Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 24 February 2022
Four Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Roosevelt E. Collins, III, 40, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on July 26, 2021, members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force were surveilling Collins, who was wanted in connection with an alleged shooting incident on July 2, 2021. Officers took Collins into custody while he was sitting in a vehicle parked in a driveway on Magee Avenue. During the arrest, officers observed a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol in plain view on the floor of the front passenger seat. Collins also had a magazine loaded with 12 additional rounds of ammunition on his person.
Collins was previously convicted on felony charges in 2001, 2005, 2010, and 2015, in Monroe County Court, including Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief David Smith, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 2, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #
Founders of Cryptocurrency Exchange Plead Guilty to Bank Secrecy Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Arthur Hayes and BENJAMIN DELO, founders and executives of purportedly “off-shore” cryptocurrency derivatives exchange the Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange or “BitMEX,” pled guilty today to violating the Bank Secrecy Act (the “BSA”) by willfully failing to establish, implement, and maintain an anti-money laundering (“AML”) program at BitMEX. Under the terms of their respective plea agreements, HAYES and DELO each agreed to separately pay a $10 million criminal fine representing pecuniary gain derived from the offense. HAYES and DELO pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As cryptocurrencies and technologies designed to facilitate their trade proliferate, companies engaged in the virtual currency economy have become critical gatekeepers in efforts to ensure that U.S. markets are fair, efficient, and secure. The opportunities and advantages of operating in the United States are legion, but they carry with them the obligation for those businesses to do their part to help in driving out crime and corruption. Arthur Hayes and Benjamin Delo built a company designed to flout those obligations; they willfully failed to implement and maintain even basic anti-money laundering policies. They allowed BitMEX to operate as a platform in the shadows of the financial markets. Today’s guilty pleas reflect this Office’s continued commitment to the investigation and prosecution of money laundering in the cryptocurrency sector.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:[1]
HAYES, together with DELO and indicted co-defendant Sam Reed, was one of the three co-founders and the long-time CEO of BitMEX. DELO was both a co-founder and, during the period from September 2015 up to and including September 2020, held various executive roles at BitMEX, including Chief Operating Officer. BitMEX is an online cryptocurrency derivatives exchange that, during the relevant time period, had U.S.-based operations and served thousands of U.S. customers, notwithstanding false representations to the contrary by the company. From at least September 2015, and continuing at least through the time of the Indictment in September 2020, HAYES and DELO willfully caused BitMEX to fail to establish and maintain an AML program, including a program for verifying the identify of BitMEX’s customers (or a “know your customer” or “KYC” program). As a result of its willful failure to implement AML and KYC programs, BitMEX was in effect a money laundering platform. For example, in May 2018, HAYES was notified of allegations that BitMEX was being used to launder the proceeds of a cryptocurrency hack. Neither HAYES, DELO, nor their company filed a suspicious activity report thereafter (indeed, BitMEX filed no suspicious activity reports at all between 2014 and September 2020), nor did they implement an AML or KYC program in response. Unsurprisingly, BitMEX was also a vehicle for sanctions violations: HAYES and DELO both communicated directly with BitMEX customers who self-identified as being based in Iran, an OFAC-sanctioned jurisdiction, but did nothing to implement an AML or KYC program after doing so.
HAYES and DELO failed to institute AML or KYC programs at BitMEX despite closely following U.S. regulatory developments that made clear their legal obligation to do so if BitMEX operated in the United States, which it did. Despite repeatedly stating that BitMEX did not serve U.S. customers, including to members of the press and others outside of BitMEX, HAYES and DELO both knew that BitMEX’s purported withdrawal from the U.S. market in or about September 2015 was a sham, and that purported “controls” BitMEX put in place to prevent U.S. trading were an ineffective facade that did not, in fact, prevent users from accessing or trading on BitMEX from the United States. HAYES and DELO not only understood that U.S. customers continued to trade on BitMEX, but derived substantial profits from BitMEX as a result of U.S.-based trading. HAYES and DELO actively sought out U.S. customers by using U.S.-based cryptocurrency “influencers” to market to new customers through BitMEX’s so-called “Affiliate Program.” HAYES also conducted U.S. television appearances and marketing stunts that promoted BitMEX’s products in the United States. DELO allowed a customer to continue to access a BitMEX trading account despite this customer explicitly being “US based,” merely because that customer was “famous in Bitcoin.” DELO falsely changed internal tracking information to reflect that customer’s country of residence as being other than the United States, despite knowing that to be false.
* * *
HAYES, 36, of Miami, Florida, and DELO, 38, of the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, pled guilty to one count each of violating the Bank Secrecy Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Money Laundering Investigation Squad, and thanked the attorneys and investigators at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission whose expertise and diligence were integral to the development of this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Samuel Raymond, and Thane Rehn are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As to HAYES’ and DELO’s co-defendants, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Guadalupe Pineda, Jr., 30 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Holly A. Brady, after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Pineda was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in the fall of 2020, Pineda sold multiple ounces of fentanyl and heroin to law enforcement on four different occasions.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
###
Fort Wayne Man Convicted of Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE- Bryant D. Aron, age 36, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on February 23, 2022, following a two-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
According to documents in this case, on May 24, 2019, Aron was the driver of a vehicle involved in a high-speed chase with the Fort Wayne Police Department. During the pursuit, Aron crashed his vehicle, exited it, and led police on a short foot pursuit. He was subsequently searched, and a loaded firearm magazine was found in his pocket. A loaded firearm was found inside the vehicle. Aron’s prior criminal history revealed he had multiple felony convictions out of Allen County Superior Court.
Aron’s sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
This case was being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
###
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Misappropriating Social Security Benefits of Severely Disabled Nursing Home ResidentRead the Press Release
A Fort Dodge man who stole over $15,000 in Social Security benefits from a severely disabled woman was sentenced February 23, 2022, to ten months in federal prison. Donald Glenn Conner, also known as Donald Luevanos, age 38, received the prison term after a September 16, 2021 guilty plea to one count of representative payee fraud.
In a plea agreement, and at his guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Conner admitted that, in March 2018, the Social Security Administration (SSA) approved his application to become the representative payee for a severely disabled relative. A representative payee is a person whom the SSA entrusts to manage Social Security funds for those who cannot do so due to mental, physical, or other limitations. A doctor had diagnosed Conner’s relative with a severe mental impairment, and she also had a number of other physical health issues. In May 2019, Conner admitted his victim to a local nursing home on the false pretense that she was on Medicaid when she was not. Conner then used his victim’s social security funds for his own purposes, including at a casino, a grocery store, and for videogames, subscription services, and other bills. In March 2020, after the nursing home began asking questions about Conner’s use of his victim’s Social Security funds, Conner abruptly removed his victim from the nursing home against a doctor’s medical advice and left the nursing home with an unpaid bill in excess of $50,000. The investigation also revealed that Conner falsely underreported his household income and received an overpayment of Section 8 federal housing benefits.
Conner was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Conner was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $15,499 in restitution. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Conner was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-3027.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Youth Sports Coach Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Rian Harold Ishikawa, 43, of Kailua, appeared today in federal court before United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi, and pleaded guilty to six counts of production of child pornography. Ishikawa was arrested on June 29, 2020, and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on April 1, 2021. Ishikawa’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 14, 2022.
During today’s hearing and in a plea agreement, Ishikawa admitted that from November 2012 to July 2015, he produced child pornography involving at least six children between the ages of nine and eleven. The children were friends of Ishikawa’s child and participants in youth sports teams coached by Ishikawa. Using a hidden cell phone, Ishikawa video-recorded each child changing clothes, showering, or drying off in a bathroom in his Kailua residence. Ishikawa also created close-up still images of the naked genitals of the video-recorded children.
Evidence of Ishikawa’s child exploitation crimes first came to the attention of his email provider in November 2019 and was subsequently reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and to Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), which conducted an investigation. Federal jurisdiction exists because Ishikawa used a cell phone that had been transported across state lines before its use in his crimes, and because emails Ishikawa sent to himself of the recordings and images crossed state lines by traveling through his email provider’s servers on the mainland.
Ishikawa faces imprisonment for a term between 15 and 30 years followed by supervised release for a term between 5 years and life on each count. He will also be required to pay restitution of at least $3,000 to each victim and may be fined by the Court. The plea agreement between the government and Ishikawa provides that the government will recommend a sentence of 20 years imprisonment on each count, and that the parties will jointly recommend at least 10 years of post-imprisonment supervised release.
United States Attorney Clare E. Connors stated, “Crimes targeting children, especially sexually exploitive crimes perpetrated by persons in positions of trust, threaten the overall safety of our community. These very serious offenses carry significant prison penalties and will be vigorously prosecuted by our office.”
“Mr. Ishikawa used his position as a trusted community member to commit unspeakable crimes against children,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon. “Let this case be a reminder that HSI and our local law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to remove predators from our streets to keep our keiki safe.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Virginia Beach Business Owner Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former Virginia Beach business owner was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his role in operating a durable medical equipment supply company that defrauded federal health care programs of millions of dollars.
