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6 April 2022
Former South Florida Police Officer Guilty of Attempting to Sexually Exploit ChildRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A former police officer with the Sewall’s Point, Florida Police Department has pled guilty in Ft. Pierce federal court to attempting to sexually entice a 15-year-old boy and produce child pornography.
According to court records, Juan Antonio Garcia, 30, of Stuart, met the 15-year-old victim at a local park. Garcia befriended the boy and communicated with him in person and by text message. During one meeting, Garcia gave the boy condoms. Through text messages, Garcia taught the boy how to put on a condom, then directed the boy to masturbate, ejaculate into the condom, and send Garcia a photograph of the used item. Garcia also asked the boy to send him a video of the boy masturbating. In another text message, Garcia asked the minor to meet him at a local park for oral sex. When Garcia arrived at the park, law enforcement officers arrested him.
United States District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon will sentence Garcia on June 13, at 11:00 a.m., in Fort Pierce. Garcia faces between 15 years to life in prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office made the announcement.
HSI Fort Pierce investigated the case, with assistance from Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Bergstrom is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-14044.
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Former President of Madison District Public Schools Board of Education Charged with Tax Evasion for Failing to Report over $500,000 in IncomeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - The former President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education has been charged in an indictment with tax evasion and failure to file tax returns in connection with the President’s failure to report over $500,000 in income from a school district contractor, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Sarah Kull, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Michigan Division, and John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.
Albert Morrison is charged with four counts of federal income tax evasion and four counts of failing to file federal tax returns. According to the indictment, Morrison was the elected President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education from 2012 through 2018. While he was President, Owner A was one of the owners of a building maintenance and reconstruction company (Company A) that was routinely awarded maintenance and construction projects in the Madison District Public Schools.
Owner A, who was a long-time friend of Morrison, wrote checks from Company A to Morrison’s solely owned company, Comfort Consulting, from 2014 through 2018. Morrison deposited the checks from his friend into his solely owned bank account. From May 2014 through December 2018, Owner A, through Company A, made at least $561,667 in payments to Morrison.
Morrison did not declare to the IRS Owner A’s payments to Comfort Consulting as income in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, or 2018. In a further effort to conceal the payments from Owner A, Morrison did not file a federal income tax return in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Morrison used the payments from Owner A and Company A for personal expenditures. By not declaring to the IRS the payments from Owner A as income, Morrison avoided paying approximately $118,200 in taxes.
An indictment is merely an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, Morrison faces a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for each count of tax evasion and 1 year in prison for each count of failure to file tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Education. It is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen and Karen Reynolds.
Former Pain Management Clinic Owner Sentenced to over 16 Years for Unlawful Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today in the Southern District of Florida to 200 months in prison for illegally distributing opioids at his pain management clinic in Miami, Florida.
According to court documents, Habib Geagea Palacios, 40, of Miami, owned General Care Center Inc., a cash-only pain management clinic in Miami. At General Care, Palacios paid doctors to prescribe opioids to nearly all patients who visited the clinic, resulting in the illegal distribution of more than three million oxycodone pills and generating $9 million in cash. Seven doctors who worked at General Care have been charged in connection with their unlawful prescribing practices at the clinic, and six have pleaded guilty to date.
Palacios pleaded guilty on Nov. 9, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distributing a controlled substance. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Palacios was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter of the DEA’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brian Swain of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and USSS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Larsen for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Former Pain Management Clinic Owner Sentenced to over 16 Years for Unlawful Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida - A Florida man was sentenced today in the Southern District of Florida to 200 months in prison for illegally distributing opioids at his pain management clinic in Miami.
Habib Geagea Palacios, 40, of Miami, owned General Care Center Inc., a cash-only pain management clinic. At General Care, Palacios paid doctors to prescribe opioids to nearly all patients who visited the clinic, resulting in the illegal distribution of more than three million oxycodone pills and generating $9 million in cash. Seven doctors who worked at General Care have been charged in connection with their unlawful prescribing practices at the clinic, and six have pleaded guilty to date.
Palacios pleaded guilty on Nov. 9, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distributing a controlled substance. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Palacios was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brian Swain of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and USSS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Larsen for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
This prosecution was part of Operation General Care-Less (FC/FLS/2227), which is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
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.
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Former Mckinsey Partner Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that PUNEET DIKSHIT, a former partner in McKinsey & Company, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. DIKSHIT pled guilty on December 15, 2021, to one count of securities fraud in connection with his scheme to commit insider trading based on material, nonpublic information regarding the upcoming public announcement that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. – which DIKSHIT and McKinsey were advising – would be acquiring GreenSky, Inc.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “With today’s sentence, Puneet Dikshit must face the consequences of his egregious crime. We will continue to vigorously protect the integrity of our capital markets and hold accountable those who cheat by trading on inside information. This conviction shows Wall Street and Main Street that corporate advisors who steal information entrusted to them and use it for their personal gain will be caught and prosecuted.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and the Information, court filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
GreenSky was a publicly traded financial technology company that provided technology to banks and merchants to make loans to consumers for home improvement, solar, healthcare, and other purposes. GreenSky’s common stock traded under the symbol “GSKY” on the NASDAQ.
Between November 2019 and July 2020, and again between April 2021 and September 2021, Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, engaged McKinsey, the management consulting firm, to provide services related to the potential acquisition of GreenSky by Goldman Sachs and the post-acquisition integration of GreenSky. DIKSHIT was one of the McKinsey partners leading these engagements. In that role, he had access to material nonpublic information, which he misappropriated and, in violation of the duties that he owed to Goldman Sachs and McKinsey, used to trade GreenSky call options.
DIKSHIT engaged in this trading between July 26 and September 15, 2021 – at the same time he was leading the McKinsey team that was advising Goldman Sachs about its potential acquisition of GreenSky. At various times between July 26 and September 13, 2021, DIKSHIT purchased and sold relatively small numbers of GreenSky call options, which had expiration dates weeks or months from the time of purchase. However, in the two days before the September 15, 2021, public announcement that Goldman Sachs would be acquiring GreenSky, DIKSHIT sold all of these longer-dated GreenSky call options and purchased approximately 2,500 out-of-the-money GreenSky call options that were due to expire just a few days later, on September 17, 2021. After the deal to purchase GreenSky was announced on September 15, 2021, DIKSHIT sold these options and realized profits of approximately $450,000.
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In addition to his prison sentence, DIKSHIT, 41, of New York, New York, was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $455,017.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua A. Naftalis and Matthew Podolsky are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Leader of Boston Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former leader of the Boston Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday on racketeering charges.
Angel Calderon, a/k/a “King Bam,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. On Aug. 5, 2021, Calderon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
During the investigation, Calderon was identified as the Inca, or leader, of the Morton Street Bricks (MSB) Chapter of the Latin Kings. Named for the Morton Street housing project in Boston, the MSB Chapter included approximately half-a-dozen members. The MSB Chapter, in turn, reported to the Massachusetts State Leadership of the Latin Kings, providing information, structure, funds and other resources to further the Latin Kings goals and directives in the state. Additionally, Calderon conspired with members of the Latin Kings regarding the commission of criminal acts and discussed efforts to murder a rival gang member using poisoned narcotics, also known as a hotshot, in 2019. In June 2019, Calderon assaulted a woman at gunpoint and threatened to kill her and her family based upon the belief that she was providing information to law enforcement.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Calderon is the 49th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida’s BayCare Health System and Hospital Affiliates Agree to Pay $20 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Impermissible Medicaid DonationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – BayCare Health System Inc. and entities that operate four affiliated Florida hospitals (collectively BayCare) have agreed to pay the United States $20 million to resolve allegations that BayCare violated the False Claims Act by making donations to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) to improperly fund the state’s share of Medicaid payments to BayCare. The four hospitals are Morton Plant Hospital, Mease Countryside Hospital, Mease Dunedin Hospital and St. Anthony’s Hospital.
The Florida Medicaid program provides medical assistance to low-income individuals and individuals with disabilities, and is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Under federal law, Florida’s share of Medicaid payments must consist of state or local government funds, and not “non-bona fide donations” from private health care providers, such as hospitals. A non-bona fide donation is a payment — in cash or in kind — from a private provider to a governmental entity that is then returned to the private provider as the state share of Medicaid. The private provider’s donation triggers a corresponding federal expenditure for the federal share of Medicaid, which is also paid to the private provider. This unlawful conduct causes federal expenditures to increase without any corresponding increase in state expenditures, since the state share of the Medicaid payments to the provider comes from and is returned to the provider. The prohibition of this practice ensures that states are in fact paying a share of Medicaid payments and thus have an incentive to curb Medicaid costs and prevent unnecessary services.
The United States alleged that between October 2013 and September 2015, BayCare knowingly caused false claims for federal Medicaid matching funds to be submitted to the United States. Specifically, the United States alleged that during this time, BayCare made improper, non-bona fide cash donations to JWB knowing that JWB would and then did transfer a portion of the cash donations to the State of Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration for Florida’s Medicaid Program. The funds transferred by JWB to the state were “matched” by the federal government before being returned to the BayCare hospitals as Medicaid payments, and BayCare was thus able to recoup its original donations to JWB and also receive federal matching funds, in violation of the federal prohibition on non-bona fide donations. BayCare’s donations to JWB increased Medicaid payments received by BayCare, without any actual expenditure of state or local funds.
“Medicaid is a partnership between the federal government and state governments,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When the federal government provides Medicaid matching funds, there must be a corresponding expenditure by the state, or a local unit of government. When private parties make unlawful, non-bona fide donations to state or local governments, they undermine a key safeguard for ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid program.”
“Millions of Floridians depend on the Medicaid Program for medical care and related services,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Our office is committed to protecting the integrity of the Medicaid Program, and we will use all available civil remedies to recover the ill-gotten gains obtained by those who defraud it and other government health care programs.”
“When health care providers participate in fraud schemes to boost federal payments, they do so at the expense of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agents will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to root out health care fraud and hold bad actors accountable for their actions.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Larry Bomar, a former hospital reimbursement manager in Florida. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Bomar v. Bayfront HMA Medical Center LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 8:16-cv-03310-MSS-JSS (M.D Fla.). Mr. Bomar will receive $5 million as his share of the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Attorneys Alison B. Rousseau and Jonathan T. Thrope and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn B. Tapie for the Middle District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Florida’s BayCare Health System and Hospital Affiliates Agree to Pay $20 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Impermissible Medicaid DonationsRead the Press Release
BayCare Health System Inc. and entities that operate four affiliated Florida hospitals (collectively BayCare) have agreed to pay the United States $20 million to resolve allegations that BayCare violated the False Claims Act by making donations to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) to improperly fund the state’s share of Medicaid payments to BayCare. The four hospitals are Morton Plant Hospital, Mease Countryside Hospital, Mease Dunedin Hospital and St. Anthony’s Hospital.
