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Wednesday 16 February 2022
Tennessee Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Series of Church ArsonsRead the Press Release
A Tennessee man was sentenced today for the arson of four Nashville area churches.
Alan Douglas Fox, 29, of Nashville, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison and three years of supervised release. He had previously been charged by criminal information on Aug. 25, 2021, and had previously pleaded guilty to all counts on Oct. 20, 2021.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea and sentencing hearings, Fox intentionally set fire to the Crievewood United Methodist Church on June 17, 2019; the Crievewood Baptist Church on June 25, 2019; the Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church on June 25, 2019; and the Priest Lake Community Baptist Church on June 26, 2019, all because of their religious character. Fox also carried and used a handgun to break into the Crievewood Baptist Church to facilitate the arson. The fires resulted in significant damage to all four churches.
“This defendant has now been held accountable for his dangerous arson spree that caused damage to a Catholic church, a Methodist church and two Baptist churches, all pillars of the Nashville community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Attacks on houses of worship are attacks on people of faith that undermine the fundamental right to practice one’s religion free from fear or violence. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously enforce federal laws that protect all houses of worship, regardless of denomination.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Nashville Fire Department. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Schiferle.
Tallahassee Man Indicted for Conspiracy to Produce, Distribute, Possess, and Receive Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Mark Robert Clow, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with distributing, receiving, and possessing material constituting child pornography. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Clow made his initial appearance in federal court to face the charges this afternoon.
The indictment alleges that, between June 2017, and September 2021, Clow distributed, received, and possessed material containing child pornography. The pornographic material allegedly found in Clow’s possession involved a minor under the age of 12.
Trial for Clow is set for April 25, 2022, at 8:15 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before the Honorable United States Chief District Judge Mark E. Walker.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Life of Walter E. Dellinger IIIRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland released today the following statement on the passing of Walter E. Dellinger III:
“The passing of Walter Dellinger is an enormous loss for those of us at the Justice Department who worked alongside and learned from him, for his family who cherished him, and for our nation, which was made better because of him.
“It is difficult to know where to begin in remembering someone who lived as fully and gave of himself as generously as Walter did. Throughout his life, Walter created communities of friends, students, and mentees who shared his passion for the law and his devotion to the pursuit of justice.
“I first had the privilege to work alongside Walter at the Justice Department when he came to Washington, D.C. from Duke Law with his beloved wife, Anne, and served as a professor in residence in the Appellate Section of the Civil Division. I worked with him again when he served as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, and then as Acting Solicitor General. His exuberance and passion for life and the law were palpable in everything he did.
“Walter approached the law not as a career, but as a calling. He believed it was his privilege to be able to use the law to make our democracy work better for everyone. He was a tireless advocate on behalf of those with whom he worked, and on behalf of the American people for whom he worked. He did not hesitate to lend his voice in service of lifting up the voices of others. His work had an enormous impact on all of us at the Justice Department, and on the lives of millions of people he would never know.
“For Walter, tackling the most urgent, complex, and important questions of law was not exclusive of living a life filled with joy. He filled his life — and the lives of those of us lucky enough to have known him — with light.
“All of us at the Department extend our deepest condolences to his loving family. We join them in mourning Walter’s passing, and in expressing our gratitude for his extraordinary legacy.”
St. Mary’s County Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Distribution of Fentanyl and for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – DeAundre Tyrique Keys, a/k/a “Dre,” age 35, of Lexington Park, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of distribution of fentanyl and to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.
According to Keys’ guilty plea, on March 1, 2021, three individuals traveled to St. Mary’s County, Maryland to purchase narcotics from Keys. One of the individuals met with Keys at Keys’ apartment complex in Lexington Park and purchased fentanyl from Keys, who was on pretrial release for pending charges in St. Mary’s County, and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the drug transaction.
As detailed in the plea agreement, after buying fentanyl from Keys, the three individuals returned to Calvert County, where two of the individuals ingested the fentanyl purchased from Keys. One of the individuals became unresponsive and the other two individuals administered Narcan, attempted CPR, and called 9-1-1. Before first responders could arrive, the individual who had purchased the fentanyl from Keys discarded the remaining fentanyl in the woods. Arriving first responders attempted life saving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for Maryland concluded that the victim’s cause of death was fentanyl and alcohol intoxication.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Keys’ apartment on March 12, 2021. Keys was the sole occupant of the apartment when officers arrived and was wearing his GPS ankle monitor. Law enforcement recovered a plastic baggie containing 30.07 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, acetylfentanyl, heroin, acetaminophen, and 06-Monoacetylmorphine; drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale with fentanyl residue, a cutting agent, and plastic glassine baggies used for narcotics packaging and distribution; a Polymer 9mm handgun with a 30-round magazine containing 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition; one round of 9mm ammunition on the floor; two .40 magazines—one empty and the other containing 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition; an empty 30 round magazine; and $7,080 in cash, which were proceeds of Keys’ drug sales.
The seized firearm is a ghost gun—privately made with parts manufactured outside Maryland, which has no serial number and is not a registered firearm. The gun was tested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and was found to be a fully functioning firearm. Keys knew that he had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing a firearm and/or ammunition.
Keys and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Keys will be sentenced to between 10 and 12 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the ATF and the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Collins, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 15 Years for $4 Million Meth Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Missouri man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a $4 million drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine over three years.
