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1 April 2022
Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that PALMA JEFFERSON, SR., 64, from Orleans Parish, pled guilty on March 31, 2022 to a one-count superseding bill of information, pursuant to a plea agreement with the government. JEFFERSON, SR. was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on August 29, 2019.
During a surveillance operation, officers saw JEFFERSON, SR. conduct multiple narcotics transactions. When police encountered him, he was in possession of a stolen firearm and cocaine. Also, JEFFERSON, SR. admitted to being a cocaine addict.
JEFFERSON, SR. pled guilty to possession of a firearm while being an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(3). At sentencing, JEFFERSON, SR. faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(a)(2).
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Bücher.
Man Pleads Guilty to 2017 Claremore MurderRead the Press Release
A Claremore man pleaded guilty today in federal court to a 2017 murder, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Michael Eugene Spears, 58, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree.
“Defendant Michael Spears brutally took Mark McKinney’s life then planned to dispose of the victim’s body in a lake. Thankfully, someone reported the murder before he could hide his terrible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Helping to ensure Spears’ conviction in federal court were a team of dedicated federal prosecutors, FBI agents, and officers with the Claremore Police Department.”
In his plea agreement, Spears admitted to stabbing the victim, Mark McKinney, multiple times with a machete, killing him. The murder occurred during an argument between the two men on Nov. 18, 2017.
Sometime after the murder, Spears told a relative what had happened and asked to borrow a truck to transport the victim’s body to a lake in an effort to hide his crime. Law enforcement was contacted the next morning.
Authorities discovered the victim with multiple stab wounds to his hands, neck and torso. According to the medical examiner’s report, the victim suffered wounds to his heart and both lungs during the stabbing. In addition, there was blunt force trauma to the victim’s head and body.
Spears had previously been convicted of first degree murder in Rogers County District Court. Because the defendant is a tribal citizen and the crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation reservation, his state conviction was overturned, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
The FBI and Claremore Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe and Justin G. Bish are prosecuting the case
Man Pleads Guilty for Manufacturing a BombRead the Press Release
A man responsible for building an explosive device made with fireworks, treble hooks, rivets and other material pleaded guilty Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Zane Paul Bennett, 20, pleaded guilty to unlawful manufacture of a destructive device.
“Zane Bennett acted without regard for his own safety and others when he illegally manufactured a bomb containing large fishhooks, screws and rivets that could inflict serious bodily injury,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I commend the Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the ATF for their continued professionalism and swift response following the discovery of the bomb.”
In his plea agreement, Bennett admitted that on January 23, 2022, he knowingly and illegally manufactured the explosive device, which was not registered with the National Firearms and Transfer Record, and that he intended to set it off. He stated that he manufactured the device while staying in a hotel in Broken Arrow. It was built with large round tubes, numerous fireworks (flash powder), other fireworks and a fuse. Inside the device, Bennett placed large treble hooks, screws and rivets.
Bennett was taken into custody on Jan. 24, 2022, after his girlfriend was stopped by Broken Arrow police officers following a shoplifting incident and officers noticed the device in the back seat of the vehicle. During the stop, the girlfriend called Bennett who then arrived on foot and asked if he could take possession of the vehicle if she was going to be detained. When asked about the device, Bennett told officers he recently manufactured it and intended to use it to destroy watermelons.
The Tulsa Police Department Bomb Squad x-rayed the explosive device, which showed several large fishhooks, screws, and rivets in the device. Also inside the device were a large quantity of small fireworks packed together. The device was dismantled and the components retained. After obtaining a search warrant of Bennett’s hotel room, officers and agents with the Broken Arrow Police Department and ATF located and seized fireworks and a metal rivet consistent with what was found in the destructive device.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Broken Arrow Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert T. Raley and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case.
Maine Woman Sentenced to 37 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Deborah Cross, 65, of Sanford, Maine was sentenced on Thursday to 37 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 4, 2018, a cooperating individual purchased over 60 grams of methamphetamine from Cross at a residence in Franklin, New Hampshire. The cooperating individual made the purchase while working with law enforcement agents and wearing a video and audio recording device.
Cross previously pleaded guilty on December 8, 2021.
“Methamphetamine is a dangerous drug that is causing tremendous harm in communities throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “To protect our citizens, we are working closely with the FBI and all our law enforcement partners to identify traffickers who are distributing this deadly substance and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Today, Deborah Cross learned that there are serious consequences to distributing methamphetamine out of your home, and endangering your community,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Given the horrific impact this drug has on its users, the FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to keep it, and other dangerous drugs, out of New Hampshire.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
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Macon Man Who Victimized a Child and Assumed Her Social Media Identity to Distribute Child Pornography is Convicted in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who assumed the social media identity of a 12-year-old girl using threats and then forced the victim to produce child sexual abuse material that he sold online, is facing a maximum of 30 years of federal imprisonment for his crime.
Anthony Sparks Brown, 27, of Macon, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on Thursday, March 31. Brown faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years up to a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, a maximum $250,000 fine and a maximum lifetime of supervised release. Brown will also have to register as a sex offender for life upon release from prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 12. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The facts in this case are terrible, but, sadly, all too common. The epidemic of child sexual exploitation online is such that parents must empower themselves and their children with information and take the necessary proactive measures to protect themselves from online predators,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Federal, state and local law enforcement resources are being engaged to track down and stop cyber child predators around the clock.”
“The GBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent victims. No child should be subject to online exploitation. As we work with internet service providers and other law enforcement agency partners, we are ensuring that predators like this defendant are held accountable,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
According to court documents, the GBI received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Jan. 2019, based on a report originating from Facebook detailing child sexual abuse material communicated between two Facebook users—a middle school-aged female (Jane Doe #1), and a 57-year-old man. An ensuing investigation ultimately revealed that Brown was using the Jane Doe #1 account to possess, distribute and sell child sexual abuse material.
Brown had met the real Jane Doe #1, a 12-year-old girl from Tennessee, on Instagram in 2018. Brown told investigators that she sent him nude images. Later, Brown threatened the 12-year-old on Facebook using an alias, sending her these images and other sexually explicit photos and stating that he was sure that she didn’t want her parents to see the images. Brown then proposed they make a deal whereby in exchange for Jane Doe #1’s Facebook login information, Brown would refrain from sending out her explicit photos. Jane Doe #1 complied and sent her credentials to Brown. That same day, Brown began soliciting sexual images and videos from the girl, using threats.
Brown was taken into custody on July 9, 2019, at his residence at the Intown Suites Hotel in Macon, where he was also employed. Brown admitted he threatened the girl in order to receive her Facebook passwords and assumed her identity on Facebook, chatting with her friends and family on that platform. He further admitted to using threats to coerce more sexually exploitative images and videos from her, distributing those images and selling some of the images to her uncle.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the GBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case, with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom.
MS-13 Leader Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was sentenced to life in prison today for murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, and heroin; and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Miguel Angel Corea Diaz aka Reaper, 41, of Long Branch, a leader in the transnational criminal enterprise La Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13, was convicted by a federal jury on Nov. 23, 2021, after a four-week trial. Co-defendant Junior Noe Alvarado-Requeno aka Insolente and Trankilo, 24, of Landover, Maryland, was also convicted at trial and faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25.
According to court documents, MS-13 is a transnational gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. MS-13 has branches or “cliques” that operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland and elsewhere on the East Coast.
“The brutality of Corea Diaz is almost unfathomable,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove these violent gang members to keep our communities safe from the violence perpetrated by MS-13. With the help of members of our communities we will work to bring to justice those MS-13 members who commit these horrible crimes.”
“As members of MS-13, Corea Diaz and his co-conspirators were ruthless and showed no regard for human life by extorting innocent people, tampering with witnesses, and ordering a murder over a drug dispute,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “With today’s sentence, Corea Diaz will no longer be able to commit senseless violence and homicidal acts on our streets. The FBI remains steadfast in our resolve to work with our partners to ensure that individuals like Corea Diaz are held accountable for their crimes and to eliminate MS-13's violence from our communities.”
“The ruthlessness of MS-13 in pursuit of profits shows a clear link between violence and the illicit drug trade,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Today’s sentence won’t undo the harm Diaz is responsible for, but it ensures that for the rest of his life, he will no longer be a direct threat to the communities he terrorized for so long. DEA will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure violent criminals like Diaz are taken off the streets, helping to make American communities safer and healthier.”
“Any time we can get a notorious gang member off the streets, it is a victory for both law enforcement and law-abiding citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore. “In this case, the criminal is particularly violent, and now he will face the consequences of his crimes. HSI is grateful to have worked with our partnering federal and local law enforcement agencies to make the communities safer for the citizens of Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2015 and 2018, Corea Diaz and his co-defendant Alvarado-Requeno controlled and operated the Sailors Locos Salvatruchos Westside (S.L.S.W. or Sailors) Clique. This Sailors Clique was involved in a host of significant criminal activity including murder, extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, and witness tampering. Evidence showed that the gang ran a “protection” scheme in and around its home base in Langley Park, Maryland, and extorted local businesses by charging them “rent” for the privilege of operating in MS-13 “territory.” The gang also trafficked in illegal drugs, including heroin and cocaine. A large share of the proceeds of the gang’s illegal activities were sent to gang leadership in El Salvador using structured transactions and intermediaries to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.
According to evidence presented at trial, the Sailors Clique committed acts of violence against suspected rival gang members, as well as against its own membership for breaking gang rules. In March 2017, a member of the Sailors Clique who was hiding from law enforcement in the Lynchburg, Virginia, area had a dispute with a local high school student over marijuana. In response, Corea-Diaz and Alvarado-Requeno organized a squad of MS-13 members to drive down to Lynchburg and murder the minor. The gang members kidnapped the student from his front lawn and cut his hand off before killing him. After the murder, Corea Diaz and Alvarado-Requeno helped to hide and protect the killers from law enforcement.
The FBI and HSI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA’s Washington and New York Field Divisions, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Bedford County Sherriff’s Office, and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorneys Julie Finocchiaro and Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and U.S. Attorney Timothy Hagan for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.
Los Angeles Paralegal Admits Role in Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Legal U.S. Residency for Members of Philippines-Based ChurchRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles paralegal has agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to violate U.S. immigration laws by preparing and filing fraudulent documents that sought legal permanent residency and citizenship for members of a Philippines-based church who allegedly worked as fundraisers for a bogus charity operated by the church, the Justice Department announced today.
In a plea agreement filed today in United States District Court, Maria De Leon, 73, a resident of the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles and the owner of Liberty Legal Document Services, agreed to plead guilty to participating in a scheme with administrators of the church, which is known as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC).
In addition to pleading guilty, De Leon agreed to cooperate in the government’s case.
De Leon admitted in the plea agreement to participating for about eight years in the conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and visa fraud with the leaders of the KOJC.
“At the time [De Leon] completed the immigration paperwork for certain KOJC members, [she] knew that the immigration paperwork was based upon false representations of the bona fides of the underlying marriages” made by church officials, according to the plea agreement.
De Leon admitted to submitting fraudulent “Petitions for Alien Relative” and related paperwork on behalf of KOJC members knowing or believing that the marriages were arranged for purposes of securing favorable immigration status for a spouse.