According to court documents, in 2018 and 2019, Frank Alosa, 49, of Kentucky, and a co-conspirator operated Merchant Card Solutions, LLC d/b/a Med Brace Shop, a durable medical equipment supply company based in Virginia Beach, for the purpose of submitting false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare, Tricare, and Virginia Medicaid. As part of the conspiracy, Alosa and the co-conspirator purchased illegal orders for unwanted and medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, such as orthotic braces, and then used those orders to fraudulently bill Medicare and the other health care programs for over $8 million in total. The orders for the medical equipment were fabricated through a third party reaching out to beneficiaries and illegally soliciting unnecessary equipment to them. The orders were then endorsed by health care practitioners who, in exchange, received illegal bribes. As a result, the equipment was issued to beneficiaries without regard for actual medical necessity and the orders were billed to their insurance programs, profiting Alosa and his co-conspirator’s company.
In connection with the scheme, Alosa concealed the co-conspirator’s role in Med Brace Shop from Medicare and others due to the co-conspirator’s criminal background, which prohibited him from serving as an owner or managing employees of the company. The methods of concealment included, among other things, creating a shell company for the purpose of making illegal payments to other entities and individuals involved in the scheme. As a result of the conspiracy, Alosa and his co-conspirator defrauded Medicare of at least $3,843,922.89, defrauded Tricare of at least $43,370.42, and defrauded Virginia Medicaid of at least $5,121.42. Alosa and his co-conspirator diverted the proceeds of the fraud for their personal use and benefit.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Chris Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Shean prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No 2:21-cr-52.
Former MTA Special Inspector Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sean M. Andre, age 32, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for conspiring with an Ulster County man to fraudulently obtain more than $5.6 million in government-backed loans meant for businesses struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 2-year term of supervised release, ordered Andre to pay $1,309,754 in restitution to his victims, and ordered Andre to forfeit $32,900 in U.S. currency, the balances of six bank accounts totaling $365,613.09, and a 2019 Mercedes Benz GLS, all previously seized by the FBI.
Andre pled guilty last May to conspiring to commit bank fraud and conspiring to commit wire fraud. He admitted to helping Jean R. Lavanture obtain $4,309,581 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between June and August 2020, by submitting fraudulent loan applications in the names of four companies that Lavanture controlled. Each loan application misrepresented the number of employees, and total payroll, that each company had, and included false tax documents that Andre created as part of the scheme. Andre was paid $157,578 for his role in the scheme.
Andre also admitted that he fraudulently obtained an additional $1,309,754 in pandemic relief loans, by submitting loan applications in the names of companies he controlled. In these loan applications, Andre lied about the number of employees, and total payroll, that his companies had.
Andre was a Special Inspector for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in New York City, at the time of his crimes.
Lavanture, age 49, of Saugerties, New York, was sentenced last month to 60 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI, as well as Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Joshua R. Rosenthal.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Dickinson, ND, Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that U.S. District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland sentenced Ryan Gregory Lee, Age 43, from Little Elm, Texas, to 4 years in federal prison for the charges of Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344 and 1349; Aggravated Identity Theft, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A, 1344 and 1349; and Possession of Stolen Mail, 18 U.S.C. § 1708. Judge Hovland also sentenced Lee to 3 years supervised release, a $700 Special Assessment and $3,477.44 in restitution.
On November 15, 2021, Lee pleaded guilty to four counts of Bank Fraud, two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Possession of Stolen Mail.
Investigation determined between October 2019 and May 2020, Ryan Lee stole mail and checks from residents’ mailboxes located in Dickinson, North Dakota, and later created fraudulent bank accounts utilizing residents’ personal identifying information contained. During this time frame, several Dickinson residents reported to law enforcement that they had mailed checks that did not arrive to their intended recipients. These residents reported that they had placed checks into their mailboxes, usually the night before the mail carrier came to their residences, only to learn that their checks were stolen when they saw the checks information had been altered and not used for their intended purposes. Law enforcement later identified that Lee, during multiple financial transactions, possessed and tendered the reported stolen checks. Lee altered the checks payee information, dollar amounts, and signatures and used other individuals’ personal identifying information to cash or tender these checks as payment at Wal-Mart or at banks in Dickinson. Additionally, law enforcement discovered that Lee used other individuals’ personal identifying information to conduct unlawful financial transactions and create fraudulent bank accounts for his own private gain.
"North Dakotans expect to send and receive personal mail through the United States Postal System securely, without a chance of theft," said Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase, and "the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who steal mail for fraudulent purposes. I encourage North Dakota residents to closely monitor their mail to ensure they do not become targets of mail or identity theft."
"The safety and security of the U.S. Mail and its customers is core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case is a tremendous example of how local, state, and federal partners can join together to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail and aggressively investigate those individuals who use the mail to defraud individuals or businesses of money and property," said Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonça.
"We are pleased with the adjudication of this case, as both our investigators and those of the United States Postal Service invested significant time and effort into building leads and sifting through transactions," said Dickinson Police Department Police Chief Dustin D. Dassinger, "We hope this provides Lee's victims a sense of closure and serves as an example of what can be accomplished with teamwork and strong local-federal partnerships."
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Dickinson Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek assigned to the case.
######
Former Assistant District Attorney Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Federal Travel ActRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Glenda Adams, 49, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal statute known as the Travel Act. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, between February 2017 and October 2020, Glenda Adams was an Assistant District Attorney (ADA) employed by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office in Memphis, Tennessee. During that time, a local attorney paid Adams to provide him with law enforcement restricted information contained in traffic accident reports.
Automobile accidents occurring in the Memphis city limits were typically investigated by the Memphis Police Department (MPD). The Crash Reports generated by the MPD investigations were uploaded into a law enforcement database known as "Watson." Access to Watson was limited to law enforcement officials. Subsequently, the Crash Reports were available for purchase from the City of Memphis. Through her employment as an Assistant District Attorney, Adams had access to Watson and the Crash Reports.
In exchange for payments from the attorney, Adams would access MPD Crash Reports from the Watson system, then provide those reports to the attorney in exchange for cash payment. The local attorney would use the Crash Reports to solicit accident victims identified in the Reports and offer them legal representation.
On February 23, 2022, Adams pled guilty.
"Citizens rely on those who hold positions of public trust to execute their duties with integrity and in the best interests of the public," said Douglas M. Korneski, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis Field Office. "The FBI will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who abuse that trust out of personal greed."
Sentencing is set for May 27, 2022, before United States District Judge Jon P. McCalla, where Adams faces up to five years in federal prison along with three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
###
Federal Jury Says Guilty to Miami Man Who Spent A Year Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Following a three-day trial, a South Florida federal jury found 31-year-old Miami resident William Gross Jr. guilty of distributing child pornography.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Gross spent a year on a social media messenger application chatting and sharing videos and images of children being sexually abused. In the chats, Gross boasted about his sexual exploits with young girls, asked for explicit videos of young girls having sex, and sent a picture of his penis to ask if a young girl could “handle” it.
The jury found Gross guilty of seven counts of distributing child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is set for April 27, at 2:30 p.m. before U.S. Senior District Judge Paul C. Huck.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the jury’s verdict.
FBI Miami -- in particular FBI Miami’s Child Exploitation Task Force -- investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Egozi and Abbie D. Waxman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices 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 the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-20532.
###
Fargo, ND, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for a Drug Related Robbery in West Fargo Gone Bad, resulting in a Six-Year-Old Boy being Shot in the HeadRead the Press Release
FARGO – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter D. Welte sentenced CJ Jesse James Carruthers, age 20, Fargo, ND, to 10 years in federal prison for Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery, 18 USC § 01951 and Conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act Robbery. Chief Judge Welte also sentenced Carruthers to 3 years’ supervised release and a $62,575.36 in restitution.
On March 22, 2021, CJ Carruthers, while robbing an alleged drug dealer in West Fargo ND, with Germond Johnson, Jr., fired his firearm striking the robbery victim’s vehicle. The robbery victim returned fire and one of the bullets travelled through the exterior wall of an adjacent house, hitting a 6-year-old child while he was lying in his bed. The 6-year-old child survived his extensive injuries as a result of being struck by the stray bullet.
Carruthers’ co-defendant, Germond Edward Johnson Jr., age 18, Fargo, ND, pleaded guilty on February 23, 2022, to One Count of Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery, 18 USC § 1951 and Conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act Robbery. Sentencing is set for July 6, 2022.
"When drug offenders bring and use firearms while committing their drug and theft trade, so many law-abiding innocent people are needlessly placed at risk and in this situation, the most innocent among us was seriously hurt," said Interim U.S. Attorney Nick Chase. "This case is another great example of local and federal partners joining together to solve what can be best described as a senseless criminal act and this sentence sends a stout message that violent crime in our communities will not go undisciplined."