Christapher Dean Parton, also known as “Big Baby,” 32, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 16, 2021, Parton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2017, to July 21, 2020, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
For approximately a year and a half, Parton was regularly provided one to two kilograms of methamphetamine each week by a drug trafficking organization based in Kansas City, Missouri. Parton, who transported the methamphetamine from Kansas City to the St. Joseph area for distribution, was found by the court to be involved in approximately 91 kilograms of methamphetamine. Additionally, Parton admitted he traded at least 50 guns, that he received through his drug distribution activities, for methamphetamine.
The entire drug trafficking organization received more than $4 million in exchange for the unlawful distribution of more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine, based on an average street price of $8,000 per kilogram of methamphetamine.
Parton is among 25 defendants charged in this case, and the first defendant to be sentenced.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
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 principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
St. Croix Man Sentenced for Fleeing from Park Rangers After Shots Were Fired on Buck IslandRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Croix man, Aneudis Acevedo, age 33, appeared before Judge Wilma A. Lewis, in District Court, and was sentenced today on the charge of Resisting or Impeding an Officer of the United States.
Judge Lewis sentenced Acevedo to three years of probation, six months of home detention with location monitoring, a fine of $10,000, and a $25 special assessment.
According to court documents, in the late afternoon of January 10, 2021, shots were fired on the Buck Island Reef National Monument after a fight occurred on the beach. Immediately after the shots were fired, Acevedo fled the scene in his boat at a high rate of speed while carrying several passengers. He fled from a National Park Service boat and officer, disobeying multiple orders directing him to stop. At one point during the pursuit, the boats physically came into contact, but Acevedo continued to flee. Acevedo forced the National Park Service boat to abandon the pursuit after he travelled into shallow channels by a reef. The United States Coast Guard assisted and approximately two hours later took the defendant into custody on the south side of the island of St. Croix. However, at the time of apprehension, boat passengers were no longer on the boat.
The National Park Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
###South Texan who fled following girlfriend’s arrest sent to prisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 36-year-old Brownsville man has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to distribute 15 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Luis Alberto Gomez pleaded guilty Nov. 23, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered him to serve 108 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
On Jan. 27, 2021, authorities stopped Vanessa Lee Vasquez, Gomez’s girlfriend,
for a traffic violation. At that time, they searched her vehicle and found a secret compartment with 16 bundles of drugs. They contained 15.18 kilograms of meth with an approximate street value of $45,000.
Additional law enforcement at the scene observed Gomez in a grey BMW pass by the traffic scene and turn around. They followed him to a residence in Brownsville, from where he quickly departed. He attempted to flee the United States via the Veteran’s Bridge into Mexico. There, law enforcement conducted a search of his vehicle and discovered a compartment containing meth.
The investigation revealed Gomez and Vasquez crossed the port of entry from Matamoros, Taumalipas, Mexico, the day prior within two minutes of each other.
At the time of his plea, Gomez admitted he and his girlfriend had gone to Mexico to pick up the drugs. He said he saw law enforcement pull over his girlfriend, panicked and decided to flee to Mexico.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of prisons facility in the near future.
Vasquez was previously sentenced on Dec. 1, 2021, also to 108 months in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena Salinas prosecuted the case.
Sidney meth dealer sentenced to more than 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Sidney man who admitted to selling methamphetamine was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Jose Eduardo Garcia, 31, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on two occasions in 2020, Garcia sold meth from his residence during controlled buys. The transactions totaled slightly more than 50 grams.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Eastern Montana Drug Task Force and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
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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Seafood broker pleads guilty to smuggling potentially tainted shellfishRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Burien, Washington, seafood broker pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to smuggling goods from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jeffrey Hallin Olsen, 52, owner of Absolute Seafoods LLC, admitted he falsified documents and lied to authorities about disposing of 46 cases of potentially tainted geoduck from Alaska. Olsen will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on May 17, 2022.
According to the information filed in court, on February 20 or 21, 2019, Olsen purchased geoduck from various Alaska divers. The geoduck were mixed together in crates for shipping, and were picked up at Sea-Tac Airport, to be trucked to Vancouver B.C and shipped to Hong Kong. Olsen obtained a U.S. Department of Commerce Export Health Certificate stating that the geoduck met health requirements.
One day after the purchase, one of the divers notified Alaska state officials that he had mistakenly harvested his geoduck from an area that had not been approved for harvest. The area had not been tested for paralytic shellfish poisoning. An Alaska Wildlife Trooper notified Olsen that he needed to destroy the shipment as it was unsafe to consume. Because the illegally harvested geoduck had been mixed in with the legal clams, Olsen was told the entire shipment had to be destroyed. Olsen told the trooper he would destroy the geoduck.
Instead of destroying the geoduck, Olsen told the shipping company to hold the truck in Marysville, Washington. Olsen had ten crates taken off the truck and brought back to his Burien home. He had the company transport the remaining 36 boxes on to Vancouver where they were illegally shipped to Hong Kong.
Olson took pictures of the 10 crates that were brought back to his home. Olsen prepared false shipping paperwork that identified the contents of the crates as “fresh Yelloweye,” then shipped the geoduck to a buyer in Oakland, California. Olsen used the pictures of those crates and a bill from the King County garbage transfer station to try to fool Alaska authorities into thinking he had in fact destroyed the clams.
No illness has been reported in connection with the geoduck.
Smuggling goods from the United States is punishable by up to ten years of imprisonment. The ultimate sentence is up to Judge Coughenour who will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by NOAA Fisheries Enforcement, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police and the Alaska Department of Public Safety, with assistance from the California Department of Fish and Game, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Canada.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.