The Florida Medicaid program provides medical assistance to low-income individuals and individuals with disabilities, and is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Under federal law, Florida’s share of Medicaid payments must consist of state or local government funds, and not “non-bona fide donations” from private health care providers, such as hospitals. A non-bona fide donation is a payment — in cash or in kind — from a private provider to a governmental entity that is then returned to the private provider as the state share of Medicaid. The private provider’s donation triggers a corresponding federal expenditure for the federal share of Medicaid, which is also paid to the private provider. This unlawful conduct causes federal expenditures to increase without any corresponding increase in state expenditures, since the state share of the Medicaid payments to the provider comes from and is returned to the provider. The prohibition of this practice ensures that states are in fact paying a share of Medicaid payments and thus have an incentive to curb Medicaid costs and prevent unnecessary services.
The United States alleged that between October 2013 and September 2015, BayCare knowingly caused false claims for federal Medicaid matching funds to be submitted to the United States. Specifically, the United States alleged that during this time, BayCare made improper, non-bona fide cash donations to JWB knowing that JWB would and then did transfer a portion of the cash donations to the State of Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration for Florida’s Medicaid Program. The funds transferred by JWB to the state were “matched” by the federal government before being returned to the BayCare hospitals as Medicaid payments, and BayCare was thus able to recoup its original donations to JWB and also receive federal matching funds, in violation of the federal prohibition on non-bona fide donations. BayCare’s donations to JWB increased Medicaid payments received by BayCare, without any actual expenditure of state or local funds.
“Medicaid is a partnership between the federal government and state governments,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When the federal government provides Medicaid matching funds, there must be a corresponding expenditure by the state or a local unit of government. When private parties make unlawful, non-bona fide donations to state or local governments, they undermine a key safeguard for ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid program.”
“Millions of Floridians depend on the Medicaid Program for medical care and related services,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Our office is committed to protecting the integrity of the Medicaid Program, and we will use all available civil remedies to recover the ill-gotten gains obtained by those who defraud it and other government health care programs.”
“When health care providers participate in fraud schemes to boost federal payments, they do so at the expense of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agents will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to root out health care fraud and hold bad actors accountable for their actions.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Larry Bomar, a former hospital reimbursement manager in Florida. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Bomar v. Bayfront HMA Medical Center LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 8:16-cv-03310-MSS-JSS (M.D Fla.). Mr. Bomar will receive $5 million as his share of the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Attorneys Alison B. Rousseau and Jonathan T. Thrope and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn B. Tapie for the Middle District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Mexican Agricultural H-2A WorkersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — A woman in Florida pleaded guilty today to a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized Mexican agricultural workers admitted into the United States under the H-2A temporary visa program. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Christina Gamez, 43, from March 2016 through August 2017, while working as a bookkeeper, manager, and supervisor for Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), a labor contracting company employing Mexican H-2A workers harvesting fruits and vegetables in Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and North Carolina, conspired with LVH’s owner and others to commit racketeering offenses, including subjecting LVH’s H-2A workers to forced labor, harboring LVH’s H-2A workers in the United States after their visas had expired for financial gain, and committing visa fraud and fraud in foreign labor contracting. Gamez admitted that she and her co-conspirators used coercive means to obtain thousands of hours of physically demanding agricultural labor from the victimized H-2A workers, all for de minimis pay. The coercive means used included confiscating the workers’ passports; subjecting the workers to crowded, unsanitary and degrading living conditions; isolating the workers and limiting their ability to interact with anyone other than LVH employees; and subjecting the workers to debt manipulation. Gamez also admitted that, while working for LVH, she knowingly prepared and sent falsified records to federal investigators to conceal aspects of the criminal enterprise.
A date for Gamez’s sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Gamez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of her plea agreement, Gamez has agreed to pay more than $9,000 in restitution to the victims.
This case was investigated by the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force (including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office), with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Murray for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Avner Shapiro, Maryam Zhuravitsky and Matthew Thiman of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Mexican Agricultural H-2A WorkersRead the Press Release
A woman in Florida pleaded guilty today to a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized Mexican agricultural workers admitted into the United States under the H-2A temporary visa program. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Christina Gamez, 43, from March 2016 through August 2017, while working as a bookkeeper, manager, and supervisor for Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), a labor contracting company employing Mexican H-2A workers harvesting fruits and vegetables in Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and North Carolina, conspired with LVH’s owner and others to commit racketeering offenses, including subjecting LVH’s H-2A workers to forced labor, harboring LVH’s H-2A workers in the United States after their visas had expired for financial gain, and committing visa fraud and fraud in foreign labor contracting. Gamez admitted that she and her co-conspirators used coercive means to obtain thousands of hours of physically demanding agricultural labor from the victimized H-2A workers, all for de minimis pay. The coercive means used included confiscating the workers’ passports; subjecting the workers to crowded, unsanitary and degrading living conditions; isolating the workers and limiting their ability to interact with anyone other than LVH employees; and subjecting the workers to debt manipulation. Gamez also admitted that, while working for LVH, she knowingly prepared and sent falsified records to federal investigators to conceal aspects of the criminal enterprise.
A date for Gamez’s sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Gamez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of her plea agreement, Gamez has agreed to pay more than $9,000 in restitution to the victims.
This case was investigated by the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force (including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office), with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Murray for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Avner Shapiro, Maryam Zhuravitsky and Matthew Thiman of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Fifth Defendant Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain over $30 Million in Covid-Relief LoansRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALVIN MAXWELL pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $30 million in Government-guaranteed loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. MAXWELL is the fifth defendant to plead guilty in the case. Four other defendants—APOCALYPSE BELLA, a/k/a “Dias Yumba,” MACKENZY TOUSSAINT, a/k/a “Mack,” BRANDON JACKSON, and AMOS MUNDENDI, a/k/a “Mos,” a/k/a “El Ashile Mundi”—pled guilty earlier this year. TOUSSAINT, JACKSON, and MUNDENDI each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 8, March 30, and April 4, 2022, respectively. BELLA pled guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on March 21, 2022. All of the defendants pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
According to allegations in the Complaints, the Indictments, and the Superseding Information, filed in the case:
APOCALYPSE BELLA, a/k/a “Dias Yumba,” MACKENZY TOUSSAINT, a/k/a “Mack,” AMOS MUNDENDI, a/k/a “Mos,” a/k/a “El Ashile Mundi,” and ALVIN MAXWELL, were involved in an extensive scheme to prepare and submit fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and to at least one company which processes loan applications under the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), in order to fraudulently obtain at least approximately $30 million in government-guaranteed loans for various companies through the PPP, designed to provide financial relief to qualifying companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This scheme resulted in the approval of fraudulently procured loans for two companies (“Company-1” and “Company-2”), both located in the Southern District of New York, totaling approximately $4 million, and the distribution of the proceeds of these fraudulently obtained funds to a series of bank accounts located in the United States and elsewhere, including bank accounts controlled by TOUSSAINT and BELLA.
The PPP loan applications for Company-1 and Company-2 were false, containing lies designed to maximize proceeds paid to the fraud scheme participants. Specifically, applications for both Company-1 and Company-2 contained material differences from loan applications submitted for both companies for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program just months earlier. For instance, the PPP loan application for Company-1, dated on or about June 30, 2020, represented that Company-1 had over 100 employees. However, an earlier EIDL loan application for Company-1, dated on or about March 30, 2020, represented that Company-1 had only four employees.
BELLA, TOUSSAINT, and MUNDENDI devised and executed this fraudulent scheme by conspiring with individuals who owned, operated or otherwise were affiliated with businesses, such as Company-1 and Company-2.
In addition, TOUSSAINT and JACKSON engaged in a scheme to submit fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) applications, often through the use of synthetic identities (i.e., a fake name used in combination with true personal identifying information of another person). JACKSON and TOUSSAINT frequently used Social Security Numbers belonging to minors as part of the synthetic identities created for use in the fraud scheme. At least approximately $1.7 million in EIDL loan funds were disbursed as a result of this fraud scheme.
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TOUSSAINT, MUNDENDI, MAXWELL, and JACKSON, all residents of Texas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. BELLA, an Oregon resident, pled guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
BELLA is scheduled to be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. on July 7, 2022. TOUSSAINT is scheduled to be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. on June 16, 2022. JACKSON is scheduled to be sentenced at 11:00 a.m. on August 17, 2022. MAXWELL is scheduled to be sentenced at 11:00 a.m. on September 8, 2022. MUNDENDI is scheduled to be sentenced at 11:00 a.m. on September 9, 2022. Each of the defendants will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI, SBA-OIG and IRS-CI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dina McLeod is in charge of the prosecution.
Fentanyl Supplier Convicted at Trial for Causing an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A federal jury convicted a Mobile man for conspiracy and distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, William Grant Owens, a/k/a “Whip,” a/k/a “Unc,” 55, distributed and conspired with others to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin beginning in January of 2016. The jury further found that Owens’s Owens’ participation in the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute caused the overdose death of Kelsey Johnston. Owens was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and seven counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
The evidence presented at trial showed that the Crossley Hills drug trafficking organization, of which Owens was a member, operated in Mobile County, and elsewhere, distributing various controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, Xanax, oxycodone, and oxymorphone to customers in south Alabama and elsewhere. Relying on regional and local sources of supply to acquire controlled substances for its distribution, the Crossley Hills DTO distributed a substantial amount of the heroin in Mobile County, Alabama. These heroin sales led to numerous overdoses resulting in hospitalizations and deaths, including that of Kelsey Johnston on October 11, 2018.
Thirty-eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty. Owens was convicted after a five-day trial. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30 and faces a minimum sentence of twenty years and up to life in prison. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sean P. Costello, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, Mobile Police Chief Paul O. Prine, Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran, DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley, HSI Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, ATF Special Agent in Charge Mickey French, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul W. Brown made the announcement.
