposits of stolen checks to these accounts and withdrew funds from the accounts.
As part of his plea, Ponle agreed to forfeit his interest in approximately $90,000 worth of money orders which were proceeds of the bank fraud and which were seized from a public storage facility in Philadelphia used by the conspirators to store additional fraudulent identity documents and proceeds of the bank fraud.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 10, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bellmawr office and Philadelphia Division Office, under the direction of Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge, Philadelphia Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington, D.C. Division Office, under the direction of Peter R. Rendina, Washington Division Inspector in Charge; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office and Newark Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia Division Office, under the Direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; Homeland Security Investigations Maryland Division Office, under the direction of James R. Mancuso, Special Agent in Charge, Baltimore; Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island Office, under the direction of Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Boston Division Office; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), under the direction of R. Mike Escott, Resident Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Resident Office, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
Three other conspirators have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing before Judge Hillman. Charges against eight other defendants remain pending before the District Court.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the pending complaints and indictments against the remaining eight conspirators are merely accusations, and the defendants in those cases are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pagans’ Associate Sentenced for Trafficking Cocaine and Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Pittsburgh, has been sentenced in federal court to 57 months imprisonment and six years’ supervised release on his conviction of drug and firearms offenses, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Jason Evans, 45, formerly of the City’s Esplen neighborhood.
According to information presented to the court, Evans was identified as a member of a large-scale drug trafficking operation, responsible for trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The investigation was the result of the efforts of the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to identify the criminal activity, including drug and firearms trafficking, of individuals who are members and/or associates of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club (PMC).
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation began in January of 2020, and beginning in August of 2020 and continuing through November 2020, the FBI conducted a federal Title III investigation, which resulted in the interception of thousands of wire and electronic communications over a total of ten (10) telephones, including telephones operated by co-defendants Bill Rana and Eric Armes, who were PMC members.
Evans, although not a member of the PMC, was a close associate of Rana’s, who was a “fully patched” member of the PMC and Sergeant of Arms for the Pittsburgh Chapter. Evans served as an “enforcer.” Evans accepted responsibility for distributing over 300 grams of cocaine.
Additionally, the Court was advised that on December 8, 2020, law enforcement executed numerous federal arrest and search warrants, in conjunction with the takedown of this investigation. Specifically, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at Evans’ residence on Earl Street and seized approximately 10 ounces of cocaine as well as two firearms, ammunition, magazines, and over $10,000.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations. Other assisting agencies include the Allegheny County Police Department Homicide, Baldwin Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department and West Deer Township Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jason Evans.
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.
Ohio man indicted on fentanyl and gun chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An Ohio man has been indicted on federal drug and gun charges after a traffic stop in Wheeling yielded a large quantity of fentanyl and a pill press used to make counterfeit tablets containing the synthetic opioid.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Christopher W. Thomas, 32, of Thornville, was indicted on Tuesday by a federal grand jury with the possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine as well as the unlawful possession of a firearm.
Thomas was stopped by the West Virginia State Police on March 3, 2022, on Wheeling Island. Arresting officers found 240 grams of suspected fentanyl in his possession, in powder form and in the form of counterfeit Xanax pills. Thomas possessed other items necessary to manufacture pills, including a metal pill press with a hydraulic jack, cutting agents, and a portable mixer.
"Drug traffickers are mass-producing fake pills that contain lethal doses of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Mr. Thomas had a portable laboratory in his car and possessed everything necessary to make his own tablets and then sell them to unsuspecting customers in the Ohio Valley."
Officers also recovered a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, a box of additional ammunition, nearly $5,000 in cash, and 81 grams of methamphetamine.
Thomas is facing up to 20 years of incarceration for each of the drug counts and up to 10 years of on the gun count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police, the Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and ATF investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Providence Man Admits to Wire Fraud, Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A North Providence man who lives and works in Rhode Island today admitted that he filed COVID-relief unemployment applications in at least two other states, collecting more than $20,000 in benefits he was not entitled to receive, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.
Derrick Gadson, 35, pled guilty in federal court to two counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money.
According to information presented to the court, while collecting COVID-relief unemployment benefits in Rhode Island in June 2020, Gadson began filing for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts and Arizona, fraudulently claiming that he worked in both states. Gadson collected a total of $20,727 in federally funded unemployment insurance benefits that he was not entitled to receive.
Gadson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith on July 11, 2022. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case, as well as other instances of criminal activity related to fraudulent applications for pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits are being investigated jointly by the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. Cases are jointly reviewed, charged, and prosecuted by a team of prosecutors that include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton, Stacey P. Veroni, and G. Michael Seaman, and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.
Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at [email protected] or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.
On May 17, 2021, the United States Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID- 19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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North Carolina Man Sentenced to 70 Months’ in Prison for Stealing from a Federal Firearms LicenseeRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of North Carolina has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 70 months’ in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on his conviction of theft from a federal firearms licensee, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on David R. Shahriari, a/k/a ‘David Anderson,” 39, of North Carolina.
In connection with the guilty plea, on August 29, 2011, Shahriari did knowingly steal and unlawfully take, eight firearms from L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop in DuBois, PA, which is a business licensed to deal in firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the DuBois City Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Shahriari.
Navajo man pleads guilty to federal assault and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Michael Shebala, 37, of To'hajiilee, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 5 to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Shebala is currently in custody awaiting sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
Shebala was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 25, 2021. According to the plea agreement, on Feb. 18, 2021, Shebala shot a victim, identified in court records as John Doe 1, in the chest outside a gas station on the Laguna Pueblo. Due to Shebala’s assault, John Doe 1 required emergency and extended medical care for the injuries sustained to his liver.
