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30 March 2022
Former Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute K2 Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Christian Stevens was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to distribute K2 controlled substances (Schedule I synthetic cannabinoids) in 2017 and 2018, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Stevens, age 36, formerly of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan directed that Stevens serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Judge Ranjan also directed that Stevens’s prison sentence be served consecutively to Stevens’s other federal prison sentence.
Stevens conspired to distribute K2 controlled substances in 2017 and 2018 when he was detained and pending sentencing in another federal case for conspiring to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin in 2016. He had previously been convicted and sentenced in 2007 in federal court for conspiring to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin, distributing heroin, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
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.
Former Nurse Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Murder for Hire, Conspiracy to Kidnap and Murder Person Overseas, and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Sean Fiore, 38, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont to 27 years in prison following his guilty pleas to the following charges: murder for hire, conspiracy to kidnap and murder a person overseas, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Fiore to serve a lifetime term of supervised release, pay restitution to nine victims of his crimes, and to pay a $400 special assessment.
According to court records, in September 2018, Fiore, located in Vermont, communicated over WhatsApp with a woman who was in Venezuela. Both used aliases. The WhatsApp communications were about Fiore’s interest in purchasing a video depicting the torture of a kidnapped child, who was referred to as a “slave.” Fiore ultimately paid $600 in Amazon gift cards for the video. Fiore sent specific instructions on what abuse he wished to see inflicted on the child. On October 3, 2018, Fiore received a hyperlink to a video file depicting sadistic abuse of a prepubescent boy consistent with Fiore’s specifications.
Fiore and the woman subsequently used WhatsApp to discuss Fiore’s desire to purchase another video which showed the torture and killing of another kidnapped “slave.” Fiore sent specifications for the types of physical abuse, humiliation, and manner of death he wished to see in the video. In December 2018, Fiore agreed to pay $4,000 for the second video. In April 2019, Fiore received a hyperlink to a 58-minute video file depicting the requested sadistic abuse and possible death of an adult male.
Fiore also possessed videos and other images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of sadistic sexual abuse.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest said, “It is difficult to imagine more depraved conduct than that of Sean Fiore. We are grateful for the tremendous support and teamwork provided by Homeland Security Investigations and Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force during the investigation of this case. These investigators were indispensable in uncovering Fiore’s heinous crimes. We are also thankful for our Department of Justice partners, including the DOJ Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and the DOJ Office of International Affairs, who helped bring Fiore to justice. This office along with its partners will continue to prioritize protecting the vulnerable and prosecuting dangerous offenders such as Fiore.”
“The defendant paid for and scripted unspeakably vile and horrific videos of a child being tormented, and an adult sadistically abused,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and Homeland Security Investigations, sends a clear message that these reprehensible acts will not go unanswered or unpunished.”
“Fiore committed some of the darkest, most heinous deeds humanity can imagine,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Millhollin for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Today’s sentence ensures that he will be locked away, unable to repeat the depraved crimes he has admitted to. We are grateful to our partners here in Vermont and around the world who worked tirelessly alongside us to investigate and prosecute this case.”
Moraima Escarlet Vasquez Flores, 39, of Colombia, the woman accused of sending Fiore the videos and of conspiring with him to produce child pornography, is charged with conspiracy to murder and kidnap a person in a foreign country, conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and aiding and abetting the receipt of child pornography. Vasquez Flores was arrested in Colombia on September 18, 2020, and the government is seeking her extradition to the United States. The charges against Vasquez Flores are merely allegations and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Barbara A. Masterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, Patrick Jasperse, Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Eduardo Palomo, Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, represent the government. Maryanne E. Kampmann, Esq. and Robert L. Sussman, Esq. of Stetler, Allen, Kampmann & Sussman, PLLC, represent Fiore.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (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.Federal Jury Convicts Rochester Man on Multiple Child Pornography Charges Including Enticement and ProductionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted James Oliver Young, 52, of Rochester, NY, on multiple charges including enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and production and receipt of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa M. Marangola and Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that the New York State Police received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an “Ollie Young” was communicating with a Minor Victim (MV1), in Rochester through private messages on Facebook. It appeared that “Ollie Young” was attempting to entice MV1 to produce and send apparent child exploitation images as well as engage in sexual activity. “Ollie Young” was later identified as defendant Young. Subsequent investigation determined that Young and co-defendant and Rebecca Wilson had sexual relations with MV1 on multiple occasions.
On April 18, 2020, New York State Police executed a search warrant and seized multiple devices, including two cell phones belonging to Wilson. Investigators located multiple videos depicting child pornography involving Minor Victim 2 (MV2).
Rebecca Wilson previously pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and is awaiting sentencing.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 22, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. who presided over the trial of the case.
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Federal Employee Arrested for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee was arrested for possession of child pornography on his EPA computer, the U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
John Struble, 63, of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre on March 29, 2022.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The EPA alerted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, (HSI) that it discovered images of child pornography on a computer that it issued to Struble. HSI learned that Struble had navigated to websites containing sexual content and viewed child pornography using his EPA computer. HSI located a cache folder containing approximately 100 images constituting child pornography, which Struble had accessed from Fair Lawn using his EPA computer. HSI further determined that Struble accessed the child pornography on his EPA computer using a web browser that was not authorized by the EPA for installation on the computer.
The count of possession of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of HSI, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, and the EPA, Office of Inspector General, Electronic Crimes Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Justin Link. He also thanked the Fair Lawn Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Mitchell of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Court Prohibits Traverse City Physician from Prescribing Controlled Substances in Opioid Diversion CaseRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – Samuel P. Copeland, D.O., located in Traverse City, Michigan, entered into a settlement with the United States in which he agreed to a court order to never prescribe controlled substances. According to the terms of the consent decree that U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney entered, Dr. Copeland also agreed to surrender his controlled substance registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and to pay a civil penalty of $50,000 to resolve allegations filed in a civil complaint by the United States that he unlawfully prescribed controlled substances to patients. The civil penalty amount was negotiated based on Dr. Copeland’s ability to pay.
In its complaint, filed on October 27, 2021, the United States alleged that Dr. Copeland issued prescriptions for controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. For example, the United States alleged that Dr. Copeland ignored warnings from fellow practitioners, pharmacists, and insurers that his prescribing was illegitimate and dangerous, including prescribing a highly-abused cocktail of opioids, benzodiazepines, and carisoprodol—a dangerous combination commonly known as the “Holy Trinity.” The government also alleged that Dr. Copeland ignored failed drug screen tests showing that patients were taking illicit drugs or not taking the medications he prescribed, and that he prescribed large opioid doses that far exceeded national guidelines for chronic pain management.
The United States also alleged in its complaint that Dr. Copeland’s unlawful prescribing had consequences: “Scores of Dr. Copeland’s patients received dangerously high doses of opioids, including combinations with other drugs. Some of these patients, for whom it was common knowledge that Dr. Copeland would over prescribe narcotics for little to no medical reason, shared their drugs with others or sold them on the street. And many of Dr. Copeland’s patients overdosed on the controlled substances he prescribed.”
“The Court’s entry of this consent decree prohibiting Dr. Copeland from ever prescribing controlled substances demonstrates the seriousness of these allegations,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Birge. “The opioid epidemic continues to plague our communities, and my office will work tirelessly with DEA and other law enforcement to use all tools necessary to enforce compliance with controlled substance prescribing laws.”
“It is imperative that physicians uphold their obligations to properly prescribe controlled substances,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Kent R. Kleinschmidt, Detroit Field Division. “Our nation is in the midst of a public health crisis, and everyone in the medical field, especially physicians, must do their job to help prevent addiction. DEA will continue to work with all levels of law enforcement to investigate allegations of unlawful prescribing.”
This case was investigated by DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad in Grand Rapids and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Hull and Ryan D. Cobb represented the United States.
The complaint, consent decree, and other filings in this case can be found on the Court’s online docket under United States v. Copeland, No. 1:21-cv-909 (W.D. Mich.).
The claims resolved by the consent decree are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Federal Civil and Criminal Investigations Result in Six Convictions and Recovery of over $8.7 Million in Connection with Compounded Medications Formulated by DelCo PharmacyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced the criminal and civil resolutions of multi-year investigations of various health care fraud schemes involving prescriptions for compounded medications formulated by Heritage Therapeutics, LLC, a Delaware County pharmacy. The investigations yielded six criminal convictions and recovered over $8.7 million in criminal forfeitures, criminal restitution, and civil settlement payments.
From 2013 into 2015, Heritage formulated expensive compounded medications such as pain creams, scar creams, and vitamins. These compounded medications were prescribed to, among others, beneficiaries of TRICARE, a federally funded health care program for military members, retirees, and their families. The investigations revealed that Heritage paid commissions to some of its sales representatives for referring Heritage’s compounded medications to medical providers who prescribed them to TRICARE beneficiaries. Some of these sales representatives, in turn, paid kickbacks to the medical providers to induce them to issue those prescriptions.
A lead sales representative for Heritage was Michael Bemis. Bemis paid kickbacks to a Philadelphia-area physician, Dr. Scott Kurzrok, in exchange for issuing prescriptions to TRICARE beneficiaries that Kurzrok allegedly never examined or treated. In addition, Bemis recruited other sales representatives and encouraged them to also pay kickbacks to medical providers to induce them to prescribe compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries through Heritage. Bemis also paid and encouraged other sales representatives to pay TRICARE beneficiaries to allow medically unnecessary prescriptions to be filled in their names. In addition, Bemis encouraged sales representatives to push TRICARE beneficiaries to accept refills of the medically unnecessary medications. Heritage submitted claims for those medications to TRICARE and paid commissions on those prescriptions to Bemis and other sales representatives. For his involvement in the scheme, Bemis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, was sentenced to over two and a half years in prison, and was ordered to pay criminal restitution of more than $3.3 million and to forfeit over $930,000. Bemis and Dr. Kurzrok each entered into settlement agreements to resolve civil claims under the False Claims Act.
Charles Hollister, a Heritage sales representative in North Carolina, was one of Bemis’s recruits. Hollister paid kickbacks to Tanya Dyer, a licensed nurse practitioner in Hickory, North Carolina, in exchange for Dyer prescribing Heritage compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries. These TRICARE beneficiaries included individuals whom Dyer allegedly never saw or examined. Hollister pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, was sentenced to over a year in prison, and was ordered to pay over $1 million of criminal restitution jointly and severally with Bemis. Dyer entered into a settlement agreement to resolve civil claims under the False Claims Act.
Andrew Balick, a Heritage sales representative in Georgia, was another of Bemis’ recruits. Balick convinced a purported physician assistant to write medically unnecessary prescriptions for compounded medications that were filled by Heritage. Balick provided TRICARE beneficiary information to the physician assistant for use in writing the prescriptions and then shared part of his Heritage sales commissions with the beneficiaries, including a man named Andrew Dykstra. In addition to providing his own beneficiary information to Balick, Dykstra became a Heritage sales representative and allegedly recruited other purported sales representatives to provide their TRICARE beneficiary information for use in the scheme. Balick pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, was sentenced to over a year in prison, and was ordered to pay criminal restitution of over $1.8 million jointly and severally with Bemis. Dykstra entered into a settlement agreement to resolve civil claims under the False Claims Act.