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mobile Police Department and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the Saraland Police Department also provided key investigative support to the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luis F. Peral, Lead OCDETF Attorney, and Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Feds Charge Eight Suspected Carjackers Tied to Multiple Offenses in Violent Crimes Across Philadelphia RegionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams, together with federal, state and local law enforcement officials, announced that six defendants were arrested and charged with federal carjacking and other violent crimes in connection with incidents that occurred in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties:
- Christopher Robinson, 20, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Criminal Complaint with (1) carjacking, (2) carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence; in connection with three armed carjackings on December 9, 2021, January 5, 2022, and January 11, 2022, all in West Philadelphia.
The carjacking victims in these three separate incidents were caught off guard while on the phone sitting in their parked vehicles or filling their gas tank.
- Tarik Chambers, 19, and Nikeem LeachHilton, 21, both of Philadelphia, PA, were charged by Criminal Complaint with (1) carjacking, (2) carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence; in connection a carjacking on December 19, 2021, in Delaware County.
The defendants allegedly used a privately-made “ghost” gun to carjack the victim in the rear parking lot of a retail store along Baltimore Pike in Springfield. The defendants fled from the police, leading officers on a high-speed car chase through Delaware County before crashing into another motorist’s car, who suffered severe, life-threatening injuries including broken bones and significant head trauma.
- Dayon Hackett, 19, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment with (1) carjacking, (2) carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence; in connection with an armed carjacking that occurred in the Bridesburg section of Northeast Philadelphia and a second armed carjacking and shooting in South Philadelphia, both of which occurred on December 22, 2021.
The second carjacking incident occurred while the victim was sitting in his parked car waiting for a parking space to open. The victim and two offenders exchanged gun fire and the victim sustained serious injuries including severed arteries, shattered bones, and bullets lodged near internal organs.
- Sean Allen, 23, of Camden, NJ, was charged by Indictment with (1) carjacking, (2) carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence; in connection with two armed carjackings on January 4, 2022, and January 6, 2022, in Northeast Philadelphia.
The carjacking incidents occurred after victims posted their vehicles for sale on Facebook Marketplace and were contacted by an account claiming to have an interest in purchasing the vehicles.
- Cameron Styles, 20, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment with (1) carjacking, (2) carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence; in connection with two carjackings on February 10 and February 11, 2022, in Northeast Philadelphia.
The carjacking incidents occurred while the first victim was waiting for a train, and while the second victim was parked at a gas station.
Additionally, and as previously announced, in February 2022, Alex Fernandez-Pena and Juan Jose Rodriguez were charged by Indictment with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence stemming from their alleged involvement in a carjacking incident of a rideshare vehicle earlier this year in the Parkside section of Philadelphia, during which the victim shot both defendants while they tried to flee. These arrests bring the total number of carjacking suspects taken into federal custody in the last several weeks in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania up to eight.
The swift action to investigate and federally charge these defendants is the result of the newly formed Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, which is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Philadelphia Police Department. The goal of the Taskforce is to stem the wave of armed carjackings and violent crimes through investigative and enforcement techniques meant to identify and refer for federal prosecution all who terrorize innocent victims through commission of these offenses within Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
“It has been nearly a year since we launched our ‘All Hands On Deck’ initiative, and in that year our Office and our federal partners have doggedly pursued every opportunity to support the Philadelphia Police Department, which now includes the recently-created joint carjacking task force,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “I have said repeatedly that if you commit a violent offense like a carjacking at gunpoint, federal authorities are coming for you. In just weeks we have arrested and charged eight people, and there’s much more to come.”
“The rash of carjackings we’ve seen in and around Philadelphia is unacceptable,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “That’s why this task force is united in our efforts to find those responsible and get them off the street. The potential penalties for federal carjacking charges are severe, so if people want to keep committing these crimes, they should know that the carjacking task force will make it a priority to put them in cuffs and behind bars for a good long time. We simply won’t stand for criminals terrorizing innocent people like this.”
“These indictments exemplify the strength of our newly established carjacking task force,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division.“Over the past year we have witnessed a spike in carjackings throughout the Commonwealth, and the announcement of these indictments should send a clear message to those who are thinking about committing violent acts. The public should know we are working closely together with our local, state, and federal partners to seek justice for those responsible for these types of crimes.”
“There are far too many in this city who think that they can commit violent crimes with impunity, and that law enforcement will sit idly by while our communities are traumatized,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. “These latest arrests prove yet again that criminal behavior will not be tolerated, and sends the message that if you’re doing wrong, if you’re engaging in illegal activities, the PPD along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies will find you, arrest you, and you will be charged to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Carjackings are dangerous, violent acts that strike fear into our communities and threaten public safety,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “We will continue to share available intel to collaborate with our law enforcement partners so we can use every resource available to hold individuals who commit these crimes accountable. I’m thankful for the hard work of the agents in our office, as well as our local, state, and federal partners in this important task force.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, as well as a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Philadelphia Police Department; with assistance from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Fallenstein, Justin Oshana, Robert Eckert, Jeanette Kang, Michael Miller and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Sandy Urban and Tracie Gaydos.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Paso Man Charged with KidnappingRead the Press Release
EL PASO – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an indictment today charging an El Paso man with kidnapping.
According to court documents, Matthew Joseph Contreras, 25, is accused of taking the victim from El Paso to Alamogordo, New Mexico while on his way to his new job at a detention facility. The victim told FBI agents that while they were in El Paso, Contreras held a knife to her throat in the early morning hours of March 14 after she returned from work. She also said Contreras punched and kicked her several times and then poured bleach on her. Contreras also allegedly hit the victim with a gun and then held it to her head. Law enforcement officers retrieved a 9mm handgun from the vehicle that Contreras used to drive the victim to New Mexico.
Contreras also faces a federal charge for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person due to a prior conviction.
Contreras is charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The defendant is scheduled for an arraignment next week. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison on the kidnapping charge and up to 10 years in prison on the firearm charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Contreras has remained in federal custody since his arrest on March 16, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey, El Paso Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI, with assistance from the El Paso Police Department, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Aguayo is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Eight Individuals Facing Federal Indictment for a $3 Million Scheme to Defraud Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Defense Health AgencyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging eight individuals, including the President, Vice-President and Chief Finance and Strategy Officer at a company that provided medical billing and coding services on government contracts and an employee at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and related charges, in connection with a scheme to defraud WRNMMC and the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The indictment was returned on March 17, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrests of three defendants. Charged in the indictment are:
Akbar Masood, age 59, of Great Falls, Virginia; Michelle O. Peebles, age 48, of Riverdale, Mayland; Harriett Jackson, a/k/a “Harriett Soumah,” age 49, of Glenarden, Maryland; Judith Russ, age 58, of Washington, D.C.; Rhonda Paul, age 46, of Washington, D.C.; Wesley Williams, age 47, of Takoma Park, Maryland; Bagnon Jaques Titi, age 44, of Riverdale, Maryland; and
Alfred Antonio Duncan, age 44, of White Plains, Maryland.Masood, Peebles, and Jackson are expected have initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. The remaining defendants are expected to have initial appearances later today or on April 8, 2022.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Scott Moreland of the Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID); Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office (DCIS); Special Agent in Charge Alison F. Zavada of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Washington Field Office; and Acting Inspector General Rene Febles of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Inspector General (WMATA OIG).
According to the 12-count indictment, Masood was a part owner and “Chief Strategy Officer” of Company A, a Virginia-based company that served as a prime contractor for medical support services to WRNMMC and DHA. Peebles was a site manager at Company A. Jackson was President, Peebles was Vice-President, and Masood was “Chief Finance and Strategy Officer” of Company B, headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, which primarily provided medical billing and coding services on government contracts.
The indictment alleges that beginning in at least December 2016, Masood, Peebles, and Jackson established HMA Solutions as a Delaware Limited Liability Corporation, headquartered in Riverdale, Maryland, to take advantage of WRNMMC’s increased need for contract medical coders. Using his authority within Company A, Masood allegedly subcontracted work to HMA on Company A’s contract with WRNMMC to supply medical coding support without disclosing his participation in HMA to Company A’s co-owners. Masood, Peebles, and Jackson allegedly used the stolen identities of actual persons, including credentialed medical coders, to demonstrate that HMA had the ability to perform medical coding evaluation, feedback, and training services as a subcontractor to Company A. The indictment alleges that the defendants used falsified signature of one victim, who was a credentialed medical coder, to sign consulting agreements with Company A and representing that other identity theft victims would be performing the work. Further, the indictment alleges that Masood, Peebles, and Jackson generated false billable hours using the names of identity theft victims which they charged to Company A, which then billed those hours to WRNMMC. Russ, an official with WRNMMC, then allegedly verified the work performed by the non-existent coders. According to the indictment, beginning no later than January 2017, Russ was paid regularly by Peebles or Company B and had not disclosed this outside income or employment to officials at WRNMMC.
According to the indictment, Masood, Peebles, and Jackson steered a subsequent WRNMMC contract with Company A for in-person coding support from highly skilled coders (CDI Specialists), who are paid at a higher rate, to HMA as a sub-contractor. Masood, Peebles, and Jackson then allegedly billed Company A—and thereby WRNMMC—for CDI Specialist hours, none of which were ever provided.
As detailed in the indictment, Peebles and Jackson then recruited Paul, Williams, Titi, and Duncan to pose as medical coders and sign consulting agreements with Company A, even though none of them had any experience or credentials as medical coders. The indictment alleges that Paul, Williams, Titi, and Duncan repeatedly submitted falsified medical coding invoices, claiming the processing of thousands of encounters each month, and causing Company A to bill WRNMMC over $1 million for their false claims alone.