On March 5, 2021, Shebala shot a second victim, John Doe 2, in the leg and then assaulted him using a baseball bat. Due to the assault, the victim required emergency medical care for the gunshot wound and fractures sustained to his skull, femur and arm. The assault occurred on the Navajo Nation.
Shebala faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Violent Crimes and Gangs Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Laguna Police Department, Navajo Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fredrick T. Mendenhall is prosecuting the case.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Virtual CommemorationRead the Press Release
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) will be observed April 24–30, 2022. NCVRW is an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the hard and dedicated work of victim advocates, as well as to promote victims’ rights and services. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont in partnership with the Center for Crime Victim Services will host a virtual commemoration of NCVRW on April 29, 2022. The themes for NCVRW this year are rights, access, and equity for all victims. These priorities underscore the importance of helping crime survivors by:
• enforcing victims’ rights, • expanding access to services, and
• ensuring equity and inclusion for all.The speakers at this year’s event will focus on the importance of inclusion and equity in all aspects of victim services. The agenda for the event is as follows:
• Welcome: Jennifer Poehlmann, Executive Director, Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services
• Opening Remarks: Nikolas P. Kerest, United States Attorney, District of Vermont
• Introduction of Keynote Speaker: Major Ingrid Jonas (retired) of Vermont State Police
• Keynote Address: Dr. Etan L.J. Nasreddin-Longo, Co-Director, Fair and Impartial Policing and Community Affairs, Vermont State Police, and Equity Advisor, Department of Public Safety, will present “The Perils of Cultural Competency.”
• Raffle: The victim advocates who participate in the day’s events will be eligible for entrance in a raffle full of incredible prizes as a gesture of appreciation for their invaluable work.
• Crime Victim Service Award Ceremony: Victim service professionals will be celebrated for their achievements.To register for this event, click: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqcOyprj8jEtCUtYHRHyfYrnFV-YKTwgCv
For additional information about this year’s NCVRW event please contact [email protected].
More charges filed in HISD corruption probeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The former chief operating officer of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) is facing new tax charges in relation to a bribery scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal grand jury returned the 33-count superseding indictment against Brian Busby, 43, and HISD contract vendor Anthony Hutchison, 61, this morning. They are expected to make their appearances before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
Both were originally charged Dec. 14, 2021, alleging they conspired to engage in a bribery scheme. Busby allegedly helped award HISD construction and grounds maintenance contracts to Hutchison in return for cash bribes and hundreds of thousands of dollars in home remodeling. The new charges allege they filed false tax returns that underreported their income – income related to the scheme. Hutchison also overstated cost of goods sold on his returns.
Specifically, Hutchison obtained cash he used to pay bribes to HISD officials by writing company checks to vendors, who cashed the checks and provided the cash to Hutchison. Hutchison falsely stated on the memo line of the checks that they were in payment for work that had been performed on HISD properties. He then caused the checks to be improperly deducted on corporate tax returns as business expenses.
Hutchison also caused his gambling losses to be improperly deducted on corporate tax returns as alleged business expenses his companies incurred on HISD construction or landscaping projects.
Busby concealed his involvement in the bribery scheme by making cash deposits of bribe proceeds into multiple bank accounts and by filing false tax returns that failed to declare the cash bribes and other benefits as income.
To date, five others have pleaded guilty in relation to the scheme - Rhonda Skillern-Jones (former HISD Board of Education president), 39, Houston; Derrick Sanders (officer of construction services), 50, Alfred Hoskins, (general manager of facilities, maintenance and operations), 58, Gerron Hall (area manager for maintenance - south), 48, all of Missouri City; and Luis Tovar (area manager for maintenance - north), 39, Huffman.
As part of their pleas, Hoskins, Sanders, Hall, Tovar and Skillern-Jones admitted to conspiring with Busby and Hutchison to accept Hutchison’s bribes for helping to award, or not interfering in the award of, HISD contracts to Hutchison.
Once Busby and Hutchison learned of the federal criminal probe, they took steps to interfere in the investigation, according to the charges.
Busby and Hutchison are charged with conspiracy, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and witness tampering. Hutchison is further charged with wire fraud. If convicted, they face up to five, 10 and 20 years, respectively, for the conspiracy, bribery and witness tampering charges. Hutchison also faces up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud. The charges added today add possible 3-year-prison terms for each of the tax charges, upon conviction.
All of the charges also carry a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
The FBI and the IRS - Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Robert S. Johnson is prosecuting the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling forfeiture matters.
Busby and Hutchison are presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
The FBI requests any information the public may have about this scheme or other public corruption crimes affecting the greater Houston community and surrounding areas. Anyone with such information may report it at [email protected] or may submit the information anonymously by phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at Tips.FBI.gov.
Monmouth County Man Admits Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Accounts Receivable Factoring SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man today admitted defrauding lenders of approximately $50 million dollars in connection with an invoice factoring scheme perpetrated over nearly a decade, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Vincent Galano, 59, of Oceanport, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Accounts receivable factoring (factoring), also known as invoice financing, is a financial transaction through which a company obtains cash by selling its unpaid invoices, ordinarily at a discount, to a factor. Factoring clients send their debtors notices of assignment naming the factor as the assignee of the debt owed on the invoices. The factor, in turn, collects invoiced amounts owed by the clients’ debtors and, upon collection of the entire invoiced amount, pays its clients the balance of the invoice, deducting the factor’s fees.