Separately, Benjamin Tewes, the brother of Heritage sales representative Kristine Sewell, , paid kickbacks to Thomas Hersch, a physician assistant in Georgia, to induce him to write prescriptions for Heritage compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries. Sewell allegedly received sales commissions from Heritage on these prescriptions and shared part of her commissions with Tewes. Tewes pleaded guilty to one count of paying kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program, was sentenced to 3 years of probation, and was ordered to forfeit over $276,000 and to pay a $15,000 fine. Hersch pleaded guilty to one count of receiving kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program. Sewell entered into a monetary settlement agreement to resolve civil claims under the False Claims Act.
In addition, Joseph Fidelie, who was both a Heritage sales representative and a medical assistant at an orthopedic practice in Oklahoma, paid kickbacks to a physician assistant in the same practice to induce the physician assistant to prescribe Heritage’s compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries. Fidelie received commissions from Heritage for the claims paid by TRICARE. Fidelie pleaded guilty to one count of paying kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program.
In addition to the resolutions noted above, Heritage, along with its president, David Raffaele; principals Kevin O’Brien and Stephen Seiner; former pharmacist-in-charge Gary Umland; and sales assistant Michael D’Antonio; entered into a settlement agreement to resolve civil claims against the entity and associated individuals under the False Claims Act. The civil claims resolved through this settlement relate to Heritage’s sales representatives’ alleged payments of kickbacks to medical providers, as described above, as well as to Heritage’s compensation of its sales representatives on a commission basis in the absence of bona fide employee relationships, all in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. In addition, this settlement resolved claims that, to avoid TRICARE’s recoupment of amounts previously paid to Heritage for compounded medications prescribed to TRICARE beneficiaries in the absence of any legitimate provider-patient relationship, as described above, Heritage itself made false statements in its responses to a TRICARE audit.
“With the conclusion of these investigations, we serve notice that medical providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers who prey on the men and women who bravely serve in our armed forces, and their families, in order to line their own pockets, will be relentlessly pursued with all of the resources of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Through the combined efforts of our criminal division, civil division, and our partner agencies, the fraudulent acts of both the company and the individuals who acted through it were held to account.”
“Investigating corrupt schemes that undermine the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their families, is a top priority for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to work with the Department of Justice to tirelessly pursue those individuals and corporations that target our service members and put TRICARE beneficiaries at risk.”
The investigations were conducted by agents from, in addition to DCIS, the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General; Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary Kay Costello and former Assistant United States Attorney John Crutchlow prosecuted the criminal cases. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan C. Hughes and Rebecca S. Melley handled the civil investigation and settlements, assisted by Auditor George Niedzwicki.
Except for those facts admitted to in the guilty pleas, the claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Fayetteville Man Charged with Lying to Federal Aviation AdministrationRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Noah Felice, age 70, of Fayetteville, New York, was arraigned today after being charged in an indictment with lying to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Joseph Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and Christopher F. Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
According to the indictment, in September 2017, Felice made false statements to the FAA on a Form 8500-8, which is an application pilots submit to the FAA to renew their medical certifications. The indictment alleges that Felice stated on the form that he had no history of criminal convictions and had never received medical disability benefits, when he knew that he had been convicted of multiple prior misdemeanor offenses and was receiving disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The charge filed against Felice carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; 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.
Felice appeared today in U.S. District Court in Syracuse, New York and was released by United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric on conditions of supervision pending further proceedings in the case.
The charge in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
Federal Jury Finds Cheyenne Man Guilty on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DANIEL PATRICK GUTIERREZ, age 36, of Cheyenne, Wyoming was found guilty by a federal jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. The trial lasted five days, March 21-25, 2022, before Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Sentencing has been set for June 13, 2022.
In December 2020, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Natrona County. The investigation revealed that Gutierrez of Cheyenne was purchasing pound-quantities of methamphetamine in the Denver, Colorado area. He would often trade firearms for methamphetamine. Gutierrez, with the help of his co-conspirators, was responsible for the distribution of multiple pounds of methamphetamine in the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
Gutierrez had been twice before convicted of distribution of controlled substances, and he faces an enhanced mandatory minimum prison sentence of 25 years on his drug trafficking crimes as a result, which will be served consecutively to a mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentence for using firearms during and in relation to a federal drug crime. In addition, he could be ordered to pay up to $10 million in fines and $400 in special assessments and to serve five years to life of supervised release.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Casper Police Department, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cheyenne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christyne M. Martens and Margaret M. Vierbuchen.
Case Number: 0:22-cr-00007-ABJ
Effort Man Charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that Matthew Luce, a/k/a “Luck,” age 36, of Effort, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with drug distribution resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Luce knowingly and intentionally distributed a quantity of fentanyl on February 6, 2021, in Monroe County, resulting in the death of a person.
The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), the Clinton Police Department (NJ), and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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East Providence Man Alleged to Have Fraudulently Applied for Eight COVID-Relief Business LoansRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – An East Providence man made an initial appearance in federal court in Providence today on charges that he filed eight fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $337,000 in Small Business Association (SBA) guaranteed COVID-19 relief business loans, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Kevin Mancieri, 48, is charged, by way of criminal complaint, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Charging documents allege that Mancieri, acting alone or with the assistance of others, applied for eight loans: two in his own name and six in the names of others. Applications were allegedly submitted in the names of four different sole proprietorships purporting to perform flooring and carpeting services. The applications are alleged to have falsely represented that multiple employees worked for these different companies, when, in fact, there were few if any, such employees; the applications were also allegedly supported with digitally altered personal bank statements, business bank account records, and tax records.
It is alleged that Mancieri fraudulently sought at least $337,096 in forgivable SBA guaranteed loans, and that his applications caused at least $131,414 in funds to be disbursed. It is alleged that he personally received approximately $29,038 in loan proceeds and conspired with others to receive up to half of the proceeds disbursed to other entities. It is further alleged that Mancieri received at least $49,400 in kickbacks for applying for fraudulent loans for his associates.
Mancieri was ordered detained following his initial appearance in U.S. District Court.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the FBI and Internal Revenue Criminal Investigation. Mancieri was arrested at his home this morning by federal agents, with the assistance of the Rhode Island State Police.
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Dulce man facing charges of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Joel Ruiz, 60, of Dulce, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court on March 29 facing two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 12. Ruiz will remain in custody pending an arraignment and detention hearing scheduled for March 31.
A federal grand jury indicted Ruiz on March 8. According to the two-count indictment, between Feb. 13, 2013, and Feb. 13, 2016, Ruiz, who is non-Indian, allegedly sexually abused an Indian child who was less than 12-years old. Between Jan. 27, 2016, and Jan. 27, 2020, Ruiz allegedly sexually abused another Indian child who also was younger than 12. The abuse in both counts allegedly took place on the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Ruiz faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea N. Van Deventer is prosecuting the case.
Detroit Man Sentenced on Charges related to Theft of $1.6M in Unemployment Insurance Benefits from Nine StatesRead the Press Release
A Detroit man was sentenced today to 39 months in federal prison on charges of wire fraud and identity theft, in connection with a scheme to defraud and obtain more than $1.6 million in unemployment insurance benefits from nine states, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement were Josh P. Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Detroit Field Office, and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Jordan Armstrong, 29, of Detroit, was sentenced by United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts in United States District Court in Detroit this morning.
According to court records, beginning in early May 2020, and continuing through October 2020, Armstrong, without various individuals’ knowledge or approval, submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits in the names of individuals in Michigan, California, Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Massachusetts, New York, and Louisiana. Armstrong attempted the same scheme in eight other states—in total filing more than 300 claims across 17 states and territories. Armstrong submitted these claims using individuals’ Social Security Numbers and other personal identifiable information. Armstrong directed the benefits to be paid out via debit cards and then used these cards to repeatedly withdraw the funds via ATMs throughout Metro Detroit.
Armstrong was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim-states in the total amount of $1,611,202.
“Today’s sentence is another example of our ongoing efforts to investigate and prosecute the unprecedented theft of unemployment insurance benefits that occurred during the pandemic. These expanded unemployment insurance benefits were intended as a lifeline for those needing help during a time of great stress and uncertainty. We will continue to hold the individuals who stole those monies accountable,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
“Mr. Armstrong’s scheme exploited programs designed to support small businesses and unemployed Americans and diverted money away from those who were in need during the pandemic,” said Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. “Thanks to the hard work of all the agencies involved in this investigation, Mr. Armstrong has been held to account for his criminal actions.”
“Jordan Armstrong defrauded multiple state workforce agencies of more than $2.6 million by filing for unemployment insurance benefits in the names of identity theft victims. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and state workforce agencies to protect the integrity of unemployment insurance benefit programs," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Birmingham Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Deming man facing federal child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – James Dooly Pollock, 37, of Deming, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court on March 24 facing charges of production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. Pollock will remain in custody until the case is resolved.
According to a criminal complaint, on Dec 30, 2021, the father of a 14-year-old victim submitted his daughter’s cell phone to the Truth or Consequences Police Department (TCPD) and reported that the cell phone contained videos of an adult male having sex with the victim. After obtaining the father’s permission and a search warrant, TCPD transferred the cell phone to New Mexico State Police (NMSP) for extraction of the phone’s contents.
The complaint alleges that the phone contained eight videos of Pollock engaging in sexual conduct with the victim. Four of the videos were sent from Pollock to the victim and the other four from the victim to Pollock. The phone also allegedly contained messages between Pollock and the victim reflecting an intimate relationship.
According to the complaint, the victim was reported missing at the beginning of January. On March 1, law enforcement located the victim, who was with Pollock in Truth or Consequences.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Pollock faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison for each of the eight counts in the complaint.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), NMSP and TCPD investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.
Conrad felon sentenced to 21 months in prison for illegal possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Conrad man who admitted to illegally possessing three firearms within one month of being on state probation for a felony conviction was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Jeremy John Walston, 36, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to felon in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that within one month of starting Montana state probation for a felony conviction, Walston possessed three firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle with a high-capacity magazine, a shotgun and a pistol, along with more than 100 rounds of ammunition. Walston also admitted to having sold a second AR-15 rifle shortly before his arrest. Walston was convicted of a state felony drug crime and sentenced on July 6, 2020. On Aug. 6, 2020, after hearing reports of Walston possessing firearms, probation officers conducted a home check of Walston’s residence and found the three firearms in his bedroom. Walston stated he knew he could not have the firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Connecticut Couple Pays $169K to Resolve Allegations of Covid-Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JANINE E. CARBONARO and GERARD CARBONARO, of Oxford, have paid $169,563.60 to resolve allegations that they fraudulently misspent $109,000 in small business loans and grant/advances under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
The CARES Act was enacted to provide emergency assistance to individuals, families and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Section 1110 of the CARES Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to help overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing working capital to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietors, to meet operating expenses. It also permitted eligible applicants seeking loans under the EIDL program to request and receive advance EIDL grants while their EIDL Loan applications were pending.