Saratoga County Woman Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Elizabeth Doyle, age 49, of Burnt Hills, New York, was sentenced today to a year of probation, and to pay restitution in the amount of $94,522 and a $7,500 fine, following her conviction on two counts of filing false tax returns. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Doyle’s conviction related to business income she earned through a Saratoga County company that places home health care aides in patients’ homes. In pleading guilty, Doyle admitting to filing materially false tax returns in tax years 2016 and 2017 that underreported income totaling $647,263, resulting in a loss to the government of at least $94,522.
Betty Marriot, age 71, of Gansevoort, New York, sold the home health care company to Doyle in 2016. She also filed false tax returns, and was sentenced on October 21, 2021 to a year of probation and ordered to pay $280,413 in restitution and a $7,500 fine.
These cases were investigated by IRS-CI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Simarjeet Singh, age 50, of Rochester, New York, pled guilty today to naturalization fraud for providing false identification information during efforts to avoid deportation and become a United States citizen, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.
As part of his guilty plea, Singh admitted to filing a 1995 asylum application using a false identity and to failing to disclose that he had previously filed for asylum in 1993. Singh also admitted that in 2010, when he sought U.S. citizenship, he failed to disclose his earlier efforts to obtain asylum.
Singh faces up to 10 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. Sentencing is set for June 14, 2022, in Syracuse, before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.
This case was investigated by HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Ravenna Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that Andrew Wirth, 33, of Ravenna, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, to 14 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after Wirth pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor in December 2021.
“The defendant’s reckless and repeated attempts to pursue minors for sexual conduct show his blatant disregard for our laws and the wellbeing of our community’s children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler. “Thanks to the cooperation between our federal, state and local partners, law enforcement in Northern Ohio remains a united front in the fight against human trafficking.”
“The arrest of Andrew Wirth must serve as a wake-up call to those who engage in the horrific crime of sex trafficking,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris III. “Wirth’s egregious actions show his willingness to exploit the vulnerable, and HSI and our law enforcement partners stand ready and committed to removing such individuals from society,” he added.
“This is a prime example that some people just need to be locked up and kept away from the rest of us—and our children,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “Thanks to our partners at the US DOJ, the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and Cuyahoga Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, that’s what is going to happen here.’
According to court documents, in May 2019, Wirth was arrested after he used a social networking mobile application in an attempt to meet up with an undercover law enforcement officer, whom he believed was a minor at the time, with the intent of engaging in sexual activity. Wirth was charged at the state level and subsequently posted bond.
In November 2019, while on bond for his state charges, Wirth again used a social networking mobile application to contact a minor victim for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity. Wirth and the minor victim later met, and Wirth provided gifts and meals to the victim in return for sexual acts as payment.
While still on bond, Wirth used an online dating application to arrange a meeting with an adult victim. During their meeting, Wirth sexually assaulted the victim and later expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity with children as young as ten years old. Wirth then offered the victim a “finder’s fee” to find a minor to engage in sexual activity. The victim reported these acts to local police, and an undercover officer assumed the victim’s online identity.
The undercover officer later pretended to be a minor and began an online conversation with Wirth. Soon, Wirth began to express his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor. On November 6, 2019, Wirth purchased a hotel room, alcohol and other items for the purposes of meeting the minor and engaging in sexual activity. Wirth was arrested that same day outside the hotel room.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Cuyahoga County Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and with assistance from the Mahoning and Columbiana Counties Sheriff’s Offices. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Kane.
Pharmacist Indicted for Tampering with a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a pharmacist with one count of tampering with a consumer product, one count of possession of Tramadol by deception and subterfuge, one count of possession of Zolpidem by deception and subterfuge, and one count of possession of Oxycodone Hydrochloride by deception and subterfuge.
According to court documents, from July 2020 to October 2020, Benjamin Dandurand, 34, of Shawnee Mission is accused of allegedly using his fingerprint at a pharmacy in Lenexa to remove Oxycodone Hydrochloride from a safe. He allegedly removed the controlled substance from the bottle and replaced it with an alternate liquid substance before returning the bottle to the safe. Dandurand also allegedly took Tramadol, Oxycodone Hydrochloride, and Zolpidem from the pharmacy between September 2020 and October 2020.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Fraud, Money Laundering, and Obstruction ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Nathan Peachey, age 51, of Pennsylvania, convicted for his role in fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice conspiracies, was sentenced on Monday, February 14, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Nathan Peachey was sentenced to 300 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, nearly $11 million in restitution, and forfeiture of a residence in Norway, a luxury vehicle, approximately $4 million in silver coins, and a laptop. He was also ordered to pay $1,200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
“Mr. Nathan Peachey was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for preying on innocent victims. Peachey, along with his co-conspirators, ran a sophisticated scheme that robbed victims of their life savings, retirement income and other funds, for the sole purpose of enriching himself and his friends,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher. “The evidence shown during trial demonstrates that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents partnered with the FBI and the Department of Justice, are the best in the world at tracing ill-gotten funds to anywhere criminals spend or hide them. We will never give up on our relentless pursuit of justice.”
“The defendant’s fraud was built on nothing but empty promises to the victims that they were helping humanity, but in reality he was only helping himself with a new home, silver, and a luxury car in Norway. And for that fraud, he is paying a heavy price and will never be in a position to victimize anyone ever again,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to not only uncover the fraud and build the case that led to this sentencing, but also for their efforts in trying to recover as much money as they could to return to the victims of this scam.”
Defendants Nathan Peachey, John Rick Winer, and others were originally indicted by a federal grand jury on November 5, 2019. A Second Superseding Indictment was filed on October 6, 2020. Peachey and Winer proceeded to trial in November 2021, and the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts against both defendants. Winer was also scheduled for sentencing on February 14, 2022, but he failed to appear.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, Peachey resided in and operated from the State of Pennsylvania and from a suburb of Oslo, Norway. Peachey aided in soliciting millions of dollars from investors in the United States, and he received funds from others who were involved in the fraud scheme. Funds obtained by and through Peachey were, in part, laundered through and into domestic and international bank accounts. After his receipt of funds, Peachey would transfer or wire funds to his co-conspirators, and he also would use funds on personal expenditures.