"This tragic case is a definitive example of why firearms do not belong in the hands of criminals," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jon Ortiz, of the St. Paul Field Division. "A young boy nearly lost his life because of a brazen and senseless act. We hope today’s sentence brings justice to the family of the victim. We are grateful for the tireless efforts of the West Fargo Police Department on this case as well as for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in obtaining this successful prosecution."
This case was investigated by the West Fargo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lee assigned to the case.
######
Deming man accused of production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Guillermo Rodriguez Garcia, 39, of Deming, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court today facing charges of production of child pornography. Rodriguez Garcia will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for March 1.
According to a criminal complaint, on May 18, 2020, police responded to an incident relating to an accusation of sexual abuse of children. After follow-up interviews, on Jan. 26, 2021, Rodriguez Garcia was arrested on a New Mexico state charge of criminal sexual penetration of the first degree. A search of Rodriguez Garcia’s cellphone identified two videos as potential child pornography. The videos, from Aug. 26 and 27 of 2019, allegedly show Rodriguez Garcia engaging in sexual conduct with a 12-year-old victim.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Rodriguez Garcia faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Deming Police Department and the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.
D.C. Department of Corrections Officer Arrested for Bribery and Smuggling of ContrabandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—A District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer was arrested today on charges alleging that he accepted bribes to bring prohibited items, including weapons and drugs, into the District’s Central Detention Facility (CDF).
Johnson Ayuk, 31, of Bowie, Maryland, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with bribery and providing or possessing contraband in prison, both federal offenses. He was arrested at the CDF and made his initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather. He was released on high-intensity supervision pending a preliminary hearing set for March 10, 2022.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Tom Faust, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections.
According to court documents, Ayuk has been a Department of Corrections officer since April 2021, and his only assignment has been at CDF, where he is responsible for maintaining order and security of those housed in the facility. In the charging documents, he is accused of taking part in a smuggling operation in which he accepted money from the un-incarcerated girlfriend of an inmate to bring illicit materials—including knives, drugs, and cellular telephones—into the jail for distribution among inmates.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections’ Investigative Services Branch. This case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided valuable assistance.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cuban who rammed FBI security gate admits guiltRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Cuban citizen has entered a guilty plea for illegally breaching federal security and gaining entry to the FBI building in Houston, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Nestor Mariano Vidal Batista pleaded guilty to willfully injuring or committing any depredation.
On June 23, 2021, Batista stole a Dodge Ram 2500 pick-up truck shortly before attempting to lodge an in-person complaint at the FBI office in Houston. Upon his arrival, security referred him to local authorities.
Batista then re-entered the truck, circled the area and tried to force entry. He sped forward and crashed the truck into the front security gates of the FBI building. Shortly thereafter, he was able to exit the truck and enter the visiting area in the lobby. Authorities then subdued him and took him into custody.
As a result of his actions, he caused $10,062.61 in damages.
Sentencing has been set for May 20 before U.S. District Judge David Hittner. At that time, Batista faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Porto is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Sex Trafficker Indicted for EscapeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jimmy Cantelmo, age 33, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 23, 2022, by a federal grand jury on escape charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on February 16, 2022, Cantelmo escaped from custody of the Capital Pavilion Residential Reentry Center in Dauphin County, where he was confined following his conviction of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Roberto Cruz-Rivera, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison after being found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender following a federal trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2000, Cruz-Rivera was arrested for a rape and assault he committed in a Staten Island, New York cemetery. During the rape he stabbed the woman’s face and chest, puncturing her lung. The rape victim was with another person at the cemetery, and Cruz-Rivera stabbed that victim in the head and hand. Cruz-Rivera was convicted of rape and assault in New York and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. As a result of these convictions, he was required to register as a sex offender wherever he lived or worked. Cruz-Rivera was released from a New York prison in 2016.
After his release from prison, Cruz-Rivera moved to Indianapolis. Between September 2017 and March 2020, Cruz-Rivera worked at multiple locations in Indianapolis, including the Indiana Convention Center, the JW Marriot, a Sheraton hotel, and Warren Township’s Hawthorne Elementary School. Cruz-Rivera never registered as a sex offender while living and working in Indiana, in violation of federal law.
“Federal and Indiana law require certain sex offenders to register with the state. Sex offender registration laws are an important tool for the protection of the public,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Offenders who choose to violate our sex offender registration laws while living and working in Indiana will be held accountable.”
“The U.S. Marshals are the lead federal agency for sex offender violations,” said Dan McClain, U.S. Marshal, Southern District of Indiana. “Protecting the public from offenders is among my top priorities and I’m pleased with the outcome of this case.”
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton-Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Cruz-Rivera be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison and that he comply with sex offender registry laws.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Eakman and James Warden who prosecuted this case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – DeAngelo Lewis Ramsey, 22, was sentenced this week to 47 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for violating his terms of supervised release.
Ramsey was previously convicted for breaking into a federal firearms licensee through the ceiling of a neighboring business and stealing multiple firearms. As a result of his prior conviction history, Ramsey is prohibited by federal law from possessing either firearms or ammunition.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will always prioritize the prosecution of those who seek to obtain firearms unlawfully. This defendant – who had previously been convicted of a felony for stealing multiple firearms after breaking into a commercial business – chose to illegally obtain and use yet another firearm while on supervised release. This sentence is just punishment and serves as a perfect example of how our office continues to prioritize the public’s safety and protection within the district,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today.
According to court documents, at around 3:30 a.m. on January 7, 2021, Salem, Virginia police were called about a suspicious person in the area of Carey Avenue. A resident’s doorbell camera showed a person dressed in a jacket, ski mask, and gloves coming to the door and reaching for the handle before walking away. Responding officers noticed several interior lights on in vehicles in the neighborhood and multiple mailboxes with doors left open.
Law enforcement searched the area and located an individual that matched the description of the man on the doorbell video. He was carrying a backpack and ran down an embankment when encountered by police.
After a brief chase, officers detained the man and identified the subject as DeAngelo Ramsey. Nearby, they found gloves, a ski mask, and the backpack he was carrying, which contained several items that had been reported missing from vehicles and mailboxes. In addition, the backpack contained a Glock 23 pistol with an extended magazine and one hollow-point round of ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance from the Salem Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson prosecuted the case.
Clarksville Auto Dealer Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A Clarksville, Tennessee, auto dealer was charged today with bank fraud, resulting from a fraudulent scheme in which he obtained loans from several credit unions for the same vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Andrew Oliver, 31, of Cadiz, Kentucky, the owner of First Choice Auto Sales in Clarksville, Tenn., and AJ’s Auto Sales in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was charged in a criminal information with obtaining loans from several financial institutions on the same vehicles. The Information alleges that Oliver inflated his income on loan application documents and omitted the fact that he had already obtained loans from other financial institutions regarding the same vehicle.
Specifically, the information alleges that Oliver obtained loans totaling $215,000 from three credit unions for the purchase of the same Cadillac and obtained loans totaling $340,000 from six credit unions for the purchase of a Ford F-450. The fraudulent loans caused a total loss to the credit unions of $368,585.52.
If convicted, Oliver faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The United States also seeks to forfeit any property derived from the proceeds of the crime, including a money judgement in the amount of $368,585.52.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn W. Booth.
The charges are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
# # # # #
Chilean National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Vehicle Break-In and Credit Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Miami Beach, Florida man was sentenced to two years in federal prison for wire fraud stemming from his participation in a vehicle break-in scheme that victimized individuals and businesses across the country.
According to court records, from August 2020 through February 2021, Matias Ahumada‑Avendano, 31, of Miami Beach, and his co-defendant, Claudia Espinoza, 41, traveled to the Treasure Valley on multiple occasions to commit theft and fraud. They identified unoccupied vehicles parked at trailheads, broke into them, and stole credit cards belonging to the owners. Ahumada‑Avendano and Espinoza then used the victims’ credit cards to purchase gift cards and electronics from retail stores such as Target and Best Buy. Ahumada-Avendano and Espinoza were arrested on April 24, 2021 in Kent County, Michigan while breaking into a vehicle.
On November 22, 2021, Ahumada-Avendano pleaded guilty to wire fraud for his role in the scheme and was held accountable for $157,502.91 in loss for conducting this scheme in states including Florida, Kentucky, Utah, and Idaho. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Ahumada-Avendano to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison sentence.
On January 13, 2022, Espinoza pleaded guilty to wire fraud for her participation in the same scheme. She is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Winmill on April 18, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Secret Service, Boise Police Department, officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Michigan State Police, and loss prevention employees from Best Buy, which led to charges.
###
Chesterland Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay Restitution for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that Robert Bearden, 49, of Chesterland, Ohio, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent to one year in prison and ordered to pay $62,296.70 in restitution after Bearden pleaded guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud.