On April 7, 2020, Gerard Carbonaro applied for an EIDL Loan and Grant/Advance on behalf of Janine E. Carbonaro as sole proprietor for Hair Attraction Design Team, a hair salon located in Monroe, Connecticut. The loan documents required Janine E. Carbonaro to “use all the proceeds of this Loan solely as working capital to alleviate the economic injury” caused by COVID-19. The Carbonaros did not use the proceeds of the EIDL Loan and Grant/Advance as working capital for Hair Attraction Design Team. Instead, they used the proceeds to pay off the mortgage of a residential property in Florida, and to purchase an additional residential property in Florida for personal investment purposes.
As part of a civil settlement agreement with the government, in addition to repaying the EIDL Loan and Grant/Advance with interest and penalties, the Carbonaros also agreed to withdraw a pending application for a loan increase.
“The Justice Department and our federal investigative partners continue to uncover those who violated the terms of CARES Act business loan programs and misused the funds they received, and we are committed to pursuing civil or criminal penalties against wrongdoers,” said U.S. Attorney Boyle.
“These individuals, motivated by greed, chose to defraud programs intended to bring relief to those in need,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sundberg. “Justice has prevailed and we will continue to pursue every opportunity to combat COVID relief fraud in the State of Connecticut.”
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Gruber and Christopher W. Schmeisser, with the assistance of the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Columbus Woman Sentenced to 24 Months and Full Restitution for Stealing $240k from Non-ProfitsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus teacher who admitted to stealing approximately $240,000 from charitable organizations and a local dental office was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to repay the victims in full.
Trenna Denise Trice, 59, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and $240,259 in restitution by U.S. District Clay Land on March 29, after she pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Dec. 20, 2021. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Ultimately, it was Trenna Trice’s greed and gambling addiction that led to this moment. Fraudsters who steal the hard-earned money of others must be held to account for these crimes which so often have a harmful ripple effect across a community,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue the work to bring these criminal fraud cases to light and to justice.”
“Ms. Trice was held accountable for her egregious misconduct in stealing funds from these organizations and using the stolen proceeds to fund her gambling addiction," said FDIC OIG Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles. “The FDIC Office of Inspector General remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who threaten to harm the banking system and the community as a whole."
According to court documents, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of the Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) initiated an investigation into the financial activities of Trice in May 2019, following reports of significant casino losses sourced by an unidentified income stream. The investigation into possible sources of income for her casino activity revealed that her sole source of income was working as a teacher for the Muscogee County School District (MCSD). Prior to teaching, she worked for a dental office and she worked as a volunteer campaign coordinator for the Columbus branch of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) from 2005 – 2017.
Trice was responsible for organizing the annual Columbus Mayor’s Masked Ball, UNCF’s primary fundraising activity. Her duties included collecting cash, credit card contributions and check payments for donations and ticket sales. During the course of the investigation, agents determined that Trice diverted numerous smaller contributions for her own personal use. UNCF ended their relationship with Trice in 2017, following questions regarding financial irregularities that were indicative of embezzlement. It was later discovered that Trice had also been terminated by the dental office following similar allegations. Trice was also collecting donations for a nonprofit corporation known as SAMARC run by two former NBA basketball players who conduct an annual basketball camp for underprivileged kids in Columbus.
In total, agents identified 109 checks and 265 credit card transactions fraudulently deposited into Trice’s own accounts without authorization. Trice told investigators she had a crippling gambling addiction for the last decade and the money was stolen to fuel her gambling addiction and compensate for her gambling losses. In total, with checks and credit cards, Trice is known to have stolen $240,259 from the following victims: UNCF ($162,044), the dental office ($70,231), SAMARC ($7,784) and the Georgia Dental Society ($200).
This case was investigated by the FDIC-OIG.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals prosecuted the case.
Co-Owner of defunct medical testing lab convicted of kickback scheme to profit on urine drug tests for government insurance programsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A resident of Astoria, Oregon was convicted this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle of five federal felonies connected to his scheme to profit from illegal kickbacks in the medical testing industry, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Richard Reid, 53, was convicted following a six-day jury trial. Reid faces up to 5 years in prison on each count when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on July 12, 2022.
“Mr. Reid devised this scheme, knowing that it was illegal to profit on tests conducted by his toxicology lab that were paid for by government insurance,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “The web of referrals and kick-backs increased profits for Reid and his co-conspirators, while inflating medical costs for the rest of us. This is essentially theft from taxpayers. I commend the investigators and our prosecutors who unraveled the scheme and are holding Mr. Reid accountable.”
The activities of Bellevue-based Northwest Physicians Laboratory (NWPL) have been the subject of extensive civil and criminal litigation. Richard Reid was one of the owners and the Vice President of Sales for NWPL. Reid helped NWPL obtain more than $3.7 million in kickback payments by steering urine drug test specimens to two labs that could bill the government for testing. This resulted in government payments to those two labs of more than $6.5 million.
According to records filed in the case between January 2013 and July 2015, two labs, that were not physician owned, made payments to NWPL in exchange for referrals of Medicare and TRICARE program business, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Paying remuneration to medical providers or provider-owned laboratories in exchange for referrals encourages providers to order medically unnecessary services. The Anti-Kickback Statute functions, in part, to discourage such behavior. NWPL was physician-owned, and for that reason could not test urine samples for patients covered by government health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. In order to conceal the payment of the kickbacks, Reid and other co-conspirators involved described the fees as being for marketing services; however, no marketing services were performed.
Reid was convicted of one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive kickbacks involving health care programs and four counts of receipt of kickbacks. Each count is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Coughenour after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The company, NWPL, pleaded guilty in February 2021 and was sentenced to pay $8,114,417 in restitution joint and several with the other criminal defendants. NWPL has dissolved. To date, the labs and individuals involved in this investigation have paid more than $14 million to settle related civil allegations.
In addition to Reid, three other defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Former NWPL CEO Jae Lee is scheduled for sentencing on May 24, 2022. Kevin Puls, the former Executive Director of NWPL is scheduled for sentencing June 7, 2022. Both will be sentenced by Judge Coughenour. Steve Verschoor, who headed one of the labs that paid the kickbacks is scheduled for sentencing by Judge James L. Robart on May 10, 2022.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Werner and Michael Dion.
Cincinnati man arrested for series of bank robberiesRead the Press Release
Law enforcement officers including FBI Task Force agents and FBI SWAT officers arrested Bruce Armstead, 66, of Cincinnati on March 29 on charges that he committed five bank robberies in the Cincinnati area between November 2021 and January 2022.
A federal indictment was unsealed following Armstead’s arrest.
The indictment alleges that Armstead robbed
- a U.S. Bank in Lockland on November 2, 2021 and again on November 13, 2021
- a Huntington Bank on Galbraith Road in Deer Park on December 8, 2021
- a 5/3 Bank in Wyoming, Ohio on December 14, 2021 and
- a US Bank on Hamilton Avenue in Mt. Healthy on January 7, 2022
The grand jury charged Armstead with three counts of bank robbery, two counts of armed bank robbery in connection with the robberies on December 8 and January 7, and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
Each count of bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Armed bank robbery is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence is punishable by a mandatory minimum seven-year sentence.
“The FBI along with investigators from the police departments in Lockland, Deer Park, Wyoming, and Mount Healthy began investigating Armstead based on information they obtained from bank surveillance videos and interviews with bank employees,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The cooperation between agencies was crucial to securing the indictment.”
Armstead was arrested near his residence in South Cumminsville.
U.S. Attorney Parker along with J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Interim Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge, Lockland Police Chief Darin Lunsford, Deer Park Police Chief Michael F. Schlie, Wyoming Police Chief Brooke Brady and Mount Healthy Police Chief Vincent L. Demasi announced the indictment and the arrest.
Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Chinese National Charged with Acting as an Unregistered Agent of the Chinese Government in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging SUN HOI YING, a/k/a “Sun Haiying” (“SUN”), a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as an unregistered agent of the PRC Government. SUN is at large in China.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The PRC Government launched a campaign dubbed ‘Operation Fox Hunt,’ a global plot to repress dissent and to forcibly repatriate so-called ‘fugitives’ – including citizens living legally in the United States – through the use of unsanctioned, unilateral, and illegal practices. We allege Mr. Sun, as part of that campaign, attempted to threaten and coerce a victim into bending to the PRC’s will, even using a co-conspirator who is a member of local U.S. law enforcement to reinforce that the victim had no choice but to comply with the PRC Government’s demands. Today’s charges reflect this Office’s continued commitment, working hand in hand with our partners at the FBI, to combat transnational repression and bring to justice those who perpetrate it.”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “This case demonstrates, once again, the PRC’s disdain for the rule of law and its efforts to coerce and intimidate those it targets on our shores as part of its Operation Fox Hunt. The defendant allegedly traveled to the United States and enlisted others, including a sworn law enforcement officer, to spy on and blackmail his victims. Such conduct is both criminal and reprehensible.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “As alleged, Sun Hoi Ying, acting at the direction of the PRC government, engaged in a range of activities designed to pressure individuals in the United States to return to the PRC to face charges brought by the Chinese government. Our commitment to protecting the freedoms enjoyed by all United States residents is steadfast. Today's action is the latest example of our unwavering determination to combat transnational repression in all its forms.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
The FBI has been involved in an investigation of individuals who, working at the direction of the PRC Government, have engaged in an international campaign, known alternatively as “Operation Fox Hunt” and “Operation Skynet,” to pressure individuals located in the United States and elsewhere outside the PRC to return to the PRC to face charges brought by the PRC Government or to otherwise reach financial settlements with the PRC Government.
From at least approximately February 2017 to February 2022, SUN acted in the United States as an agent of the PRC Government, without notifying the U.S. Attorney General as required by law. In particular, SUN conducted operations in the United States on behalf of the PRC Government to pressure, threaten, and collect personal information regarding victims of Operation Fox Hunt. Among other things, as part of his operations at the direction of the PRC Government, SUN hired private investigators in the United States to gather personal information on Operation Fox Hunt targets, labeled as “fugitives” by the PRC Government, and provided some of that information to the PRC Government.
For example, at the direction of the PRC Government, SUN used private investigators to conduct surveillance and collect personal information of a U.S. citizen (“Victim-1”) located in New York City who was a target of Operation Fox Hunt. Personal identifying information of Victim-1 collected by SUN, including Victim-1’s home address and photograph, was later published by the PRC Government in a list of Operation Fox Hunt targets. During the time SUN was collecting information about Victim-1 for the PRC Government, Victim-1’s daughter (“Victim-2”), a U.S. citizen who was pregnant at the time, was held against her will in the PRC for approximately eight months. PRC Government representatives told Victim-2 not to request help from the U.S. Government and that she would not be permitted to leave the PRC until Victim-2 helped cause Victim-1 to return to the PRC.