Winer resided and operated from the State of New Mexico, among other places. Winer recruited individuals from South Dakota and elsewhere to invest in various projects, and he solicited funds that were obtained through the fraud scheme. After his receipt of funds, Winer would transfer or wire funds to his co-conspirators and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, and he also would use funds on personal expenditures.
As to the scheme to defraud the victims across the country, Peachey and Winer, along with their co-conspirators, informed investors that the monies provided to one or more of the co-conspirators would be used for charitable or humanitarian projects, oftentimes using religion to entice and induce victims into investing money in the scheme. They also made promises that there would be a return on investments. Peachey and Winer informed investors that the monies provided to one or more of the co-conspirators would not be expended on personal expenses. Investor money was not used for charitable or for humanitarian projects, and investors never received a return on investments relating to the monies provided to Peachey, Winer, or their co-conspirators. The purpose of the conspiracy was to enrich the co-conspirators, all of whom amassed nearly $13 million, and then spent the fraud proceeds on a luxury residence located in a suburb of Oslo, Norway, renovation costs on the house, a Mercedes Benz, nearly $4 million in silver, travel, and personal expenses. This fraud scheme impacted victims from around the United States, including South Dakota, Minnesota, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
Peachey, Winer, and their co-conspirators utilized, independently or jointly, entities to perpetrate the fraud scheme, including, but not limited to: AG Enterprises, L.L.C.; House of Winer; Jacobs Provision Trust; The Joseph Project; Jericho Outreach; Jericho Outreach – Norway; Christian Charity Foundation; and G47 Initiative. These entities were fake and used to receive fraud proceeds and launder money.
Once Peachey and Winer learned about the investigation in South Dakota and elsewhere, they also conspired to obstruct justice. Peachey and Winer conspired to corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede the investigation of the below-listed agencies and various court proceedings.
This case was investigated by the following entities:
- Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation;
- Federal Bureau of Investigation;
- ØKOKRIM, the Norwegian National Authority for Prosecution and Investigation of Economic
and Environmental Crime, Oslo, Norway;
- Oslo, Norway, Police Department;
- Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; and
- South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy R. Jehangiri and Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Peachey was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence of imprisonment.
Peach Springs Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Monday, Marcus BlueCloud Querta, 39, of Peach Springs, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 48 months in prison. Querta previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer and admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release in a separate case. Judge Snow sentenced Querta to 37 months in prison for the assault and an additional 11 months for violating his supervised release.
On January 12, 2020, the victim, a law enforcement officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and another police officer were trying to detain Querta while he was on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Querta resisted arrest, kicked the victim, and bit the victim in the leg. At the time of the offense, Querta was on supervised release for another assault on a federal officer that he committed on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in 2016. Querta is an enrolled member of the Hualapai Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-08024-PCT-GMS; CR-16-08297-PCT-CMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-013_Querta# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Woman Sentenced to Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Kae Leen Nopah, 35, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Nopah previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
On June 6, 2020, Nopah assaulted the victim in the victim’s home using a knife. Nopah slashed both of the victim’s hands with the knife causing the victim to suffer significant bodily injuries. Nopah and the victim are enrolled members of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”). This assault occurred on the Colorado River Indian Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00318-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-012_Nopah# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parent Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for College Admissions SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A private-equity investor and former senior Staples executive was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his participation in a conspiracy to use fraud and bribery to secure the admission of his three children to the University of Southern California (USC), Harvard University and Stanford University as purported Division I athletic recruits.
John Wilson, 62, of Lynnfield, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 15 months in prison, two years of supervised release, 400 hours of community service and a fine of $200,000. Wilson was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $88,546 to the IRS. On Oct. 8, 2021, Wilson was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery; three counts of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud; two counts of federal programs bribery; and one count of filing a false tax return.
In 2013, Wilson agreed to pay William “Rick” Singer $220,000 to facilitate his son’s admission to USC as a purported water polo recruit. The scheme involved presenting Wilson’s son to USC’s subcommittee on athletic admissions using a water polo profile that included fabricated credentials, awards and swim times. After Wilson’s son was accepted to USC, Wilson wired $100,000 to Singer’s sham charity, the Key Worldwide Foundation (KWF), $100,000 to Singer’s company, The Key, and $20,000 directly to Singer. Wilson paid the bribe from the corporate account of his private investment firm and falsely deducted part of it as a business expense and the remainder as a charitable contribution. Additionally, in 2018, Wilson agreed to pay Singer $1.5 million to secure the admission of his twin daughters to Harvard University and Stanford University as purported athletic recruits.
Singer previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, is available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney and Ian Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
UPDATE: In May 2023, The First Circuit Court of Appeals vacated all but one of the defendant’s jury conviction. In June 2023, the Government moved to dismiss four of the five criminal charges against defendant John Wilson.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin While in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jessica Anzaldo, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Anzaldo to 10 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 5 years on the gun charge. After completing her term of imprisonment, Anzaldo will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system.