According to the indictment, between 2017 and 2019, the defendants obtained approximately $3.3 million from the scheme to defraud WRNMMC and DHA.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. All of the defendants except Russ also face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of the eight counts of wire fraud. Masood, Peebles and Jackson each face a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each of the two counts of aggravated identity theft, and Russ faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for participating in the scheme, which was a conflict of interest to her federal employment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Army CID, DCIS, NCIS, and WMATA OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam K. Ake, and Rajeev R. Raghavan, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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District Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Armed Carjacking in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keith Baham, 22, and David McKinney, 21, both of Washington, D.C., have been sentenced to prison terms for their roles in a carjacking and armed robbery that took place in February 2019 in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Baham was sentenced yesterday to a 15-year prison term and McKinney was sentenced yesterday to a prison term of 7 ½ years. Both defendants were found guilty by a jury in February 2020, of armed carjacking, armed robbery, first-degree theft, and unauthorized use of vehicle, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. They were sentenced by the Honorable J. Michael Ryan. Following their prison terms, both men will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim, then 18, knew McKinney and was driving his car with him on Feb. 25, 2019. They picked up Baham, and Baham and McKinney had the victim drive to the 3100 block of Apple Road NE. Once there, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Baham brandished a firearm, threatened to shoot the victim, and told the victim to drop everything and to hand over his belongings. While the victim was held at gunpoint, the men took the victim’s wallet, cellphone, and other personal items before fleeing the scene in the victim’s car.
Baham was arrested on July 30, 2019. McKinney was arrested on July 18, 2019. Both have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames, Paralegal Specialists Jessica Pierce, Sabrina Turner, and Debra McPherson, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and former Investigative Analyst William Hamann of the Criminal Investigations Unit.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Kevin Birney, who prosecuted the case.
DOJ-DHS-INL in Mexico Host Foreign Law Enforcement Partners at Regional Human Smuggling Roundtable EventRead the Press Release
On April 5 and 6, in Mexico City, Mexico, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico hosted a collaborative Regional Smuggling Forum and Roundtable event to promote the Bicentennial Agreement. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) led the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)-funded workshop to bring together human smuggling investigators and prosecutors from El Salvador, Honduras, and the United States; investigators from Guatemala; and prosecutors from Mexico. During this event, in which Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath delivered opening remarks, participants shared best practices, discussed recent trends and obstacles, and coordinated strategies during roundtable discussions. This forum was designed to increase successful collaborations between regional partners in combating transnational human smuggling organizations.
The region is currently experiencing historic irregular migration flows, which are in part the result of the exploitation of migrants by transnational criminal organizations. The criminal organizations and the smugglers they employ utilize increasingly dangerous means to avoid detection and apprehension placing exploited migrants at significant risk. These networks begin their operation in Central American countries, operate through Mexico and up into the United States. Many of these same migrants find themselves victims of sex trafficking, forced labor, and other exploitative schemes during or shortly following their journeys.
“This innovative forum in Mexico City helps ensure that the United States and our international partners are positioned to develop joint strategies and best practices to counter transnational human smuggling organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The partnership between the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and State is crucial to disrupting, dismantling, and prosecuting trafficking networks that exploit migrants, enrich organized crime, and pose a threat to national security.”
Reducing current migration flows is amongst the highest priorities for the Biden administration.
“This two-day regional event in Mexico City helps ensure that the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are able to partner together to develop joint strategies and best practices to counter these dangerous transnational human smuggling organizations,” said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar. “We are stronger when we work together.”
This collaborative event brought together U.S. federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Mexico, Guatemala and Washington D.C.; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Mexico, Guatemala, and Washington D.C.; and resident legal advisors of the U.S. Department of Justice’s OPDAT Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. The forum also included partners from Mexico Attorney General’s Office’s “Fiscalía General de la República” (FGR) Mexico’s Unidad de Investigación de Delitos para Migrantes (IUIDPM) and FEMDO’s Unidad Especializada en Investigación de Tráfico de Menores, Personas y Órganos (UEITMPO), as well as prosecutors specializing in human smuggling cases from El Salvador and Honduras, and investigators from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate on a high impact crime that affects so many citizens of our countries,” said Director Alfredo Higuera Bernal of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office on Organized Crime (SEIDO) in Mexico. “It is clear that we have to continue working together to achieve more successes like the ones we have already reached.”
Prosecutors and law enforcement agents from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a DOJ-U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) anti-human smuggling international joint task force, attended and participated. JTFA, established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021, was created to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. JTFA partners with OPDAT to fulfill their joint mandate to strengthen the capacity of Central American and Mexican counterparts to prosecute human smuggling networks in their own courts.
This strategy session event served as an opportunity to increase case cooperation to collaboratively work cases and ultimately dismantle human smuggling networks. This event strengthened communication amongst U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to fulfill the goals of the Bicentennial Agreement.
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DOJ-DHS-INL en México Reciben a Socios Extranjeros en Evento Regional y Mesa Redonda Sobre Tráfico de PersonasRead the Press Release
5 y 6 de abril de 2022, en la Ciudad de México, México, la Embajada de los Estados Unidos en dicho país organizó un foro regional colaborativo y una mesa redonda para promover los objetivos establecidos en el Marco Bicentenario de Seguridad entre ambos países. La Oficina Internacional para el Desarrollo de Sistemas de Procuración de Justicia (OPDAT) del Departamento de Justicia (DOJ) encabezó el taller financiado por la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley (INL) del Departamento de Estado, a través del cual se reunieron investigadores y fiscales especializados en el tráfico de personas de El Salvador, Honduras y los Estados Unidos; investigadores de Guatemala; y fiscales de México. La jefa de Misión Adjunta, Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, dio un mensaje de apertura y reconoció la importancia de la cooperación regional para acabar con las redes del tráfico de personas. Los participantes compartieron las mejores prácticas, abordaron las tendencias y obstáculos recientes, y promovieron la coordinaron regional durante el diálogo que se generó en la mesa redonda. El objetivo del evento fue aumentar las colaboraciones exitosas entre los socios regionales en la lucha contra las organizaciones transnacionales de tráfico de personas.
La región vive actualmente flujos históricos de migración irregular, que, entre otras razones, son el resultado de las altas ganancias que surgen de la explotación de los migrantes por parte de organizaciones criminales transnacionales. Esto puede constatarse en los últimos años a través de los múltiples casos en los que se ha puesto en peligro a los migrantes, teniendo como resultado la pérdida de vidas, principalmente en México y en los Estados Unidos, en donde los traficantes cada vez utilizan medios más peligrosos para evitar su detección y aprehensión. Estas redes comienzan su operación en países centroamericanos y operan en México con la meta de llegar a los Estados Unidos. Muchos de estos migrantes pueden ser víctimas de tráfico sexual, trabajo forzado y otros esquemas de explotación durante sus viajes o poco después de éstos.
“Este foro innovador en la Ciudad de México ayuda a garantizar que los Estados Unidos y nuestros socios internacionales estén posicionados para desarrollar estrategias conjuntas y mejores prácticas para contrarrestar a las organizaciones transnacionales de tráfico de personas,” dijo el fiscal general adjunto Kenneth A. Polite Jr. de la División Criminal del Departamento de Justicia. “La alianza entre los Departamentos de Justicia, Seguridad Nacional y Estado, es crucial para interrumpir y desmantelar las redes de tráfico, así como para enjuiciar a quienes explotan a los migrantes, enriquecen el crimen organizado y representan una amenaza para la seguridad nacional.”
Reducir los flujos migratorios actuales es una de las prioridades más altas para la Administración Biden.
“Este evento regional de dos días en la Ciudad de México es histórico y ayuda a garantizar que los Estados Unidos, México, Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador puedan trabajar juntos para desarrollar estrategias compartidas y replicar las mejores prácticas para cortar las redes de estas peligrosas organizaciones transnacionales de tráfico de personas que lucran con el dolor y la necesidad de la gente,” dijo el embajador de Estados Unidos en México, Ken Salazar. “Somos más fuertes cuando trabajamos juntos.”
Gracias a este evento colaborativo se reunieron agentes federales estadounidenses de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) en México, Guatemala y Washington D.C.; Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos (CBP) México y Washington D.C.; y Asesores Legales Residentes de la OPDAT del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos en México, Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador. El foro también incluyó a socios de la Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) de la Unidad de Investigación de Delitos para Migrantes (IUIDPM) de México y de la Unidad Especializada en Investigación de Tráfico de Menores, Personas y Órganos (UEITMPO) de La Fiscalía Especializada en Materia de Delincuencia Organizada (FEMDO), así como fiscales especializados en casos de tráfico de personas de El Salvador y Honduras, e investigadores de Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador.
“Estamos agradecidos por esta oportunidad de colaborar sobre un crimen de alto impacto que afecta a miles de personas en nuestros países,” dijo Alfredo Higuera Bernal, Fiscal Especializado en la Materia de Delincuencia Organizado (FEMDO). “Es evidente que tenemos que seguir trabajando juntos para lograr más éxitos como los que hemos alcanzado.”
A su vez, participaron fiscales y agentes de la ley de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alpha (JTFA) del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos, una fuerza de tarea conjunta internacional contra el contrabando de personas del Departamento de Justicia y el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos (DHS). La JTFA, establecida por el fiscal general Merrick B. Garland en junio del año 2021, se creó para mejorar los esfuerzos de aplicación de la ley en los Estados Unidos contra las redes de tráfico y trata de personas más prolíficas que operan en México, Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras. La JTFA trabaja con la OPDAT para cumplir con su mandato conjunto de fortalecer la capacidad de sus contrapartes centroamericanas y mexicanas para procesar a las redes de tráfico de personas en sus propios tribunales.
El evento estratégico sirvió como una oportunidad para aumentar la cooperación y trabajar en colaboración en los casos y, en última instancia, desmantelar las redes de tráfico de personas. Este evento fortaleció la comunicación entre los Estados Unidos, México, Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador para cumplir con las metas del Acuerdo del Bicentenario.
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Coosa County Man Sentenced to 280 Months in Prison Following FederalRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On April 5, 2022, Kilpatrick Cornelius McKinney, 38, from Kellyton, Alabama, was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. McKinney was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence is completed. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records and evidence presented at McKinney’s October 2021 trial, on November 16, 2018, law enforcement was executing a search warrant at McKinney’s residence following his arrest and found two guns. In addition to the guns, investigators found approximately 452 grams of marijuana, 15 grams of powder cocaine, 27 tablets containing methamphetamine, and approximately $3,870.00 in cash. Because McKinney has multiple felony convictions, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
After hearing the evidence during his trial, the jury found McKinney guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime. McKinney received a lengthy sentence largely due to his extensive criminal history.
This case was prosecuted pursuant to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a program in which U.S. Attorneys’ offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN as part of its renewed focus on targeting armed violent criminals and gang members.
The United States Marshals Service, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, with assistance from the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Handgun in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Wilmington man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. U.S. District Judge Leonard P. Stark pronounced the sentence. This was Jackson’s third firearms conviction.