SUN also sought out, located, and met with another Operation Fox Hunt target (“Victim-3”) in New York City, in coordination with a co-conspirator who is a local U.S. law enforcement officer. During those meetings, SUN threatened and pressured Victim-3, including by threatening that the PRC Government would take certain adverse and retaliatory actions if Victim-3 did not comply with the demands of the PRC Government.
* * *
SUN, 53, of China, is charged with one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division, and thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Castlewood Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Government in Pandemic Unemployment SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – One of the 33 individuals charged with defrauding the federal government of more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits was sentenced this week to 30 months in federal prison.
Timothy Hunter Hileman, 29, of Castlewood, Virginia, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement officers.
According to court documents, over the course of nine months, Hileman conspired with Leelynn Danielle Chytka, Gregory Marcus Tackett, Jeffery Ryan Tackett, and others to file fraudulent claims with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) on behalf of dozens of individuals who were not entitled to those benefits. Chytka, the mastermind behind the scheme, and Greg Tackett were both sentenced to nine years in prison, while Jeff Tackett received eight and a half years’ imprisonment.
Conspiracy members lied on VEC forms as part of the scheme to make filers appear eligible for unemployment benefits. Because pandemic unemployment benefits were paid weekly, each of those filings to the VEC website re-verified and re-certified the false statements on numerous occasions throughout the scheme, with the total cost to the United States of over $499,000.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia; Syreeta Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office made the announcement.
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Case Concludes Involving Organized Fraud Ring in DetroitRead the Press Release
The last of eight members of an organized fraud ring based in Detroit has been sentenced, concluding a multi-year prosecution that originated with a twenty-three-count indictment alleging conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Josh P. Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Detroit Field Office, Rodney Hopkins, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division, Reginal A. DeMatteis, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Michael Patton, Chief of Police, West Bloomfield Police Department.
Today, Tayan Jackson, 35, of Los Angeles, CA, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Terrence G. Berg. The defendant was also ordered to repay $404,386.70 in restitution. Collectively, the defendants in this case have been ordered to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution.
According to court records, the defendants obtained stolen credit card information on the dark web and from other sources, which they then used to produce counterfeit or “cloned” credit cards. The defendants then traveled to Walmart stores throughout the United States, often in small groups, where they used the cloned credit cards of the unwitting accountholders to purchase gift cards, typically in $500 increments. Members of the group often purchased tens of thousands of dollars in gift cards in a single day, hitting multiple Walmart stores in a given city before returning home to Michigan. Upon their return, the gift cards were then resold for cash and other items, to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the illicit proceeds. The scheme began in 2015, lasted for nearly three years, and resulted in millions in losses.
During the investigation, the government also discovered that the group was involved in yet another fraudulent scheme, which began in 2017 and targeted AT&T. The defendants used personal identifiable information that they obtained from the dark web and other sources to create cell phone accounts with AT&T, all without their victims’ knowledge or permission. Members of the group and others would then purchase Apple iPhones using the victims’ accounts. The iPhones were then resold for profit. Multiple defendants pleaded guilty to their involvement in the AT&T scheme and received sentences ranging from 4 to 8 years.
“This was an incredibly sophisticated group, who engaged in widespread fraud across multiple states over multiple years, stealing millions of dollars in the process,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “This prosecution is a prime example of our commitment to breaking up these organized crime rings, and holding their members accountable for the full scope of their criminal conduct.”
Ison also applauded all of the work that went into the prosecution, remarking, “This was a team effort, and I want to thank not only our federal law enforcement partners, but the numerous state and local law enforcement agencies around the country who assisted in identifying the members of this group. I also want to commend the incredible work done by Walmart’s Global Investigations Team, AT&T’s Asset Protection Team, and American Express Global Security—all of which were integral to the investigation and successful prosecution of this group.”
“Identity theft and credit card fraud are not victimless crimes. They have a profound negative impact on the individual whose identity is stolen,” said Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work in close partnership with the members of the Detroit Metro Identity Theft Task Force to identify and disrupt individuals and criminal organizations engaged in these schemes.”
“For several years, these individuals thought they had gotten away with their scheme to exploit Personally Identifiable Information (PII), obtained via the dark web, and use it to steal from retailers and rob their victims of their financial information. Today’s conclusion of this case serves as a reminder to those who engage in a criminal enterprise that law enforcement will spare no resource to find you and bring you to justice for your criminal activity,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division.
“Today’s announcement illustrates the Secret Service’s commitment to combating identity theft,” said Reginald A. DeMatteis II, Special Agent in Charge, Secret Service Charlotte Field Office. “This case was a collaborative effort between the law enforcement community and the private sector to bring those who choose to victimize the American public to justice.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Metro Identity Theft Task Force, which includes representatives of the FBI, Auburn Hills Police Department, Birmingham Police Department, and Bloomfield Township Police Department along with assistance from the US Postal Inspection Service, West Bloomfield Township Police Department and Ellisville, MO Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and Mark Chasteen.California Marketer Sentenced for Paying Millions in Kickbacks to Unlawfully Induce PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Manuel J. Bojorquez, 44, of Anaheim, California, was sentenced to 36 months of probation, with 18 months to be served on home confinement, and ordered to pay over $3.3 million in restitution for offering and paying kickbacks to physicians to prescribe compounded medications.
According to court documents, Bojorquez was the owner and operator of MD Medical Distribution LLC d/b/a DynaMD, a California-based company. Beginning in 2013, and continuing through 2016, Bojorquez served as a marketer for various Indiana-based compounding pharmacies. Compounding typically involves the preparation of medication by combining and mixing different types and dosages of ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient and for which there is no equivalent form commercially available.
Bojorquez used his marketing company to funnel millions of dollars to Chicago-based physicians, in exchange for their referral of prescriptions to the Indiana-based pharmacies. Bojorquez and his marketing company received a percentage of the money paid for those kickback-induced prescriptions. The United States Department of Labor – Office of Workers Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) paid over $8 million for those kickback-induced prescriptions. The DOL-OWCP is a federal health care benefit program that serves a variety of federal employees.
“Paying kickbacks in exchange for the referral of federally covered prescriptions is a serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “The defendant chose to illegally enrich himself by exploiting our healthcare system. These crimes increase healthcare costs for everyone covered by the programs. The sentence imposed today shows that our office will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to uncover these schemes and hold those who execute them accountable.”
“This sentencing should send a clear message to healthcare providers that the government is vigilantly protecting federal benefit programs from corruption and fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Andre Martin of United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The USPS OIG appreciates our law enforcement partners for their commitment and efforts in this investigation. The USPS OIG will continue to vigorously investigate those who engage in activities to defraud federal benefit programs and the U.S. Postal Service.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who commit fraud or pay kickbacks will not get away with their illegal actions,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will always work together to investigate allegations of health care fraud and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.”
“Mr. Bojorquez committed fraud against an important government healthcare program, and corrupted the objectivity of the physicians involved,” said Justin Campbell, IRS Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Field Office. “The IRS is pleased to join our partners in holding Mr. Bojorquez accountable.”
This case is the last of a series of related civil and criminal compounding medication investigations conducted in this district over the course of the last four years, all investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Internal Revenue Service; and the United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General. The results of the investigations include the previous conviction of an Indianapolis chiropractor for paying and receiving kickbacks, and an agreed payment of over $4 million by owners of Indiana-based compounding pharmacies to health care programs.
The Office of the Indiana Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service also provided invaluable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy J. Cho who prosecuted this case.
Brownsville man ordered to prison for exploiting 4-year-oldRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 21-year-old local man has been sent to federal prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Marcos Daniel Gomez pleaded guilty Oct. 27, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera Jr. sentenced Gomez to serve 192 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including a statement from the victim’s mother detailing the pain and overwhelming sadness brought about by Gomez’ abuse. Gomez will serve 30 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
From June 1 to 20, 2020 Gomez solicited a four-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct which he recorded with his cell phone.
Gomez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Browning man sentenced to 38 months in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to having child pornography images and videos on his cellular phone was sentenced today to 38 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Edward James Hovey, 30, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to possession of child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered $6,000 restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that in June 2021, a witness brought Hovey’s cellular phone to a Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services officer, said it contained images of nude children and showed the officer some of the files. The officer seized the phone, which was searched pursuant to a warrant. The phone contained images and videos of child pornography. At the time of the investigation, Hovey lived in Browning, located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Hovey admitted in an interview that the phone belonged to him and that he had used it for the past few months to seek child pornography on the internet.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation.
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Bronx Man Sentenced for Trespassing at Albany International AirportRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Stan Johnson, age 23, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty today and was sentenced to time served (approximately 6 months in jail) for trespassing at the Albany International Airport on May 24, 2021.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Albany County Sheriff Craig D. Apple Sr.
As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted that at the Albany airport on May 24, 2021, he breached the perimeter fence, crossed the airfield, and entered an unoccupied aircraft, where he sat in the cockpit. He then exited the airplane and entered the airport terminal through a gate access door, which he propped open; he then walked around the terminal hiding from security. He did not submit to security screening of his person or property before trespassing on airport property and entering the airplane.
Following Johnson’s plea, Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy sentenced Johnson to time served (approximately 6 months in jail) and 1 year of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Federal Air Marshal Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping.
Baxley, Ga., woman gets maximum sentence for meth-distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: An Appling County woman has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Linda Timblin, 48, of Baxley, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Timblin to serve three years of supervised release after completion of her prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Methamphetamine is a deadly drug with disastrous consequences for our communities, including the violent crimes linked to trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our office will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to hold meth merchants accountable and remove them from our streets.”
As described in court documents and testimony, investigators with the Appling County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Savannah Office in November 2018 identified Timblin as working with others to pick up large amounts of methamphetamine from a supplier in Atlanta and bring it back to the Waycross area for distribution. After searches resulting from a traffic stop, investigators found nearly 500 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a hotel room Timblin rented in Baxley, Ga.
Timblin, whose lengthy criminal history includes three prior felony convictions, was on state probation from a 2016 conviction for sale of methamphetamine at the time of her arrest.
“This reoffending ‘meth’ trafficker was caught because of the joint efforts between DEA and its law enforcement counterparts,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This defendant will now spend well-deserved time in prison and her sentencing makes the Appling County community a safer place.”
The case was investigated by the DEA and the Appling County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Avoca Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Jeffery Scott Holsinger, age 32, of Avoca, was sentenced today in federal court to 70 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. His term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Holsinger pleaded guilty to the charge on November 18, 2021.
On June 2, 2021, Holsinger was driving in Shelby County when he was stopped by law enforcement for not wearing a seatbelt and driving without a front license plate. During the traffic stop, law enforcement smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the car and performed a probable cause search. During the search, law enforcement found a loaded 9mm handgun in a pouch on the front passenger seat that also contained pawn receipts for Holsinger. Holsinger is a prior convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Appoints 12 Members to Advisory Committee of U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the appointment of 12 U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The first meeting of the AGAC will take place later this spring.