On September 10, 2019, Anzaldo sold an undercover officer more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine at an Omaha location. On September 13, 2019, Anzaldo again sold the undercover more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine in Omaha. Anzaldo was placed under arrest after the sale and a search warrant on her Omaha residence revealed a quarter pound of methamphetamine, approximately 10 grams of heroin, and a gun within a small safe located in her bedroom. During a post arrest interview, Anzaldo admitted to distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine during the past 5 or 6 months. While being booked into corrections, three additional baggies of heroin were found on her person with a total weight of approximately 25 grams.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 174 Months for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Justin Smith, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 16, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Smith to 174 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Smith will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On January 6, 2020, Omaha Police officers observed Smith sell 2 grams of methamphetamine. At the time, Smith had two prior convictions for distributing methamphetamine. A search of his residence recovered 85 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Norteno Gang Member Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Custody After Possessing Bombs and Hiding in Washing MachineRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Senior U.S. District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson has sentenced Timothy Richard Ray Riggins, 33, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 70 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm and an improvised destructive device. Judge Peterson also ordered Riggins to serve three years on federal supervision after he is released from prison.
According to court records, in the early morning hours on November 3, 2019, the Moses Lake Police Department (“MLPD”) received a 911 call from a woman who reported that Riggins had just assaulted her, stolen her vehicle, and was in possession of a bomb. The woman explained that the bomb was in a fanny pack and that she was concerned for the safety of a friend. She also said that Riggins had threatened her with the bomb and had held a lighter next to the fuse, stating that she should not “mess with a guy like him.”
MLPD was familiar with Riggins, a documented Norteno criminal street gang member, and knew he had an active felony warrant for his arrest from the Washington State Department of Corrections. Officers located the woman’s vehicle and tracked Riggins to a nearby residence. While executing a search warrant at the residence, officers found Riggins hiding inside a top loading washing machine. Along Riggins’ path of travel from the stolen vehicle to the residence, officers recovered a fanny pack that contained a large, operable commercial firework with more than 20 nails taped to the outside, with a large fuse. The officers also found two additional improvised destructive devices near the fanny pack.
In imposing sentence, Judge Peterson noted the significant nature and seriousness of Riggins’ offense, highlighting the dangerous fact that if the devices had detonated, they could have seriously altered, or even destroyed, the victim’s life. Judge Peterson also considered Riggins’ longstanding gang membership and lengthy criminal history.
“Thanks to quick-thinking and responsive law enforcement, officers got to Mr. Riggins’ bombs before he could detonate them and harm innocent people,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “This case demonstrates the importance of the ‘see something, say something’ principle: we all have an obligation to look out for one another and ensure that our community in Eastern Washington remains safe and strong. I am grateful not only to the hard-working people of the Moses Lake Police Department and ATF, but to the responding witness, whose 911 call prevented what could have been a truly tragic outcome. Mr. Riggins and others who seek to endanger people in this community may seek to run, but they cannot hide—even in washing machines.”
“The 70-month sentence for Mr. Riggins is clearly justified for his illegal possession of both a firearm and an improvised destructive device – as well as for his use of a destructive device in a threatening manner,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “The streets of Moses Lake and Grant County will surely be safer with Mr. Riggins in federal prison.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Moses Lake Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Online ScamsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nigerian national residing in Dorchester pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in online romance scams targeting individuals in the United States.
Mike Oziegbe Amiegbe, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2022. Amiegbe was charged by criminal complaint in March 2021.
From approximately 2017 through at least 2020, Amiegbe and others participated in a series of romance scams designed to defraud victims into sending money to accounts controlled by them. Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. In furtherance of the scheme, Amiegbe deposited checks from victims into bank accounts opened under false identities. Amiegbe and, allegedly, co-conspirators then withdrew and passed a portion of the funds to co-conspirators. Amiegbe admitted that at least $550,000 in fraud proceeds was deposited into fraudulent bank accounts he controlled.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and William Kalb, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Office of Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
New Florence Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of New Florence, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 4 years’ supervised release on his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Nicholas Beard, 28.
According to information presented to the court, on or about October 9, 2020, Beard did possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency, Southwest Pennsylvania Safe Streets Task Force, and the Indiana County Drug Task Force for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Beard.
New Castle Man Admits Distributing Crack Near Elementary SchoolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Melvin Dorsey-Pace pled guilty to distributing crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Dorsey-Pace, age 29 of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on June 21, 2022, at 2:15 p.m.
As part of the factual basis for the guilty plea, the Court was informed that, on April 6, 2021, Dorsey-Pace distributed crack cocaine near St. Vitus Elementary School in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He was on federal supervised release at that time. He was convicted in 2016 in this district for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and was released to supervised release in 2020.
The law provides for a sentence of at least one year and up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $4,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the conviction in this case.
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.
Nashville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Series of Church ArsonsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Alan Douglas Fox, 29, of Nashville, was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison for a series of church arsons which occurred in 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. Fox was charged by criminal information on August 25, 2021, and pleaded guilty to all counts on October. 20, 2021.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea and sentencing hearings, Fox intentionally set fire to the Crievewood United Methodist Church on June 17, 2019; the Crievewood Baptist Church on June 25, 2019; the Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church on June 25, 2019; and the Priest Lake Community Baptist Church on June 26, 2019, all because of their religious character. Fox also carried and used a handgun to break into the Crievewood Baptist Church to facilitate the arson. The fires resulted in significant damage to all four churches.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and the Nashville Fire Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Schiferle and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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Minnesota man sentenced to six years in prison for trafficking oxycodone on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Minnesota man who admitted to making hundreds of thousands of dollars selling oxycodone pills while renting a house on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced today to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Jason Tyrell Lee, 46, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and money laundering.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that for approximately six years, from 2014 through spring 2020, Lee and co-defendant, Kaycee Lynn Menz, were selling oxycodone pills from a house they rented in Poplar, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Lee, who resided primarily in Minnesota, supplied Menz with pills to sell on and around the reservation. Financial records showed that their operation generated large sums of cash in Montana and that they then moved the proceeds to accounts held in Lee’s name and in the name of his Minnesota business, Above Average Marketing. During the period of the drug operation, more than $700,000 was deposited into Above Average Marketing banks accounts. Meanwhile, despite the vast quantities of deposits, Lee was reporting little legitimate business income. One customer estimated spending $30,000 on pills from Menz, pills that had been supplied by Lee. In a May 2020 traffic stop of Lee, agents found approximately 410 pills containing oxycodone.