Galano formed Prime Financial Funding LLC (PF Funding) in 1996 for the purpose of factoring accounts receivables for various corporate clients. In 2007, PF Funding entered into a secured lending relationship with a single-purpose entity created to finance PF Funding’s factoring business. Shortly thereafter, the factoring lender established a line of credit as a means to provide PF Funding capital to grow its receivables portfolio. Over the next several years, PF Funding grew its factoring business by drawing from the line of credit while maintaining as current its loan obligations to the factoring lender. However, beginning in 2011, Galano, through PF Funding, purchased increasingly greater numbers of invoices for which he was unable to collect the debt owed on the receivables. To justify PF Funding’s continued draws from the line of credit, Galano concealed this bad debt from the factoring lender by misrepresenting the bad invoices as collectible on reports he routinely provided to the factoring lender. In other instances, Galano mischaracterized invoices that had already been paid and collected as outstanding and capable of being factored, in essence double-counting to drive up the outstanding receivables. In the reports provided to the factoring lender, Galano manipulated the overall value of PF Funding’s portfolio of outstanding invoices in an amount proportional to the funds he needed to draw from the unsecured line of credit to maintain as current the principal and interest payments on his outstanding loans.
Engaging in this pattern of misrepresentation over nearly a decade, by 2020 PF Funding had ultimately defaulted under its loan obligations, owing approximately $50 million to its lenders by virtue of the scheme. During a May 2020 telephone call with his lenders, Galano admitted that he had concealed significant losses suffered by PF Funding over many years. He further admitted that he had routinely distributed to lenders over that prolonged period fabricated reports that overstated the number and value of outstanding invoices which the reports represented as payable.
The wire fraud charge to which Galano pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain/loss from the scheme, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Miller Woman Sentenced for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Miller, South Dakota, woman convicted of Money Laundering was sentenced on April 4, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Marietta Ravnaas, age 52, was sentenced to two years of probation, restitution in the amount of $8,200 to Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Unemployment Assistance, and restitution in the amount of $12,100 to Washington State, Employment Security Department, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Ravnaas was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 3, 2021. She pled guilty on January 6, 2022.
The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning on or about May 20, 2020, and continuing through November 18, 2020, when Ravnaas knowingly participated in a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act unemployment benefits.
On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was enacted. It authorized approximately $2 trillion in aid to American workers, families, and businesses to mitigate the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act funded and authorized each state to administer new unemployment benefits. CARES Act unemployment benefits are funded by the U.S. government through the Department of Labor and administered at the state level by state agencies known as state workforce agencies.
As part of the scheme and artifice, other participants in the scheme unlawfully obtained, possessed, and shared with one another the personal identifying information (PII) of various individuals. The PII was used to falsely and fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits from various states.
On multiple occasions during the relevant time period, Ravnaas knowingly allowed the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits payments to be deposited into her bank account. Ravnaas also transferred the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits payments at the direction of other participants in the scheme. Ravnaas frequently transferred the funds to other participants using WorldRemit, an international money transfer service. Ravnaas kept some of the funds as well to use for her own purposes.
Ravnaas received items in the mail that pertained to fraudulent unemployment benefits, including a fraudulent check from the State of New York and a fraudulently obtained debit card from the State of Michigan.
Ravnaas also knowingly conducted multiple financial transactions that affected interstate and foreign commerce and that involved the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme, as described above. Ravnaas conducted financial transactions using WorldRemit, knowing that the financial transactions were designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme. Ravnaas knew that the money involved in these financial transactions represented the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme. This includes a WorldRemit transaction on or about May 28, 2020, in the amount of $400.99 from Ravnaas to an individual in Accra, Ghana.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Charleston from July 2020 to February 2021.
According to court documents, Myreo Dixon, 34, of Detroit, was sending multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine to Maylik Watson for distribution in Charleston. Dixon used Kassie McNeeley to drive the methamphetamine from Detroit to Watson in Charleston, and then to return the cash back to Dixon in Detroit.
One of these deliveries occurred on Jan. 9, 2021, when McNeeley brought Watson 8 pounds of methamphetamine from Dixon and received $31,500 from Watson to take back to Dixon. Law enforcement officers stopped McNeeley’s vehicle after she left Watson’s house, and located $31,500 in drug proceeds.
Dixon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The long-term investigation, dubbed the “Woo Boyz,” was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police. The Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) provided critical support to the investigative agencies.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman is handling the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Smuggling Humans Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
EL PASO – On Monday, a Mexican national was sentenced to 72 months in prison for his role in a human smuggling organization.
According to court documents, Israel Ulloa-Osorio, 27, was an active member and key foot guide for a complex human smuggling organization that guides groups of undocumented noncitizens for several days through the West Texas desert to pick-up locations on I-10.
According to witnesses, on May 15, 2020, Ulloa was illegally guiding a group of migrants from Mexico through the rugged terrain when an individual struggled to keep up and eventually died in the desert. The deceased man was traveling with his son who turned himself in to Border Patrol. On June 2, 2021, Ulloa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring in aliens into the U.S. resulting in death, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324.
“Human smuggling along the Southwest Border is dangerous and often deadly,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to vigorously enforcing human smuggling laws and thanks its partners—particularly Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who led the investigation along with Border Patrol and the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office who provided invaluable assistance.”
“This sentence underscores Homeland Security Investigations’ relentless efforts to identify transnational criminal organizations that make a profit from smuggling noncitizens into the United States with total disregard for people who may end up paying the ultimate price,” said Frank B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “HSI is committed to ensuring that those who prey on the innocent face justice.”
HSI and Border Patrol, along with the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Spencer D. Kiggins prosecuted the case.
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Meridian Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Meridian, Miss. – A Meridian man was sentenced to 270 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, on December 20, 2019, FBI agents intercepted communications of Carnell Denman, 43, and a co-defendant discussing the purchase of methamphetamine. As planned, surveillance observed Denman arrive at the buy location and ultimately leave the location after a short visit. Denman subsequently was involved in a traffic stop revealing his possession of 325.20 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, a semi-automatic pistol and four loaded pistol magazines.