De Leon is one of nine defendants who were charged in November 2021 in a 42-count superseding indictment that alleges a labor trafficking scheme that used fraudulently obtained visas to bring KOJC members to the United States, where they were forced to solicit donations for a bogus charity – the Glendale-based Children’s Joy Foundation (CJF). The indictment alleges that the donations were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.
Members who proved successful at soliciting for the KOJC were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student visas to acquire legal status in the United States so they could continue soliciting donations, the indictment alleges. Many of the workers were moved around the United States to solicit donations as CJF “volunteers,” who were also called Full Time Miracle Workers, according to the indictment, which alleges these “workers fundraised for KOJC nearly every day, year-round, working very long hours, and often sleeping in cars overnight.”
The superseding indictment also alleges a sex trafficking scheme that implicates KOJC’s leader, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, who was referred to as “The Appointed Son of God.”
De Leon is one of six defendants previously arrested in this case. The remaining five defendants who have appeared in federal court in Los Angeles are currently scheduled to be tried on March 21, 2023.
Three of the defendants, including Quiboloy, are fugitives believed to be in the Philippines.
The court is expected to soon schedule a hearing for De Leon to formally enter her guilty plea to the conspiracy count. Once she pleads guilty, De Leon will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
As part of the investigation, the FBI is encouraging potential victims or anyone with information about KOJC activities to contact investigators. Those with information are asked to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565. Individuals may also contact the FBI through its website at https://www.fbi.gov/tips.
The investigation into KOJC activities is being led by the FBI, which is receiving substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Unit, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Ahn, Jake D. Nare and Benjamin D. Lichtman of the Santa Ana Branch Office, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Angela C. Makabali of the General Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Katharine Schonbachler of the Asset Forfeiture Section is also working on the matter.
Justice Department Moves to Intervene in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Schuylkill County, PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today is seeking to join the lawsuit Doe et al. v. Schuylkill County et al., filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs in this case are four female employees of Schuylkill County who allege that County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr., sexually harassed them and that they experienced retaliation when they opposed Halcovage’s sexual harassment. The allegations in the United States’ complaint in intervention, as described in detail below, include multiple incidents of sexual advances and of coercion of sexual intercourse, and inappropriate sex-based comments occurring over many years.
“When an elected official abuses their power and position to sexually harass public servants in the workplace they can and must be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will not tolerate sexual harassment and will vindicate the rights of survivors.”
“No one should be forced to endure sexual harassment and then have that injury compounded by suffering retaliation for complaining about that harassment in the workplace,” said U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus for the Middle of Pennsylvania. “Our office will work diligently with the Civil Rights Division to enforce the right to be free from unlawful workplace harassment and retaliation.”
The United States’ complaint in intervention alleges that Schuylkill County violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act when it subjected the four women to Halcovage’s sexual harassment and retaliated against them because they opposed his sexual harassment. Halcovage used his power as a County Commissioner to coerce one of the women, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe, to have sex with him numerous times. Halcovage sexually harassed the other three women through among other things, crude sexual comments, obscene jokes and spreading a false rumor that he had had sex with one of them. High-ranking Schuylkill County officials were aware of Halcovage’s sexual harassment, but failed to take any actions to stop it until one of the women filed a written complaint. After the County investigated the written complaint, it determined that Halcovage had violated the County’s sexual harassment policy. Despite this finding, the County took no disciplinary action against him and he continues to serve as a Schuylkill County Commissioner. The County retaliated against the four women because of their opposition to Halcovage’s sexual harassment by, among other things, moving two of them to less desirable office locations and demoting the other two. Despite a clear conflict of interest and his obvious motive to retaliate against them, Halcovage cast the decisive vote to demote the two women.
The United States’ complaint in intervention is based on charges of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Philadelphia District Office, which investigated the charges and found reasonable cause to believe Schuylkill County violated Title VII. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charges to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department’s proposed intervention in this lawsuit is part of a joint effort to enhance collaboration between the department and the EEOC in the vigorous enforcement of Title VII.
This lawsuit is also part of the Civil Rights Division’s Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Initiative. The initiative is aimed at eradicating sexual harassment in state and local government workplaces. It focuses on litigation, outreach, and development of effective remedial measures to address and prevent future sex discrimination and harassment.
This lawsuit is being handled by Trial Attorneys Allan Townsend and Amber Trzinski Fox of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Butler for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites www.justice.gov/crt and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Fair Housing Act Case Alleging Unlawful Exclusion of Tenants Who Do Not Speak EnglishRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a Statement of Interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York explaining how policies that exclude rental housing applicants because they do not speak English may violate the Fair Housing Act.
The Statement of Interest was filed in CNY Fair Housing v. Swiss Village LLC, et al., a lawsuit alleging that the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by refusing to rent apartments to applicants who are limited English proficient (LEP) unless someone who speaks and reads English lives in the unit. The defendants own and manage apartments in Dewitt, New York. The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants refused the applicants’ offers to bring their own interpreters to translate lease documents and assist with communications.
“Refusing to rent to people who do not speak English makes finding safe and affordable housing especially hard for people who come to the United States from countries where English is not the primary language,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When housing providers ban prospective tenants who do not speak English well, their actions may violate the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin, race and other protected characteristics. As we celebrate Fair Housing Month, the Department of Justice underscores its commitment to fighting for fair housing across our nation and ensuring that housing providers respect the federal civil rights of people who do not read or speak English fluently.”
“The right to housing is fundamental to full participation in society,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “When landlords engage in practices or enact policies that disparately impact people who have come to America from non-English speaking countries, these actions must be strictly scrutinized for potential violations of the Fair Housing Act. My office is proud to partner with the Civil Rights Division in regard to this matter.”
“HUD commends the Justice Department for pursuing the housing rights of those who call America home,” said Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
Relying on recent Census data, CNY Fair Housing’s complaint alleges that the defendants’ LEP exclusion policy imposes an unjustified disparate impact on the basis of national origin and race. The complaint also alleges that the defendants’ restrictive language policy was a pretext to discriminate against applicants based on their national origin and race.
Among its protections, the FHA prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of national origin or race. The Statement of Interest explains how a restrictive language policy may violate the FHA when it has a disparate impact or is used as a proxy or pretext for discrimination based on national origin or race, as alleged in plaintiff’s complaint. It also discusses how the plaintiff’s allegations are consistent with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Guidance on Fair Housing Act Protections for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, which clarifies how restrictive language policies may run afoul of the FHA.
CNY Fair Housing v. Swiss Village et al. was filed in the Northern District of New York in November 2021. The defendants have moved to have the case dismissed. CNY Fair Housing opposes that motion, and the Justice Department’s Statement of Interest agrees that dismissal of the complaint would be inappropriate. The motion is now pending before the court.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status (having one or more children under 18), national origin and disability. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov. Such individuals also may contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Fair Housing Act Case Alleging Unlawful Exclusion of Tenants Who Do Not Speak EnglishRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – The Justice Department filed a Statement of Interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York explaining how policies that exclude rental housing applicants because they do not speak English may violate the Fair Housing Act.
The Statement of Interest was filed in CNY Fair Housing v. Swiss Village LLC, et al., a lawsuit alleging that the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by refusing to rent apartments to applicants who are limited English proficient (LEP) unless someone who speaks and reads English lives in the unit. The defendants own and manage apartments in Dewitt, New York. The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants refused the applicants’ offers to bring their own interpreters to translate lease documents and assist with communications.
“Refusing to rent to people who do not speak English makes finding safe and affordable housing especially hard for people who come to the United States from countries where English is not the primary language,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When housing providers ban prospective tenants who do not speak English well, their actions may violate the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin, race and other protected characteristics. As we celebrate Fair Housing Month, the Department of Justice underscores its commitment to fighting for fair housing across our nation and ensuring that housing providers respect the federal civil rights of people who do not read or speak English fluently.”
“The right to housing is fundamental to full participation in society,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “When landlords engage in practices or enact policies that disparately impact people who have come to America from non-English speaking countries, these actions must be strictly scrutinized for potential violations of the Fair Housing Act. My office is proud to partner with the Civil Rights Division in regard to this matter.”
“HUD commends the Justice Department for pursuing the housing rights of those who call America home,” said Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
Relying on recent Census data, CNY Fair Housing’s complaint alleges that the defendants’ LEP exclusion policy imposes an unjustified disparate impact on the basis of national origin and race. The complaint also alleges that the defendants’ restrictive language policy was a pretext to discriminate against applicants based on their national origin and race.
Among its protections, the FHA prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of national origin or race. The Statement of Interest explains how a restrictive language policy may violate the FHA when it has a disparate impact or is used as a proxy or pretext for discrimination based on national origin or race, as alleged in plaintiff’s complaint. It also discusses how the plaintiff’s allegations are consistent with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Guidance on Fair Housing Act Protections for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, which clarifies how restrictive language policies may run afoul of the FHA.
CNY Fair Housing v. Swiss Village et al. was filed in the Northern District of New York in November 2021. The defendants have moved to have the case dismissed. CNY Fair Housing opposes that motion, and the Justice Department’s Statement of Interest agrees that dismissal of the complaint would be inappropriate. The motion is now pending before the court.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status (having one or more children under 18), national origin and disability. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov. Such individuals also may contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Justice Department Announces Superseding Indictment Charging 12 in Gun-Running Conspiracy to Supply Firearms to Gang Members in ChicagoRead the Press Release
A 21-count superseding indictment unsealed Wednesday charges 12 individuals with conspiring to violate federal firearms statutes, including engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license; transporting and receiving firearms into another state; making false statements to a federally licensed firearm dealer; conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and to use and carry firearms in relation to crimes of violence; and conspiring to commit money laundering, as well as other related substantive offenses.
“The Justice Department recognizes that fighting violent crime requires approaches tailored to the needs of individual communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “But gun violence can be a problem that is too big for any one community, any one city, or any one agency to solve. That is why our approach to disrupting gun violence and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals rests on the kind of coordination you see here today.”
Wednesday morning, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) and officers from the Chicago Police Department and the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department began arresting those charged in the indictment. As of this morning, six of those charged are in custody and the remaining defendants are currently being sought by law enforcement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois will handle the initial appearances by all defendants before they are transferred to the Middle District of Tennessee for further proceedings.
In July 2021, Demarcus Adams, 21; Jarius Brunson, 22; and Brandon Miller, 22, were enlisted members of the U.S. Army and stationed at the Fort Campbell military installation in Clarksville, Tennessee, and were charged by indictment with crimes stemming from the purchase and transfer of dozens of firearms to the streets of Chicago. In addition to these defendants, this superseding indictment charges the following nine individuals in the conspiracies and other substantive offenses: Blaise Smith, 29; Rahaeem Johnson, aka Rah, 24; Bryant Larkin, 33; Corey Curtis, 26; Elijah Tillman, 24; Lazarus Greenwood, aka Zarro, 23; Dwight Lowry, aka Ike, 41; Dreshion Parks, 25, all of Chicago; and Terrell Mitchell, 27, of Davenport, Iowa.