According to court documents, in July of 2020, Bearden devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $60,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
As part of the scheme, Bearden submitted three fraudulent EIDL loan applications through the SBA’s online application portal, which were approved for a total of approximately $60,000 in funds disbursed. On applications Bearden submitted, he used false information about existing and non-existing businesses and the name of third parties in return for a kickback of a portion of the funds received. Bearden also used the personal identifying information of persons interested in obtaining government pandemic assistance to submit loan applications on their behalf, but directing the funds into his own account, including one of the three loans that was approved.
Acting United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler, FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS CI, Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS – Criminal Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot D. Morrison and Brian M. McDonough.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Centreville Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced William Tyler Beck, age 30, of Centreville, Maryland to 16 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for coercion and enticement of a minor. Judge Gallagher also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Beck must continue to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to his guilty plea, between 2014 and August 2018, Beck used internet-based communication services to coerce at least six minor females into creating and sending him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. As part of his scheme to exploit the minors, Beck created fictitious accounts and represented himself as a 16-year old minor.
Specifically, on March 5, 2017, Beck used a cell phone and video streaming application to communicate with Jane Doe, a 9-year-old victim. Beck instructed the victim to perform sexual acts on a live stream video and threatened to call the police if she did not cooperate with his demands. As a result of Beck’s threats, Jane Doe exposed her breast, genitalia, and performed other sexual acts on an open live stream video. The live stream video was viewed by over 100 users, and some users immediately reported the conduct to law enforcement. After Jane Doe was banned from the live stream site, Beck instructed Jane Doe to change her username to “Lil Sexy Chica” to stream another video where she performed additional sexual acts. Beck also live streamed a video of himself masturbating during his communication with Jane Doe.
According to Beck’s plea agreement, from approximately 2014 to August 2017, Beck used two social media applications to communicate with minor females who identified themselves as ages 9 to 16 years of age. Beck communicated with more than 24 self-identifying minors during that time. All communications related to sex or requests for photos. During most of the conversations, Beck falsely posed as a 16-year-old or 13-year-old minor.
In at least three instances, Beck threatened to expose the victims by posting pictures, stating that he already posted pictures, or threatening to tell the victims’ parents that they were using the applications.
Beck admits that he caused or attempted to cause at least five minor females between the ages of 13 and 16 years of age to produce images, videos, or live stream videos of their exposed genitalia.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Madisonville Police Department of Kentucky, and the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
California man facing federal charge for interfering with a flight crewRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Samson Hardridge, 33, of Lancaster, California, made an initial appearance in federal court on Feb. 23 facing a charge of interference with flight crew members and attendants. Hardridge will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 25.
According to a criminal complaint, on Feb. 18, Hardridge was a passenger on Southwest Flight 474 from Dallas to Burbank. After takeoff, Hardridge allegedly left his seat to use the lavatory at the back of the plane. A flight attendant asked Hardridge to stand in the aisle of the aircraft since the galley was too small. Hardridge allegedly had his hands in his pants and asked if the flight attendant wanted to see his penis. The flight attendant declined and again requested that Hardridge remain on the carpeted area of the aisle.
Hardridge allegedly proceeded to the door near the rear galley of the aircraft and began urinating in the corner. A second flight attendant informed Hardridge he could not urinate there and Hardridge allegedly became very hostile. Hardridge allegedly yelled and threatened the flight attendants and infringed on their personal space.
Hardridge was asked to take his seat. Out of concern for their safety as well as that of the other passengers, one of the flight attendants informed the pilot of the situation and the flight was diverted into Albuquerque.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Hardridge faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Presiliano Torrez is prosecuting the case.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOISE – A California man pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
According to court records, on May 25, 2021, Raul Garcia, 41, of Woodland, California, was found in possession of nearly four pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Nampa. Garcia admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to other people.
Garcia is scheduled for sentencing on May 31, 2022 and faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of at least ten years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, a ten million dollar fine, and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine Garcia’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Nampa Police Department and Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which led to charges. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
###
California Man Convicted of Participating in Canton Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, against Defendant Alvaro Orosco, 36, of Visalia, California, following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent in Cleveland. Orosco was convicted of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that sought to distribute more than ten kilograms, or 22 pounds, of cocaine and heroin in the Canton area.
Orosco was one of 15 defendants charged in a conspiracy to bring large amounts of cocaine and heroin from Mexico and California to the Canton area between August 2016 and April 2019. According to court documents, in April of 2019, Orosco traveled from California to Cleveland, Ohio, to retrieve ten kilograms of cocaine hidden in a compartment of a vehicle shipped from California to Massillon, Ohio. Law enforcement officers with the Illinois State Police Department intercepted the vehicle and turned the drugs over to the FBI, who replaced the drugs with a fake substance and arrested Orosco when he opened the hidden compartment.
Orosco is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Canton Police Department, Illinois State Police Department, MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency and Massillon Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly.
Bowie County Man Indicted for Trafficking Deadly FentanylRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A Texarkana man has been indicted for federal drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Darell Montrell Trotter, 32, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Feb. 16, 2022, charging him with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Trotter made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven.
According to the indictment, on Dec. 14, 2021, Trotter possessed more than 400 grams of fentanyl, which he intended to distribute to others. On that same day, Trotter was found in possession of a pistol, a shotgun, and a rifle in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
If convicted, Trotter faces from 15 years to life in federal prison.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Texarkana, Texas Police Department; Texarkana, Arkansas, Police Department; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Boston Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston drug trafficker pleaded guilty on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, to his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Hassan Monroe, 38, of Quincy, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for June 22, 2022.
In June 2020, Monroe was charged along with 23 others as part of Operation Snowfall. According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement conducted an investigation into drug trafficking activities by Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the defendants, through their drug trafficking activities, assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs. As a result, their activities caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.
The investigation also targeted large-scale drug suppliers and their associates. It is alleged that the targets continued to distribute cocaine and cocaine base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown. Monroe is the ninth defendant to plead guilty in the case.
Monroe was a significant drug supplier and distributor within the drug conspiracy. Monroe purchased and distributed wholesale quantities of cocaine and is estimated to have distributed over one kilogram of cocaine and 200 grams of cocaine base. During the investigation, a search of a “stash house” associated with Monroe recovered over 400 grams of cocaine, six firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition. 250 grams of cocaine and a loaded firearm were recovered from Monroe’s car and a subsequent search of Monroe’s residence recovered cocaine and two loaded firearms.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. 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. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting 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.
Boise Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Boise man was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Jason Lee Gentry, 43, of Boise, sold another person methamphetamine on four different occasions. On December 2, 2020, he sold 10.45 grams of methamphetamine; on December 7, 2020, he sold 27.45 grams of methamphetamine; on February 2, 2021, he sold 28.05 grams of methamphetamine; and on February 10, 2021, he sold 28.05 grams of methamphetamine. On March 24, 2021, officers with the Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole conducted a search of Gentry’s home. When officers entered the premises, they discovered 30 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and plastic packaging materials commonly used to weigh and package drugs for distribution.
Gentry has prior state convictions in both Ada County and Valley County for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and injury to child.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also order Gentry to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Gentry pleaded guilty to the charge on September 13, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and applauded the efforts of the Idaho State Police, Boise Police Department, Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole, and the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which led to the charges.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
###
Bergen County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $8.2 Million Worth of HIV MedicationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for role in a scheme to steal prescription HIV medication from the Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Wagner Checonolasco, aka “Wanny,” 34, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to an information charging him with conspiring to steal government property. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2017 through Nov. 20, 2019, Checonolasco conspired with Lisa M. Hoffman and others to steal HIV medication belonging to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Hoffman allegedly stole the medication from the pharmacy of her employer, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in East Orange, New Jersey, and then sold the stolen medication to Checonolasco for cash. Hoffman used her position as a procurement official at the VAMC to order large quantities of HIV prescription medications so that she could steal the excess medication and then sell it to Checonolasco, who then resold it for a profit. Checonolasco and Hoffman stole approximately $8.2 million worth of HIV medication belonging to the VAMC.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Checolonasco to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $8.2 million.
Hoffman, 48, of Orange, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole F. Mastropieri of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Belton Man Charged with Illegal Firearms After Police PursuitRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Belton, Missouri, man who caused an accident while fleeing from a police helicopter, then ran from police officers through the backyards of a residential neighborhood before being apprehended, was charged in federal court today with illegally possessing firearms.
Jonathon M. Pentlin, 24, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Pentlin remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, a police helicopter was following the stolen 2015 Ford Focus, which Pentlin was driving, from Belton to a Phillips 66 gas station at 5151 E. Red Bridge Road in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on Pentlin and another person as part of an ongoing investigation into a residential burglary in which multiple firearms were stolen. The passenger got out of the Focus and into another vehicle at the gas station. Pentlin continued driving the stolen Focus westbound on Red Bridge Road.
As the helicopter followed the Focus, the affidavit says, Pentlin began driving at a high speed. The Focus was involved in an accident in the area of 107th Terrace and Grandview Road in Kansas City, Mo. Pentlin got out of the vehicle and ran westbound through backyards. A Kansas City police sergeant who got out of his vehicle in an attempt to apprehend Pentlin saw that Pentlin was armed with a handgun as he was running through the backyards.