According to court documents, on September 17, 2020, Javon Jackson, 26, was arrested by the Wilmington Police Department (“WPD”). At the time, Jackson was wanted for cutting off his ankle bracelet and absconding from Delaware Probation and Parole’s supervision for a prior assault conviction. Jackson was sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car when WPD officers found him. Jackson got out of the car and ran from the police. Inside the car, WPD officers found a fully loaded semi-automatic pistol and 455 baggies of heroin.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Illegally possessing a firearm while dealing dangerous drugs perpetuates both violent crime and drug addiction, each of which threatens the health, safety, and vitality of our neighborhoods. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work diligently to keep our communities safe.”
“It is a threat to the community any time someone prohibited from possession a firearm finds a way to obtain one, but this defendant’s actions put the community at even greater risk. Not only was he wanted for violating parole for a previous violent conviction, he was caught by police selling drugs while possessing a loaded firearm,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “Law-abiding citizens deserve to the chance to thrive in stable communities. ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue work relentlessly to identify those individuals who threaten the safety of those communities.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 21-cr-38.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Handgun in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Wilmington man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. U.S. District Judge Leonard P. Stark pronounced the sentence. This was Jackson’s third firearms conviction.
According to court documents, on September 17, 2020, Javon Jackson, 26, was arrested by the Wilmington Police Department (“WPD”). At the time, Jackson was wanted for cutting off his ankle bracelet and absconding from Delaware Probation and Parole’s supervision for a prior assault conviction. Jackson was sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car when WPD officers found him. Jackson got out of the car and ran from the police. Inside the car, WPD officers found a fully loaded semi-automatic pistol and 455 baggies of heroin.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Illegally possessing a firearm while dealing dangerous drugs perpetuates both violent crime and drug addiction, each of which threatens the health, safety, and vitality of our neighborhoods. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work diligently to keep our communities safe.”
“It is a threat to the community any time someone prohibited from possession a firearm finds a way to obtain one, but this defendant’s actions put the community at even greater risk. Not only was he wanted for violating parole for a previous violent conviction, he was caught by police selling drugs while possessing a loaded firearm,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “Law-abiding citizens deserve to the chance to thrive in stable communities. ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue work relentlessly to identify those individuals who threaten the safety of those communities.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 21-cr-38.
Colombian National Apprehended at the St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Sentenced to Federal Prison After Falsely Representing to be a Citizen of the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Andres Bejarano, age 34, a Colombian national, appeared before District Court Judge Wilma A Lewis and was sentenced today on the charge of Falsely Representing to be a Citizen of the United States.
Judge Lewis sentenced Bejarano to 6 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, a fine of $1,000, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on December 8, 2021, at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, Bejarano presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers for inspection to board a flight from St. Croix to Florida with a Florida driver's license. It was later determined that this license belonged to his brother, Daniel Bejarano. When questioned, Bejarano falsely claimed to be a U.S. Citizen. He subsequently admitted that he was using his brother's ID because he was aware that he had an active warrant for his arrest. In fact, Bejarano had four (4) active outstanding warrants for failure to appear on various drug offenses in Florida.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Claremore Man Pleads Guilty to Assault of a Dating Partner by StranglingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Jessy Pearson, 26, of Claremore, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and suffocating in Indian Country.
“Jessy Pearson violently attacked his girlfriend and has now been held accountable thanks to federal prosecutor Steven Briden and the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to uphold our federal trust responsibility within Indian Country and work closely with federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement to ensure perpetrators of domestic violence are brought to justice.”
On May 4, 2021, after a verbal altercation, Pearson grabbed his dating partner by the throat and started strangling her. He then took her phone when she tried to text a friend for help. As she attempted to leave, Pearson again grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against the wall. The victim was eventually able to retrieve her phone and call her friend. She reported the crime to authorities and requested an emergency protective order.
The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
“The FBI is committed to bringing individuals to justice who demonstrate flagrant apathy for the well-being of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Ed Gray, FBI Oklahoma City Division. “Our strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies like the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office help us investigate these types of cases and hold offenders accountable for their actions.”
The victim in the case is an enrolled tribal citizen. According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) study on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people face disproportionate levels of violence.
- 1 in every 2 AI/AN women and 1 in 3 AI/AN men have experienced physical violence by intimate partners in their lifetime.
- 56.1% of AI/AN women and 27.5% of AI/AN men report experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, with many of these assaults at the hands of non-Indian perpetrators.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual and/or family violence, you are not alone, and there are services available to help. The following agencies provide 24/7 phone lines for victims in northeastern Oklahoma:
-Muscogee Nation Family Violence Prevention Program, located in Okmulgee and other satellite offices: 918-732-7979
- Cherokee Nation One Fire, located in Tahlequah: 918-772-4260.
-The Delaware Tribe of Indians Family and Children Services, located in Bartlesville: 918-331-7349
All three of the above agencies assist Indian and non-Indian victims.
-Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) located in Tulsa: 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 resources and services in your area.
For emergency services, call 911.
Chicopee Superintendent of Schools Arrested for False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Chicopee Superintendent of Schools was arrested today for making false statements in connection with sending threatening messages to a candidate for Chicopee Chief of Police.
Lynn Clark, 51, of Belchertown, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of making false statements. Clark will make an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield later today.
According to the complaint, in December 2021, the City of Chicopee was in the process of hiring a new Chief of Police. On Dec. 3, 2021, law enforcement received a report that a candidate for the position was receiving threats intended to force the victim to withdraw their application for Chicopee Chief of Police. Specifically, in November 2021, after submitting their application for Chief of Police, the victim received numerous text messages from unknown numbers containing threats to expose information that would cause the victim reputational harm. As a result, the victim withdrew their application, and the City delayed the selection process.
It is alleged that a total of approximately 99 threatening messages were sent from fictitious phone numbers purchased through a mobile app. Phone and internet records revealed that these numbers were allegedly purchased by Clark and that the purchased numbers sent each of the threatening messages.
Clark allegedly denied sending the messages on numerous occasions to investigators and cast suspicion onto other individuals. Specifically, over the course of the investigation, Clark allegedly suggested that the messages could have been sent by other City employees, the victim’s colleagues and a member of Clark’s own family. Clark later admitted that she indeed sent the messages.
The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charleston Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to four years in federal 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 during the sentencing hearing, Richard Daniels Jr., 39, possessed a loaded Springfield Model XD 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine during a Dec. 12, 2020, traffic stop in Charleston. The handgun was later determined to have been stolen. Daniels admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of his 2003 felony conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Rock County, Wisconsin.
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.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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-00183.
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Broward Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith sentenced Steven Dexter Gangoo, 20, to 15 years in federal prison followed by 25 years of supervised release for enticing and coercing young girls, as young as 13-years-old, into producing and transmitting sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves. Making good on a threat to one of his victims, Gangoo shared nude photographs of the 16-year-old girl with her Instagram friends.
According to court records, Gangoo contacted his victims on social media. Gangoo’s tactic with the young girls was to “friend” them on social media, tell them they were pretty, and have the girls send him suggestive photographs of themselves. Gangoo initially offered the victims money to perform such acts. However, once the victims sent the requested images and or videos, Gangoo would extort them by using initial images and videos as leverage to gain compliance into taking and sending additional nude photographs, in poses that he selected. If the victims refused to comply with his demands, he would threaten the victims by sharing their nude images and videos with their family and friends. As the chats progressed, the demands became more sexually explicit. When one of his victims stopped communicating with Gangoo, he did just that. He sent nude pictures of the minor to her school friends, whom he identified through the victim’s social media contacts.
One of Gangoo’s victims told her parents about Gangoo’s demands. This prompted a South Florida law enforcement investigation. Officers located Gangoo in Broward County and arrested him. On January 11, 2022, Gangoo pled guilty to producing child pornography.
It should be noted that Gangoo was actively trading Child sex abuse material with other like-minded subjects using various online social media platforms.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez commended the investigative efforts of FBI, and, in particular, FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force who worked in partnership with the Plantation Police Department and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department on the matter. The U.S. Attorney also thanks the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-60385.
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Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that REYS ALFREDO VASQUEZ, 30, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 22, 2020, Bridgeport Police arrested Vasquez in Bridgeport. At the time of his arrest, officers seized from Vasquez several fictious driver’s licenses from several states, each with Vasquez’s picture and a different name, and his cellphone. A court authorized search of the cellphone revealed a video, taken on August 22, 2019, of Vasquez holding a Glock handgun with a drum and laser sight, which Vasquez was offering for sale. Investigators determined that the gun had been reported stolen in Georgia in June 2019. In late 2019, the gun was recovered from an SUV outside of a Waterbury nightclub, and the investigation revealed that it had been in the possession of members of the Bridgeport-based O.N.E. street gang.
Vasquez’s criminal history includes state felony convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On December 7, 2020, investigators arrested Vasquez on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of a firearm by a felon. Shortly after Vasquez’s arrest, investigators found and seized a loaded Glock handgun, which also had been reported stolen, that Vasquez had possessed.
Vasquez has been detained since his federal arrest. On November 3, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
Box Elder man sentenced to more than 14 years in prison for shooting man in the back of the head with intent to commit murder on the Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who admitted to assault charges for shooting a man in the back of the head with a shotgun in an attempt to kill him on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 14 years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Dakota Houle, 26, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 17, 2019 in Box Elder, located on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, Houle, another male individual and two females were at a residence. The group lured the victim, identified as John Doe, to the residence using social media. Shortly after Doe arrived, Houle and the male individual attacked and beat Doe, and robbed him at gun point. They forced Doe to remove his shoes and told him they were going to take him into the mountains to kill him.
Doe was forced at gun point into the front-passenger seat of his own car, while Houle sat directly behind Doe in the rear-side passenger seat with a shotgun in hand. The two females were passengers. The male individual drove the car toward the mountains as Doe pleaded for his life. When the vehicle slowed for a cattle guard, Doe reached over and jerked the steering wheel, causing the car to go into a ditch. Doe jumped out and attempted to escape. The male individual shouted at Houle that Doe was “getting away” and to “shoot” him. Houle shot Doe in the back of the head, intending to kill him. Believing Doe was dead, Houle and the others fled on foot. Doe suffered serious life-threatening injuries and has permanent damage as a result of the shooting.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Cobell and Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services.
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Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling over $850,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for embezzling from her employer.