Denman pled guilty on December 22, 2021, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson area. “Hailstorm” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Member of hacking group sentenced for scheme that compromised tens of millions of debit and credit cardsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Ukrainian man was sentenced today in the Western District of Washington to 5 years in prison for his criminal work in the hacking group FIN7. Denys Iarmak, 32, served as a high-level hacker, whom the group referred to as a “pen tester,” for FIN7. He was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2019 at the request of U.S. law enforcement. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez noted that Iarmak had been in custody during both the COVID pandemic and now the war in Ukraine. “There is some irony, that the nation you were plundering is now leading an international effort to protect your country, your people, your family.”
Iarmak is the third FIN7 member of the group to be sentenced in the United States. On April 16, 2021, FIN7 member Fedir Hladyr was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On June 24, 2021, FIN7 member Andrii Kolpakov was sentenced to seven years in custody.
In the United States alone, FIN7 successfully breached the computer networks of businesses in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, stealing more than 20 million customer card records from over 6,500 individual point-of-sale terminals at more than 3,600 separate business locations. According to court documents, victims incurred enormous costs that, according to some estimates, exceeded $1 billion dollars. Additional intrusions occurred abroad, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France. Companies that have publicly disclosed hacks attributable to FIN7 include such chains as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chili’s, Arby’s, Red Robin, and Jason’s Deli.
“Iarmak and his conspirators compromised millions of financial accounts, causing over a billion dollars in losses to Americans and costs to America’s economy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Protecting businesses – both large and small – online is a top priority for the Department of Justice. We are committed to working with our international partners to hold such cyber criminals accountable, no matter where they live or how anonymous they think they are.”
“Mr. Iarmak was directly involved in designing phishing emails embedded with malware, intruding on victim networks, and extracting data such as payment card information,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Brown of the Western District of Washington. “To make matters worse, he continued his work with the FIN7 criminal enterprise even after the arrests and prosecution of co-conspirators. He and others in this cybercrime group used hacking techniques to essentially rob thousands of locations of multiple restaurant chains at once, from the comfort and safety of their keyboards in distant countries.”
“This cyber-criminal probed and mapped victims’ networks searching for data to exploit,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald M. Voiret of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “Masquerading as a legitimate business, the hacking group he belonged to recruited other members to assist with their criminal activities. Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement, this defendant, who is responsible for an enormous loss amount, will be spending the next few years in prison.”
According to court documents, since at least 2015, members of FIN7 (also referred to as Carbanak Group and the Navigator Group, among other names) engaged in a highly sophisticated malware campaign to attack hundreds of U.S. companies, predominantly in the restaurant, gambling, and hospitality industries. FIN7 hacked into thousands of computer systems and stole millions of customer credit and debit card numbers that were then used or sold for profit. FIN7, through its dozens of members, launched waves of malicious cyberattacks on numerous businesses operating in the United States and abroad. To execute its scheme, FIN7 carefully crafted email messages that would appear legitimate to a business’ employees and accompanied emails with telephone calls intended to further legitimize the emails. Once a file attached to a fraudulent email was opened and activated, FIN7 would use an adapted version of the Carbanak malware, in addition to an arsenal of other tools, to access and steal payment card data for the business’s customers. Since 2015, many of the stolen payment card numbers have been offered for sale through online underground marketplaces.
Iarmak was involved with FIN7 from approximately November 2016 through November 2018. Iarmak frequently used project management software such as JIRA, hosted on private virtual servers in various countries, to coordinate FIN7 malicious activity and to manage the assorted network intrusions. JIRA is a project management and issue-tracking program used by software development teams. JIRA allows team members to create “projects” containing posted “issues” under which other team members can make comments and share data. Under each issue, FIN7 members tracked their progress breaching a victim’s security, uploaded data stolen from the victim, and provided guidance to each other. As one example, Iarmak created a JIRA issue, to which he and other members of the cybergroup had access, for a specific victim company, and, on or about March 3, 2017, Iarmak updated that JIRA and uploaded data he had stolen from that company. During the course of the scheme, Iarmak received compensation for his participation in FIN7, which far exceeded comparable legitimate employment in Ukraine. Moreover, FIN7 members, including Iarmak, were aware of reported arrests of other FIN7 members, but nevertheless continued to attack U.S. businesses.
Iarmak initially fought extradition but in February 2020 he consented to extradition in a Thai court. In May 2020 he was transferred to U.S. custody. In November 2021, Iarmak pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit computer hacking.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Seattle Cyber Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance, numerous computer security firms and financial institutions, FBI offices across the nation and globe, as well as a number of international agencies provided significant assistance. Thailand law enforcement authorities provided significant assistance by arresting Iarmak.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Masada of the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Anthony Teelucksingh of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
Member of Hacking Group Sentenced for Scheme that Compromised Tens of Millions of Debit and Credit CardsRead the Press Release
A Ukrainian man was sentenced today in the Western District of Washington to five years in prison for his criminal work in the hacking group FIN7.
According to court documents, Denys Iarmak, 32, served as a high-level hacker, whom the group referred to as a “pen tester,” for FIN7. He was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2019 at the request of U.S. law enforcement. Iarmak is the third member of the FIN7 group to be sentenced in the United States. On April 16, 2021, FIN7 member Fedir Hladyr was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On June 24, 2021, FIN7 member Andrii Kolpakov was sentenced to seven years in prison.
In the United States alone, FIN7 successfully breached the computer networks of businesses in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, stealing more than 20 million customer card records from over 6,500 individual point-of-sale terminals at more than 3,600 separate business locations. According to court documents, victims incurred enormous costs that, according to some estimates, exceeded $1 billion dollars. Additional intrusions occurred abroad, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France. Companies that have publicly disclosed hacks attributable to FIN7 include such chains as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chili’s, Arby’s, Red Robin, and Jason’s Deli.