Additional officers arrived and located Pentlin in the backyard of a residence on E. 107th Terrace. Officers ordered Pentlin to get on the ground, the affidavit says, but he refused to follow their commands and continued to act erratically. Pentlin balled up his fists and assumed a fighting posture while stating, “I’m going to kill you all.”
A Kansas City police officer shot Pentlin with a taser and he fell on his back. While on the ground, Pentlin continued to resist arrest and tried to kick officers. While taking Pentlin into custody, he bit an officer on the right thigh, which caused an open wound with bruising and swelling. While officers waited for EMS to arrive, the affidavit says, Pentlin continuously slammed his head into the grass and attempted to bite several officers’ hands and fingers. Pentlin was transported to a local hospital by EMS.
An ATF agent with a police dog searched the area and found two firearms, a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a loaded Beretta 9mm semi-automatic handgun, under the deck of a residence. Officers also found two plastic baggies that contained approximately 4.03 grams of methamphetamine, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia in the stolen Focus Pentlin was driving.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Pentlin has prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle and for possessing and distributing illegal drugs.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Black. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Bell County Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – Daniel Randall Ramsey-Greene, 27, of Middlesboro, Kentucky, was sentenced Tuesday, to 300 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement and sentencing hearing, while a foster parent, Ramsey-Greene setup a wireless camera in the bathroom of his residence, to capture videos and images of his foster child’s genitals. Ramsey-Greene then saved these images to his cell phone. In April of 2020, Ramsey-Greene also made the victim smoke marijuana. Thereafter, Ramsey-Greene sexually molested the young boy. The victim’s mother informed the Middlesboro Police Department of the abuse.
Law enforcement removed the victim from Ramsey-Greene’s custody and seized Ramey-Greene’s cellular phone and wireless camera system. The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Electronic Crimes Branch performed a forensic analysis of Ramsey-Greene’s electronics, which revealed that Ramsey-Greene produced sexually explicit images of another minor, who was another foster child that Ramsey-Greene ultimately adopted. Electronic evidence and forensic interviews revealed that Ramsey-Greene produced pornographic images of both boys between September of 2019 and April of 2020.
The Court applied numerous sentencing enhancements, based on evidence of his engaging in sex acts with a minor, being a parent or guardian of the victims, and being a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors. Ramsey-Greene entered his guilty plea, to two counts of production of child pornography, on June 8, 2021. Under federal law, Ramsey-Greene must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for Life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville Division; Col. Phillip Burnette, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, and Michael Orr, Middlesboro Police Chief, jointly announced the sentence.
This case was prosecuted 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.
-END-
Bank Robber Found Guilty Following Federal TrialRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Miami federal jury found David Franklin Lee, 60, of Miami, guilty of attempted bank robbery, following a three-day trial, before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke.
According to the evidence admitted at trial, on November 17, 2020, Lee entered a Bank of America branch, located on Washington Avenue in Miami Beach. Lee passed a handwritten note to the bank teller, demanding all the money in the bank. Upon receiving the note, the teller activated the bank’s silent alarm and retreated to a back room. Police arrived on the scene and arrested Lee.
U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke will sentence Lee on May 4, at 10:00 a.m., in Miami. Lee faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Richard Clements, Chief, Miami Beach Police Department, made the announcement.
FBI Miami and the Miami Beach Police Department investigated this case. AUSA Stacey Bergstrom prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-20034.
###
Baltimore Heroin Dealer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Larry Gardner, a/k/a “Little Larry,” age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to five years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and other drugs in the Baltimore area.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Postal Inspector in Charge Greg L. Torbenson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
According to his guilty plea, between November 2019 and December 2020, Gardner participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large quantities of controlled dangerous substances, including heroin, in the Baltimore area.
As detailed in the plea agreement, between June and November 2020, federal agents assigned to the Baltimore Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force intercepted hundreds of electronic and wire communications between Gardner and the leader of the DTO which revealed that Gardner was a mid-level distributor of heroin and that the DTO leader was his source of supply.
Gardner exchanged coded text messages with the DTO’s leader negotiating the price and amount of heroin. After one such exchange on November 4, 2020, a covert camera captured the DTO leader entering an apartment in downtown Baltimore used as a stash house, then leave eight minutes later. A few minutes later, agents conducting surveillance outside Gardner’s residence saw the DTO leader arrive and intercepted a message from the DTO leader to Gardner stating, “Here cuz”. The DTO leader rang the bell at Gardner’s residence and Gardner answered the door and accompanied the DTO leader to his car, where they conducted the heroin transaction.
On December 16, 2020, law enforcement executed a search at Gardner’s residence, which was occupied at that time by Gardner, his wife, and three minor children. Law enforcement recovered a ballistic vest, a kilogram press and more than 1,000 empty gel capsules in the basement. In the bathroom, officers found white residue around a toilet and on the floor next to the toilet; plastic bags containing a white powder substance; and at least one plastic bag with a crystalline white rock-like substance that was subsequently analyzed and identified as approximately 19 grams of cocaine.
Gardner admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that the conspiracy involved the distribution of between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The specific mission of the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the DEA, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Baltimore County Husband and Wife Sentenced to Federal Prison for a Crack Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Nathaniel Donnell Carter, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Russell sentenced Carter’s wife, Raymia Sophia Carroll, also age 37, of Baltimore, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the crack cocaine distribution conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to their guilty pleas, on November 12, 2019, the DEA and the Baltimore County Police Department conducted surveillance on Carter’s and Carroll’s family home in connection with an investigation into their drug trafficking activities. Law enforcement saw Carter leave the house with a bulge in the front pocket of his hooded jacket and drive away. Carter was seen fidgeting in the car and continued to reach behind and under the front passenger seat. Baltimore County Police conducted a traffic stop. After being read his Miranda rights, which he acknowledged, Carter gave consent for officers to search his vehicle, telling them “it would be under the seat.” Law enforcement recovered a .45-caliber handgun from the center console of the vehicle and a large black bag containing 1,012.3 grams of crack cocaine from under the front passenger seat.
Law enforcement traveled to a Baltimore County elementary school to conduct surveillance on Carroll and saw her car. A K9 scan of the vehicle alerted positive for drugs. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and recovered approximately 385.242 grams of crack cocaine and packaging materials.
A subsequent search of the family home recovered 72.9 grams of crack cocaine, packaging materials, and 22.5 grams of suspected marijuana.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joan C. Mathias and Christopher M. Rigali, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Australian Man Indicted on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 23, 2022, Robert Lindsay Swan, age 38, of Australia, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Swan possessed a Walther Creed 9mm pistol on November 9, 2021, in York County, as a prohibited person due to unlawfully being in the United States.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the York Area Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Associate Medical Director of Baltimore County, Maryland Pain Management Practice Sentenced to Federal Prison for Accepting Kick-BacksRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Howard Hoffberg, M.D., age 65, of Reisterstown, Maryland, today, to eight months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statutes, in connection with a scheme to accept payments from a pharmaceutical company in exchange for prescribing a fentanyl-based drug.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, Howard Hoffberg, is a doctor and was licensed to practice medicine in the State of Maryland. He served as the Associate Medical Director and part-owner of Rosen-Hoffberg Rehabilitation and Pain Management (the “Practice”). The Practice’s Medical Director was Norman Rosen, who worked primarily at the Practice’s Towson, Maryland locations. Hoffberg principally worked at the Practice’s location in Owings Mills, Maryland, but at times also was at the Practice’s locations in Towson, Maryland.
Hoffberg was a Medicare provider and submitted claims to Medicare, which is federal healthcare program. In September 2011, Hoffberg certified to Medicare that he would comply with Medicare rules and regulations, including that he would refrain from violating the federal anti-kickback statute. Further, in August 2013, Hoffberg certified to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), as part of his ability to prescribe drugs known as Transmucosal Immediate Release Fentanyl (“TIRF”) drugs, that: (a) he understood TIRF drugs are indicated only for the management of breakthrough pain in cancer patients; (b) he understood that TIRF drugs can be abused by patients; and (c) he understood that one TIRF drug is not interchangeable with another TIRF drug.
As detailed in his plea agreement, starting in June 2012, Hoffberg solicited and received kickbacks and bribes for himself in the form of payments from Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (“Insys”) (a pharmaceutical company) and related entities. In January 2012, the FDA approved Insys’s application to sell and market a TIRF drug named Subsys to treat cancer patients experiencing break-through pain, which is a sudden onset of pain in cancer patients that cannot be controlled with their usual treatment regimen. Subsys is a potent opioid designed to rapidly enter a patient’s bloodstream upon being sprayed under the tongue. Subsys contains fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that has a high potential for abuse and addiction.