The indictment alleges that the new defendants are members of the Gangster Disciples street gang in the Pocket Town neighborhood of Chicago. Between December 2020 and April 2021, the defendants conspired to purchase and deliver over 90 illegally obtained firearms to the Chicago area to facilitate the ongoing violent disputes between the Pocket Town Gangster Disciples and their rival gangs.
The indictment further alleges the methods used by co-conspirators to purchase firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in the Clarksville, Tennessee and Oak Grove, Kentucky areas, which included communicating via text messages to coordinate the purchase and delivery of firearms to the Chicago area; providing false information on firearms purchase application forms; and using online apps to facilitate payment for the illegal transfer of firearms. On one occasion, the indictment alleges that in addition to several firearms available for sale, Brandon Miller had 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition available for purchase.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison on one or more of the charged counts.
The announcement was made by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland; U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. Attorney John Lausch for the Northern District of Illinois; Special Agent in Charge Mickey French of the ATF Nashville Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Kristen de Tineo of the ATF Chicago Field Division; Karen Wingerd, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI, Charlotte Field Office; and Assistant Director Guy Surian for Investigations and Operations, U.S. Army - Criminal Investigation Division (CID).
This case is being investigated by the ATF-Nashville, Chicago, and Des Moines Divisions; the U.S. Army-CID; the IRS-CI - Charlotte and Chicago Field Offices; the Clarksville, Tenn. Police Department; the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Crime Gun Intelligence Center; and the Davenport, Iowa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Kurtzman and Kathryn Risinger are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Insurance company owner sentenced after lying to bankruptcy court, underreporting incomeRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County insurance company owner has been sentenced to federal prison for lying in bankruptcy court and his tax returns.
Jaques Andres Frym, 53, of Pooler, Ga., was sentenced to eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to False Oath in Relation to a Bankruptcy Proceeding, and Filing a False Tax-Related Document, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Frym to pay a fine of $30,000, and restitution of $112,042.12.
“The integrity of our bankruptcy courts and tax systems depend on honest, forthright presentations from citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Jacques Frym violated that trust by lying to the court and on his tax documents, and is being held accountable.”
As described in court documents and testimony, from 2005 to 2021 Frym was the owner and agent of numerous business entities engaged in the sale of insurance. In 2015, Frym caused the creation of an entity named Federal Employee Benefits with his wife listed as the sole owner.
In 2016, Frym filed for bankruptcy to discharge $5 million in debt, and under oath claimed he performed no work for FEB “when, in fact, he knew that he sold, and was the primary individual responsible for selling, insurance contracts on behalf of FEB.”
In addition, Frym admitted that in 2018 he significantly underreported his income when filing his personal tax returns.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III and Asset Recovery Unit Chief Xavier A. Cunningham.
Hastings Man Sentenced for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that James Mitchell, 34, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 31, 2022, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 15 years in federal prison for possession of 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine, with intent to distribute. Following his prison term, Mitchell will serve ten years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In January of 2020, James Mitchell was stopped by North Platte police driving a Chevy Cobalt with only one working headlight. The officer could smell marijuana. Mitchell admitted to the officer that he had just smoked marijuana and stated there may be more in the vehicle. The officer then searched the vehicle and found marijuana and methamphetamine.
The following month, in February of 2020, deputies from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol were at Lake Maloney State Recreation Area south of North Platte, following up on an unrelated investigation. Mitchell, driving a Chevy Cobalt, slowed down and came to a stop near the law enforcement officers. Two officers recognized Mitchell and knew there to be an active warrant for his arrest. He was given verbal commands to get out of the car. Mitchell did not comply, put the car in reverse, accelerated rapidly, and backed into a parked patrol vehicle. The side mirror on Mitchell’s car struck a deputy attempting to arrest Mitchell. Mitchell then drove forward in the direction of the deputies at which time a deputy fired his weapon striking Mitchell. Mitchell was taken to the hospital where he admitted to using marijuana and methamphetamine and was treated for his injuries. Deputies found four bags of methamphetamine in Mitchell’s vehicle. All four bags tested positive for methamphetamine with the largest bag being 75 grams of actual or pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the North Platte Police Department, and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Harford County Felon Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child to Produce Child Pornography and to Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Travis Joseph Crawford, age 34, of Edgewood, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child to produce child pornography and to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The guilty plea 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; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to Crawford’s plea agreement and other court documents, on November 30, 2020, Harford County Sheriff’s deputies went to Crawford’s residence, based on a warrant issued for Crawford by Maryland State Police for firearm related offenses. When the officers arrived, they heard Crawford call, “Where’s my gun?” Crawford was arrested and law enforcement recovered an Apple iPhone 7, an Apple Watch, and a fully-loaded .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
A search warrant subsequently executed on Crawford’s phone revealed three sexually explicit videos involving Jane Doe, all of which were recorded without her knowledge or permission. Specifically, on two occasions in July 2020, when Jane Doe was 12 years old, Crawford produced videos of Crawford’s hand touching Jane Doe’s buttocks and genitals over her shorts while Jane Doe slept. On November 29, 2020, when Jane Doe was 13 years old, Crawford hid his iPhone under the sink in a bathroom used by Jane Doe and recorded a video of Jane Doe in the bathroom, undressing and getting into and out of the shower.
Crawford was previously convicted of a felony and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
As a result of his guilty plea, upon his release from prison, Crawford will also be required 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).
Crawford and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Crawford will be sentenced to at least 15 years, but no more than 22 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled Crawford’s sentencing hearing for July 27, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Crawford remains detained.
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 HSI, ATF, the Maryland State Police, and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Hardy County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – David Abreu, of Fisher, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Abreu, 41, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine – Aiding and Abetting.” Abreu admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in Hardy County in February 2021.
Abreu faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Fox Valley Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Federal Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced that on March 31, 2022, Luis A. Morales (age: 41), the former owner of Mr. Taco and Savor Food & Spirits, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his involvement in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
According to court filings, Morales was the leader of a local drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing numerous kilograms of cocaine throughout the Fox Valley area from approximately 2014 until December 2020. Investigators learned that Morales commonly traveled to the Chicago, Illinois, area to obtain large amounts of cocaine. He also frequently traveled to Mexico and Colombia. The Mr. Taco Kimberly location was often used to distribute and accept payments for cocaine.
After a lengthy investigation, Morales was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 41 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in December 2020. Two kilograms of cocaine were located in the back seat of his vehicle. After the traffic stop, investigators identified and searched the location of Morales’s source of supply in Chicago, Illinois, where they located an additional 11 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $80,000 in cash. Investigators then executed search warrants at various residences and all of Morales’s restaurants, where they located additional cocaine, cash, and firearms. The evidence further established that Morales had direct ties and confirmed contacts with Cartel Jalisco New Generation (“CJNG”), a violent Mexican cartel.
During the sentencing hearing, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach noted that by purchasing large quantities of cocaine from members and associates of CJNG, Morales financially supported a large criminal enterprise known for destroying other countries and communities. Judge Griesbach also emphasized that Morales was driven by greed and took advantage of other people’s addictions.
Morales’s incarceration will be followed by ten years of supervised release. Judge Griesbach also ordered a money judgment of forfeiture in the amount of $150,000 in addition to the approximately $145,000 already seized and forfeited.
The successful prosecution of this case was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration—Green Bay Resident Office (DEA-GBRO), the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group—Drug Unit (LWAM), and the Wisconsin Department of Justice—Department of Criminal Investigation. Several other law enforcement agencies assisted throughout this investigation, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Appleton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros prosecuted the case.
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Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700
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Former deputy sheriff convicted of drug traffickingRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A former deputy with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Baldemar Cardenas, 36, Mission, admitted that in January 2020, he conspired with members of a drug trafficking organization.
Members of the group would receive kilogram quantities of highly-pure cocaine. They would then utilize small portions of the drugs to create sham cocaine with very low purity.
Cardenas would ensure authorities seized the fake bundles. The seizure would allow the co-conspirators to avoid responsibility for stealing the cocaine from their source of supply and allow the distribution of the stolen cocaine for profit.
In order to further the scheme and in exchange for $10,000, Cardenas provided information to law enforcement in order to effectuate the seizure of the sham bundles. Cardenas falsely claimed a confidential source provided the information. Based on the information he gave, law enforcement seized the multi-kilogram sham bundles of cocaine.
Laboratory testing conducted on the bundles revealed a cocaine purity level of only 1.5%.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 14. At that time, he faces a minimum of five and up to 40 years in prison. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigation conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, and Mission Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. is prosecuting the case.
The plea is a result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Muchos Primos. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States. It uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Former Sri Lankan Ambassador Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Sri Lankan GovernmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former ambassador for Sri Lanka pleaded guilty today to diverting and attempting to embezzle $332,027 from the government of Sri Lanka during its 2013 purchase of a new embassy building in Washington, D.C.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
Jaliya Chitran Wickramasuriya, 61, of Arlington, Virginia, served as ambassador for the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the United States and to Mexico from 2008 to 2014. He pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties.
The Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan scheduled sentencing for July 20, 2022.
According to court documents, from in or around late 2012 through November 2013, Wickramasuriya devised a scheme to defraud the government of Sri Lanka during its 2013 purchase of a new embassy building in Washington, D.C. by inflating the price of the real estate transaction by $332,027 and, at closing, diverting those funds from the government to two companies which had no role in the real estate transaction. At and after the January 2013 closing, Wickramasuriya directed these payments. Later in 2013, Wickramasuriya ultimately had an equal amount of funds redirected back to government accounts, leaving the Sri Lankan government with no loss.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, HSI Special Agent in Charge Villanueva, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from Homeland Security Investigations and FBI. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the prosecution of the case, including Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela DeFalco, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Grisier, Alejandra Arias and Steven Brantley, of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice, Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvind Lal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Christian A. Levesque, Acting Deputy Chief of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section of the Department’s Criminal Division. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Former Puerto Rico Legislator and Two Capitol Employees Plead Guilty to Bribery and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Puerto Rico legislator and two employees who worked in his office pleaded guilty this week to engaging in a bribery and kickback scheme.
According to court documents, Nelson Del Valle Colon, 56, of Dorado, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of federal program bribery, and Mildred Estrada-Rojas, 55, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and her daughter, Nickolle Santos-Estrada, 32, also of Bayamon, each pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of federal program bribery.
Del Valle Colon was elected to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives in 2016 and hired Estrada and Santos to work in his legislative office. In exchange for their employment and their salaries, Estrada and Santos paid biweekly kickbacks to Del Valle Colon of between approximately $500 and $1,300 from early 2017 until July 2020.
According to admissions made in connection with their pleas, Del Valle Colon, Estrada, and Santos paid the kickbacks in a variety of ways. Estrada and Santos generally paid cash in an envelope that they provided to Del Valle Colon in an office in the Capitol Building in Old San Juan. Estrada also sometimes paid Del Valle Colon over ATH Móvil, a mobile phone cash transfer application. Another individual who worked for Del Valle Colon in his legislative office also agreed to pay Del Valle Colon biweekly cash kickbacks during that individual’s employment with Del Valle Colon.