“Iarmak and his conspirators compromised millions of financial accounts, causing over a billion dollars in losses to Americans and costs to America’s economy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Protecting businesses – both large and small – online is a top priority for the Department of Justice. We are committed to working with our international partners to hold such cyber criminals accountable, no matter where they live or how anonymous they think they are.”
“Iarmak was directly involved in designing phishing emails embedded with malware, intruding on victim networks, and extracting data such as payment card information,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Brown of the Western District of Washington. “To make matters worse, he continued his work with the FIN7 criminal enterprise even after the arrests and prosecution of co-conspirators. He and others in this cybercrime group used hacking techniques to essentially rob thousands of locations of multiple restaurant chains at once, from the comfort and safety of their keyboards in distant countries.”
“This cyber-criminal probed and mapped victims networks searching for data to exploit,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald M. Voiret of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “Masquerading as a legitimate business, the hacking group he belonged to recruited other members to assist with their criminal activities. Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement, this defendant, who is responsible for an enormous loss amount, will be spending the next few years in prison.”
According to court documents, since at least 2015, members of FIN7 (also referred to as Carbanak Group and the Navigator Group, among other names) engaged in a highly sophisticated malware campaign to attack hundreds of U.S. companies, predominantly in the restaurant, gambling, and hospitality industries. FIN7 hacked into thousands of computer systems and stole millions of customer credit and debit card numbers that were then used or sold for profit. FIN7, through its dozens of members, launched waves of malicious cyberattacks on numerous businesses operating in the United States and abroad. To execute its scheme, FIN7 carefully crafted email messages that would appear legitimate to a business’ employees and accompanied emails with telephone calls intended to further legitimize the emails. Once a file attached to a fraudulent email was opened and activated, FIN7 would use an adapted version of the Carbanak malware, in addition to an arsenal of other tools, to access and steal payment card data for the business’s customers. Since 2015, many of the stolen payment card numbers have been offered for sale through online underground marketplaces.
Iarmak was involved with FIN7 from approximately November 2016 through November 2018. Iarmak frequently used project management software such as JIRA, hosted on private virtual servers in various countries, to coordinate FIN7 malicious activity and to manage the assorted network intrusions. JIRA is a project management and issue-tracking program used by software development teams. JIRA allows team members to create “projects” containing posted “issues” under which other team members can make comments and share data. Under each issue, FIN7 members tracked their progress breaching a victim’s security, uploaded data stolen from the victim, and provided guidance to each other. As one example, Iarmak created a JIRA issue, to which he and other members of the cybergroup had access, for a specific victim company, and, on or about March 3, 2017, Iarmak updated that JIRA and uploaded data he had stolen from that company. During the course of the scheme, Iarmak received compensation for his participation in FIN7, which far exceeded comparable legitimate employment in Ukraine. Moreover, FIN7 members, including Iarmak, were aware of reported arrests of other FIN7 members, but nevertheless continued to attack U.S. businesses.
Iarmak initially fought extradition but in February 2020 he consented to extradition in a Thai court. In May 2020 he was transferred to U.S. custody. In November 2021, Iarmak pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit computer hacking.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Seattle Cyber Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance, numerous computer security firms and financial institutions, FBI offices across the nation and globe, as well as a number of international agencies provided significant assistance. Thailand law enforcement authorities provided significant assistance by arresting Iarmak.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Masada of the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Anthony Teelucksingh of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
Medfield Man Sentenced for BEC and Romance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Medfield man was sentenced today in connection with an international business email compromise (BEC) scheme that defrauded companies of almost $900,000 and a romance fraud scheme that defrauded victims of at least $7,000.
Paul M. Iwuanyanwu, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On Oct. 27, 2021, Iwuanyanwu pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and unlawful monetary transactions. The government also seized over $800,000 in connection with the BEC scheme that the Court ordered forfeited
Iwuanyanwu participated in a BEC scheme that breached the email systems of companies and installed unauthorized computer programs that diverted company emails to accounts controlled by Iwuanyanwu and his co-conspirators. As a result, all emails sent by or to the companies were first routed through the conspiracy’s email accounts, where co-conspirators could view and respond to the messages as if they were representatives of the companies. Iwuanyanwu and others used this unauthorized access to cause the companies to redirect more than $850,000 in payments intended for legitimate business operations to bank accounts he and others controlled.
With respect to romance fraud, Iwuanyanwu participated in a scheme to use fraudulent online relationships to deceive victims and to persuade them to send money to Iwuanyanwu and others, or to receive money on Iwuanyanwu and other’s behalf. Victims wired at least $6,000 to accounts controlled by Iwuanyanwu and others and sent at least $1,000 via money orders to Iwuanyanwu.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Carol Head, Chief of Rollins’ Assert Recovery Unit prosecuted the case.
McAllen woman pleads guilty to exporting pistols to MexicoRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 33-year-old McAllen resident has admitted to illegally exporting firearms and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Brenda Belinda Barba entered a guilty plea to attempting to unlawfully exporting a Glock 9mm pistol, Glock .22 caliber pistol, four Glock pistol magazines and 550 rounds of various caliber ammunition.
On Nov. 29, 2021, Barba attempted to exit the United States at the Anzalduas Port of Entry. At that time, she told law enforcement she had nothing to declare, to include firearms and ammunition.
However, upon inspection of the vehicle, authorities discovered two pistols, magazines and ammunition concealed in her handbag. She admitted she had purchased the firearms at an Academy Sports and Outdoors store and was planning to take them to her family’s ranch in Mexico.