According to the plea agreement, because of the limited number of cancer patients experiencing breakthrough pain who fit the FDA-approved criteria, Insys devised an illegal kickback and bribery scheme to induce Hoffberg and others to prescribe Subsys off-label for conditions other than breakthrough pain in cancer patients. In order to conceal and disguise that kickbacks and bribes were being paid to Hoffberg to prescribe Subsys, Insys falsely designated the payments to Hoffberg as “honoraria” for purportedly providing educational programs about Subsys (the “Speakers Bureau Program”). Hoffberg admitted that his participation in the Speakers Bureau Program was a sham. Hoffberg often made these presentations at high-end restaurants, and to staff at the Practice and/or to persons who could not even prescribe controlled substances. Hoffberg knew that these presentations were not designed to promote any bona fide educational initiative about Subsys but rather were required to receive the honoraria.
Hoffberg was paid $66,600 by Insys and knew that these payments were kickbacks and bribes that were paid, at least in part, to induce Hoffberg to prescribe, or in exchange for Hoffberg prescribing, Subsys. As part of the scheme, through January 2018 Hoffberg prescribed Subsys to patients of the Practice who were not suffering from cancer, some of whose insurance coverage was paid for, in whole or in part, by a federal healthcare program. Further, Hoffberg admitted that he switched several other patients to Subsys from another fentanyl-based drug because of the kickbacks he received from Insys, even though he previously certified that TIRF drugs were not interchangeable.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the DEA, HHS-OIG, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Announces Two New Resources to Support Law Enforcement from Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta announced at a webinar today two new training and technical assistance (TTA) resources from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW): the National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium (LETTAC) and the Domestic Violence Resource for Increasing Safety and Connection (DV RISC).
“Reducing violent crime is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and combating domestic violence and sexual assault are important parts of the department’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violent crime,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta. “We cannot reduce, prevent or end violence without providing law enforcement agencies with the tools, training and resources they need. I am proud to introduce LETTAC and DV RISC, as new tools to help law enforcement agencies best respond to, investigate and ultimately prevent domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking by delivering innovative and evolving training and technical assistance to grantees and the field in a more efficient, effective manner.”
“Ensuring that law enforcement and jurisdictions have access to survivor-centered and trauma-informed resources is critical to address and prevent gender-based violence in our communities,” said Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall of OVW. “LETTAC and DV RISC not only fulfill this key role, but also expand training and technical assistance to underserved communities, including rural areas and Tribal lands, helping countless survivors access the justice they seek.”
LETTAC is a single-entry point for law enforcement agencies – including police and sheriffs’ offices as well as prosecutors, civilian staff and campus police – to request TTA in responding to, investigating and prosecuting domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking cases. Planning is also underway to ensure LETTAC resources address the intersection of human trafficking with domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking with a focus on Tribal grantees and potential grantees. LETTAC delivers TTA more efficiently, maximizing resources while minimizing duplication and, crucially, promoting collaboration. The LETTAC resource center includes a portal to request TTA; a clearinghouse of webinars, podcasts, publications and other tools; and a learning center to provide quality training for users. Ensuring inclusivity is central to LETTAC’s mission to providing TTA services and support for all justice practitioners, including those in underserved areas, culturally specific communities, and American Indian and Alaska Native jurisdictions. LETTAC will partner with AEquitas to provide training to prosecutors.
DV RISC is a national resource center to help communities prevent domestic violence homicide. The DV RISC website provides multidisciplinary tools and TTA to jurisdictions seeking a coordinated response. Users can obtain access to TTA providers and subject matter experts; on-site and virtual strategic planning assistance; culturally specific TTA providers to ensure diverse and inclusive community engagement; and peer-to-peer learning with communities that have implemented domestic violence homicide prevention strategies. Working in collaboration with Ujima and Esperanza United, DV RISC is led and informed by individuals who have been impacted by intimate partner and domestic violence homicides, ensuring that communities using DV RISC create prevention strategies that are informed by the voices of survivors.
Both LETTAC and DV RISC support the Justice Department’s comprehensive strategy for reducing violent crime.
About the Office on Violence Against Women
The Office on Violence Against Women 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.
Area residents charged in multi-layered fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Six Houston individuals have been indicted for their participation in a multi-state scheme involving mortgage fraud, credit repair and government loan fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Authorities are seeking two others.
Leslie and ShyAnne Edrington, 65 and 29, respectively, are set for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan today at 11 a.m. Authorities also arrested Melinda Moreno Munoz, 40, and Elvina Buckley, 67, Friday, Feb. 18, after which they made their initial appearances in federal court.
Two others - Heather Ann Campos, 43, and David Lewis Best Jr., 58, also of Houston, are considered fugitives, and warrants remain outstanding for their arrest. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 281-512-8525.
The 25-count indictment, returned Feb. 16, alleges all six participated in a multi-layered fraud scheme to defraud mortgage lending businesses, banks, Small Business Administration (SBA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
They allegedly recruited clients for credit repair using company names of KMD Credit, KMD Capital and Jeff Funding, among others. The indictment alleges they “cleaned” their clients’ credit histories by filing false identity theft reports with the FTC.
Campos was a mortgage broker and Buckley a realtor, while operating as a notary was the responsibility of Munoz, according to the charges. After fraudulently inflating client credit worthiness, the six individuals allegedly capitalized on the experience of Campos, Buckley and Munoz to fraudulently obtain credit cards, disaster loans and mortgages for themselves and their clients. The indictment alleges they were able to accomplish this through false statements and fake documents.
They maintained control of the properties purchased in their clients’ names, according to the charges. The purpose, the indictment alleges, was for the purpose of building a real estate portfolio worth millions of dollars and enriching themselves with rental income.
If convicted, all face up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Housing and Urban Development – OIG and SBA – OIG with the assistance of the FTC – OIG and IRS - Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh and Jay Hileman are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Wednesday 23 February 2022
Wilmington Man Who Sold Fake Oxycodone Pills Containing Fentanyl Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Wilmington, Delaware man was sentenced yesterday to 188 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl while also illegally possessing 5 firearms. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, Joseph Thomas, age 29, was arrested on April 30, 2020, by state and federal law enforcement. Searches of Thomas’ home, car detailing business, T.L.K. Auto Spa, and a storage unit Thomas controlled yielded a fentanyl pill operation, instructions for making fake prescription pills with fentanyl, a commercial pill press, 5 firearms, and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. One of the guns Thomas possessed had been reported stolen. The serial number on another of those guns was obliterated, making it difficult to trace. Law enforcement also found over $86,000 in cash inside a safe belonging to Thomas.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “Selling deadly fentanyl in pill form designed to mimic the appearance of the legitimate prescription drug oxycodone endangers lives. The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition endangers lives. My office will seek significant prison sentences for those who engage in this activity and thereby threaten the safety of our community.”
“The defendant in this case showed little regard for the safety of his consumers as he willingly manufactured and sold fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl,” said William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “Each time highly addictive narcotics, like fentanyl, are pressed into pills, narcotics traffickers ensure repeat customers and higher profits. Beyond that, Thomas illegally possessed five guns and a thousand rounds of ammunition, again, showing little regard for the safety of his community. This sentencing should serve as a reminder to those seeking to line their pockets through others’ addictions. You will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be incarcerated for your criminal acts.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Ibrahim prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Newport Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also wishes to thank the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives and the FBI for their assistance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to helping those who suffer from substance abuse. While COVID-19 has made access to drug addiction treatment more difficult for many, it need not remain a barrier. If you need help, drug treatment information is available any time through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Treatment Referral Routing Service, found online at dpt2.samhsa.gov/treatment/ or by dialing 1.888.545.2600. Don’t let the pandemic stop you from beginning treatment.
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.
Wheeling man admits to drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – William Hinton, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Hinton, also known as “Abu Twoseventeeen,” age 49, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base, Cocaine Hydrochloride, Methamphetamine, and Heroin” and one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Hinton admitted to working with others to sell cocaine base, also known as “crack,” cocaine hydrochloride, also known as “coke,” and methamphetamine from June 2019 to August 2021 in Ohio County and elsewhere, including the Southern District of Ohio.
Hinton faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The Belmont County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Clairsville Police Department assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Visa holder caught smuggling nearly $200,000 to MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Mexican man has been charged with bulk cash smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against Feliciano Quintanar-Hernandez, 34, for smuggling $195,731 into Mexico.
Originally charged by criminal complaint, he made his first appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos Jan. 31, at which time he was ordered into custody pending further criminal proceedings. He is expected to appear for his initial appearance on the indictment in the near future.
On Jan. 29, Quintanar attempted to exit the United States through the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo as a solo driver in a pickup truck, according to the charges. There, he allegedly gave a negative declaration for possessing currency over $10,000.
The charges allege law enforcement inspected the pickup truck where they found a total of $195,731 hidden in the bed and center consol.
As a non-immigrant Visa holder, he is allegedly in violation of the terms of his Visa.