Del Valle Colon is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, and Estrada and Santos are scheduled to be sentenced on June 29. Each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s San Juan Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Former Preacher Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of 5 MinorsRead the Press Release
A Vinita man pleaded guilty Friday to enticing five minors whose ages ranged from 7 to 16 years old when the abuse occurred, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Roy Edward Williams, 63, pleaded guilty to five counts of coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country and to possession of child pornography.
“Roy Williams preyed upon five children over the course of 16 years. He violated their innocence, sense of safety, and trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “In several of these incidents, some adults failed to report the abuse. When children disclose they’ve been victims of sexual abuse, adults need to listen and act on their behalf. Children should not have to hide the abuse they’ve endured nor feel ashamed for the appalling actions of a predator.”
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners have a great responsibility to protect our vulnerable community members from the terrifying behaviors of sex offenders such as Roy Williams” said Ed Gray, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Division. “We are grateful for our collaborative partnerships with the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case as we continue our work to fight child sexual abuse.”
Williams committed the sex crimes starting on or around November 2002 and as late as December 2018. According to court documents, Williams also took sexually explicit photographs of several of the victims, paid or offered something of value to several victims immediately following the sexual abuse, and threatened several victims to prevent them from reporting the abuse to others. The defendant was further found in possession of child pornography on June 24, 2019. During the period of the described abuse, Williams was a member and preacher at Bunker Hill Baptist in Vinita.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The FBI, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Paisner and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Former Operations Manager of Local Technology Support Firm Sentenced to 24 Months in Custody in Seven-Year Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Matthew P. Hernandez, former manager of a small, San Diego-based technology support firm, was sentenced in federal court today to 24 months in custody for embezzling more than $350,000. Hernandez was also ordered to pay $356,664.46 in restitution to the firm.
Hernandez pleaded guilty on August 24, 2021, to four felony counts of wire fraud. According to the plea agreement and the government’s sentencing memorandum, Hernandez was responsible for managing payroll, accounts payable, and disbursing bonuses to employees at the firm. Hernandez had unfettered access to the firm’s books and records and authority to sign checks on the firm’s behalf. In his managerial role, Hernandez stole from the firm hundreds of times over the course of seven years, from 2010 to January 2017.
Hernandez stole from the firm in four different ways. First, Hernandez issued checks and made online payments from the firm’s business checking account directly to his USAA account to pay off personal credit card debt. Second, Hernandez used the corporate credit card to make unauthorized, non-business-related purchases. For example, Hernandez used the corporate credit card to buy a $3,500 hot tub, a home gym, a knife set, a TAG Heuer racing watch, roundtrip flights between Los Angeles and the Dominican Republic, and concert tickets to Coachella. Third, Hernandez issued multiple paychecks to himself for a single pay period. And fourth, Hernandez issued checks from the firm’s business checking account directly into his personal bank account.
To conceal his fraudulent conduct, Hernandez falsified the firm’s books to make the fraudulent payments look legitimate. To do this, Hernandez changed the payee entries on the firm’s books from his personal accounts to companies with which the firm did business. When confronted about discrepancies on the firm’s books or questions about the USAA account, Hernandez lied to make it appear that he would balance the books and reimburse the firm for any unauthorized funds paid to him, and that the USAA account belonged to a company with which the firm did business.
The fraudulent conduct was first discovered in January 2017 when Hernandez overdrew $10,000 from the firm’s business checking account. Upon inquiry, it was confirmed that the USAA account did not belong to a company with which the firm did business but rather it belonged to Hernandez. The firm extensively reviewed its books and records, identified Hernandez’s fraudulent purchases and transactions, and provided that information to federal law enforcement. The firm’s efforts to identify Hernandez’s fraudulent conduct took years to complete and was instrumental in moving the investigation and prosecution forward.
“This defendant stole resources that he was hired to protect,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “These thefts are devastating for small businesses. This is a significant sentence that hopefully alerts other would-be thieves that stealing from your employer carries significant consequences.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team, the FBI and U.S. Postal Service investigators for their work on this case.
“For years, Mr. Hernandez engaged in a scheme to defraud his employer - treating their business accounts as his own by writing checks and wiring money to himself, misusing his work credit card, and issuing duplicate paychecks,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The FBI is proud to work with our partners at the U.S. Postal Service to identify and hold accountable those who abuse their work placement and access for personal gain. I hope today’s sentence provides some closure for the victims.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service plays a vital role in these types of fraud schemes that involve the embezzlement of funds. Every day, U.S. Postal Inspectors protect our postal customers, businesses, and the public from such fraud scams that involve the U.S. mail,” said Carroll N. Harris III, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Los Angeles Division.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 20-cr-3665-JLS
Matthew P. Hernandez Age: 46 Riverside, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine twice the $356,644.46 pecuniary loss resulting from the offense
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
United States Postal Service
Former High School Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years for Producing & Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that McKenzie W. Johnson, 35, Ladysmith, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 20 years in prison for producing and possessing child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Johnson pleaded guilty to these charges on January 13, 2022.
In March 2021, the mother of a 13-year-old girl in California called law enforcement, reporting that she discovered explicit messages between her daughter and a man later identified as Johnson. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Johnson’s home in Ladysmith and found numerous images and videos he recorded of livestreams of the 13-year-old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. They also found a video the defendant recorded of a live stream of an 11-year-old, in which the defendant instructs her on how to insert a sharpie into her vagina and to adjust her hand so he can get a better view. At the time he committed these offenses, Johnson was a teacher at Ladysmith High School.
Judge Conley noted that Johnson led a dual life with his friends and family who had no idea that he was preying on young girls. Judge Conley also said that the defendant was bright, but manipulative, and willing to engage in horrendous behavior with young girls. Finally, Judge Conley was concerned that the defendant left his job at a hospital to become a teacher of students the same age he was attracted to, saying that the defendant teaching children was like an alcoholic going to a bar.
The charges against Johnson were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Ladysmith Police Department, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the Ladysmith School District, and the Fontana, California Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Former GE Power Engineer Convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Economic Espionage Following Four-Week TrialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Xiaoqing Zheng, age 59, of Niskayuna, New York, was convicted yesterday of conspiracy to commit economic espionage following a four-week jury trial.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman of the Northern District of New York; Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Counterintelligence Division; and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office.
Zheng was employed at GE Power & Water in Schenectady, New York, as an engineer specializing in sealing technology. He worked at GE from 2008 until the summer of 2018. The trial evidence demonstrated that Zheng and others in China conspired to steal GE’s trade secrets surrounding GE’s steam and gas turbine technologies, knowing or intending to benefit the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and one or more foreign instrumentalities, including China-based companies that research, develop, and manufacture parts for turbines.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen stated: “Zheng conspired to steal trade secrets from his employer, GE, and transfer this information to his business partner in China, so they could enrich both themselves and companies receiving support from the PRC government. This is the kind of exploitation of our economy and open society that the Department will continue to counter relentlessly.”
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman stated: “Today’s verdict holds Xiaoqing Zheng accountable for betraying his employer and trying to help China cheat in the global marketplace. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who connive to steal trade secrets and valuable technology from the innovative companies doing cutting-edge work in our district.”
Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr., of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, stated: “Those who conspire to steal technology from a U.S. business and transfer it to China can cause tremendous damage. Good-paying jobs could be lost, and communities can suffer. These actions help China become more of a threat to our national security. This is why the FBI puts so much effort into investigating cases of economic espionage.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Janeen DiGuiseppi stated: “Dr. Zheng used his status as a trusted engineer with GE to conspire to commit economic espionage on behalf of the People’s Republic of China. This conviction should send a strong message that the FBI will continue to vigorously investigate economic espionage cases and pursue prosecution in partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure the protection of American technology and American jobs.”
Sentencing is scheduled for August 2, 2022, in Albany, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Zheng faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. 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.
By voting to convict Zheng of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, the jury concluded that between 2016 and 2018, Zheng and others in China conspired to steal GE’s trade secrets involving gas and steam turbine technologies, knowing or intending that the theft would benefit the Government of China. The jury acquitted Zheng of two counts of economic espionage and two counts of trade secret theft. The jury could not reach a verdict on one count of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, two counts of economic espionage, three counts of trade secret theft, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Emily C. Powers, and Trial Attorney Matthew Chang of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section.
Former GE Power Engineer Convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Economic EspionageRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal jury convicted a New York man of conspiracy to commit economic espionage following a four-week jury trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Xiaoqing Zheng, 59, of Niskayuna, was employed at GE Power & Water in Schenectady, New York, as an engineer specializing in sealing technology. He worked at GE from 2008 until the summer of 2018. The trial evidence demonstrated that Zheng and others in China conspired to steal GE’s trade secrets surrounding GE’s steam and gas turbine technologies, knowing or intending to benefit the People’s Republic of China and one or more foreign instrumentalities, including China-based companies that research, develop, and manufacture parts for turbines.
“Zheng conspired to steal trade secrets from his employer, GE, and transfer this information to his business partner in China, so they could enrich both themselves and companies receiving support from the PRC government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This is the kind of exploitation of our economy and open society that the Department will continue to counter relentlessly.”
"Today's verdict holds Xiaoqing Zheng accountable for betraying his employer and trying to help China cheat in the global marketplace," said U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman for the Northern District of New York. "With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who connive to steal trade secrets and valuable technology from the innovative companies doing cutting-edge work in our district.”
“Those who conspire to steal technology from a U.S. business and transfer it to China can cause tremendous damage,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Good-paying jobs could be lost, and communities can suffer. These actions help China become more of a threat to our national security. This is why the FBI puts so much effort into investigating cases of economic espionage.”
“Dr. Zheng used his status as a trusted engineer with GE to conspire to commit economic espionage on behalf of the People’s Republic of China,” said Special Agent in Charge Janeen DiGuiseppi of the FBI’s Albany Field Office. “This conviction should send a strong message that the FBI will continue to vigorously investigate economic espionage cases and pursue prosecution in partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure the protection of American technology and American jobs.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 2 in Albany before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Zheng faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The jury acquitted Zheng of two counts of economic espionage and two counts of trade secret theft. The jury could not reach a verdict on one count of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, two counts of economic espionage, three counts of trade secret theft, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Emily C. Powers for the Northern District of New York, and Trial Attorney Matthew Chang of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section.
Former Cressona Borough Treasurer Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Erin Hossler, age 52, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 24, 2022, to 15 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for tax evasion. She was also ordered to pay $153,539.70 in restitution to the IRS.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Hossler stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Cressona Borough, where she previously worked as Secretary/Treasurer and failed to file income tax returns during the years 2015, 2016, and 2017. Hossler misappropriated the funds in a number of ways, including having numerous checks issued to herself, forging signatures on checks, and using online banking for the borough’s bank accounts to pay her personal bills. To conceal her activities, Hossler altered federal records and withheld payment of federal employment taxes for Cressona Borough employees. Hossler also altered an audit from an independent accounting firm to make it appear that the firm approved of the borough’s finances.
In 2019, Hossler was charged in state court for these theft offenses and, served a state prison sentence of 12 months to 24 months in state prison for the state crimes. Hossler pleaded guilty to the federal tax evasion charges in July 2021, after she completed her state sentence.