Barba was not a licensed gun exporter and did not have permission to export the guns to Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez will impose sentencing July 18. At that time, Barba faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Marshall County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Edward Lee Nelson, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Nelson, 29, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.” Nelson, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, admitted to having 20 cartridges of ammunition in November 2020 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm & Explosives and the Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Marshall County man admits to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Marcus Anthony Long, of Benwood, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Long, also known as “Tony,” 59, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Long admitted to selling cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in October 2021 in Ohio County.
Long faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shawn Lamont Lane, 33, of Charleston, was arrested in March 2021 while in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine and a Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 9mm pistol. Lane also admitted that he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Charleston in July 2021.
Lane is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2022, and faces up to 20 years in prison for the drug offense and a consecutive sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison for the firearm offense.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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. 2:21-cr-00227.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Delaware County Murder and AssaultRead the Press Release
A Jay man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court for shooting and killing his mother and wounding a second victim, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christopher Weeley, 42, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country and assault with intent to commit murder in Indian Country.
Weeley admitted that on March 6, 2021, he killed his mother, Annie Marie Weeley, by shooting her in the chest. He also admitted to shooting a second family member two times during the domestic violence incident.
“Christopher Weeley’s acts of deadly violence forever changed a Delaware County family,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My thoughts are with the surviving victim as she struggles to recover from the shooting and with the entire family as this case moves through the justice system. I encourage any family experiencing violence to seek assistance from law enforcement and victim service agencies who can help provide critical safety information and resources.”
“The unfathomable assaults of the Weeley family members is nothing a household should ever experience,” said Ed Gray, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Oklahoma City Field Office. “We hope they find solace in knowing this heinous crime will not go unpunished and the FBI, in collaboration with its partners, will continue to work relentlessly in pursuit of maintaining safety and order with our communities.”
On March 6, 2021, a Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a home in Jay. While en route, he received a radio call advising him there was a report of shots fired at the home with two possible victims. When he arrived at 11:17 pm, he found Annie Marie Weeley wounded and unresponsive on the floor and a second family member on the couch with gunshot wounds to her stomach and lower back.
The two victims were transported to the hospital, where the mother was pronounced dead. The second victim underwent emergency surgery.
Christopher Weeley was located approximately one hour later exiting a black sedan. Weeley refused to obey deputies’ commands and resisted arrest. He was ultimately subdued and taken into custody. During a law enforcement interview, Weeley told investigators the location where he discarded the .22 caliber revolver used in the incident, and deputies retrieved the firearm.
The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced family violence, you are not alone, and there are services available to help. The following agencies provide 24/7 phone lines to victims in northeastern Oklahoma:
- Cherokee Nation One Fire, located in Tahlequah:24 hour line 918-772-4260.
-Muscogee Nation Family Violence Prevention Program, located in Okmulgee and other satellite offices: 24-hour line 918- 732-7979
-The Delaware Tribe of Indians Family and Children, located in Bartlesville: 24-Hour line: 918-331-7349
All three of the above agencies assist Indian and non-Indian victims.
-Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) located in Tulsa: 24-hour line 918.7HELP.ME (918.743.5763).
-Tulsa’s Family Safety Center also provides assistance and resources to domestic violence victims Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm: (918) 742-7480. (this is NOT a 24 hour number).
-Victims may also seek information and assistance at the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-SAFE (7233); National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a resources page on the Office on Violence Against Women’s website. The page includes contact information for state domestic violence coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services.
For emergency services, call 911.
Madison Felon Sentenced to 12 Months for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Timme Baker, 42, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 12 months and one day in federal prison for possessing ammunition as felon. This prison term will be followed by 2 years of supervised release.
On March 15, 2021, Baker went to an indoor shooting range in Deerfield, Wisconsin where he rented a shooting lane. Baker presented his real identification to the shooting range employee and signed a waiver indicating that he agreed to follow any state and federal laws while at the range. Video footage from the shooting range showed Baker handling ammunition, loading a firearm, and firing several rounds.
Baker is a nine-time convicted felon and has been federally prohibited from possessing ammunition and firearms since 1997. He has twice been convicted for illegally possessing a firearm as felon under Wisconsin law. At the time of this offense, Baker was on state bail in connection to unrelated charges of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and resisting an officer.
In sentencing Baker, Judge Conley noted that Baker’s was “outrageous and incredibly stupid” given his long-standing prohibition against possessing firearms and ammunition. Judge Conley stated he felt responsible to impose a custodial sentence in light of Baker’s thoughtless conduct, which was “evidence he had learned little to nothing” from his past experiences.
The charge against Baker was a result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor L. Kraus.
Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Interference with Flight Attendant on Flight Diverted to Oklahoma CityRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, ARIEL JAMES PENNINGTON, 35, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty to interference with a flight attendant, announced Robert J. Troester, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On January 18, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Pennington for offenses he committed while traveling on a flight from Arlington, Virginia, to Los Angeles, California. The incident occurred on board a Delta flight on December 9, 2021. Count 1 alleged that Pennington assaulted and intimidated a flight attendant, thereby interfering with the flight attendant’s ability to perform their duties. Count 2 alleged that Pennington assaulted a Federal Air Marshal on the same flight. Yesterday, Pennington pleaded guilty to Count 1 before U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman.
At sentencing, Pennington will face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. As part of a plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss at sentencing Count 2 of the indictment. A sentencing date will be set by the court in approximately 90 days. This case was charged in the Western District of Oklahoma because the flight was diverted to and landed at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley L. Altshuler and Lori Hines.
Liberian Man Charged with Hindering RemovalRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 6, 2022, Emmanuel Tenneh, age 29, was indicted by a federal grand jury for hindering removal.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Tenneh is a removable alien, with a valid order of removal outstanding who knowingly took steps to prevent his own removal by failing to participate in an interview with his home country of Liberia and failing to execute documents as is necessary to effectuate his removal from the United States.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson.