According to court documents, Cindy Ellen McCarthy, aka Cindy Wojtaszek, 48, was the bookkeeper of a Castle Hills business. Between November 2012 and July 2018 McCarthy paid her personal credit card from the company’s bank account. To conceal her fraud, McCarthy altered the company’s monthly bank statements to make it appear that payments were being made to a vendor. Through approximately 200 transactions, McCarthy defrauded the company of over $850,000.
On October 21, 2021, McCarthy pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison sentence, McCarthy was ordered to pay $855,538.56 in restitution to her former employer.
“Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of America,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of McCarthy’s abuse of her position and the resolve of this office to pursue those who betray their employers’ trust by embezzling money.”
“The defendant in this case took advantage of her role as a bookkeeper to betray and deceive her employer for personal gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson. “The FBI is committed to investigating financial fraud and ensuring those who commit these crimes are held accountable for their actions.”
The FBI, with invaluable assistance from the Castle Hills Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris prosecuted the case.
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Boat Captain Pleads Guilty in Maritime Alien Smuggling Incident Resulting in Three DeathsRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys C. Seth Askins (619) 546-6692 and Lyndzie M. Carter (619) 546-8780
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 6, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Antonio Hurtado pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges stemming from a May 2, 2021, maritime smuggling incident in which three people aboard the vessel he was piloting died.
In a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge William V. Gallo, Hurtado admitted that on the evening of May 1, 2021, and into the following morning, he piloted a vessel from Mexico into the United States. Aboard the vessel were 32 individuals who had agreed to pay between $15,000 and $18,000 each to be brought into the United States illegally, including three unaccompanied minors.
Hurtado admitted in his plea agreement that during the journey, he repeatedly used controlled substances, to the point that he lost consciousness on at least one occasion, and the vessel drove in circles for more than an hour until the other people on board were able to wake him. At approximately 6:00 a.m., the vessel suffered engine failure, and the defendant was unable to restart the engine. The weather conditions that morning were rainy with large ocean swells, and the vessel began to drift toward land until it ran aground approximately 50 yards from shore near the Point Loma tidepools.
As the boat was struck by waves and began to list on its side, the defendant jumped into the water and made his way to shore, abandoning the vessel and its 32 occupants. The vessel quickly broke apart from the pounding of the surf, sending the individuals on board – almost all of whom had been hiding below deck and in the cabin at the defendant’s direction – into the cold and rough water. Personnel with the National Park Service, along with many civilians who were in the area, immediately began trying to help, and various agencies immediately responded to conduct a massive rescue operation. Unfortunately, three of the individuals – identified as Mexican citizens Maricela Hernandez-Sanchez, Victor Perez-Degollado, and Maria Eugenia Chavez-Segovia – died as a result of this incident.
After he was identified as the pilot of the vessel, Hurtado was taken to a local hospital for treatment and then transported to the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station for processing. Hurtado admitted that while there, he assaulted a Border Patrol agent by striking the agent in the head with his knee while the agent was attempting to apply an ankle restraint.
The trial was scheduled to begin on May 3, 2021, one year and one day from the date of the incident. Instead, the defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death (each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison); three counts of Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain (which carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence); and one count of Assault on a Federal Officer.
“This was a horrific tragedy that never should have happened,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Because of the incomprehensible and stunning recklessness of the defendant on that terrible day, three people died and many others had to be rescued from rough seas. The defendant’s boat was packed with way too many people, and he then repeatedly used illicit drugs to the point of losing consciousness. When the boat capsized and passengers were desperately trying to survive, the defendant swam to safety, leaving them all behind. It was a shocking and callous series of events. If not for the heroism of stunned witnesses who swung into action, and that of first responders, others would have died. I have said it many times, and I will say it again: Never trust a smuggler. They care only about money. They care nothing for your safety. It’s not worth risking your life.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and all the private citizens and members of local and federal agencies who participated in life-saving efforts on that terrible day, and also those who investigated the case to achieve justice.
“Callous disregard for migrant safety is a common trait among smugglers,” said Brandon Tucker, Director of Air and Marine Operations in San Diego. “All too often, these dangerous decisions have fatal consequences. I’ve made it my mission to go after the smugglers that put migrant lives at risk.”
“That unscrupulous smugglers put lives in danger to support their criminal activity is reprehensible,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “These deaths could have been prevented were it not for this individual concerned more for his own greed rather than the safety of others. HSI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners, and utilizing our unique investigative authorities, to bring to justice those responsible for horrible tragedies like this.”
Hurtado is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2022, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.
DEFENDANT Case Number 21-cr-01615
Antonio Hurtado Age: 40 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and Aiding and Abetting
Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $250,000 fine
Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain and Aiding and Abetting
Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii) and Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
Assault on a Federal Officer
Title 8, U.S.C., Section 111(a)(1) and (b)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
United States Border Patrol
Air and Marine Operations (CBP)
National Park Service
United States Coast Guard
San Diego Harbor Police Department
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
San Diego Lifeguard Services
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Forrest J. Hardy, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. As a result of his plea, Hardy faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the robbery conviction, 10 years imprisonment for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon conviction, and a mandatory minimum consecutive term of imprisonment of not less than seven years and up to life for the brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence conviction.
According to admissions made during his plea, on or about January 7, 2020, at approximately 6:41 p.m., Hardy, while wearing a mask, entered the Boost Mobile Store, located at 8180 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, which is across the street from Baton Rouge Police Department’s Fourth Precinct police station, and pointed a firearm at an employee. After Hardy demanded money kept in the cash registers, the employee complied with Hardy’s demands, who removed and pocketed the cash. Hardy then fled from the store and ran to a 1999 Lexus SUV.
Following investigative leads, the following day, detectives identified the vehicle driven by Hardy and developed him as a suspect of this robbery. Video cameras captured images of Hardy’s car enabling detectives to identify Hardy’s vehicle as a gold-colored Lexus, bearing distinct coloring on the right front quarter panel.
On January 8, 2020, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Hardy, while wearing a green jacket and a black mask over his face, entered a Metro PCS cellular phone store, located at 1966 North Foster Dr., Baton Rouge. Hardy then pointed a loaded Glock, model 22, .40 caliber pistol, with an extended magazine and a weapon-mounted flashlight at an employee and demanded cash from the register. He removed the cash from the register and pocked it. While aiming his firearm at the employee, Hardy demanded the cash that the business kept in its safe in the storage room. Concerned for his safety, the victim led the robber to the storage room. From his vantage point, the victim observed Hardy rummaging through the safe. Following the robbery, Hardy fled the premises in same vehicle, the 1999 Lexus SUV, he used the night before. Notably, the day before the robbery the safe contained an Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max and after the robbery the Apple iPhone Pro Max was no longer in the safe.
Later, on the evening of January 8, 2020, at approximately 8:25 p.m., law enforcement officers with the Baton Rouge Police Department stopped Hardy in the 1999 Lexus SUV, which bore the distinct coloring on one of its sides. Law enforcement officers observed, in plain view, a black handgun with an extended magazine, and a black mask on the front passenger seat. Police thereafter arrested Hardy.
A day or so later, during the execution of a search warrant on the 1999 Lexus SUV, law enforcement personnel found an assault style firearm, a .40 caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, stolen cash, a ski mask, the gloves used by Hardy during the robberies, and ammunition.
Previously, Hardy had been convicted of armed robbery in East Baton Rouge Parish in 2007 and convicted of second-degree battery and false imprisonment with a dangerous weapon in Lafayette Parish in 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Piedrahita and Jeremy S. Johnson.
U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “I would like to publicly thank our Assistant United States Attorneys and our partners, the Baton Rouge Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the time and effort to prepare this matter for trial. Their efforts led to the government removing a violent offender and several guns off the street.”
Auburn Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Auburn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to child pornography offenses.
Jesse Laino, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 5, 2022. Laino was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in July 2020. He was subsequently indicted in September 2020 and later charged in a superseding indictment in June 2021.
In May 2019, Laino utilized the Kik platform to upload and distribute two images of sexually explicit images of minors. During a search of Laino’s residence in June 2020, two phones and one laptop were seized, which he admitted contained child pornography. Laino also admitted to using a cloud storage service to store and share links to images and videos of child pornography, as well as to using Chatous, a social media application, to connect with other users for the purpose of obtaining and distributing the images. Chatous records revealed that from about January 2019 to July 2020, Laino participated in hundreds of chats and distributed over 1,700 images of child pornography, including images of infants and toddlers being sexually abused.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five and up to 20 years in prison, at least five and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, Jr.; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
5 April 2022
Wilmington Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing GunRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Wilmington, Delaware man, currently facing gang participation charges in the Superior Court of State of Delaware, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews accepted the plea.
According to statements made in open court, Khalil Rodriguez-Fitzgerald, 27, possessed a Glock model 19x handgun. In conducting the investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (ATF) determined that the firearm was straw purchased in North Carolina on February 7, 2021, transported north, and delivered to the defendant in New Jersey on February 8, 2021. Rodriguez-Fitzgerald is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his criminal history.
Rodriguez-Fitzgerald faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison when sentenced on August 10, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, ‘My office is committed to the fight against gun violence and the devastation it is causing in our communities. This case is an example of the level of coordination and resources federal, state, and local law enforcement has to help keep our communities safe. Thanks to ATF for their diligence in investigating this case.”
“Guns obtained through trafficking and straw purchasing, especially by someone who is prohibited from possessing firearms, pose a significant risk to the community,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “ATF will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and arrest not only the trigger-pullers, but also those responsible for selling guns illegally.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Welsh is prosecuting the case and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive is investigating the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 21-cr-11 (RGA).
Wheeling man indicted on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Darius Alexander Savage, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was indicted today on firearms charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Savage, 23, was indicted today on one count of “Stealing Firearm from a Dealer” and one count of “Possession of a Stolen Firearm.” Savage is accused of stealing three pistols from a licensed firearms dealer in February 2022 in Ohio County.