The appointees include U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York; U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania; U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee for the District of Maine; U.S. Attorney Trini Ross for the Western District of New York; U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina; U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana; U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. Attorney Gregory Harris for the Central District of Illinois; U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota; U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona; U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado; and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. An appointee from a district within the jurisdiction of the Eleventh Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals will be announced at a later date, once the Senate has confirmed nominees.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams will serve as the Chair of the AGAC, and U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung will serve as the Vice Chair.
“These United States Attorneys will represent the views of dedicated federal prosecutors across the country, and provide advice and insight into essential matters facing the Department,” said Attorney General Garland. “I look forward to working alongside them in carrying out the Department’s core priorities of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights.”
A brief bio on each appointee is below:
Damian Williams (Chair)
The Senate confirmed Damian Williams’ appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in October 2021. Williams began his legal career as a law clerk to then-Judge Merrick Garland when he served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2007 to 2008. Williams then served as a law clerk for Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court from 2008 to 2009. From 2009 to 2012, he was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. From 2012 to 2021, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In the role, he served as a chief of the securities and commodities fraud task force from 2018 to 2021. He received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Harvard University in 2002, a Master of Philosophy in international relations from Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge in 2003, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2007, where he was also an editor of the Yale Law Journal.
Cindy K. Chung (Vice Chair)
The Senate confirmed Cindy K. Chung’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in November 2021. In 2002 and 2003, Chung served as a law clerk for Judge Myron H. Thompson in the Middle District of Alabama. She then joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office in 2003, serving as an assistant district attorney until 2007 and as investigation counsel in the Official Corruption Unit from 2007 to 2009. From 2009 to 2014, Chung served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She later joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving as deputy chief of the major crimes division. From 2014 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Chung earned a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1997 and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2002.
Darcie McElwee
The Senate confirmed Darcie McElwee’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine in October 2021. McElwee began her legal career as an assistant district attorney for the Penobscot and Piscataquis counties in Maine from 1998 to 2002. Between 2005 and 2008, McElwee was an adjunct professor of advanced trial advocacy at the University of Maine School of Law. From 2002 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Since 2005, she has been the coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods. McElwee received her Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College in 1995 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law in 1998.
Trini Ross
The Senate confirmed Trini Ross’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York in September 2021. Ross began her career as an appellate attorney for the New York Supreme Court. She was an associate at Hiscock & Barclay LLC before joining the Office of Professional Responsibility as assistant counsel. From 1995 to 2018, Ross served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York. She has also been an adjunct professor of law at Buffalo Law School. She has also served as director of the investigations for the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General since 2018. Ross earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1988, a Master of Arts from Rutgers University in 1990, and a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School in 1992.
Sandra Hairston
The Senate confirmed Sandra Hairston as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina in November 2021. Hairston previously served as an assistant district attorney in Columbus County, North Carolina, from 1987 to 1989 and as a special assistant district attorney in Guilford County, North Carolina from 1989 to 1990. From 1994 to 1996, she served as Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina before returning to the Middle District of North Carolina in 1996. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in 1990 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Hairston previously held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina from 2014 to 2021. From March 1, 2021, until her Senate confirmation, she served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Hairston received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1981 and her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1987.
Brandon Brown
The Senate confirmed Brandon Brown as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana in December 2021. From 2007 to 2012, Brown served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office. He was also an associate at Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice LLP in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since 2012, he has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2002 and a Master of Business Administration in 2004 from Louisiana Tech University, followed by a Juris Doctor in 2007 from the Southern University Law Center.
Dawn N. Ison
The Senate confirmed Dawn N. Ison as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in December 2021. In 1989 and 1990, Ison was a prehearing attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. From 1990 to 2002, she was an attorney in private practice when she focused on criminal matters as well as a range of civil matters. In 2002, Ison began serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. She also served as chief of the Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit. Ison earned a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College and a Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University Law School.
Gregory Harris
The Senate confirmed Gregory Harris as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois in December 2021. Harris began his career as a lawyer for the Office of the State Appellate Defender in 1976 where he represented indigent criminal defendants on appeal. From 1979 to 1980, he served as legal counsel for the Illinois Governor’s Office of Manpower and Human Development and later as a staff attorney for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Development. From 1980 to 1988, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. From 1988 to 2001, he was a lawyer for Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes in Springfield, Illinois. He later rejoined the Central District of Illinois in 2001, where he served as chief of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney. Harris was born in Washington, D.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 1976.
Andrew Luger
The Senate confirmed Andrew Luger as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota in March 2022. He previously served in that role during the Obama administration and briefly during the Trump administration from 2014 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, Luger was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day from 2017 – 2022. Luger has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, from 1989 to 1992, and for the District of Minnesota from 1992 to 1995, where he prosecuted a wide variety of narcotics and violent crimes, as well as complex white collar frauds. In 1995, Luger joined the law firm of Greene Espel in Minneapolis, where he was a partner until 2014. Luger earned a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Gary Restaino
The Senate confirmed Gary Restaino as U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Restaino served in Paraguay with the Peace Corps. From 1996 to 1999, he provided legal services to seasonal farm workers as a lawyer with Community Legal Services. From 1999 to 2003, he served as a civil rights lawyer in the Arizona Attorney General's Office. He then served as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Restaino joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona in 2003. He was nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney in October 2021. Restaino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in 1990 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996.
Cole Finegan
The Senate confirmed Cole Finegan as U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Finegan served both as Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Policy and Initiatives for Colorado Governor Roy Romer. From 1993 to 2003, Finegan was a partner for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Denver office. Finegan joined Hogan Lovells (then Hogan & Hartson) in 2007 as a partner. Finegan acted as an adviser to Governor Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Finegan attended the University of Notre Dame from 1974 to 1978, earning a degree in English. Finegan earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986.
Matthew Graves
The Senate confirmed Matthew Graves as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in October 2021. After graduating law school, Graves began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Richard W. Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. From 2002 to 2007, he was an associate at WilmerHale. From 2007 to 2016, Graves worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, where he served in the office’s fraud and public corruption section, ultimately serving as the acting chief of the section. Since 2016, he has been a partner at DLA Piper. Graves earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2001.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Appoints 12 Members to Advisory Committee of U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the appointment of 12 U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The first meeting of the AGAC will take place later this spring.
The appointees include U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York; U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania; U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee for the District of Maine; U.S. Attorney Trini Ross for the Western District of New York; U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina; U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana; U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. Attorney Gregory Harris for the Central District of Illinois; U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota; U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona; U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado; and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. An appointee from a district within the jurisdiction of the Eleventh Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals will be announced at a later date, once the Senate has confirmed nominees.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams will serve as the Chair of the AGAC, and U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung will serve as the Vice Chair.
“These United States Attorneys will represent the views of dedicated federal prosecutors across the country, and provide advice and insight into essential matters facing the Department,” said Attorney General Garland. “I look forward to working alongside them in carrying out the Department’s core priorities of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights.”
A brief bio on each appointee is below:
Damian Williams (Chair)
The Senate confirmed Damian Williams’ appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in October 2021. Williams began his legal career as a law clerk to then-Judge Merrick Garland when he served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2007 to 2008. Williams then served as a law clerk for Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court from 2008 to 2009. From 2009 to 2012, he was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. From 2012 to 2021, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In the role, he served as a chief of the securities and commodities fraud task force from 2018 to 2021. He received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Harvard University in 2002, a Master of Philosophy in international relations from Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge in 2003, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2007, where he was also an editor of the Yale Law Journal.
Cindy K. Chung (Vice Chair)
The Senate confirmed Cindy K. Chung’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in November 2021. In 2002 and 2003, Chung served as a law clerk for Judge Myron H. Thompson in the Middle District of Alabama. She then joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office in 2003, serving as an assistant district attorney until 2007 and as investigation counsel in the Official Corruption Unit from 2007 to 2009. From 2009 to 2014, Chung served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She later joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving as deputy chief of the major crimes division. From 2014 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Chung earned a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1997 and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2002.
Darcie McElwee
The Senate confirmed Darcie McElwee’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine in October 2021. McElwee began her legal career as an assistant district attorney for the Penobscot and Piscataquis counties in Maine from 1998 to 2002. Between 2005 and 2008, McElwee was an adjunct professor of advanced trial advocacy at the University of Maine School of Law. From 2002 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Since 2005, she has been the coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods. McElwee received her Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College in 1995 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law in 1998.
Trini Ross
The Senate confirmed Trini Ross’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York in September 2021. Ross began her career as an appellate attorney for the New York Supreme Court. She was an associate at Hiscock & Barclay LLC before joining the Office of Professional Responsibility as assistant counsel. From 1995 to 2018, Ross served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York. She has also been an adjunct professor of law at Buffalo Law School. She has also served as director of the investigations for the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General since 2018. Ross earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1988, a Master of Arts from Rutgers University in 1990, and a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School in 1992.
Sandra Hairston
The Senate confirmed Sandra Hairston as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina in November 2021. Hairston previously served as an assistant district attorney in Columbus County, North Carolina, from 1987 to 1989 and as a special assistant district attorney in Guilford County, North Carolina from 1989 to 1990. From 1994 to 1996, she served as Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina before returning to the Middle District of North Carolina in 1996. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in 1990 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Hairston previously held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina from 2014 to 2021. From March 1, 2021, until her Senate confirmation, she served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Hairston received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1981 and her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1987.
Brandon Brown
The Senate confirmed Brandon Brown as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana in December 2021. From 2007 to 2012, Brown served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office. He was also an associate at Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice LLP in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since 2012, he has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2002 and a Master of Business Administration in 2004 from Louisiana Tech University, followed by a Juris Doctor in 2007 from the Southern University Law Center.
Dawn Ison
The Senate confirmed Dawn Ison as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in December 2021. In 1989 and 1990, Ison was a prehearing attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. In 2002, Ison began serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. She also served as chief of the Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit. Ison earned a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College and a Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University Law School.
Gregory Harris
The Senate confirmed Gregory Harris as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois in December 2021. Harris began his career as a lawyer for the Office of the State Appellate Defender in 1976 where he represented indigent criminal defendants on appeal. From 1979 to 1980, he served as legal counsel for the Illinois Governor’s Office of Manpower and Human Development and later as a staff attorney for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Development. From 1980 to 1988, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. From 1988 to 2001, he was a lawyer for Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes in Springfield, Illinois. He later rejoined the Central District of Illinois in 2001, where he served as chief of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney. Harris was born in Washington, D.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 1976.