Hossler asked Judge Mariani for a reduced federal sentence because of the punishment she received in state court. Judge Mariani found that while Hossler had been punished in state court for that part of her crimes, she had not been punished for evading United States’ taxes and that 15 months in federal prison was warranted.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio for prosecution.
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Former Coast Guard Employee Charged with Additional Crime in Test-Fixing CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that former United States Coast Guard employee ELDRIDGE JOHNSON has been charged on March 30, 2022 with bribery in a superseding bill of information.
JOHNSON was previously charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States in an indictment that pertained to JOHNSON’S conduct after he retired from the Coast Guard. The superseding bill of information includes that conspiracy charge and adds the new allegation of bribery, which relates to JOHNSON’S conduct as an examination administrator at a Coast Guard exam center Mandeville, Louisiana.
As alleged in the superseding bill of information’s bribery charge, beginning no later than 2011 and continuing until about the time of his retirement in January 2018, JOHNSON engaged in a scheme to receive bribes from merchant mariners who had applied for Coast Guard-issued licenses. JOHNSON offered and sold various forms of improper assistance, including reporting false information to the Coast Guard and, more commonly, selling examination questions and answers to mariners before they took the tests. To conduct the scheme, JOHNSON, without authorization, removed confidential examination and answer documents from the exam center. To recruit participants, JOHNSON approached mariners when they appeared at the exam center, called mariners using contact information found in Coast Guard records, and encouraged past participants to refer other mariners to JOHNSON.
The conspiracy charge, which was included in the previously filed indictment, alleges that JOHNSON, following his retirement, acted as an intermediary for Coast Guard exam center employee Dorothy Smith in a scheme in which Smith entered false exam scores in exchange for money. Smith pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2022.
The exams at issue were ones that merchant mariners were legally required to pass in order to obtain licenses to serve in various positions on vessels. The examinations tested mariners’ knowledge and training to safely operate under the authority of licenses.
The maximum terms of imprisonment are fifteen years for bribery and five years for conspiracy. Each offense is also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the superseding bill of information is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced for Possessing Weapon at USP AllenwoodRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 31, 2022, federal inmate Ellis Gene Battle, Jr., age 42, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for possessing a weapon in prison. Battle’s sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his previous federal sentences for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing a weapon in prison.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on January 31, 2020, officers at the United States Penitentiary, Allenwood, in White Deer, Pennsylvania, observed Battle fighting a fellow inmate. Battle disregarded commands to stop, and then ran to a cell where he attempted to dispose of a 7.5-inch sharpened piece of metal, commonly referred to as a “shank.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced for Possessing A Weapon at FCI SchuylkillRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Savon Bagby, age 25, a Federal inmate at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Institution, was sentenced on March 31, 2022, to a year in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for possession of a weapon.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Bagby was serving a sentence at FCI Schuylkill for a racketeering conspiracy when he was found to be in possession of two five-inch metal rods sharpened to a point, commonly referred to as “shanks.” Bagby’s sentence will be served consecutively to his previous conviction.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
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Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Chicago Area Tax PreparersRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Northern District of Illinois has permanently enjoined two Chicago-area tax return preparers from preparing returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation business in the future.
The civil complaint filed in the case alleged that Patricia Rivers, of Country Club Hills, Illinois her daughter-in-law, Ki’esha Gary, of South Holland, Illinois, and her company, Alpha II Omega Tax, prepared federal income tax returns that made false and fraudulent claims to reduce her customers’ tax liabilities and increase their tax refunds, primarily through a scheme to fabricate sole proprietorship business losses on the customers’ returns. The complaint also alleged that Rivers, Gary and Alpha II Omega inflated their customers’ tax refunds by reporting false charitable donations and exaggerated or bogus unreimbursed employee expenses, bogus rental deductions, inflated tax withholding and overstated education credits. On at least one occasion, Rivers was alleged to have falsely reported her own home address as a rental property to generate losses on her customer’s income tax return. Another customer alleged that Rivers amended a customer’s return without consent to retaliate against her by increasing her tax liability.
In an order entered on March 31, the court found that the tax loss to the government from the 2018 returns of just 38 of Rivers’ customers was $278,461 and that, given that this was “only a small number of the thousands of income tax returns prepared by Rivers,” the actual loss to the United States was higher.
The court found that Rivers repeated and continuously prepared income tax returns in a manner that violates federal law, and that because her intentional disregard for tax laws continues, a permanent bar on tax preparation activities was warranted. Thus, the Court entered a permanent injunction preventing Rivers, Gary, and Alpha II Omega Tax from preparing income taxes or engaging in tax-related business in the future.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2022.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $73,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Falkville Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Firearms Offenses in District of Columbia and AlabamaRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 72, of Falkville, Alabama, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal and local firearms offenses stemming from the discovery of weapons in his pickup truck parked near the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
According to court documents, Coffman traveled from Alabama to the District of Columbia several days prior to Jan. 6, 2021. He parked his red GMC Sierra pickup truck in the 300 block of First Street SE, on the morning of Jan. 6. Less than half a mile away in the U.S. Capitol Building, a joint session of the U.S. Congress was scheduled to meet in the afternoon to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Coffman admitted in his plea agreement that he exited the pickup truck at 9:20 a.m. and walked in the direction of the U.S. Capitol Building, and towards a rally near the National Mall. Inside the pickup truck were several loaded firearms within arms-reach of the driver’s seat, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, a crossbow with bolts, machetes, camouflage smoke devices, a stun gun, and a cooler containing 11 mason jars filled with ignitable ingredients for Molotov cocktail incendiary weapons. Coffman also carried a loaded handgun and a loaded revolver as he walked around the area that day. A search of Coffman’s residence in Alabama later that month led to the discovery of 12 additional mason jars containing ignitable substances, each constituting the component parts of Molotov cocktails.
Coffman did not have a license to carry a pistol in the District of Columbia and had not registered any firearms or destructive devices in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.
Coffman has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 6, 2021. Coffman will be placed on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Coffman was sentenced in the District of Columbia by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in two separate criminal cases, one brought in the District of Columbia on Jan. 7, 2021, and the other brought in the Northern District of Alabama and transferred to the District of Columbia for purposes of plea and sentencing. Coffman had pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2021, to two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, a federal offense, regarding the component parts of Molotov cocktails discovered in his pickup truck in Washington, D.C., and at his residence in Alabama. Coffman also pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license, a District of Columbia offense. Judge Kollar-Kotelly sentenced him to 46 months in prison on each of the federal offenses, and 15 months on the District of Columbia offense, with the time running concurrently.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham and Washington Field Offices, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Erie Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Erie PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal money laundering laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Evarie Magee, 38, of Erie, PA, pleaded guilty to Count Three of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from July 2019 to June 2020, Magee did conspire to commit money laundering.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2022. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Magee. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Eight Tangipahoa Parish Residents Indicted for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL ALEXANDER, SR., a/k/a “Monsta,” a/k/a “Jamond,” age 39, ATTREL ANDERSON, a/k/a “Trey,” a/k/a “Trel,” a/k/a “Da Boi,” age 30, TERRELL HAYNES, a/k/a “Redman,”age 43, STAR ROBICHAUX, age 42, JOSHUA PRINE, age 41, MICHAEL ALEXANDER, JR., a/k/a “Mike Mike," age 21, BRANDON BAKER, age 36, and LOUIS BELLS, JR., age 21, residents of Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, were charged on March 25, 2022, in a sealed twenty-count superseding indictment by a federal grand jury. The superseding indictment was unsealed on March 31, 2022. Charges include conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, distribution of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
ALEXANDER, SR. is charged with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and a quantity of cocaine. He’s also charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on December 2, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration Agents executed a federal search warrant on ALEXANDER, SR.’s home in Ponchatoula. During the search, Agents discovered approximately eleven ounces of heroin and fentanyl and five firearms. Additionally, agents seized $289,224.70 in U.S. currency.
If convicted of the conspiracy count, ALEXANDER, SR. faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, ALEXANDER, SR. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, ALEXANDER, SR. faces up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release. For using a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, ALEXANDER, SR. faces up to four years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to one year supervised release.
ANDERSON is charged with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He’s also charged with distribution of methamphetamine and use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. For both the conspiracy count and the distribution count, ANDERSON faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For using a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, ANDERSON faces up to four years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to one year supervised release.
HAYNES is charged with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. He’s also charged with distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, and use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. For the conspiracy count, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For distribution, HAYNES faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For using a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, HAYNES faces up to four years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to one year supervised release.
PRINE and ROBICHAUX are charged with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. They are also charged with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin. They each face a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. ROBICHAUX is also charged with using a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, for which she faces up to four years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to one-year supervised release.
ALEXANDER, JR. is charged with conspiring to distribute quantities of heroin and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and use of a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking. For both the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute counts, ALEXANDER, JR. faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, ALEXANDER, JR. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. For using a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces up to four years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to one year supervised release.
BAKER is charged with conspiring to distribute quantities of heroin and methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. For both the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute counts, BAKER faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
BELLS is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, BELLS faces up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release.
For each of the counts, the defendants face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
“The indictments and subsequent arrests made in this investigation are part of DEA’s continuing effort to target violent drug traffickers at all levels, as part of Operation Overdrive. Illicit drug trafficking and related violent criminal activity takes a tremendous toll on our communities. We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners, leveraging our respective resources, in order to enhance the quality of life for the citizens in this region and beyond,” said Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Field Division.
“The Hammond Police Department has demonstrated repeatedly that criminals and their criminal activity will not be tolerated in The City of Hammond. This is a great example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together,” stated Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr.
“This is law enforcement working together at every level, to hold people accountable for the crimes they commit and the havoc they bring to our community. The importance of collaboration at the federal, state and local levels is critical to ensuring the best outcome is reached in any case. This is yet another reminder of the ongoing need for strong relationships with our law enforcement partners to help protect the citizens of Tangipahoa Parish,” said Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Jimmy Travis.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Hammond Police Department, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office, St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.
Defendant Pleads Guilty in Staged Automobile Collision SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ASHLEY McGOWAN (“McGOWAN”), age 35, agreed to plead guilty on March 31, 2022 to Count One (1) in her indictment, charging Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In exchange, the government has agreed to dismiss Count Two (2), charging Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 2. In pleading guilty to Count 1, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years; a fine up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571; and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Today’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted in “Operation Sideswipe” to thirty-three (33).
As part of her plea, McGOWAN admitted to being in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged automobile collision. In the scheme, McGOWAN falsely claimed that she was a passenger in a car that was struck by a tractor-trailer on June 8, 2016. In fact, the government’s evidence showed that the defendants conspired with Damien Labeaud (“Labeaud”), Keishira Robinson (“K. Robinson”), and others to intentionally collide K. Robinson’s Mazda with a tractor-trailer in the area of Chickasaw Street and Louisa Street in New Orleans. McGOWAN later lied in her civil deposition, falsely claiming that K. Robinson was driving the car that collided with the tractor-trailer, when in fact Labeaud was driving the car and intentionally hit the tractor-trailer. McGOWAN also falsely claimed that she was in the car at the time of the collision, even though she had been riding in a separate “spotter” or getaway car and entered the “slammer” car only after the collision occurred. McGOWAN hoped that, through her false statements, she would secure lucrative monetary settlements from the owner, driver, and insurer of the tractor-trailer.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for June 14, 2022, before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long; Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera.