If convicted, Quintanar faces up to five years in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
United States Attorney’s Office Joins Rmhidta’s Efforts to End the Epidemic of Drug Overdoses in WyomingRead the Press Release
USAO-WY Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Coppom, Criminal Chief Nicole Romine and Rocky Mountain HIDTA Executive Director Keith Weis spoke at the Drug Information Opportunity Symposium on February 16, 2022
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that Criminal Chief Nicole Romine and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Coppom spoke at the Drug Information Opportunity Symposium on February 16, 2022, at the Wyoming National Guard Joint Readiness Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Romine and Coppom discussed the prosecution of drug overdose cases, along with a distinguished panel of speakers who spoke about the concerning number of overdoses in Wyoming and across the nation.The symposium was hosted by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA), Wyoming National Guard Counter Drug Program and the Joint Forces Readiness Center. Attendees included local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, health care professionals, and recovery services such as Recover Wyoming.
RMHIDTA organized the conference to bring together partners who are dealing directly with the increase of drug overdoses in the Rocky Mountain Region and to discuss ways to end the epidemic. Speakers included: Dr. Brett Birrer, a board-certified emergency physician who practices at Boseman Health Deaconess Hospital, Dr. Ana Clara Bobadilla, a neurobiologist that investigates the neurobiological mechanisms of relapse to drugs; Executive Director Lana Mahoney of Recover Wyoming; Resident Agent in Charge David Tyree of the DEA, and Levi Wardell, an overcomer. The Washington/Baltimore office of HIDTA was represented by Deputy Director for Prevention and Treatment Dr. Lora Peppard and ODMAP Coordinator Marquis Johnson. Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Region Keith Weis and Wyoming Drug Intelligence Officer Casey Patterson also spoke and moderated the symposium.
According to the Wyoming Department of Health Drug Overdose Dashboard, 81.8% of opioid-involved overdose deaths from 2016-2020 were unintentional. Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate that there were an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% over the previous year. In Wyoming, there was an estimated 25% increase in overdose deaths during the same period. Synthetic opioids, primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl, appear to be the primary driver of the increases in overdose deaths.
“Drug-overdose deaths are an epidemic in the United States, and the impact is very real in Wyoming,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “A top priority of the Department of Justice is to protect the American people, and we have an obligation to make Americans aware of the deadly threat from drug overdoses. We have two main law enforcement goals in protecting vulnerable citizens from overdose: identify health care professionals who are unlawfully diverting prescription opioids and identify, seize, and remove counterfeit pills from our community – especially those containing deadly doses of illicit fentanyl. But the heavy lift here really is on the prevention and treatment side, because preventing substance abuse is the first step towards addressing overdose deaths.”
Rocky Mountain HIDTA Executive Director Keith Weis advised the participants that “seizures of illicit fentanyl laced pills and related fatal overdoses continue to increase in the state’s communities. There must be a closely coordinated response by both public safety and public health professionals to adequately address this growing threat and save lives of Wyomingites.”
In 2021, DEA launched the One Pill Can Kill campaign to inform the American public of the dangers of fake prescription pills. The only safe prescription medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional that you get from a licensed pharmacist. All other pills are unsafe and potentially deadly. For more information, including information on resources and services available to assist with screening, treatment, and recovery of a mental health condition or a substance use disorder visit dea.gov/onepill.
Truro Man Arrested on Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Truro man was arrested today in connection with illegally selling firearms.
James McNulty, 59, was indicted on one count of dealing in firearms without a license. McNulty was released on conditions following an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal.
According to the indictment, between around January 2021 to April 2021, McNulty offered for sale and sold at least 55 firearms on Cape Cod. McNulty does not possess a license to import, manufacture, or deal firearms.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Truro and Provincetown Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit 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.
Three Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Plot to Attack Power Grids in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Three men pleaded guilty today to crimes related to a scheme to attack power grids in the United States in furtherance of white supremacist ideology.
According to court documents, Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio; Jonathan Allen Frost, 24, of West Lafayette, Indiana, and of Katy, Texas; and Jackson Matthew Sawall, 22, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. The charge and plea agreements indicate that the defendants knew and intended that the material support they conspired to provide would be used to prepare for and carry out the federal offense of destroying energy facilities.
“These three defendants admitted to engaging in a disturbing plot, in furtherance of white supremacist ideology, to attack energy facilities in order to damage the economy and stoke division in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The Justice Department is committed to investigating and disrupting such terrorist plots and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.”
“These defendants conspired to use violence to sow hate, create chaos, and endanger the safety of the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “As this case shows, federal and state law enforcement agencies are dedicated to working together to protect this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
“The defendants in this case wanted to attack regional power substations and expected the damage would lead to economic distress and civil unrest,” said Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “These individuals wanted to carry out such a plot because of their adherence to racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist views. When individuals move from espousing particular views to planning or committing acts of violence the FBI will investigate and take action to stop their plans. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities.”
“Those inspired to commit terrorist acts in the name of hate pose a serious threat to our nation," said Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. “I am thankful for the Joint Terrorism Task Force and our law enforcement partners who work each day to prevent this type of violence from occurring in our communities.”
According to court documents, in fall 2019, Frost and Cook met in an online chat group. Frost shared the idea of attacking a power grid with Cook, and within weeks, the two began efforts to recruit others to join in their plan.
As part of the recruitment process, Cook circulated a book list of readings that promoted the ideology of white supremacy and Neo-Nazism. By late 2019, Sawall – a friend of Cook’s – joined the conspiracy and assisted Cook with online recruitment efforts, operational security and organization.
As part of the conspiracy, each defendant was assigned a substation in a different region of the United States. The plan was to attack the substations, or power grids, with powerful rifles. The defendants believed their plan would cost the government millions of dollars and cause unrest for Americans in the region. They had conversations about how the possibility of the power being out for many months could cause war, even a race war, and induce the next Great Depression.
In February 2020, the co-conspirators met in Columbus, Ohio, to further discuss their plot. Frost provided Cook with an AR-47 and the two took the rifle to a shooting range to train.
Frost also provided Cook and Sawall with suicide necklaces during the Columbus meeting. The necklaces were filled with fentanyl and were to be ingested if and when the defendants were caught by law enforcement. Both Cook and Sawall expressed their commitment to dying in furtherance of their mission.
Upon arriving in Columbus, Sawall and Cook purchased spray paint and painted a swastika flag under a bridge at a park with the caption, “Join the Front.” The defendants had additional propaganda plans for their time in Ohio, but they were derailed during a traffic stop, during which Sawall swallowed his suicide pill but ultimately survived.
Court documents detail that Cook and Frost continued to travel together after their Ohio meeting, and drove to Texas in March 2020. Cook stayed in different cities with various juveniles who he was attempting to recruit for their plot.
Cook, Frost and Sawall were each charged with providing material support to terrorism by a bill of information filed on Feb. 7. The defendants face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica W. Knight for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Columbus, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Houston. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Northern District of Indiana provided valuable support.
Three Men Indicted in Capital Region Unemployment Insurance Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kahleke Taylor, age 21, of Albany; Taquan Parker, age 25, of Snellville, Georgia, and formerly of Albany; and Olajuwon Sutherland, age 26, of Troy, New York, were indicted earlier this month for engaging in a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $100,000 in unemployment insurance benefits. The alleged false claims exploited federal programs intended to aid out-of-work New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The indictment alleges that Parker and Sutherland provided Taylor with the personal identifying information of other people, which Taylor used to file false claims via the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) website. NYSDOL ultimately paid more than $100,000 in benefits. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Taylor appeared last week before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was ordered detained after he waived a detention hearing. Parker appeared last week in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, was released with conditions, and is scheduled to first appear before Judge Stewart on March 10. Sutherland appeared today before Judge Stewart, who ordered Sutherland detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow.
The defendants are charged with mail and wire fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft. The mail and wire fraud charges carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The charges for aggravated identity theft carry a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by HSI, the New York State Inspector General’s Office, USDOL-OIG, and USPIS, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations and the Schenectady County Department of Social Services, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Chisholm.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Thirteen Charged in Roanoke-Area TakedownRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Law enforcement officials and the United States Attorney’s Office announced today the recent arrests of thirteen individuals on a variety of federal charges, including distribution of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, possession of explosives by a felon, and illegal storage of explosives.
“These charges are the result of a federal, state, and local law enforcement partnership working together to stem the tide of crime in the Roanoke Valley. We all know the harm that narcotics trafficking causes to a community, which too often includes cycles of escalating violence.” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “This effort is just one of the ways the United States Attorney’s Office is seeking to hold accountable those individuals who undermine the safety of our community, and we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners and community members to provide assistance to those who want to see it thrive.”
“Today the Roanoke community witnessed a significant, coordinated law enforcement effort undertaken by the FBI and our partners with the Roanoke City and Roanoke County Police Departments, and the Virginia State Police,” Stanley Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. “Care and caution for these communities, have been pivotal in our planning to address the increase in crime occurring in the Roanoke area; and with today’s effort and concerted efforts in the last few months we have been able to remove a number of offenders from your streets. This is not over. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners and community members to address crime threats in these communities and hold criminals accountable. We ask that you please continue to assist law enforcement by reporting criminal activity.”