Andrew Luger
The Senate confirmed Andrew Luger as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota in March 2022. He previously served in that role during the Obama administration and briefly during the Trump administration from 2014 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, Luger was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day from 2017 – 2022. Luger has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, from 1989 to 1992, and for the District of Minnesota from 1992 to 1995, where he prosecuted a wide variety of narcotics and violent crimes, as well as complex white collar frauds. In 1995, Luger joined the law firm of Greene Espel in Minneapolis, where he was a partner until 2014. Luger earned a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Gary Restaino
The Senate confirmed Gary Restaino as U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Restaino served in Paraguay with the Peace Corps. From 1996 to 1999, he provided legal services to seasonal farm workers as a lawyer with Community Legal Services. From 1999 to 2003, he served as a civil rights lawyer in the Arizona Attorney General's Office. He then served as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Restaino joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona in 2003. He was nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney in October 2021. Restaino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in 1990 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996.
Cole Finegan
The Senate confirmed Cole Finegan as U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Finegan served both as Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Policy and Initiatives for Colorado Governor Roy Romer. From 1993 to 2003, Finegan was a partner for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Denver office. Finegan joined Hogan Lovells (then Hogan & Hartson) in 2007 as a partner. Finegan acted as an adviser to Governor Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Finegan attended the University of Notre Dame from 1974 to 1978, earning a degree in English. Finegan earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986.
Matthew Graves
The Senate confirmed Matthew Graves as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in October 2021. After graduating law school, Graves began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Richard W. Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. From 2002 to 2007, he was an associate at WilmerHale. From 2007 to 2016, Graves worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, where he served in the office’s fraud and public corruption section, ultimately serving as the acting chief of the section. Since 2016, he has been a partner at DLA Piper. Graves earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2001.
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Arizona man pleads guilty to perjuring himself during trial for transporting individuals for prostitutionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – John Dompierre, 58, of Avondale, Arizona, pleaded guilty on March 28 in federal court to perjury.
On Sept. 10, 2020, federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Dompierre with one count of conspiracy and one count of transportation for illegal sexual activity. Dompierre went to trial on those charges in November 2021, but a mistrial was ordered on Nov. 5, 2021, when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.
In his plea agreement, Dompierre admitted that he perjured himself during the trial, on Nov. 3 and 4, 2021, as he testified in his own defense. Dompierre falsely testified that he could not be guilty because he suffers from a condition that renders him incapable of sexual activity. He also falsely testified that he had not taken his medication for that condition for years prior to the alleged crimes. Dompierre admitted that, while he does have a condition, it does not render him incapable of sexual activity and that his condition had not gone unmedicated. Dompierre acknowledged that he knew his testimony was false and that it was material to the criminal trial because it formed the substantial basis for his defense.
The maximum statutory penalty for perjury is up to five years in prison.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Letitia Carroll Simms is prosecuting the case.
Andrew M. Luger Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the District of MinnesotaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Andrew M. Luger has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. U.S. Attorney Luger was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on November 12, 2021, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 23, 2022. He took the oath of office from Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim this afternoon. He succeeds Erica H. MacDonald, who served as the United States Attorney from 2018 – 2021.
“I am honored to lead this office and once again serve the people of Minnesota as their United States Attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “I look forward to working with these talented public servants who are committed to public safety and the pursuit of justice.”
As United States Attorney, Mr. Luger is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the District of Minnesota. He will oversee a staff of 115 employees, including 59 attorneys and 56 support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, firearms, narcotics, child exploitation, human trafficking, financial fraud, healthcare fraud, and public corruption. The office is also responsible for representing the United States in affirmative and defensive civil cases, as well as assisting communities throughout Minnesota in appropriate community-building efforts designed to enhance public safety.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland appointed Mr. Luger to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), which is tasked with advising the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies.
Prior to returning to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Luger was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day from 2017 – 2022. As a member of the firm’s Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice, he represented local and international companies and was a leader of the firm's national hate crimes and extremism initiative. Mr. Luger was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Minnesota’s United States Attorney from 2014 – 2017.
In 1995, Mr. Luger joined the law firm of Greene Espel in Minneapolis, where he was a partner until 2014. Mr. Luger has also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (1989 – 1992) and for the District of Minnesota (1992 – 1995), where he prosecuted a wide variety of narcotics and violent crimes, as well as complex white collar frauds.
He graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center (1985), and earned his bachelor's degree from Amherst College, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa (1981).
Upon taking office, U.S. Attorney Luger thanked Mr. Kovats, who most recently served as Acting U.S. Attorney, for his continued and dedicated service to the office and to the Department of Justice.
Anaconda man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted coercion, enticement of minor for sex in undercover investigationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — An Anaconda man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, after he admitted he tried to coerce a girl he believed to be a minor into engaging in sex during an undercover investigation, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Terry Joseph Jette, 56, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to attempted coercion and enticement.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 21, 2021, Jette initiated a conversation through social media with a 13-year-old user girl who was actually an undercover FBI special agent. From the beginning, Jette was told the girl was 13 years old. Jette continued online communication with the girl until his arrest on July 9, 2021. During the communications, Jette sent the girl an image of his penis and requested nude images of the child. Jette initiated sexually explicit conversations, suggested a meeting and discussed bringing methamphetamine and condoms to the meeting. On July 8, Jette traveled from Anaconda to Missoula to meet the girl and asked her to sneak out of her house. When the girl was unable to meet that day, Jette suggested a meeting the next day in East Missoula. Jette made explicit statements about engaging in sexual intercourse and said he had meth. On July 9, Jette was arrested at the predetermined meeting location. During a search of his vehicle, law enforcement found a condom, meth, Viagra and candy for the girl.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced TYLER EUGENE MCCURDY 40, of Riverton, Wyoming on March 16, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime. McCurdy was arrested in Lander, Wyoming on September 30, 2021. He received 200 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution and a $200 special assessment. At the time of the arrest, on July 9, 2021, McCurdy was in possession of approximately 360 grams of methamphetamine, 21 grams of heroin, plant form and liquid marijuana, 33 pills containing fentanyl, as well as a semi-automatic pistol, two 12-gauge shotguns, and $2,260 in U.S. currency. Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced KENNETH ANDREW DOERGE, 43, of Billings, Montana on March 7, 2021, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was arrested on August 31, 2021, in Campbell County, Wyoming. Doerge received 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case, and it was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced BRANDON D SPENCE 21, of Casper, Wyoming on March 7, 2022 for distribution of fentanyl. Spence was arrested in Casper, Wyoming on September 24, 2021. He received 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.
Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced WILLIAM TAYLOR, 61, of Cody, Wyoming for distribution of methamphetamine on February 2, 2022. Taylor was arrested on July 27, 2021, in Park County, Wyoming. He was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $250 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to the evidence, Taylor was part of a drug conspiracy that involved shipping methamphetamine via the United States Postal Service between 2020 and 2021. The co-defendants in this case were Phillip Dobbins and Melissa Walsh. This crime was investigated by Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced MELISSA WALSH, 41, of Citrus Heights, California for distribution of methamphetamine on February 15, 2022. She was arrested on August 2, 2021, in Sacramento, California. Walsh was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $200 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to the evidence, she was part of a drug conspiracy that involved shipping methamphetamine via the United States Postal Service between 2020 and 2021. The co-defendants in this case were Phillip Dobbins and William Taylor. This crime was investigated by Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced TREVOR HYLLE, 24, of Gillette, Wyoming for transportation of child pornography on February 18, 2022. Hylle received 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to the evidence, in 2019 a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities to a Dropbox account that contained child pornography. The Dropbox account belonged to Hylle. A subsequent investigation and interview with Hylle concluded he received and/or distributed child pornography on multiple online accounts including Kik, Dropbox, Mega, Snapchat and Tumblr. This crime was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children task force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. Hambrick.
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced NEOAL GUYEAL HAYES, 46, of Denver Colorado for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He received 120 months’ imprisonment for count one and 60 months’ imprisonment for count 2 (to be served consecutively), five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $500 community restitution and a $200 special assessment. Hayes was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming on March 10, 2020. During a traffic stop, 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and smaller amounts of cocaine and heroin were seized from his vehicle. A handgun was also located in the vehicle. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Cheyenne Police Department, and Wyoming Highway Patrol investigated the crime. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher.
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced TYLER EUGENE MCCURDY 40, of Riverton, Wyoming on March 16, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime. McCurdy was arrested in Lander, Wyoming on September 30, 2021. He received 200 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution and a $200 special assessment. At the time of the arrest, on July 9, 2021, McCurdy was in possession of approximately 360 grams of methamphetamine, 21 grams of heroin, plant form and liquid marijuana, 33 pills containing fentanyl, as well as a semi-automatic pistol, two 12-gauge shotguns, and $2,260 in U.S. currency. Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced KENNETH ANDREW DOERGE, 43, of Billings, Montana on March 7, 2021, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was arrested on August 31, 2021, in Campbell County, Wyoming. Doerge received 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case, and it was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced BRANDON D SPENCE 21, of Casper, Wyoming on March 7, 2022 for distribution of fentanyl. Spence was arrested in Casper, Wyoming on September 24, 2021. He received 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.
Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced WILLIAM TAYLOR, 61, of Cody, Wyoming for distribution of methamphetamine on February 2, 2022. Taylor was arrested on July 27, 2021, in Park County, Wyoming. He was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $250 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to the evidence, Taylor was part of a drug conspiracy that involved shipping methamphetamine via the United States Postal Service between 2020 and 2021. The co-defendants in this case were Phillip Dobbins and Melissa Walsh. This crime was investigated by Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced MELISSA WALSH, 41, of Citrus Heights, California for distribution of methamphetamine on February 15, 2022. She was arrested on August 2, 2021, in Sacramento, California. Walsh was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $200 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to the evidence, she was part of a drug conspiracy that involved shipping methamphetamine via the United States Postal Service between 2020 and 2021. The co-defendants in this case were Phillip Dobbins and William Taylor. This crime was investigated by Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced TREVOR HYLLE, 24, of Gillette, Wyoming for transportation of child pornography on February 18, 2022. Hylle received 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to the evidence, in 2019 a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities to a Dropbox account that contained child pornography. The Dropbox account belonged to Hylle. A subsequent investigation and interview with Hylle concluded he received and/or distributed child pornography on multiple online accounts including Kik, Dropbox, Mega, Snapchat and Tumblr. This crime was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children task force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. Hambrick.
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced NEOAL GUYEAL HAYES, 46, of Denver Colorado for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He received 120 months’ imprisonment for count one and 60 months’ imprisonment for count 2 (to be served consecutively), five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $500 community restitution and a $200 special assessment. Hayes was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming on March 10, 2020. During a traffic stop, 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and smaller amounts of cocaine and heroin were seized from his vehicle. A handgun was also located in the vehicle. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Cheyenne Police Department, and Wyoming Highway Patrol investigated the crime. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher.
12 Methamphetamine Traffickers Arrested in Brownfield, Lamesa Drug BustRead the Press Release
Twelve alleged drug traffickers were arrested Wednesday in Operation Tormenta De Arena (“Sandstorm”), announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
During the bust in Lubbock, Brownfield, and Lamesa, DEA agents and their law enforcement partners also seized roughly 27 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, U.S. currency, and two firearms, including one that had been stolen.