Menz previously was sentenced to 40 months in prison for her conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.
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Minnesota Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Leadership Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Stone III, 29, St. Paul, Minnesota was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for his leadership role in a heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine conspiracy. Stone pleaded guilty on November 17, 2021 to conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
David Stone was distributing heroin and methamphetamine in Northwestern Wisconsin in 2019 and 2020. In February 2020, he was incarcerated on an unrelated matter. Investigators listened to over 3,000 hours of phone calls Stone made from jail and learned that he was orchestrating a large-scale drug-trafficking operation while in custody.
Stone called his source in Minnesota to arrange for the sale of the drugs and then called his co-conspirators in Wisconsin to arrange for the pickup. Stone was very specific in the calls to his co-conspirators, directing them when to leave Wisconsin, how much to pay for the drugs, how to break them down into smaller quantities, and where to redistribute them. Stone controlled every aspect of the operation and was considered the leader for purposes of sentencing. Stone’s relevant conduct includes approximately 270 grams of methamphetamine and 75 grams of fentanyl.
Stone has an extensive criminal history that is largely drug and alcohol related, but with some crimes involving violence and weapons. Judge Conley remarked that the 10-year sentence was appropriate given Stone’s significant criminal history, flippant attitude towards supervision, and the scale of the drug-trafficking operation.
Stone is the second of the conspiracy to be sentenced. Marcie Leoso was sentenced on January 26, 2021 to 5 years in prison. The three other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to federal charges. Chai Vang is to be sentenced by Judge Conley on April 26, Aaron Guski on April 28, and Mala Persaud on May 4.
The charges against David Stone III were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Ashland Police Department, Washburn Police Department, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; Red Cliff Police Department; and Wisconsin State Patrol. The prosecution of the cases has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.
Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) was sentenced today on racketeering and drug charges.
Roberto Vargas, a/k/a “King Royalty,” 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2021, Vargas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute, manufacture and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
On Sept. 30, 2019, Vargas was one of multiple members of the Latin Kings who travelled to Ruth Street and McGurk Street in New Bedford in order to confront rival gang members. After “flagging” – brandishing a yellow and black Latin Kings bandanna – in the territory of the rival gang, the Latin Kings members approached one of the rival gang members, surrounded him, pointed a firearm at him and demanded his phone. During the robbery, the victim ran and a Latin Kings member chased the victim and fired one gunshot, hitting the victim in the back. The victim fell to the ground and was transported to the hospital, where he was treated and ultimately survived the incident.
Vargas also participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy that the Latin Kings operated in multi-unit apartment buildings controlled by the gang, known as trap houses, throughout New Bedford. Recordings generated during the case captured him distributing cocaine to other Latin Kings members, as well as in a trap house with a kilogram of cocaine that was being prepared to be “cooked” into cocaine base (crack cocaine).
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Vargas is the 45th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Man Indicted for Obstructing Investigation into Fires at Jewish-Affiliated InstitutionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed charging a Massachusetts man for allegedly obstructing an investigation into fires set at Jewish-affiliated institutions in Arlington, Needham and Chelsea, Mass. in May 2019.
Alexander Giannakakis, 35, formerly of Quincy, Mass., was arrested by Swedish authorities in a Stockholm suburb, at the request of the United States. Giannakakis was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for making false statements in a matter involving domestic terrorism; falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact in a matter involving domestic terrorism by trick, scheme and device; concealing records in a federal investigation; tampering with documents and objects; and tampering with an official proceeding. The United States plans to seek his extradition to face charges in Boston.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins said, “Today’s arrest in Stockholm came about as a result of a close partnership with our state, local, federal and international law enforcement partners – specifically our Swedish counterparts. International cooperation is critical to our efforts to get justice and accountability for our victims here in Massachusetts.”
“On behalf of FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, I’d like to thank the Swedish Security Service for their assistance in helping us bring justice to the citizens who have been victimized,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI’s strong relationship and close coordination with them was critical to the success of this investigation.”
According to the indictment, in and around February 2020, Giannakakis’s younger brother became the prime suspect in an investigation into four fires that had been set at Jewish-related institutions in the Boston area: the first during the evening of May 11, 2019 at a Chabad Center in Arlington; the second at the same location during the evening of May 16, 2019; the third at a Chabad Center in Needham; and the fourth during the evening of May 26, 2019 at Jewish-affiliated business in Chelsea.
Giannakakis’s younger brother was hospitalized and in a coma since November 2019, approximately six months after the fourth fire. He remained in a coma until his death.
Investigators learned that Giannakakis had left the United States allegedly with his younger brother’s electronic devices and papers, and brought them to Sweden. In March 2020 Giannakakis re-entered the United States with his brother’s electronics. When Giannakakis was in Quincy, Mass., he was asked by investigators about his younger brother’s connection to the fires and whether the family had a storage unit. Giannakakis allegedly told investigators that his parents had a storage unit at a nearby storage facility, and later admitted that he maintained and controlled access to it. Following a search of the storage unit, Giannakakis was also asked where else his brother might have kept property. Giannakakis allegedly responded that there were no other locations.