Savage faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge. 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 ATF, West Virginia State Police, and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wetzel County woman sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Holly Christine Jenkins, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 79 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Jenkins, 58, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Jenkins admitted to selling methamphetamine fin April 2021 in Wetzel County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Westmoreland County Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Derry, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges involving the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The nine-count Indictment, returned on March 29 and unsealed yesterday, named Michael Wilson, age 43, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on seven separate occasions during 2019 through May 15, 2021, Wilson attempted to and did use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce various minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct. Further, the Indictment alleges that from September 2019 to October 2019, Wilson distributed visual depictions, namely, images in computer graphic and digital files, the production of which involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and, on May 15, 2021, Wilson knowingly possessed visual depictions, namely, videos and images in computer graphic and digital files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of $2,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Indicate relevant bond/detention information if known
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations – Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Derry Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Vermont Man Arrested on Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vermont man was arrested last night in connection with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition and possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution.
Jeffrey Baird, 41, of Springfield, Vt., was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson in federal court in Springfield, Baird was detained pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for April 11, 2022.
According to the indictment, on or about Dec. 22, 2021, Baird allegedly possessed an Amadeo Rossi .357 caliber magnum revolver, five rounds of .357 caliber ammunition and three rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Baird is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior convictions. The indictment also alleges that, on the same date, Baird possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of Rollins’s Springfield Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Vallejo Woman Agrees to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Involving Food Stamp and Unemployment Mortgage Assistance ProgramsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dorothy Natividad, of Vallejo, has paid $116,900 in damages and civil penalties to resolve allegations that she knowingly made false statements to obtain benefits from both the Food Stamp/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the “Keep Your Home California” Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
The “Keep Your Home California” Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program (UMA) was a federally funded program to help California homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages due to financial hardships. Keep Your Home California was funded by the Hardest Hit Fund, which was established in 2010 to provide targeted aid to families in states hit hard by the economic and housing market downturn caused by the financial crisis. This settlement resolves allegations that between April 2014 and August 2016, Natividad concealed more than $100,000 of household income that would have disqualified her from receiving aid through this mortgage assistance program. The United States similarly alleged that Natividad concealed income that would have disqualified her from participation in SNAP.
“The False Claims Act is a valuable tool for assuring that public assistance program funds are expended only on eligible individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “This settlement demonstrates how the pursuit of civil remedies under the FCA and interagency cooperation can be used to recover fraudulently obtained benefits that should have gone to truly vulnerable families.”
“Natividad lied to get thousands of federal dollars for both mortgage assistance and SNAP by concealing income that would have disqualified her from receiving aid. SIGTARP, USDA and the United States Attorney’s Office have brought justice for a defendant who defrauded the Hardest Hit Fund, a federal program that helped unemployed homeowners stay in their homes,” said Melissa Bruce, Deputy Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. “She has agreed to and repaid the improperly obtained funds as well as a penalty.”
“The accurate accounting and administration of federal feeding programs is essential to ensuring those in need of assistance receive it,” said Dustin Cladis, Special Agent in Charge, USDA OIG. “This settlement is a clear message that our agency along with our federal partners will protect the integrity of USDA programs and pursue those who submit false claims.”
The civil settlement resulted from a joint investigation by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General (USDA OIG) and the Office of the Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Emilia P. E. Morris handled the case for the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Seiselmyer, age 50, of Utica, New York, pled guilty today before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Seiselmyer, who remains detained pending his sentencing scheduled for August 2, 2022, faces at least 15 years in prison and up to 60 years imprisonment on the charges. The Court will also impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
As part of his guilty plea, Seiselmyer, admitted that from February 2020 to June 2020 he used a laptop computer to download child pornography over the internet using peer-to-peer file sharing software. A subsequent search of Seiselmyer’s apartment revealed that he was in possession of over 9,000 images and 955 video files depicting child pornography. Seiselmyer is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2007 of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree involving a victim who was less than 11 years old.
Seiselmyer’s case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), with assistance from the Utica Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Union County Man Admits Robbing BankRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted robbing a bank in Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Seneca Wilson, 43, of Clark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an indictment charging him with one count of bank robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On April 7, 2021, at approximately 4:12 p.m., Wilson entered the Kearny Bank in Rutherford. He handed the teller a note in which he demanded money with no straps on the bills. The teller then put approximately $2,300 in United States currency into a white plastic bag that Wilson had provided. Wilson then took the bag of cash and walked out of the bank.
The bank robbery charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 16, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Violent Crimes/Interstate Theft Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of the U.S. Virgin Islands Commemorates April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - Every April, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the U.S. Virgin Islands join survivors, advocates, and communities nationwide in observing Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Sexual violence is far too prevalent, and it is important to not only raise awareness of the myriad forms of sexual violence, but to engage in meaningful prevention efforts, take action to hold offenders accountable, and to care for survivors in a trauma-informed manner.
U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert joins the Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in applauding the recent passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022), which treats sexual assault as the serious violation it is and creates new programs and initiatives that provide survivors of sexual violence with increased access to services and justice. VAWA 2022 expands outreach to survivors in underserved communities, including by improving access to sexual assault medical forensic examinations for survivors in rural areas, providing community-specific services for LGBT survivors, and restoring Native American tribes’ jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators of sexual violence and sex trafficking, among certain other offenses committed on tribal lands.
“Sexual assaults are repulsive acts of violence. They are criminal offenses, and they must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent permitted by law,” said U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert. “Absolutely no one should live in fear of being sexually assaulted or of being retaliated against for reporting a sexual assault.”
“During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and every month, OVW-funded programs across the nation provide essential services to survivors of sexual assault, responding to their needs, helping them heal, and supporting them as they pursue the justice they seek,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall. “The impact of sexual violence is felt by the entire community and can devastate survivors’ lives, which is why it is critical that VAWA 2022 strengthens not just services and justice interventions but also prevention.”
OVW funds resources in every jurisdiction, to include the U.S. Virgin Islands. During FY21, OVW awarded $978,810 to the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands which included $270,782 to the Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (VIDVSAC). VIDVSAC is a non-profit organization specializing in domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and child abuse education. “VIDVSAC provides invaluable support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault-related offenses here in the Territory,” Shappert said. “VIDVSAC also sponsors important training and outreach initiatives to educate everyone about the consequences of these serious crimes.”
The U.S. Department of Justice OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone and there are many services available to help, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a local resources page on OVW’s website, which lists state sexual assault coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Each April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices across the nation join survivors, advocates, and communities in observing Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Sexual assault is far too prevalent, and it is important to not only raise awareness of the myriad forms of it takes, but to engage in meaningful prevention efforts, take action to hold offenders accountable, and care for survivors in a trauma-informed manner.
United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha joins the Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in applauding the recent passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022), which treats sexual assault as the serious violation it is and creates new programs and initiatives that provide survivors of sexual violence with increased access to services and justice.
VAWA 2022 also expands outreach to survivors in underserved communities, including by improving access to sexual assault medical forensic examinations for survivors in rural areas; providing community-specific services for LGBT survivors; and restoring tribes’ jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators of sexual violence and sex trafficking, among certain other offenses committed on tribal lands.
“This year, as we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, we honor the victims of sexual assault and its impacts by rededicating ourselves- not just this month, but every month- to doing everything in our power to combat these crimes in our communities, to support sexual assault victims, and to raise awareness,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “It is imperative that victims know that they are not alone, and that the law enforcement community stands with them and will continue to seek justice on their behalf.”
“During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and every month, OVW-funded programs across the nation provide essential services to survivors of sexual assault, responding to their needs, helping them heal, and supporting them as they pursue the justice they seek,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall. “The impact of sexual violence is felt by the entire community and can devastate survivors’ lives, which is why it is critical that VAWA 2022 strengthens not just services and justice interventions but also prevention.”
Recently awarded funding provides more than $2.7 million in OVW funds to agencies in Rhode Island, to include $575,000 to the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center; $179,076 to Day One; $98,706 to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence; $1,401,676 to the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety; and $500,000 to Sojourner House.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone and there are many services available to help, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). In addition, you can find a local resources page on OVW’s website, which lists state sexual assault coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
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U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee Statement on the Retirement of the Honorable John H. Rich IIIRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Following the retirement of U.S. Magistrate Judge John H. Rich III on Friday, April 1, 2022, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee issued the following statement:
“During the fourteen years he served the federal court in Maine, Magistrate Judge Rich worked tirelessly to provide every party due process with great care. Judge Rich was most often the first face of the Court seen by criminal defendants, jurors, agents, litigants, and attorneys. He always treated every person in the courtroom with fairness and civility and considered every issue thoroughly. His extraordinary work ethic allowed justice to be dispensed swiftly. My colleagues and I at the U.S. Attorney’s Office are grateful for his remarkable service and wish him well in retirement.”
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U.s. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of Wisconsin Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Every April, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin join survivors, advocates, and communities nationwide in observing Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Sexual violence is far too prevalent, and it is important to not only to raise awareness of the myriad forms of sexual violence, but to engage in meaningful prevention efforts, take action to hold offenders accountable, and care for survivors in a trauma-informed manner.
This year, United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling joins the Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in applauding the passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022), which treats sexual assault as the serious violation it is and creates new programs and initiatives that provide survivors of sexual violence with increased access to services and justice. For example, VAWA 2022 expands outreach to survivors in underserved communities, including by improving access to sexual assault medical forensic examinations for survivors in rural areas, providing community-specific services for LGBT survivors, and restoring tribes’ jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators of sexual violence and sex trafficking, among certain other offenses committed on tribal lands.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to hold individuals accountable for sexual violence – including prosecuting offenders in federal court whenever possible,” said U.S. Attorney Frohling. “Just as importantly, everyone in the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to doing whatever it takes to support, assist, and help survivors of this type of violence as these cases move forward in the pursuit of justice.”
“During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and every month, OVW-funded programs across the nation provide essential services to survivors of sexual assault, responding to their needs, helping them heal, and supporting them as they pursue the justice they seek,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall. “The impact of sexual violence is felt by the entire community and can devastate survivors’ lives, which is why it is critical that VAWA 2022 strengthens not just services and justice interventions but also prevention.”
OVW funds resources in every jurisdiction, and the state of Wisconsin was awarded $8,048,252.00 in 2021. OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone and there are many services available to help, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a local resources page on OVW’s website, which lists state sexual assault coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
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For further information contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700
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Two New York City Correction Officers Among Six Defendants Charged with Conspiring to Accept Bribes and Smuggle Contraband into Rikers Island Facilities for Gang MembersRead the Press Release
Two criminal complaints were unsealed today in federal court in the Eastern District of New York charging six defendants with conspiring to bribe correction officers employed by the New York City Department of Corrections (DOC) as part of contraband smuggling conspiracies. Correction Officers Krystle Burrell and Katrina Patterson, as well as Ashley Medina, Imani Matthews and Terrae Hinds were arrested earlier today, and their initial appearances are scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom. Defendant Michael Ross is currently in New York State custody and will make his initial appearance at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office (HSI), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges.