Ten of the defendants were charged in a 12-count indictment unsealed today. Those charged in the indictment include:
- Jamey Jimenez, aka “Shorty,” charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Celia Zurita, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Alfred Miranda, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Rorigo Gonzales-Gonzales, aka “Canelo,” charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Patricia Renee Guerrero (née Lopez), charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Christina Fuentes, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Jessica Moreno, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Amanda Uresti Salgado, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Lauren Mackenzie Helbert (née McCarroll), charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Christopher Matthew Vasquez, aka “Peeps,” charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Another two were charged via criminal complaint.
“Methamphetamine trafficking penetrates every aspect of our society and threatens the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division, which oversees operations in Lubbock. “DEA Lubbock and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and destroying the networks and criminal organizations who distribute this poison throughout La Mesa and Terry counties, and the overall greater Lubbock area.”
Defendants’ initial appearances will begin Thursday, March 31 at 1:30 p.m. in Lubbock.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants face up to life in federal prison; others face up to 20 years.
The operation was the result of the hard work of the Caprock HIDTA (High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Office and Caprock HIDTA led the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Terry County Sheriff’s Office, Lubbock Police Department, Brownfield Police Department, Lamesa Police Department, and the Texas Anti-Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey R. Haag and Stephen J. Rancourt are prosecuting the case.
29 March 2022
Washington, D.C. man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Daquan E’mon Hunt, of Washington, D.C., has admitted a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Hunt, 25, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting False Statement During Purchase of Firearm.” Hunt admitted to making false statements to illegally purchase firearms in July 2021 in Berkeley County.
Hunt faces up to 10 years of incarceration and 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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Warren Man Sentenced to 10 years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
DETROIT, MI – Marvin Booker, 30, of Warren, MI, was sentenced in federal court for coercion and enticement of a minor, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Booker was sentenced by United States District Judge Gershwin Drain to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Booker has been in custody since his arrest in March 2020.
Joining in the announcement was Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and William Dwyer, Commissioner for the Warren Police Department.
According to court records, Booker sexually exploited a 16-year-old girl for his own profit by having her perform commercial sex dates. Booker posted the minor for dates online, transported her to dates and rented hotel rooms, and took money that the minor was paid for performing sex acts. In addition, Booker instructed the victim to send sexually explicit images to him for the online advertisements.
“Human traffickers like this defendant exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims indescribable harm,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “He manipulated, threatened, and trafficked a minor victim to profit from the sex work she conducted. We hope that today’s sentence offers the victim a sense of justice and closure and sends the message that we will not tolerate sex trafficking in our communities.”
“This defendant preyed upon a very vulnerable teenager by promising her shelter, money, and affection. Instead of providing those things, he callously sold her to other men for his own financial benefit,” said Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. “The FBI, Warren Police Department, and law enforcement partners across Southeast Michigan will work tirelessly to protect our children from this type of predatory behavior.”
“Our Detectives did an excellent job in advocating for this minor victim survivor and pursuing charges in partnership with the FBI,” said William Dwyer, Commissioner for the Warren Police Department. “Warren will continue to have zero tolerance for commercialized sex and offenses that breed human trafficking in our communities.”
On January 31, 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which aims to enhance the department's capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.
Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human trafficking will:
- Strengthen engagement, coordination and joint efforts to combat human trafficking in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.
- Establish federally-funded, locally-led anti-human trafficking task forces that support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.
- Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention, resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
- Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important information.
- Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors, including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.
- Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance and expertise.
- Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.
To learn more about the Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking, please visit www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-announces-justice-department-strategy-combat-human.
To learn more about human trafficking indicators visit www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/indicators-human-trafficking. If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Warren Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Lanning.Venice Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Making Threatening Phone Calls to Members of CongressRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Frank Anthony Pezzuto (73, Venice) to 15 months in federal prison for transmitting in interstate commerce communications threatening to injure certain members of Congress. The Court also ordered Pezzuto to pay a fine of $7,500. A federal jury found Pezzuto guilty on November 9, 2021.
According to evidence presented at trial, Pezzuto made three threatening phone calls from his home in Venice to certain congressional offices in Washington, D.C. The first call took place on January 25, 2020, when Pezzuto left a voicemail at Congressman E.S.’s office in which Pezzuto said that he was coming to kill E.S. Pezzuto subsequently left a voicemail at Congressman A.S.’s office on January 30, 2020, stating that he was a worker for MS-13 and that MS-13 was coming to cut off A.S.’s head. Then, on February 3, 2020, Pezzuto called Congresswoman I.O.’s office and stated to the person who answered the phone: “tell her I’m going to kill her today.”
Each time Pezzuto made these threatening calls, he used his cellphone but concealed his phone number and attempted to disguise his voice. United States Capitol Police were able to identify Pezzuto as the caller and confirm that the calls had been routed through a cell tower near Pezzuto’s home in Florida.
This case was investigated by United States Capitol Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Scruggs and Risha Asokan.
Utah man who operated fraudulent veteran charities sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Travis Peterson has been sentenced for mail fraud while operating a fraudulent charity scheme. For nearly six years, he used millions of robocalls to urge people—often targeting senior citizens—to donate vehicles and other valuable items by falsely claiming their donations would go to veterans’ charities and were tax-deductible. In reality, veterans received nothing, and Peterson pocketed more than $500,000.
“Peterson shamelessly defrauded thousands of people while supposedly helping veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Fraudsters rely on the goodwill of unsuspecting citizens to perpetrate their schemes. With our law enforcement partners, we will track them down and bring them to justice.”
“This defendant preyed on older citizens who were trusting and unknowingly fell for a scam that was for his financial benefit,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in our relentless pursuit to combat elder financial exploitation and tracking down unscrupulous schemers to bring them to justice.”
“Peterson deserves his time in federal prison for lining his pockets with money that he told donors would benefit our veterans,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Charity scams and illegal robocalls are a toxic mix that we’ll continue to target with the help of our law enforcement partners.”
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Between approximately April 2012 and July 2018, Travis Peterson registered nearly a dozen corporate entities in Nevada, Michigan, and Utah. Each of these companies was purportedly a tax-exempt charitable organization that Peterson established to help veterans and their families. None of these companies, however, was an actual charity with tax exempt status. Peterson in fact never owned or operated a single charity that benefitted veterans.
Using millions of robocalls, as well as multiple websites and newspaper advertisements, Peterson defrauded thousands of people around the country into believing they were donating vehicles and other property to benefit veterans. Peterson and those working at his direction falsely informed would-be donors that their donations would be used to benefit veterans and were tax deductible. In order to execute his fraud, Peterson contracted with third-party auto auction companies to handle the logistics of acquiring and selling the donated vehicles. After the vehicles were sold, the auction companies would remit any proceeds to bank accounts controlled by Peterson. None of these funds went to the benefit of veterans. Peterson instead used them for own personal expenses, including to pay for online dating services and to purchase an all-terrain vehicle. As a result, Peterson defrauded donors of more than $500,000.
The FTC had previously filed a complaint against Peterson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah arising from this same fraudulent scheme. On April 1, 2019, the court entered a stipulated order and judgment which permanently banned Peterson from soliciting charitable contributions and from using robocalls, as well as prohibiting him from making misrepresentations that a charitable contribution is tax-deductible. The order also imposed a $541,032.10 monetary judgment against Peterson and required that he forfeit 88 vehicles. The FTC’s investigation of Peterson is part of a broader initiative by the agency to combat illegal robocalls.
More information about several of the FTC’s recent enforcement actions, including Peterson’s, is available online: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/03/ftc-crackdown-stops-operations-responsible-billions-illegal.
Travis Peterson, 54, of West Ephraim, Utah, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $541,032.10. He was originally charged by a federal grand jury in December 2020 with multiple counts of mail and wire fraud. On November 4, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Atlanta and Cleveland Regional Offices of the Federal Trade Commission provided invaluable contributions in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Union Treasurer Pleads Guilty to TheftRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso woman pleaded guilty today to stealing money from a union.
According to court documents, Dorothy Ferguson, 58, was the treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Local Union 2516 located in Fort Bliss, El Paso from December 2019 to April 2020. During her tenure, she consistently failed to present financial reports to Board meetings and at membership meetings. Further investigation revealed Ferguson made 29 unauthorized cash withdrawals from the Union’s bank account that totaled $16,604.
Ferguson pleaded guilty to one count of Theft within Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction. A sentencing date has not been set. Ferguson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas; FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey, El Paso Field Office; and Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards (DOL-OLMS) District Director Michelle Hussar, Dallas Office made the announcement.
The FBI and DOL-OLMS are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Osterberg is prosecuting the case.
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Two Penn North Baltimore Neighborhood Drug Dealers Plead Guilty to Fentanyl Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland- Kinnard Riggs, age 47, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. In an unrelated case, James Meekins, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to their guilty pleas, as a result of a 2019 OCDETF Strike Force investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Riggs and Meekins were identified as associates of unrelated drug trafficking organizations (DTO) known as the “Special” DTO and the “Bullseye” DTO; respectively.
Between September and October 2019 investigators intercepted communications of individuals associated with the Special and Bullseye DTOs and observed both defendants conducting trafficking activity, including hand to hand drug transactions within their respective DTO’s territory. Intercepted communications and observations established that both DTOs operated on a daily basis.
Specifically, in November 2019, during a controlled purchase involving an undercover officer, Riggs gave two DTO associates a clear bag and engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction in an alley. Soon after that transaction, the undercover officer purchased 10 gelatin fentanyl capsules from the same two DTO associates. Chemical analysis of these purchases identified the presence of fentanyl.
Likewise, investigators conducted controlled purchases in the known territory of the Bullseye DTO from co-conspirators who advised their narcotics as being “Bullseye”. Subsequent analysis of the substances obtained during the controlled purchases identified a detectable amount of fentanyl.
In November and December of 2019, investigators executed search and seizure warrants at locations associated with the Special and Bullseye DTOs, including Riggs’ residence. As a result of the search warrant executed at Riggs’ residence, investigators recovered 19 gelatin capsules containing fentanyl and a .22 caliber pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition and the pistol also had an obliterated serial number. As a result of the executed search warrants at various Bullseye DTO locations and its members, investigators recovered approximately 400 grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, cutting agents used in preparing controlled substances, and packaging paraphernalia.
Riggs and Meekins face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. and June 15, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. for Riggs and Meekins; respectively.
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The specific mission of the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Austin, who is prosecuting the cases.
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.