The indictment further alleges that Giannakakis knew that these statements and actions were intentionally false and misleading, as the night before he had visited both the storage unit and a second storage unit at the same facility, which contained items belonging to his younger brother, including t-shirts with a swastika depicted on the front, a box with his brother’s name on it, his brother’s passport, a notebook with his brother’s name on it and a swastika drawn inside, and a black backpack containing a bottle of cyanide. Giannakakis had allegedly leased the second storage unit himself and listed his younger brother as an authorized user. It is alleged that Giannakakis deliberately lied about the second storage unit and concealed it from investigators to prevent them from seizing his brother’s property.
Finally, the indictment alleges that on March 22, 2020, Giannakakis went to the second storage unit and removed items belonging to his younger brother that were relevant and material to the ongoing arson investigation, including the backpack and the bottle of cyanide. Later that evening, Giannakakis departed the United States for Sweden and has not returned since.
The charges of making false statements in a matter involving domestic terrorism and falsifying, concealing, and covering up a material fact in a matter involving domestic terrorism by trick, scheme, and device each provide for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of concealing records in a federal investigation, tampering with documents and objects, and tampering with an official proceeding each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Chief Juliann Flaherty of the Arlington Police Department; Chief John Schlittler of the Needham Police Department; Chief Brian Kyes of the Chelsea Police Department; Chief Paul Keenan of the Quincy Police Department; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey made the announcement today. Substantial assistance was provided by the Swedish law enforcement authorities including the Swedish Security Service, as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland, Acting Chief of Rollins’ National Security Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and John McNeil, also with Rollins’ Criminal Division.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Pleads Guilty in Miami Federal Court to Acting as Russian AgentRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, 36, a Mexican citizen who had resided in Singapore, has pled guilty to acting within the United States on behalf of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General.
Fuentes is Mexican citizen who has spent significant time in Russia. According to court documents, since 2019, Fuentes acted under the direction and control of someone he believed to be a Russian government official. Instructed by this Russian official, Fuentes arranged for an intermediary to lease a unit in a residential building in Miami-Dade County where a U.S. person, who had previously provided information about the Russian government to the United States Government, resided.
Furthermore, at the direction of the same Russian official, Fuentes traveled to Miami in February 2020 to obtain the license plate number and parking location of the U.S. person’s car to provide this information to the Russian official upon his next trip to Russia.
Fuentes’s travel companion, at his request, took a photo of the U.S. person’s car. A WhatsApp message from Fuentes’s travel companion to Fuentes contained a close-up photograph of the specified U.S. person’s car. The manner in which Fuentes communicated with the Russian government official and his undertakings in this case are consistent with the tactics of the Russian intelligence services for spotting, assessing, recruiting, and handling intelligence assets and sources.
Fuentes had not notified the United States Attorney General, as required by law, that he was acting in the United States as an agent of the Russian government.
Fuentes’s sentencing is scheduled for May 17, in Miami, Florida in front of U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Vernon T. Foret, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Assistant Attorney General Olsen and U.S. Attorney Gonzalez commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and CBP.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Thakur of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matt McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-20129.
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Louisiana man who came to Texas for drugs and firearm handed significant sentenceRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old resident of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, has been ordered to prison for nearly 27 years following his convictions on drug and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal jury sitting in Houston convicted Travis Demois Wilson July 28, 2021, following a three-day trial for conspiracy to possess and possession of meth, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Today, U.S. District Judge Ellison handed Wilson a 262-month term of imprisonment for the drug possession. He also received 60 months for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 322-month prison term will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard Wilson had a lengthy and varied criminal record stemming from 1999.
Judge Ellison commented on the disadvantages Wilson experienced in his life and that it was one of the more serious records he had ever contemplated. “However, the guidelines were the right metric for this defendant,” he said.
At trial, the jury heard Wilson drove from Louisiana to Houston to purchase meth and picked up a Sturm Ruger pistol that morning. Wilson used a contact to set up the drug deal from a Houston area pawn shop.
Further testimony showed that law enforcement had been monitoring the shop and had recordings of the calls setting up the deal. The jury heard about one in which Wilson’s voice can be heard confirming it was going to happen that day. Wilson planned to drive back that evening, but authorities were able to conduct a traffic stop, during which time they searched his vehicle and discovered the drugs and firearm in his personal bag.
Wilson attempted to convince the jury he was not in town to buy narcotics, and the meth belonged to someone else. The jury did not believe his claims and found him guilty as charged.
Wilson has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI and conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celia Moyer and Richard Bennett prosecuted the case.
Local man sentenced for $317 million N95 mask scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 56-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for scheming to fraudulently sell 50 million non-existent N95 facemasks to the Australian government, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Arael Doolittle pleaded guilty July 27, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes ordered him to serve a 54-month sentence. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Doolittle had stolen another person’s identity and forged their signature during the commission of the offense. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hughes noted even though there was no actual financial loss in this case, there are still costs associated with cases like this that victims of frauds suffer.
In early April 2020, Doolittle attempted to sell 50 million 3M N95 respirator masks to the government of Australia. However, he actually did not possess them.
The Australian government was supposed to pay over $317 million for the masks, but authorities disrupted the transaction before it was completed.
Doolittle was also charged and convicted in a separate case for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In that scheme, he solicited victims to invest in a petroleum trading company. However, Doolittle did not invest their money as promised. He actually used the funds to finance unrelated business and personal expenses. Doolittle defrauded the victims of this petroleum trading scheme out of a total of $1,935,613.95. He was previously ordered to serve a 54-month sentence.