“The defendants, public servants on the City’s payroll, allegedly smuggled contraband, including cell phones and drugs, to incarcerated gang members at Rikers Island. The flow of contraband into our jails is a serious problem which puts inmates, fellow officers and potentially the public at risk,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to root out corruption at Rikers Island and work to protect incarcerated individuals and correction officers in our jails.”
“As alleged, Burrell and Patterson, both New York City Correctional Officers, brought shame and disgrace to New York’s Boldest by putting the safety of fellow officers and inmates at risk by conspiring to introduce contraband at Rikers Island Correctional Facilities on behalf of known Bloods Gang members,” said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Patel. “The details in the complaint allege that both officers brazenly betrayed their oath to act with integrity and professionalism to create a safe environment in correctional facilities - their actions tarnish the great reputation of the men and women who put on the uniform of a New York City Correction Officer and risk their lives on a daily basis. HSI New York’s Violent Gang Task Force, with our local and federal partners, will continue to conduct violent crime and gang investigations throughout the New York City area to ensure those perpetrating criminal activities in any manner are held accountable.”
DOI Commissioner Strauber said, “As alleged, these correction officers facilitated the illegal entry of drugs and cellphones into the City’s jails in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes, enriching themselves at the expense of the safety and security of inmates as well as their fellow officers. The contraband trade fuels violence that endangers inmates and staff, and undermines the rules and regulations intended to maintain order on Rikers Island. DOI is committed to continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Police Department to expose and stop this type of corruption that destabilizes the City’s jails.”
“The charges detailed in today’s federal complaints reflect an intolerable betrayal of public trust – including by those who allegedly abandoned their sworn oath to uphold the law,” said Police Commissioner Sewell. “I commend our NYPD officers, along with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, for working together to build this important case.”
HSI, DOI and the NYPD have been investigating contraband smuggling rings involving the payment of bribes to DOC officers in exchange for smuggling contraband, including unauthorized cell phones and narcotics, to Bloods gang members on Rikers Island.
As alleged in one complaint, New York City Correction Officer Katrina Patterson accepted at least $34,090 in bribes from Ashley Medina and Imani Matthews on behalf of Michael Ross in exchange for Patterson smuggling contraband into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island for Ross. Ross, who was incarcerated on unrelated offenses, arranged for the bribes to be sent to Patterson. DOC subsequently located narcotics and cell phones in Ross’ cell. In addition to obtaining surveillance video from Rikers Island showing Patterson bringing unauthorized items to Ross, law enforcement also seized Patterson’s text messages, including messages with Matthews where Matthews told Patterson that some of the contraband would be “4 black joints in 1 paper,” and Patterson responded, “it better be wrapped so many times I don’t want to smell it.” Patterson and Matthews also discussed the need to delete their text messages.
As alleged in a separate complaint, New York City Correction Officer Krystle Burrell accepted bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island for Terrae Hinds, facilitating Hinds’ contraband smuggling business and permitting Hinds and others to violate DOC regulations. Hinds, who was incarcerated on unrelated offenses, arranged for approximately $9,780 in bribe payments to be sent to Burrell. In exchange, Burrell smuggled at least two unauthorized cell phones to Hinds, and also facilitated Hinds’ sale of narcotics and other contraband items at the Anna M. Kross Center.
The charges in the complaints are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Pilmar.
The Defendants:
KATRINA PATTERSON
Age: 31
Jamaica, NYIMANI MATTHEWS
Age: 25
Bronx, NYASHLEY MEDINA
Age: 24
Bronx, NYMICHAEL ROSS
Age: 36
Comstock, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-MJ-377
KRYSTLE BURRELL
Age: 35
Lawrence, NYTERRAE HINDS
Age: 28
Yonkers, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-MJ-378
Two Individuals Sentenced for Conspiracy and Sale of Fraudulent Identity Documents on the DarknetRead the Press Release
Two New York residents were sentenced for selling and conspiring to transfer false identification documents on the darknet marketplaces AlphaBay Market and Dream Market. According to court documents, from at least from May 2015 until October 2017, defendants Andrea Alessandrini and Evan Hayes sold New York state driver’s licenses, fraudulent identity information for individuals (including fake social security numbers and birthdates), credit card holograms, and ATM skimmers on the darknet, all in exchange for cryptocurrency.
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California sentenced Evan Hayes, 28, of Buffalo, New York, to 18 months in prison, and on April 5, 2021, Alessandrini, 34, of Italy, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, for their roles in the charged identity fraud conspiracy. Alessandrini and Hayes pleaded guilty to the offenses on Nov. 16, 2020, and July 12, 2021, respectively.
According to court filings and statements made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas, Alessandrini created and operated the vendor account PlasticA on numerous darknet marketplaces, including AlphaBay Market and Dream Market. With his business partner, Hayes, Alessandrini sold over 300 fraudulent New York identity cards, four social security cards, 15 false birth certificates, 28 state identity card holograms, one ATM skimmer, and 410 “farmed” (i.e., stolen or fraudulently produced) identity packages to buyers in the Eastern District of California and elsewhere. Alessandrini operated the primary darknet accounts used to make these sales, while Hayes produced and mailed most of the fraudulent documents sold. On AlphaBay alone, Alessandrini and Hayes conducted between $250,000 and $400,000’s worth of transactions between May 2015 and October 2017.
In connection with the case, the United States seized evidence concerning the wide range of fraudulent identity documents created and sold to buyers throughout the United States, evidence which has been shared with a range of law enforcement agencies for use in additional investigations. Finally, the United States forfeited the proceeds of the offense conduct, which included approximately $134,881 in U.S. currency, 14.78 Bitcoins, 285 ounces of silver, four ounces of gold, and 22 prepaid Visa gift cards.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Senior Counsel Louisa K. Marion of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hemesath for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
Two Individuals Sentenced for Conspiracy Charges Involving the Sale of Fraudulent Identity Documents on the DarknetRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An Italian national and a U.S. national, both New York residents, were sentenced on charges of conspiring to transfer false identification documents on the darknet marketplaces AlphaBay Market and Dream Market. According to court documents, from at least from May 2015 until October 2017, defendants Andrea Alessandrini and Evan Hayes sold New York state driver’s licenses, fraudulent identity information for individuals (including fake social security numbers and birthdates), credit card holograms, and ATM skimmers on the darknet, all in exchange for cryptocurrency.
On April 4, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California sentenced Evan Hayes, 28, of Buffalo, New York, to 18 months in prison, and on April 5, 2021, Alessandrini, 34, of Italy, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, for their roles in the charged identity fraud conspiracy. Alessandrini and Hayes pleaded guilty to the offenses on Nov. 16, 2020, and July 12, 2021, respectively.
According to court filings and statements made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas, Alessandrini created and operated the vendor account PlasticA on numerous darknet marketplaces, including AlphaBay Market and Dream Market. With his business partner, Hayes, Alessandrini sold over 300 fraudulent New York identity cards, four social security cards, 15 false birth certificates, 28 state identity card holograms, one ATM skimmer, and 410 “farmed” (i.e., stolen or fraudulently produced) identity packages to buyers in the Eastern District of California and elsewhere. Alessandrini operated the primary darknet accounts used to make these sales, while Hayes produced and mailed most of the fraudulent documents sold. On AlphaBay alone, Alessandrini and Hayes conducted between $250,000 and $400,000 worth of transactions between May 2015 and October 2017.
In connection with the case, the United States seized evidence concerning the wide range of fraudulent identity documents created and sold to buyers throughout the United States, evidence which has been shared with a range of law enforcement agencies for use in additional investigations. Finally, the United States forfeited the proceeds of the offense conduct, which included approximately $134,881 in U.S. currency, 14.78 bitcoins, 285 ounces of silver, 4 ounces of gold, and 22 prepaid Visa gift cards.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Senior Counsel Louisa K. Marion of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hemesath of the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
Three Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for CarjackingRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned a superseding indictment charging three people with carjacking and other firearms related charges.
According to court documents, Jesse Johnson, 28, Megan Mandlehr, 31, and Laken Dye, 29 of Louisville were indicted for a carjacking that occurred on August 18, 2021, in Jefferson County. Additionally, Johnson was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The defendants will be scheduled for their initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted of carjacking, they face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If Johnson is convicted of the additional firearms charges, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Porter is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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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.
Third rapper pleads guilty in drug schemeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A third individual has admitted his guilt in a large-scale narcotics distribution operation involving multiple properties throughout Corpus Christi, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Javon Hicks aka Drank Nitti Kasino, 40, Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton to maintaining a premises to distribute illicit narcotics and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Co-conspirator Dwayne Thompson aka Muddy Kasino, 39, and Zackari Williams aka Arm and Hammer Zone, 29, both of Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to the same charges March 9 and March 30, respectively. Hicks and Thompson forfeited personal items including cars, guns, jewelry and cash valued at more than $123,000 following their pleas.
The conspirators were part of a hip-hop group that produced music under the Kasino World label. They used various houses and apartments throughout Corpus Christi to record their songs and videos. However, the investigation revealed the group members also used the locations to distribute crack cocaine and meth with at least 100 sales per day.
U.S. District Judge David Morales set sentencing for Hicks and Thompson June 1 and June 30, respectively, while Williams will be sentenced June 22.
At their respective hearings, Hicks and Thompson face up to 25 years in prison, while Williams could receive up to a 20-year-term. All three also face a possible $500,000 maximum fine. Each man has been and will remain in custody pending their hearings.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roland Swanson and Dennis E. Robinson prosecuted the case.
Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Abdul Aziz has pleaded guilty to one count of aiding in the preparation and filing of a false tax return. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Aziz helped to prepare numerous false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of clients in 2016. Those tax returns contained false information about clients’ income and their tax withholding status. The false entries in those returns related to residential mortgage loan repayments that the returns falsely represented as being held on their behalf by financial institutions and were claimed as income. As a result of those false entries, Aziz’s clients were able to claim and receive substantial refunds from the IRS which his clients were not lawfully entitled to receive. Those refunds exceeded $1,500,000.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.