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Two Men Indicted for Conspiring to Commit A Drug Related Robbery That Resulted in the Murder of Two MenRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jy’Quale Samari Grable (20, Tampa) and Aquavious Smith (19, Palmetto) with conspiracy and interference with commerce by robbery. Grable was also charged with using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence causing the death of two victims. If convicted on all counts, Grable faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison, and Smith faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
According to court documents, on December 22, 2020, Grable and Smith committed an armed robbery at an apartment complex in Valrico. During the robbery, Grable shot and killed B.B. and M.M on the back patio of the apartment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Two Men Aboard Lights-Out Vessel Jettison 79 Kilos of Cocaine During Boat Chase Near Savanah Island, USVIRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that two Puerto Rican men were arrested today, March 29, 2022, in St. Thomas, USVI on criminal charges related to possession with intent to distribute 79 kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2022, Wesly Albert Amaro, and Brian Santiago Gonzalez, were stopped in the waters near Savanah Island, just west of St. Thomas, USVI. At approximately 4:00 a.m., the United States Coast Guard (USCG) detected a vessel operating without navigation lights traveling at a high rate of speed from Culebra, PR towards Hendrick Bay, St. Thomas. Customs and Boarder Protection Air and Marine (AMO) vessels responded as the USCG provided updates of the vessel’s location. AMO agents located the lights-out vessel using radar and attempted a stop. The vessel fled while the two men onboard jettisoned bags overboard. The vessel would not heave to, so AMO agents disabled the vessel’s engine. During the chase, AMO agents marked when and where bags were discarded from the vessel. Upon, returning to the marked areas, AMO agents recovered three duffel bags containing 79 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
Both men are charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance pursuant to 21 U.S.C §§ 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted, each man faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Individuals Convicted at Trial of Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, convicted a North Carolina woman and a Maryland man yesterday for conspiring to defraud the United States, helping file false tax returns, and stealing government funds.
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2013 and 2016, Sandra Denise Curl, of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Percy Leroy Jacobs, of Prince Frederick, Maryland, filed tax returns on behalf of multiple fraudulent trusts they owned, seeking refunds to which they were not entitled. Curl and Jacobs also filed false individual tax returns in their own names, claiming fictitious false tax withholdings in order to generate refunds. In total, the defendants attempted to defraud the IRS of more than $2.2 million.
Curl and Jacobs are scheduled to be sentenced on July 7. Both defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return, and 10 years in prison for theft of government property. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Jeffrey McLellan and George Meggali of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Two Individuals Convicted at Trial of Federal Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Sandra Denise Curl of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Percy Leroy Jacobs of Prince Frederick, Maryland late yesterday for conspiring to defraud the United States, helping file false tax returns, and theft of government funds.
The convictions were announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2013 and 2016, Curl and Jacobs filed tax returns on behalf of multiple fraudulent trusts they owned, seeking refunds to which they were not entitled. Curl and Jacobs also filed false individual tax returns in their own names, claiming fictitious false tax withholdings in order to generate refunds. In total, the defendants attempted to defraud the IRS of more than $2.2 million.
Curl and Jacobs face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return, and ten years in prison for theft of government property. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for both defendants on July 7, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division commended IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the case. U.S. Attorney Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jeffrey McLellan and George Meggali of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach
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Three Men Found Guilty of Federal Charges in Series of Armed Robberies Targeting Area BusinessesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three area men have been found guilty by a jury of federal offenses stemming from a string of 10 armed robberies of gas stations, liquor stores, convenience stores, and restaurants in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, all within a four-week period in 2018.
The verdict, returned yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Marcus G. Jones, Chief of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department, and Antonio DeVaul, Chief of the Takoma Park, Maryland Police Department.
Those convicted of federal conspiracy, robbery, and weapons charges include: Quaysa Flumo, 34, of Washington, D.C., Enyianna Onyewu, 29, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Emmanuel Sumo, 27, of Takoma Park, Maryland. All remain held pending sentencing by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. Onyewu is to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, Flumo on Aug. 12, 2022, and Sumo on Aug. 26, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, throughout January 2018, the defendants, working together, robbed a series of gas stations, liquor stores, convenience stores, and restaurants in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In each of the robberies, the defendants were armed with a .45 caliber handgun. They wore masks and gloves to avoid being identified. In several robberies, they physically assaulted store employees and put the gun directly to the heads of their victims. The robberies took place at various hours, including some in broad daylight. The victims remain shaken and shocked by the incidents. Fortunately, none of them sustained serious physical injuries.
During the trial, the government presented testimony from nearly 30 witnesses. The first robbery took place on Jan. 2, 2018, at a gas station in Silver Spring. Other targets were in Takoma Park, Maryland, Silver Spring, Maryland, Northwest Washington, and Arlington, Virginia. On Jan. 10, 2018, two robberies took place within a 45-minute period. The final robbery in the series took place on Jan. 29, 2018, at another gas station in Silver Spring.
Onyewu was arrested on Oct. 22, 2020. Sumo was arrested on Nov. 23, 2020, and Flumo was arrested on April 27, 2021.
In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Chief Jones, and Chief DeVaul commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force, the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department, the Takoma Park, Maryland Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the Arlington County, Virginia Police Department.
They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz, Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle, Mary Downing, and Kim Hall, Legal Assistant Latoya Wade, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Candice Wong, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
The United States and Practice Fusion, Inc. Resolve Allegations of Violations of Practice Fusion’s Deferred Prosecution AgreementRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that it has resolved allegations that Practice Fusion, Inc. violated the terms of its deferred prosecution agreement (“DPA”). On January 27, 2020, the United States Attorney announced a resolution of criminal charges against Practice Fusion in connection with Practice Fusion’s role in soliciting and receiving kickbacks in return for embedding electronic prompts in its electronic medical record (“EMR”) to influence the prescribing of opioid medications. As part of that resolution, the United States Attorney and Practice Fusion executed a DPA pursuant to which Practice Fusion was to maintain an Oversight Organization for the duration of the DPA.
According to court documents, the United States Attorney alleged that Practice Fusion failed to comply with the terms of its DPA. Specifically, the United States Attorney alleged that Practice Fusion failed to: (1) retain a new Oversight Organization following the resignation of its previous Oversight Organization; (2) provide its previous Oversight Organization with adequate access to information and witnesses to discharge its oversight responsibilities; and (3) pay for certain expenses incurred by the Oversight Organization. Practice Fusion denied that it had failed to comply with the terms of the DPA. On March 18, 2022, the parties resolved the dispute. As part of the resolution, the term of Practice Fusion’s DPA shall be extended by eleven weeks and Practice Fusion shall pay a fine of $200,000.
“Compliance with oversight obligations after resolution of cases with the Department of Justice is critically important, and companies under corporate integrity agreements, non-prosecution agreements, and deferred prosecution agreements must assiduously adhere to those responsibilities,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest. “This office will not tolerate failure to comply with oversight obligations, which provide the Department and citizens assurance that corporate wrongdoers have cleaned up their acts.”
The DPA is pending in the District of Vermont and the case is captioned United States of America v. Practice Fusion, Inc., No. 2:20-cr-11 (D. Vt.)
PF DPA Settlement AgreementThe Government is represented by Owen C.J. Foster and Michael P. Drescher of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. Practice Fusion is represented by Laura Hoey, Christine Moundas, and Patrick Welsh of the law firm Ropes & Gray, LLP.
The government’s claims are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability as part of this resolution.
Suburban Chicago Woman Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced a suburban Chicago woman to a year in prison for using insider information obtained from her husband to purchase shares of a company ahead of its acquisition by the husband’s employer.
DENISE GREVAS, 60, of Evanston, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a securities fraud charge. In addition to the year-and-a-day prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber fined Grevas $100,000.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil enforcement action against Grevas, provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Jason Yonan represented the government in the criminal case.
Grevas admitted in a plea agreement that she made $286,960 in illegal profits from the purchase and sale of securities in a Washington state-based pharmaceutical company, which was a target for acquisition and later acquired by a foreign pharmaceutical company that employed Grevas’s husband. Grevas used material, non-public information about the expected acquisition to purchase shares in the Washington company ahead of a public announcement of the acquisition on Sept. 16, 2019. After the announcement, the Washington company’s stock price increased and Grevas sold the shares for the profit.
South Holland Woman Sentenced to 28 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Yvonna Lee, 36, of South Holland, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on her plea of guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Lee was sentenced to 28 months in prison, 1 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $405, 867 in restitution to the IRS.
According to documents filed in the case, Lee engaged in a scheme between 2014 and 2017, whereby she and others filed fraudulent federal tax returns that generated improper refunds for clients who then paid them a cut of the refunds. As part of the scheme, Lee assisted in the preparation of 146 tax fraudulent tax returns resulting in a total loss of more than $400,000 to the IRS.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang with assistance from former Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Lerner, Jill Koster, and Diane Berkowitz.
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Shipping Equipment Giants Cargotec and Konecranes Abandon Merger After Justice Department Threatens to SueRead the Press Release
Cargotec Corporation (Cargotec) confirmed today that it has abandoned its intended merger of equals with Konecranes Plc (Konecranes) one day after the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division informed the parties that the settlement proposal was not sufficient to address concerns that the proposed combination would eliminate important competition in four types of shipping container handling equipment used by port customers to move goods in the global supply chain.
“The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division will vigorously investigate potential violations of our antitrust laws, no matter the industry, no matter the company, and no matter the individual,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The proposed merger of these two shipping equipment giants would have harmed American consumers. It threatened the global supply chain and the free and fair markets upon which the integrity of our economy depends. I commend the outstanding work of our Antitrust attorneys and investigators that led to this outcome and the cooperation of our enforcement partners around the world.”
“Cargotec’s and Konecranes’ proposed merger threatened to harm competition in the sale of container handling equipment to U.S. port customers and terminal operators that move consumer products, medicines, and other important goods through the global supply chain,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The combination of Cargotec and Konecranes would have been the culmination of decades of consolidation — and the companies proposed to accomplish it by extracting and retaining the strongest parts of both businesses and selling off the least desirable assets to placate the department. But the Clayton Act is clear: acquisitions that create or entrench market power are illegal. The department will not accept patchwork settlements that do not replace the competition that is lost by a merger.”
The proposed transaction would have eliminated intense competition between Cargotec and its closest rival, Konecranes, in markets that are already highly concentrated. In particular, the merger would have led to illegal consolidation in the manufacture and supply of four types of container handling equipment: straddle carriers, rubber-tired gantry cranes, automated stacking cranes, and rail-mounted gantry cranes. Each piece of equipment has a unique design that allows the equipment to move containers between different modes of transportation in the supply chain. Cargotec and Konecranes are also at the forefront of automating port operations and reducing carbon emissions by electrifying equipment — megatrends that are likely to drive purchasing decisions from port customers in the coming years.
The department expresses thanks to its enforcement partners, including the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the European Commission, and the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority, for their close and constructive collaboration on this matter.
Cargotec Corporation, operating under the Finnish name Cargotec Oyj, is a public limited company headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Cargotec earned revenues of approximately $900 million in the United States in 2021.
Konecranes Plc, operating under the Finnish and Swedish names Konecranes Oyj and Konecranes Abp, is a Finnish public limited company headquartered in Hyvinkää, Finland. Konecranes earned revenues of approximately $1.1 billion in the Americas in 2021.