Tenneh faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Lewisville, Texas Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN- William Hill, Jr., 35, of Lewisville, Texas, has been sentenced to 272 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Joseph C. Murphy Jr., United States Attorney, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, James Elmer Sneed was a drug dealer who sold methamphetamine to individuals in Texas, Arkansas, and West Tennessee. Sneed previously sold methamphetamine to a female in Jackson, Tennessee. In January 2018, while traveling from Arkansas to Georgia, Sneed stopped in Jackson to meet with the female and sell her methamphetamine. After his arrival, Sneed was contacted by his co-defendant, William Hill, Jr., who is also a known narcotics distributor. Hill decided to travel to Jackson so that Sneed could arrange a meeting between Hill and the female subject for Hill to sell her drugs.
On January 4, 2018, Sneed rented a hotel room at the Country Inn & Suites in Jackson. After Hill arrived in Jackson, Sneed set up a meeting between Hill and the female subject. Sneed then left Jackson and let Hill use the hotel room for the purposes of storing and selling narcotics to the female and others.
On January 6, 2018, officers with the Jackson Police Department (JPD) were called to the Country Inn and Suites to assist management with the removal of the occupants from Sneed’s room. Management reported heavy foot traffic coming to and from the room, and the odor of marijuana outside the room. In addition, the occupants refused housekeeping service for several days, which was against hotel policy.
After officers entered the room, they observed a meth pipe on the bed and narcotics and money in an open safe. Hill and his girlfriend were removed from the room and Hill was found in possession of the key to the safe. Later that day, members of JPD Metro Narcotics Unit obtained and executed a search warrant for the room. A search of the room revealed over 400 grams of crystal methamphetamine ("ice") in the safe, three sets of digital scales, five meth pipes, cutting agent, and $2,530 in cash.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratory tested the methamphetamine and confirmed that the net weight of the substance was 410 grams, and that the purity level was 84%.
On November 9, 2021, after a two-day jury trial, Hill was found guilty of conspiring with Sneed and others to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.
On April 5, 2022, Chief United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Hill to 272 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. On February 25, 2022, Sneed was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Matt Wilson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Lawrence Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking charges involving fentanyl.
Fabio Yunior Moreta Borge, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 57 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On Oct. 7, 2021, Moreta Borge pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Over several months in 2019 and 2020, Moreta Borge sold fentanyl to a cooperating witness. On each occasion, the cooperating witness ordered bulk quantities of fentanyl from Moreta Borge in recorded phone calls. Moreta Borge then met with the cooperating witness in various locations around Lawrence to complete the deals. In total, Moreta Borge distributed over 800 grams of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Las Cruces man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Armando Abel Gonzalez, 40, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court today to 20 years in prison for production of child pornography. Gonzalez pleaded guilty on March 17, 2020.
According to court records, on Sept. 9, 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a cyber tip from the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office that had been received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
In his plea agreement, Gonzalez admitted that on June 3, 2019, he used Facebook to chat with Clarissa Chavez, 31, of Las Cruces, and that he produced and sent pornographic video of a 10-year-old victim to Chavez.
On Sept. 3, 2020, Chavez pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. In her plea agreement, Chavez admitted to using Facebook to chat with Gonzalez and that on June 10, 2019, she received a video from Gonzalez depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with an adult. On Jan. 12, 2021, Chavez was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison.
Upon their release from prison, Gonzalez and Chavez will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as sex offenders.
HSI investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Kentucky Man Indicted for Shooting at and Attempting to Kill a Political CandidateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal court in Louisville, Kentucky, unsealed an indictment today charging a Louisville man for interfering with a federally protected right, and using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence by shooting at and attempting to kill a candidate for elective office.
According to court documents, Quintez O. Brown, 21, of Louisville, discharged a firearm in an attempt to interfere with victim C.G.’s mayoral campaign in Louisville and to intimidate C.G. from campaigning as a candidate for mayor in the Louisville primary election.
The defendant made an initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The initial appearance will continue tomorrow. If convicted of all charges, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department as part of FBI Louisville’s Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kentucky Man Indicted for Shooting at and Attempting to Kill a Political CandidateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal court in Louisville, Kentucky, unsealed an indictment today charging a Louisville man for interfering with a federally protected right, and using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence by shooting at and attempting to kill a candidate for elective office.
According to court documents, Quintez O. Brown, 21, of Louisville, discharged a firearm in an attempt to interfere with victim C.G.’s mayoral campaign in Louisville and to intimidate C.G. from campaigning as a candidate for mayor in the Louisville primary election.
The defendant made an initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The initial appearance will continue tomorrow. If convicted of all charges, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department as part of FBI Louisville’s Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kenner Man Sentenced to 87 Months Imprisonment After Pleading Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHRISTOPHER KINZY, age 40, of Kenner, was sentenced on April 5, 2022 by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
According to court documents, KINZY possessed a Glock Model 34, 9x19mm caliber firearm on or about January 25, 2021.
Judge Guidry sentenced KINZY to a term of imprisonment of 87 months followed by three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kenner Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is in charge of the prosecution.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and information presented in court, Kevin Maurice Crider, 52, fired a round from a .45-caliber handgun into the ground during a June 8, 2020 dispute with a neighbor in the Marmet area of Kanawha County. Crider admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of his 2005 felony conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for attempted prescription fraud.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Marmet Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00125.