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David H. Estes sworn in as Judicial Appointee to continue serving as U.S. Attorney for Southern DistrictRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: David H. Estes will continue to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia after his appointment by the U.S. District Court judges of the Southern District.
U.S. Attorney Estes took the oath of office Friday, April 1, in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall. The appointment is effective April 5.
"The excellent staff in the Southern District of Georgia and our outstanding law enforcement partners continue to work together to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “I am honored to serve alongside these dedicated professionals on behalf of our citizens as we work together to uphold the law and defend access to justice throughout this district. I have directed my staff that my priorities are curtailing violent crime and aggressively investigating and prosecuting COVID relief related fraud.”
As First Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District, Estes was named Acting U.S. Attorney under the Vacancies Reform Act after the resignation Feb. 9, 2021, of then-U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. Estes became U.S. Attorney by Attorney General appointment in December 2021 for a term of 120 days. Now, by appointment of the Southern District U.S. Court, he will serve until a U.S. Attorney is nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office encompasses 43 counties along the east side of the state, from Wilkes County in the north, along the Georgia coast, to the Florida border in the south, and as far west as Laurens County. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Georgia.
U.S. Attorney Estes, a native of Scottsboro, Ala., received an Associates in Business and his Regular Army commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Marion Military Institute (1987) and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Auburn University (1989), and in 1993 received his Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Okla. From 1987 to 1994 he served as a Field Artillery Officer in the Alabama and Oklahoma Army National Guard, and after law school served on active duty with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps for three years at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., Office of the Staff Judge Advocate.
In 1997, Estes joined the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Violent Crimes Division, as a violent crime prosecutor. During this time, Estes rejoined the Alabama Army National Guard as a Judge Advocate. In 2002, Estes joined the United States Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Alabama (Huntsville Branch Office) as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Estes assumed the duties of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia in January 2018.
In his military career, Estes deployed to Iraq from 2004-2005 with the 122nd Corps Support Group and served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate and Chief, Military Justice. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq. In October 2013 he was promoted to Colonel and assumed the Staff Judge Advocate position for the 167th Theatre Sustainment Command. Col. Estes previously served as the very first Regional Defense Counsel for the Army National Guard. Estes recently retired from the Army after more than 34 years of military service. He was twice awarded the Legion of Merit Medal for his accomplishments.
Estes and his wife, Connie, have six children: Garrett, Madison, Everett, Gracie, Abby, and Hamilton, and are members of Christ Church Anglican in Savannah.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Georgia Southern District of Georgia Chief Judge J. Randal Hall administers oath to U.S. Attorney David H. Estes April 1, 2022Cumberland County Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Five Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 51 months in prison on March 31, 2022 for conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Emanuel Figueroa-Martinez, 36, of Millville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In April 2020, Figueroa-Martinez conspired to distribute five kilograms of fentanyl. On April 24, 2020, Figueroa-Martinez transported the fentanyl to a location in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Upon arrival, he was arrested, and the fentanyl was recovered from his car.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Figueroa-Martinez to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Kelso, and the Neptune Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Hunt, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
Defense counsel: Justin Capek Esq., Philadelphia
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN- Robert Lee Blackwell, 35, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Joseph C. Murphy Jr., United States Attorney, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on December 25, 2018, officers with the Dyersburg Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in Dyersburg. Upon arriving at the home, an officer observed the defendant look out through a window in the door and then walk to another room. The officer began knocking more insistently until the other resident opened the door. The officer directed Blackwell to speak with other officers while he interviewed the other resident, who was later determined to be the victim of an assault committed by Blackwell. The victim advised that she and Blackwell had been arguing about her leaving to see her family for Christmas. Blackwell then put his hands around her throat, pushed her against the kitchen counter, and choked her. The officer noted bruising around her neck.
The victim then advised that Blackwell was in possession of a gun when the officers arrived, and he threw it in the room next to the front door when the officer began knocking on the door. Blackwell entered the home again and tried to speak with the victim while an officer was interviewing her. Blackwell resisted arrest as officers attempted to detain him. An officer was then required to deploy his taser on Blackwell to obtain his compliance.
Officers subsequently located Blackwell's firearm in the bedroom. The firearm was loaded with seven rounds of .25 caliber ammunition, and an officer located another round on the floor. A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) examined the firearm and identified it as a Lorcin L25, .25 caliber pistol. The agent also determined that the firearm was manufactured outside of Tennessee and that the serial number of the gun had been obliterated beyond recovery.
Blackwell is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under state and federal law.
On March 29, 2022, United States Chief District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Blackwell to 84 months' imprisonment to be followed by two years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Dyersburg Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Chula Vista Woman Admits Faking Cancer While Attempting to Avoid Prison for Fraud ConvictionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ashleigh Lynn Chavez pleaded guilty in federal court today to Obstruction of Justice, admitting that she repeatedly forged doctor’s notes falsely indicating she had been diagnosed with cancer, and that she caused these notes to be submitted to the court through her attorneys.
According to publicly available court documents, Chavez, 37, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in November 2019, admitting that she embezzled more than $160,000 from a former employer. She was permitted to remain out of custody pending sentencing. She faced a likely prison term. On the eve of her sentencing, Chavez created a doctor’s note that falsely stated a biopsy had revealed “cancerous cells” in her uterus and forged the signature of her doctor on this letter. Chavez then provided the note to her attorney who, believing it to be genuine, submitted it to the court and to the assigned prosecutor in a bid for leniency.
On March 31, 2021, Chavez was sentenced to serve 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. As a direct result of the forged doctor’s note she had caused her attorney to submit, she was permitted to remain out of custody for an additional three months so that she could receive medical treatment.
As detailed in her plea agreement, after her sentencing hearing Chavez hired a new attorney whom she provided with additional forged letters from two different San Diego-area physicians. The new attorney, also believing the letters to be genuine, submitted them to the assigned prosecutor and to the court.
One forged letter, purporting to be from an oncologist, said: “Ashleigh has limitations due to uterine cancer and future need for radiation.” Other letters indicated that she was undergoing a surgical procedure, that she had been admitted to the hospital, and that her “condition has progressed… to Stage II; the cancer has spread to the cervix.” One letter warned that “she cannot be exposed to COVID-19” because of her fragile state. In August 2021, Chavez was purportedly scheduled to begin chemotherapy. Her attorney contacted the assigned prosecutor and indicated that she was too ill to work, and that as a result she needed to be relieved of monthly restitution obligations to the victim in her previous case.
By August 2021, the notes forged by Chavez were overtly recommending that the court reconsider her prison sentence and instead permit her to serve time on home confinement. In one forged note attributed to a San Diego-area oncologist, Chavez wrote that “(a) year in prison could be a death sentence for my patient… I highly recommend the chance to allow home confinement or anything else that you deem appropriate rather than a year in prison.” Two weeks later, she forged a note from the same oncologist stating that “Ashleigh’s cancer, it has in fact metastasized affecting the lymph nodes… I recommend a different approach to her sentencing.”
In fact, Chavez was never diagnosed with or treated for cancer by either doctor. When contacted by government representatives, both doctors denied writing any of the letters attributed to them. While Chavez had been a patient of one, the second doctor had never heard of her and had no idea how or why his identity had been stolen and his signature repeatedly forged by Chavez.
“This defendant, already convicted of one fraud, worked for months to commit additional frauds on the federal court,” said U.S. Attorney Grossman. “While her dishonesty delayed payment of her debt to society, it will cost her still more time in prison.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the FBI for their excellent work on this case.
“The defendant went to great lengths to avoid reporting to prison for her prior fraud conviction by faking doctor’s notes claiming she had cancer – an insult to cancer patients everywhere,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “May today’s guilty plea finally put an end to this odyssey to obstruct justice which, in the end, will only add additional time to her sentence.”
Chavez faces up to 10 additional years in federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia.
DEFENDANT Case No. 22-CR-0318-AJB
ASHLEIGH LYNN CHAVEZ Age 37 Chula Vista, CA
aka “Ashleigh Lynn Coulson”
aka “Ashleigh Chavez Coulson”
aka “Carlos Garcia”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Obstruction of Justice – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1503
Maximum penalty: Ten years in custody and a $250,000 fine.
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Attempting to Possess Fentanyl for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Antonio Dillard, 63, Chicago, Illinois pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 24 months in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute.
In 2020, federal and state law enforcement agencies started investigating several known drug traffickers in Dane County, Wisconsin. As part of this joint investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) learned that an individual in Chicago had a person in another state send a parcel of narcotics via U.S. Mail to an address in Madison, Wisconsin.
On December 7, 2020, a U.S. Postal Inspector identified the parcel, obtained a federal warrant, and searched the package. Inside, investigators found a vacuum-sealed bag that contained a white substance. The substance weighed approximately 590 grams, and the Wisconsin State Crime Lab determined it tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. DCI agents took custody of the drugs and resealed the parcel for a controlled delivery.
Later on December 7, 2020, investigators delivered the parcel to the address in Madison. Approximately one minute after delivering the parcel, a silver sedan with Illinois license plates pulled up to the building. A male subject exited the front passenger seat, walked towards the building, and took the parcel. Arrest units responded as the subject, later identified as Jeffrey Kemp, put the parcel into the sedan. Officers arrested Kemp and the driver of the vehicle, who agents identified as Dillard.
During a post-arrest interview, Dillard admitted that the individual in Chicago paid him to pick up the parcel and transport the drugs back to Chicago for distribution.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson explained that Dillard played a relatively minor role in a much larger enterprise that, given the total amount of drugs they trafficked, caused significant damage to the community.
Jeffrey Kemp pleaded guilty to attempting to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Peterson on May 6, 2022. In related cases, Judge Peterson sentenced Michael C. Henderson to 84 months in prison on December 9, 2021 and Andre L. McClinton to 108 months in prison on March 23, 2022.
The charge against Dillard was the result of an investigation conducted by DCI, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge based on his involvement with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Huntington.
According to court documents, Ricky Lee Taylor, also known as “RT,” 57, admitted that he arranged a cocaine base transaction on May 11, 2021, during a telephone call with an individual who was located in Huntington. After the transaction was arranged, Taylor traveled from Charleston to Huntington, met with the individual, and received the drugs. Taylor was then stopped by officers with the Hurricane Police Department on Interstate 64 returning to the Charleston area. Officers seized the cocaine base which Taylor admitted he intended to distribute. Officers also seized a loaded .40 caliber pistol Taylor possessed during the stop.
Taylor pleaded guilty to using a telephone to facilitate a felony controlled substance offense. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces up to four years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consisting of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans are prosecuting 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109-16.
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Carnegie Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Premeditated Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, a federal judge sentenced ISAIAH WHITEFOX REDBIRD, 36, of Carnegie, Oklahoma, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for premeditated murder and assault causing serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On November 6, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Redbird for deliberately killing a person by striking him on the head with a blunt force instrument on September 11, 2018, in Indian Country. He was also charged in a separate count with assaulting a person identified as K.R. on the same day with the intent to commit murder. The federal government had jurisdiction over the offense because Redbird is a Kiowa Indian and the offense occurred in Indian country.