“We are grateful that our department can partner with these agencies at every level of the criminal justice system to hold these individuals accountable,” said Chief Sam Roman. “These are individuals who wish to cause harm through organized crime in our community, and this shows them and others like them that we will not stand for their behavior in Roanoke. We will do all we can with all the resources we have available to hold them responsible for their destructive, violent actions.”
“With overdose deaths increasing at an alarming rate across the Commonwealth, this investigative operation is extremely timely and essential to our state, local, and federal public safety initiatives to safeguard communities from the violence and tragedy so often associated with drug abuse and distribution,” said Captain Jeffrey A. Bartlett, Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office. “This is just the beginning of our collaborative efforts to remove high-level drug network operators who make it their business to prey on the Roanoke and Salem communities.”
“The suspects arrested and indicted today are responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into the Roanoke Valley that poison our citizens,” Roanoke County Police Chief Howard Hall said today. “Removing them from our community makes us all safer.”
“Today’s announcement is our collective way of saying we have had enough. Narcotics distribution in our communities is dangerous and detrimental to the safety of everyone,” said Charlie J. Patterson, ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge. “Protecting the public is our top priority. ATF remains focused on collaborating and lending resources to our local, state and federal partners in our continuing effort to combat violent crime.”
Arrested over the last two weeks were:
- Thomas Mauney, 31, Roanoke, Va.- Distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
- Destiny Jones, 29, Roanoke, Va. - Distribution of fentanyl.
- Shaewon Leon Smith, 33, Roanoke, Va.- Distribution of fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
- Shakeem Malik Hunt, 27, Roanoke, Va.- Distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine.
- Isiah Surles, 26, Roanoke, Va. - Distribution of cocaine.
- Richard “Bugatti” Brown, Roanoke, Va. - Distribution of cocaine.
- Travon Hardy, 28, Roanoke, Va. - Distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
- Anthony Haynes, 32, Roanoke, Va. - Distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine
- Richard Leon Cotton, 43, Roanoke, Va.- Distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
- Robert Wright, 28, Vinton, Va. - Possession of explosives by a felon, illegal storage of explosives.
In addition to these ten defendants, the following three have been arrested in recent weeks on similar federal charges as part of the same effort:
- Daunte Rashad Lamonde, 28, Roanoke, Va.- Possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Torrence Lamont Smith, 41, Roanoke, Va.- Possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
- Anthony Dwayne Banks, 31, Roanoke, Va.- Distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Roanoke Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the Salem Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas company convicted for supplying potentially tainted rocket fuel to NASARead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Anahuac Transport Inc. has pleaded guilty to fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Corporate representatives Gary Monteau and Brant Charpiot admitted their guilt today on behalf of the company. Monteau, Charpiot and Anahuac have entered voluntary exclusions with the United States in which each agrees to be banned from federal government contracting for two years. As part of their plea, Anahuac also agreed to forfeit $251,401, which constitutes gross proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense. The court entered a money judgement against Anahuac in that amount.
Anahuac admitted to falsifying its records and delivering potentially tainted rocket fuel for NASA and Department of Defense (DOD) rocket launches.
NASA and DOD entered into contracts with various companies, including Space Explorations Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), to launch rockets with supplies for the International Space Station and with military payloads.
These companies procured fuel for the rocket launches and contracted for transportation of the fuel to the launch sites. Anahuac was in the business of hauling chemicals in tanker trailers. From approximately 2012 through 2020, NASA and DOD subcontracted Anahuac to transport the rocket fuel.
To prevent contamination, Anahuac was required to ensure the tanker trailer they used did not previously contain certain chemicals that may have adverse reactions with the fuel. However, Anahuac intentionally falsified its documents, claiming it had not previously hauled incompatible chemicals with its tanker trailers. In fact, it had.
Anahuac transported the rocket fuel with its contaminated trailers. As a result, NASA used the fuel for rocket launches.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett accepted the plea and set sentencing for May 12. At that time, Anahuac could also be ordered to pay a possible $500,000 fine and serve up to five years of probation.
NASA - Office of Inspector General (OIG) and DOD – OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Johnson is prosecuting the case.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Charges for Attacking Asian FamilyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Jose Gomez III, 21, of Midland, Texas, pleaded guilty to three counts of committing a hate crime for attacking an Asian family he believed was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic because he believed them to be Chinese.
According to documents filed in connection with the plea, Gomez entered a Sam’s Club Warehouse in Midland, Texas, behind an Asian family with young children on March 14, 2020. Gomez had never seen the family before and believed they were Chinese. Gomez followed the Asian family in the store for several minutes because he perceived them to be a “threat” as they were “from the country who started spreading that disease around.” Gomez then momentarily left the family to find a serrated steak knife in the store. Gomez bent the blade so that when he held the handle in his fist, the blade rested against his knuckles, sharp-edge facing outward. Gomez returned to the Asian family and punched the father, identified by the initials B.C., in the face, cutting him. Gomez then left the scene, only to retrieve an eight-inch knife from the store.
When Gomez returned, he abruptly went after B.C.’s two young children – then aged 6 and 2 years old – who were seated in the front basket of the shopping cart. Gomez slashed open the face of R.C., the then-six-year-old child. The blade entered millimeters from R.C.’s right eye, split his right ear, and wrapped around to the back of his skull. Gomez also stabbed a white Sam’s Club employee who intervened to stop Gomez from further assaulting the Asian family. While being held down on the ground, Gomez yelled at the Asian family, “Get out of America!”
Gomez admitted after his attack that he believed the Asian family was Chinese and he blamed them for the COVID-19 pandemic. Gomez further admitted he had attempted to kill the 6-year-old child. Gomez also admitted he had attacked the store employee because Gomez wanted to kill the 6-year-old child and the store employee was preventing him from doing so.
“An Asian family was shopping when the defendant brutally attacked them because of their race and because he blamed them for the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racially motivated hate crimes targeting the Asian American community are on the rise and have no place in our society today. All people deserve to feel safe and secure living in their communities, regardless of race, color or national origin.”
“The defendant violently and horrifically attacked an unsuspecting innocent family because of how they looked and where he thought they came from,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas. “This type of hate-based violence has no place in our society and will not be tolerated. These victims and others who suffer such brutal, hate-based attacks deserve justice and to live without fear in our communities. We will continue to vigorously enforce federal laws that protect civil rights and combat bias-motivated violence.”
"No one should be afraid to go shopping or feel like they could be targeted by an act of violence based on their race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, country of national origin, or immigration status,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Acts of hate and racism have no place in our community and will not be tolerated. The FBI encourages people who have been victims or witnessed a hate crime to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
Gomez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and for each offense, a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Midland Police Department and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Harwood of the Western District of Texas and Trial Attorney Angie Cha of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison After Attempting to Smuggle Two Kilograms of Cocaine Thru the Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
ST. CROIX, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Croix man, Keithley Parris, age 34, appeared before Visiting Judge Ann E. Thompson, in District Court, and was sentenced today on one count each of Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Parris was previously convicted on those charges after a week-long jury trial on May 28, 2021.
Judge Thompson sentenced Parris to 60 months in prison (5 years), to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,000 and a $200 special assessment.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Parris conspired with co-defendants Don-Luke George and Zion Hazel in April of 2018 to smuggle 2 kilograms of cocaine thru the St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport with the intent to transport the cocaine to Miami via an American Airlines flight. Evidence presented at the trial showed that Parris organized and planned the operation; recruited George and Hazel to participate; supplied the cocaine to George; paid George $1,000 to bring the cocaine into the airport; and subsequently directed and monitored the operation via text messages with George and Hazel while the operation was unfolding at the airport. As part of this scheme, on April 12, 2018, George, who was employed at the airport, smuggled the four bricks of cocaine into the passenger waiting area of the airport and delivered them to Hazel in the handicap stall of the men’s restroom. Hazel was a passenger on the outgoing American Airlines flight but was intercepted with the cocaine prior to boarding his flight by Customs and Border Protection officers.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. The DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami analyzed the cocaine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
###
South Windsor Man Admits Defrauding Grandparents of $679KRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DOUGLAS SENERTH, 32, of South Windsor, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a fraud offense related to his theft of approximately $679,000 from his grandparents.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2011 and 2019, Senerth defrauded his grandmother and his late grandfather by falsely claiming to be a college student and inducing them to give him approximately $419,000 to pay for nonexistent college tuition and other related expenses, and an additional approximately $260,000 by falsely claiming that he would invest their money into an investment fund run by one of his nonexistent professors. As part of the scheme, Senerth created fraudulent college transcripts, letters and email accounts that he used to corroborate his lies.
Senerth has been detained in state custody since February 10, 2021, when he was arrested on unrelated charges.
Senerth pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on May 17, 2022.
Senerth has agreed to pay restitution of $679,944.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherry.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.