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Justice Department Secures Permanent Injunction Against Georgia Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, has permanently enjoined two tax return preparers doing business in Lawrenceville, Georgia, from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
According to the court’s April 5 order, Ramon Maduro and Blanca Dalila Elvir Alvarenga, individually and doing business as Maduro Tax Services Corp. and Maduro Global Service Firm Inc., prepared and filed numerous false tax returns that understated the tax their customers owe and improperly claimed tax refunds to which they were not entitled. The court found that defendants (1) misidentified the person preparing tax returns; (2) manipulated head of household filing status selections; (3) claimed ineligible dependents on tax returns to manipulate filing statuses, generate false Child Tax Credits and Additional Child Tax Credits and produce artificially inflated Earned Income Tax Credits; (4) included false information on Schedule C of Forms 1040; (5) manipulated income to generate false or inflated credits; and (6) misrepresented their due diligence efforts to determine customer eligibility for the credits they claimed. The court further found that the defendants engaged in this conduct on a continued and repeated basis and absent an injunction, the United States is highly likely to face irreparable injury as a result of this ongoing practice.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2022.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $73,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Jury Finds Sacramento Felon Guilty of Possessing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury found Dezmaighne McClain, 31, of Sacramento, guilty on Wednesday of three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, McClain, while on felony parole, sold a firearm to an individual on July 15, 2019, soon after meeting the person at the parole office. McClain sold the same individual another firearm on July 30, 2019, and continued to discuss potential firearms sales after that date. Evidence at trial showed that McClain also sold guns to others while on parole. McClain is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his prior felony convictions, which include robbery, assault, and illegal possession of a firearm. During a search of McClain’s residence, agents found more firearms, ammunition, and an assault rifle style “ghost” gun hidden in the garage.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michele Beckwith and Audrey Hemesath are prosecuting the case.
McClain is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on July 11, 2022. McClain faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case 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.
Jury Convicts University of Kansas Researcher for Hiding Ties to Chinese GovernmentRead the Press Release
A former University of Kansas (KU) professor was today convicted by a federal jury on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements after he deliberately concealed that he was also employed by a government-affiliated university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), while working on U.S. government funded research at KU.
Feng Tao, aka Franklin Tao, 50, of Lawrence, Kansas, worked as a full-time professor at KU. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2018, Tao accepted a position with Fuzhou University in China that designated him as a Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor. The position’s guidelines required him to be a full-time employee of Fuzhou University.
The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) required faculty to file annual reports to notify of any outside employment that did or could impact duties as a conflict of interest. Tao didn’t seek permission from KU before entering the agreement with Fuzhou University, didn’t notify KU about the employment, and lied to conceal the employment. In December 2018, the defendant moved to China to work full-time at Fuzhou University, while falsely telling KU administrators that he was in Europe.
As a KU faculty member, Tao conducted research under contracts between the KU and two U.S. government agencies, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Tao caused KU to submit to DOE and NSF hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursement requests for expenditures associated with the grants. Tao repeatedly certified electronic documents indicating he read and understood the federal government and KU’s policies and that he had made all necessary disclosures.
Tao faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 for wire fraud, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the program fraud counts.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section (CES) are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Deputy Chief Benjamin Hawk of CES.
Jamaican Police Officer Used Her Body to Smuggle over 1,000 Grams of Cocaine from Jamaica to South FloridaRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A police officer from Jamaica has pled guilty in federal district court in Fort Lauderdale to importing cocaine into the United States.
As part of her guilty plea, 42-year-old Shelian Cherine Allen, a Jamaican citizen, admitted the following: On February 3, Allen arrived at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica. An inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revealed that Allen had a package of cocaine inside her vagina and a package of cocaine inside each of her bra cups. Allen also had 90 pellets of packaged cocaine inside her stomach, which she had swallowed. CBP officers took Allen to a local hospital, where she expelled the 90 pellets. In total, Allen had over 1,000 grams of cocaine on or inside her body when she entered the United States: about 200 in her vagina, about 143 grams in her bra, and about 690 grams inside her stomach.
At the time of her arrest, Allen was a law enforcement officer employed by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II will sentence Allen on June 15, at 1:30p.m., in federal district court in Fort Lauderdale. Allen faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony Salisbury, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case. CBP assisted in the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney William T. Shockley is prosecuting it.
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 22-cr-60024.
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Illinois Man Admits Stealing Unemployment Insurance Benefits while IncarceratedRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Illinois man today admitted that he used other individuals’ personal identification information to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits while he was incarcerated, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Devontae Stokes, 27, of Country Club Hills, Illinois, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provided unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who were not eligible for other types of unemployment (e.g., the self-employed, independent contractors, gig economy workers). The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (FPUC) that provided an additional weekly benefit to those eligible for PUA and regular unemployment insurance benefits.
Between August 2020 and November 2020, Stokes was incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix, a federal correctional institutional with an adjacent satellite camp located in Fort Dix, New Jersey. Stokes and his conspirators obtained personal identification information (PII), including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers belonging to other individuals without those individuals’ knowledge and consent. Stokes and his conspirators then used the PII to make fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits applications and obtained more than $140,000 in benefits.
The charge of conspiring to commit wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Stokes or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 23, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, in New York; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., in Newark; and special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Idaho Falls Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – An Idaho Falls man was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of firearm.
According to court records, on July 15, 2020, officers with the Idaho Falls Police Department were conducting a follow up investigation on an unrelated theft case when they encountered Joshua Nathan Kelly, 39, at a residence near downtown Idaho Falls. Kelly fled the area when law enforcement attempted to contact him. He left behind a backpack that contained two stolen firearms and 20 grams of methamphetamine. Kelly was apprehended by law enforcement later the same day. Kelly has previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye, who sentenced Kelly, took into account that the firearms Kelly possessed were stolen and that Kelly also possessed methamphetamine in connection with possession of the firearms. Judge Nye also ordered Kelly to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his more than six and a half years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Idaho Falls Police Department, which led to charges.
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.
The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.
This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 185 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 21 have been indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 8,062 months (approximately 672 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 53.4 months (4.45 years). Defendants indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm serve, on average, approximately 40.5 months (3.4 years) in federal prison.
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