According to facts presented at the November 2020 trial, Redbird bore a grudge against Byron "Subee" Tongkeamah, Jr., and his girlfriend, Kayleigh Roughface. On the night of September 11, 2018, Redbird entered an enclosed porch of an abandoned house where Tongkeamah Jr. and Roughface had taken refuge. He approached them where they were in bed on a foam mattress on the floor and struck each of them multiple times on the head with the crowbar. Tongkeamah Jr. died from multiple blunt force trauma injuries to his skull. Redbird fled the scene, buried the crowbar, burned and buried his clothes, and fled to Arizona. Roughface survived, despite losing all memory of the night of the attack.
Evidence at trial further showed that, on the morning of September 12, 2018, Carnegie police discovered Roughface disoriented and walking down the street in Carnegie. She was covered with dried blood and had massive trauma, including a fractured skull, a fractured eye socket, a broken arm, and a broken finger. Soon after that, officers discovered the body of Tongkeamah Jr. in the enclosed porch. Audio-recordings introduced at trial of Redbird’s phone conversations revealed that he believed he had a duty to execute Tongkeamah Jr. and Roughface based on rumors he had heard about them. After deliberating for two days, the federal jury returned a guilty verdict, convicting Redbird of the premeditated murder of Tongkeamah Jr. and assault causing serious bodily injury of Roughface.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, Senior U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Redbird to serve life in federal prison for the murder of Tongkeamah and 10 years for the assault on Roughface. In announcing the sentence, Judge Friot noted the nature and circumstances of the offense. Parole has been abolished in the federal prison system.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation—Oklahoma City Field Office, the Carnegie Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The Regional Organized Crime Information Center and the Kiowa Tribe provided logistical assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Mark Stoneman prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Canadian Man Arrested and Charged with Conspiracy, Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Canadian man has been arrested and charged for his role in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Abdou Diallo, also known as Abdou-Rahmane Diallo, 34, of Montreal, Quebec, was a co-owner and operator of Readers Services and NP Readers Inc., both Canadian-based companies that carried out a telemarking fraud scheme. From 2011 through 2020, Diallo and his co-conspirators provided “lead lists” and fraudulent sales scripts to their telemarketing employees for use in carrying out the fraud scheme. The scheme targeted people who had previously fallen victim to a fraudulent magazine sales scam and been tricked into signing up for multiple expensive magazine subscriptions they did not want and could not afford. Diallo and his co-conspirators took advantage of the victims’ desperation to make the magazine subscriptions stop. They called the victims pretending to be from the “magazine cancellation department.” Diallo and his co-conspirators offered to pay off the victims’ “outstanding balance” and cancel their existing magazine subscriptions in exchange for a large, lump-sum payment. None of this was true. In reality, the victims did not owe the defendants or their companies any money. Diallo and his co-conspirators had no power or ability to cancel the victims’ existing magazine subscriptions or any outstanding balance owed to any other magazine companies. This scheme ultimately defrauded more than 20,000 victims—many of whom were elderly and vulnerable—across the United States out of approximately $30 million.
Diallo was arrested on March 30, 2022, at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, and made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Becerra in the Southern District of Florida. He will be transported in custody to the District of Minnesota for further court proceedings. Diallo is charged with one count conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
Another Canadian defendant, Saman Moghbel, 34, of Montreal, Quebec, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on February 28, 2022, before Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis. Moghbel’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Diallo is charged in connection to United States v. Timmerman et al., 20-cr-233. This indictment is related to United States v. Rahm, et al., 20-cr-232, United States v. Mathias et al., 20-cr-231, United States v. Dahl, 18-cr-305 and United States v. Oelrich, 20-cr-128. Over sixty defendants have been charged for their roles in a $300 million fraud scheme that targeted more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable victims. To date, 37 defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Report suspected fraudulent activity to [email protected] or visit FBI.gov/MagazineVictims.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Arrested for Threats Resulting in Manhunt on Tufts University CampusRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man was arrested yesterday in connection with making threatening communications to the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) in May 2021.
Sammy Sultan, 48, of Hayward, Calif., was charged in the District of Massachusetts by criminal complaint with one count of making threatening communications in interstate commerce. Sultan was arrested at his home in Hayward yesterday morning and will make an initial appearance in federal court in the Northern District of California today at 1 p.m. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on or about May 28, 2021, Sultan made eight phone calls to TUPD, six of which included specific threats. During the calls, which collectively lasted about an hour, Sultan allegedly claimed to have entered an unidentified female’s dorm room somewhere on the Tufts University campus, to be hiding beneath a bed, and to possess a taser and pistols. On several occasions, Sultan stated that he intended to use the taser if the female returned to the dorm room and discovered him hiding beneath the bed. It is alleged that Sultan played the sounds of a taser activating and a pistol racking during the calls.
TUPD and local police carried out an hours-long, room-by-room search of numerous buildings on Tufts University’s Medford campus, but failed to locate the caller. A subsequent investigation of electronic evidence determined that Sultan had made the calls from California. A law enforcement officer familiar with Sultan’s voice from a prior investigation recognized Sultan’s voice on the TUPD call recordings.
Sultan previously pleaded guilty in December 2017 in the Northern District of California to making hundreds of obscene and harassing phone calls to law enforcement agencies, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison.
The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the Tufts University Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; Illinois State Police; and the Medford, Somerville, North Andover, Malden and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Rollins’ National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit provided significant assistance during the investigation of the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Broward County Felon Charged with Federal Gun and Identity Theft CrimesRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A South Florida grand jury has charged a 38-year-old felon from Lauderhill, Florida with illegally possessing a cache of firearms and ammunition, as well as sensitive identity and financial information belonging to others.
According to the indictment, an earlier-filed criminal complaint affidavit, and government exhibits filed with the court, a narcotics investigation led law enforcement officers to Deshawn Lemonte Wheeler. On March 3, officers executed a search warrant at Wheeler’s home, where they recovered 10 firearms (including pistols, revolvers, and a rifle), multiple high-capacity-drums and other magazines, and a vast amount of multiple caliber ammunition. They also recovered numerous credit and debit card account numbers, bank account numbers, driver’s license identification numbers, and a Department of Defense identification number, all belonging to other people, say the court filings.
On March 3, Wheeler was a felon, having been previously convicted in federal court of conspiring to commit a Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
The indictment charges Wheeler with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, one count of possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted on all counts, Wheeler faces up to 26 years in federal prison.
Wheeler is scheduled for arraignment on Monday, April 4, at 11:00 a.m., in federal magistrate court in Ft. Lauderdale.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the charges.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Lauderhill Police Department, and Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley is prosecuting the case.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Indictments and criminal complaints contain mere allegations. A defendant is innocent unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-60063.
Note: Included photograph from Court docket: entry #8, exhibit #1.
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Bronx Gang Member Charged with Double Murder and Shooting of 16-Year-OldRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”), Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging KAI JOHNSON with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and firearms offenses, relating to JOHNSON’s participation in: (1) the murders of Price Tunstall and Malik Tunstall in the vicinity of the James Monroe Houses in the Bronx on August 31, 2021; and (2) a non-fatal shooting of a 16-year-old in the vicinity of the James Monroe Houses in the Bronx on April 4, 2021.
JOHNSON was already in state custody relating to other charges and will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the indictment, the defendant is responsible for the cold-blooded murders of Price Tunstall and Malik Tunstall, just a few months after shooting and injuring a 16-year-old in the same neighborhood. We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who bring violence to our streets.”
HSI Acting Special Agent-in Charge Ricky J. Patel said: “It is alleged that Johnson participated in multiple shootings in and around public housing facilities in the Bronx, including a double murder. The residents of New York City’s public housing developments deserve a safe living space, free from violence and the influence of dangerous gang members’ desire to instill fear throughout the community. This indictment against Johnson is an example of bringing the strength of federal racketeering statutes in the fight to secure the streets of New York and stem the tide of violence plaguing the citizens of New York City. HSI is proud to partner in this fight with our colleagues at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the New York City Police Department, and the New York City Department of Investigation.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “At a time of rising violent crime, increasing numbers of shootings, and too many young people victimized by illegal guns, today’s federal indictment illustrates the NYPD’s commitment to using the combined strength of all of our tools to help New Yorkers, hold trigger-pullers accountable, and attain justice for victims. We commend our investigators, our federal law enforcement partners and the work of the prosecutors of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York for their sustained work in this important case.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “Gang violence terrorizes New Yorkers and destabilizes communities. The allegations in this Indictment make clear the dangerous impact of gang warfare in the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx and the critical need to protect all of New York City’s neighborhoods. I am proud that DOI’s partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the New York City Police Department, and the New York Office of Homeland Security Investigations led to these charges, and we will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to prioritize and promote public safety.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
KAI JOHNSON is a member or associate of a racketeering enterprise known as the Stevenson Commons Crew. In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Stevenson Commons Crew committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gangs, including murder and assault; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and obtained, possessed and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them.
On August 31, 2021, JOHNSON murdered Malik Tunstall and Price Tunstall in the vicinity of 805 Taylor Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
On April 4, 2021, JOHNSON shot at rival gang members in the vicinity of 877 Taylor Avenue in the Bronx, New York, which resulted in a 16-year-old being grazed in the head with a bullet.
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JOHNSON, 27, is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; two counts of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, which carries a statutory maximum of ten years in prison; and one count of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which was brandished and discharged, which carries a statutory maximum of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of HSI, DOI, and the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew K. Chan, Emily A. Johnson, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Beckley Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to one year and nine months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Kaine William Durham, 25, possessed a Ruger P90 .45-caliber handgun recovered from inside his vehicle by law enforcement during a November 2020 traffic stop. Durham had been previously convicted in Raleigh County Circuit Court of felony wanton endangerment in 2017.
Durham pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in November 2021.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Beckley Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and former Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Jeffrey prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00123.
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Barbour County woman admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Katrina Ann Sears, of Belington, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Sears, 42, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Distribution of a Firearm.” Sears admitted to selling a semi-automatic rifle to a convicted felon in October 2019 in Barbour County.
Sears faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Baltimore Drug Dealer Admits to Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine to a Fatal Overdose VictimRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Aaron Arthur Fields, a/k/a “Handz”, age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 30, 2022, to distribution of controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of crack cocaine and cocaine.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and the Harford County Task Force, comprised of members including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Harford County Sheriff's Office, Maryland State Police, Aberdeen Police Department, Bel Air Police Department, Havre de Grace Police Department and the Harford County States Attorney’s Office.
According to his guilty plea, on November 4, 2018, Harford County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Joppa, Maryland residence for a fatal overdose. Emergency medical services personnel and deputies arrived and located two victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2) on the bedroom floor. Victim 1 was found deceased while Victim 2 was revived and transported to the hospital for treatment.
In another bedroom, officers located a line of white powder on a book with a piece of a red straw. The white powder was tested and determined to be a fentanyl and cocaine mixture. The medical examiner concluded that Victim 1’s death was due to acute intoxication by fentanyl and cocaine.
As part of the investigation into Victim 1’s death, Victim 1’s cellphone was seized and searched. A search of the cellphone contents revealed that Victim 1 contacted an individual (Individual 1) the night that Victim 1 and Victim 2 overdosed. The communications with Individual 1 and Victim 1 indicated that Individual 1 arranged for Victim 1 to meet with Fields to purchase drugs on the night of November 4, 2018. Fields admitted that he distributed controlled substances to Victim 1 and that the death of Victim 1 resulted.
Additionally, during a traffic stop on April 10, 2019, investigators recovered three grams of heroin from an individual (Individual 2) investigators believed to have purchased these drugs from Fields. Individual 2 admitted that they purchased drugs from Fields and confirmed Fields’ identity after officers showed Individual 2 a picture of Fields.
As stated in his plea agreement, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fields’ Baltimore residence where investigators recovered 126 grams of cocaine. Investigators also recovered 28 grams of crack cocaine, 48 grams of cocaine, and $1,911 in cash from Fields’ person during his arrest in Rosedale, Maryland. Fields admitted that he possessed the crack cocaine and cocaine with intent to distribute it. Fields also admitted that he conspired with Individual 1 and others to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Fields faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for distribution of controlled substances and for the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. U.S. District Judge Hollander has scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Harford County Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked the Baltimore County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Oldham, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach and visit the “Save a Life – Opioid Abuse” section.
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Appleton Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Violations of Federal Tax LawsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced that on March 25, 2022, Paul R. Vanderlinden (age: 42) of Appleton, Wisconsin, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Green Bay to charges that he willfully filed a false tax return and failed to truthfully account for and pay over payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to court filings, Vanderlinden, as owner and operator of Muncheez Pizzeria in Appleton, Wisconsin, skimmed approximately $800,000 from his business’ receipts between 2012 and 2016. Large cash deposits were made to Vanderlinden’s personal bank account during this timeframe. Vanderlinden failed to include this revenue in his tax returns, and fraudulently underreported his gross receipts by at least $130,000 for each tax year.
Vanderlinden gave his employees the option of being “paid in cash without taxes taken out, or by check with taxes taken out,” and used a large portion of the skimmed revenue to pay his employees “under the table.” Federal law requires employers to collect payroll taxes. Vanderlinden willfully failed to withhold and pay over approximately $88,000 in payroll taxes between 2012 and 2016, and he filed employer tax returns containing false statements regarding the wages paid to his employees.
“This case reflects the strong commitment of the Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners to investigating and prosecuting individuals who seek to abuse our tax laws,” said United States Attorney Frohling. “This type of fraud not only undermines the rule of law but also puts individuals and businesses that act in a forthright and honest manner at an unfair disadvantage in the marketplace.”
"Business owners have a responsibility to withhold income taxes for their employees and then remit those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service," said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell, Chicago Field Office. "The failure to pay over withheld taxes is a serious offense. It results in the loss of tax revenue to the United States government and the loss of future social security or Medicare benefits for the employees.”
Vanderlinden will be sentenced on July 7, 2022, before Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
This investigation was undertaken by Special Agents from the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farris Martini.
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Alabama Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Firearms Offenses in District of Columbia and AlabamaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 72, of Falkville, Alabama, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal and local firearms offenses stemming from the discovery of weapons in his pickup truck parked near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
According to court documents, Coffman traveled from Alabama to the District of Columbia several days prior to Jan. 6, 2021. He parked his red GMC Sierra pickup truck in the 300 block of First Street SE, on the morning of Jan. 6. Less than half a mile away in the U.S. Capitol Building, a joint session of the U.S. Congress was scheduled to meet in the afternoon to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Coffman admitted in his plea agreement that he exited the pickup truck at 9:20 a.m. and walked in the direction of the U.S. Capitol Building, and towards a rally near the National Mall. Inside the pickup truck were several loaded firearms within arms-reach of the driver’s seat, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, a crossbow with bolts, machetes, camouflage smoke devices, a stun gun, and a cooler containing 11 mason jars filled with ignitable ingredients for Molotov cocktail incendiary weapons. Coffman also carried a loaded handgun and a loaded revolver as he walked around the area that day. A search of Coffman’s residence in Alabama later that month led to the discovery of 12 additional mason jars containing ignitable substances, each constituting the component parts of Molotov cocktails.
Coffman did not have a license to carry a pistol in the District of Columbia and had not registered any firearms or destructive devices in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.
Coffman has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 6, 2021. Coffman will be placed on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Coffman was sentenced in the District of Columbia by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in two separate criminal cases, one brought in the District of Columbia on Jan. 7, 2021, and the other brought in the Northern District of Alabama and transferred to the District of Columbia for purposes of plea and sentencing. Coffman had pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2021, to two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, a federal offense, regarding the component parts of Molotov cocktails discovered in his pickup truck in Washington, D.C., and at his residence in Alabama. Coffman also pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license, a District of Columbia offense. Judge Kollar-Kotelly sentenced him to 46 months in prison on each of the federal offenses, and 15 months on the District of Columbia offense, with the time running concurrently.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham and Washington Field Offices, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
31 March 2022
“Shooting Boys” Gang Members Charged with Racketeering, Murder, Firearms, and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in New York, announced the unsealing of a fifteen-count indictment today charging ten individuals—ANDREW DONE, a/k/a “Caballo,” VICTOR ALMONTE, a/k/a “Flaco Capone,” MOISES FONTANEZ, a/k/a “Goya,” OLBENY DIAZ, a/k/a “Sosbrito,” FRAILYN CAPELLAN, a/k/a “Frek,” JOEL ORTIZ, a/k/a “Brooklyn,” EDWIN JIMENEZ, a/k/a “Pac,” MALVIN RESTITUYO, a/k/a “Puto,” and ANDERSON BURDIER, a/k/a “Canela,” and JOSEPH RIVERA, a/k/a “Shorty,”—with racketeering conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, firearms offenses, and narcotics conspiracy. The defendants are charged for their roles in the “Shooting Boys” gang and an associated narcotics conspiracy. Among other crimes, DONE is charged for the November 5, 2020 murder of Angel Barreiro in the Bronx. The crimes charged against each of the ten defendants are specified in the chart below. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
In a coordinated operation, eight defendants were arrested in New York and Pennsylvania earlier this morning. The defendants arrested in New York will be presented later this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave in Manhattan federal court. CAPELLAN will be presented in federal court in Philadelphia. FONTANEZ was in custody on state charges and was transferred to federal custody today. DONE and ALMONTE remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the ‘Shooting Boys’ are responsible for a rampage of violence in the Bronx, including a murder and several other shootings. Today’s arrests will protect the public from these defendants and send a message to others who would commit violence: law enforcement is watching and you will be prosecuted.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Dismantling gangs and targeting the illegal acts associated with their activities continues to be one of the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement partners. Today’s charges again show that we are accurately identifying and arresting the relatively small percentage of people responsible for the majority of the violence in New York – and we will remain relentless in our pursuit of meaningful consequences for these criminals.”
HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Ricky J. Patel said: “The allegations in these indictments show the unrepentant violence of the ‘Shooting Boys’ and their complete disregard for human life. Today, members of violent gangs are put on notice that HSI and the New York City Police Department will not sit idly by as gangs and violent criminals terrorize our communities. HSI will continue the mission to dismantle violent criminal gangs, and along with the NYPD and its partners, will work together to eradicate the fear caused by these organizations.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court, and based on statements made in public court proceedings:[1]
The “Shooting Boys” gang is a criminal organization based in the University Heights section of the Bronx. Since at least 2017, gang members sold drugs, used guns, and committed numerous acts of violence against members of rival gangs. Originally associated with the “Trinitarios” gang, the “Shooting Boys” broke off from the “Sunset” chapter of the “Trinitarios” in about 2018. ANDREW DONE, a/k/a “Caballo,” is the leader of the “Shooting Boys.”
The “Shooting Boys” sold crack, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana primarily in two areas: near 192nd Street and Aqueduct Avenue, and 155 Father Zeiser Place in the Bronx. Only members of the “Shooting Boys” and those authorized by them were permitted to sell drugs in these locations and the gang protected its drug territory through violence and intimidation relying primarily on the use of firearms.
In addition to multiple non-fatal acts of violence against rival gang members and innocent bystanders, the rivalry between the “Shooting Boys” and other chapters of the “Trinitarios” led to the murder of Angel Barreiro, a/k/a “Jay La Sombra” on November 5, 2020. The indictment alleges that DONE shot and killed Barreiro opposite 1365 Cromwell Avenue in the Bronx.
* * *
A chart containing the names, charges, and maximum and minimum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and HSI.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile, Adam S. Hobson, Jamie Bagliebter, and James Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAXIMUM/MINIMUM PENALTIES
Count One
Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)
ANDREW DONE,
VICTOR ALMONTE,
MOISES FONTANEZ,
OLBENY DIAZ,
FRAILYN CAPELLAN,
JOEL ORTIZ,
EDWIN JIMENEZ,
MALVIN RESTITUYO, and
ANDERSON BURDIER
Maximum as to all defendants except RESTITUYO: Life in prison
Maximum as to RESTITUYO: 20 years in prison
Count Two
Murder in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1)
ANDREW DONE
Mandatory life in prison or death
Count Three
Murder through Use of a Firearm
18 U.S.C. § 924(j)
ANDREW DONE
Maximum: Life in prison or death
Minimum: 5 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
Count Four
Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5), 1959(a)(6), 1959(a)(3)
ANDREW DONE
VICTOR ALMONTE
FRAILYN CAPELLAN
Maximum: 20 years in prison
Count Five
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
ANDREW DONE
VICTOR ALMONTE
FRAILYN CAPELLAN
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 10 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
Count Six
Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5), 1959(a)(6), 1959(a)(3)
OLBENY DIAZ
Maximum: 20 years
Count Seven
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
OLBENY DIAZ
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 10 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
Count Eight
Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5), 1959(a)(3)
MALVIN RESTITUYO
Maximum: 20 years
Count Nine
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
MALVIN RESTITUYO
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 10 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
Count Ten
Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(5), 1959(a)(3)
MOISES FONTANEZ
Maximum: 20 years
Count Eleven
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
MOISES FONTANEZ
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 10 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
Count Twelve
Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3)
ANDREW DONE
MOISES FONTANEZ
OLBENY DIAZ
JOEL ORTIZ
Maximum: 20 years
Count Thirteen
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
ANDREW DONE
MOISES FONTANEZ
OLBENY DIAZ
JOEL ORTIZ
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 7 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
Count Fourteen
Narcotics Conspiracy
21 U.S.C. § 846, 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D),
ANDREW DONE
VICTOR ALMONTE
MOISES FONTANEZ
OLBENY DIAZ
FRAILYN CAPELLAN
JOEL ORTIZ
EDWIN JIMENEZ
ANDERSON BURDIER
JOSEPH RIVERA
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 10 years in prison
Count Fifteen
Firearms Offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
ANDREW DONE
VICTOR ALMONTE
MOISES FONTANEZ
OLBENY DIAZ
FRAILYN CAPELLAN
JOEL ORTIZ
EDWIN JIMENEZ
ANDERSON BURDIER
JOSEPH RIVERA
Maximum: Life in prison
Minimum: 10 years in prison, which much be consecutive to any other term imposed.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.