The two sentences are ordered to be served consecutively, resulting in a total of 108 months in prison.
Doolittle has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation of the fraudulent N95 masks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin prosecuted the case. The FBI investigated the petroleum investment scheme.
On May 17, 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 - https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form
Lewiston Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Rodney Crowley, 33, to four years in prison and five years of supervised release. Crowley pleaded guilty on August 31, 2021.
According to court records, in August 2019, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants for Crowley’s residence and person. HSI had obtained information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding child pornography activity involving users of an internet messaging application. In an interview with investigators, Crowley admitted being a member of chat groups in which child pornography images were exchanged. Investigators later found several images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a memory card in Crowley’s cell phone.
HSI and the RCMP investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography, file a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-843-5678. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action. If you have an emergency that requires an immediate law enforcement response, please call 911 or contact your local police or sheriff’s department.
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Legal Community Announces the Sacramento Region Diversity Career FairRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With the goal of promoting diversity within the legal profession, the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair is being launched to connect employers with diverse legal candidates for future or current job openings, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter.
The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs, and law students and attorneys can submit applications. The Diversity Career Fair will also provide employers, law students, and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person, and will include a panel discussion providing perspectives on practicing law as a diverse attorney.
“Promoting and encouraging diversity in the legal profession is critical to reflecting and serving our diverse community,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to promoting and encouraging diversity, and we are proud to partner with our law schools and bar associations to work towards achieving this goal.”
“McGeorge School of Law is proud to be partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association on this Diversity Career Fair,” said Michael Hunter Schwartz, Dean of McGeorge School of Law. “As a law school engaged in the critically important work to become an antiracist law school, we are excited to be a part of this group of institutions that is training and employing the next generations of attorneys who match the growing diversity of California and the nation.”
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to our mission at Martin Luther King Jr. Hall,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson said. “We are equally committed to assisting UC Davis Law students with finding jobs in the legal field. We are so pleased to partner with so many outstanding local bar organizations, employers and judges on the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, which will provide unique opportunities for our students to meet with employers from different sectors who value diversity as highly as we do.”
The Diversity Career Fair is co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), and the Sacramento County Bar Association.
For more information: https://fbasacramento.org/sacramentodiversitycareerfair/.
Las Vegas Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The owner of a Las Vegas tax preparation business was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for failing to collect and pay over employment taxes to the IRS, causing a total loss to the IRS of over $9.6 million.
Jesus S. Castro (39) pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan sentenced Castro to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $399,387.87 in restitution.
According to court documents, in 2014, Castro began operating Castro Enterprise, a tax preparation business in Las Vegas also known as “Castro Enterprises” or “Castro Taxes Services.” Castro had the legal duty to withhold employment taxes on behalf of his employees and pay those funds to the IRS. From at least 2015 to 2019, however, he failed to report wages and employment taxes owed for his employees. Additionally, he filed numerous tax returns on behalf of clients with incorrect deductions and credits. In total, Castro caused a tax loss of $9,620,377.72.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Schmale prosecuted the case.
You can report a tax return preparer for improper tax preparation practices, misconduct to the IRS at: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/make-a-complaint-about-a-tax-return-preparer.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Receipt of Child Exploitation Images and VideosRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison after he admitted to searching for and downloading hundreds of child pornography files through the internet.
Allen Warren Miller (57) pleaded guilty in August 2021 to one count of receipt of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Miller to 15 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, in January 2019, Miller had numerous file names indicative of child pornography available to share on the BitTorrent file sharing network. Law enforcement was able to download approximately 15 files depicting child pornography from Miller’s computer. In August 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Miller’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic examination of Miller’s devices found 897 images and 65 videos of child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Report child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by calling the hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
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Laconia Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Dylan Miles, 28, of Laconia, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2019, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents received information about a suspicious parcel sent from Phoenix, Arizona, to New Hampshire addressed to Miles in Laconia. After obtaining a warrant to open the package, investigators found a stereo system with vacuum-sealed bags containing over 665 grams of methamphetamine.
Investigators obtained an anticipatory search warrant for Miles’ residence and on May 10, 2019, conducted a controlled delivery of the package with the drugs removed. Once Miles took the package into the residence, agents executed the warrant and located methamphetamine, drug distribution materials, and firearms. Miles is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
Miles is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2022.
“Methamphetamine is an extremely dangerous drug that is threatening large and small communities throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “When methamphetamine traffickers are armed, the risk to public safety is greatly increased. Good law enforcement work prevented this large quantity of methamphetamine from being sold in the Granite State and put this armed drug dealer out of business.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, the Hartford, Vermont Police Department, and the Lebanon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
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Kennett Man Sentenced to Serve 210 Months in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that Travis Crane, age 30, of Kennett, Missouri, was sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison for the offense of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Crane appeared for his sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Crane’s residence in July 2020 after receiving a cybertip that he was using Facebook to upload files containing child pornography. During an examination of Crane’s mobile phone, investigators discovered multiple images and videos of child pornography. In addition to material obtained over the internet, investigators also discovered several sexually explicit images of Crane’s own 2-year old daughter taken while she was sleeping. At his guilty plea hearing last year, Crane admitted that he used his mobile phone to produce the images. After serving his 210-month sentence, Crane was ordered to be placed on supervised release for 20 years. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
This case was investigated by the Poplar Bluff Police Department, the SEMO Cybercrimes Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.
Justice Department Files Suit to Prevent Missouri from Restricting Enforcement of Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice has today filed a lawsuit to prevent the State of Missouri from enforcing House Bill 85 (H.B. 85). Signed into law in June 2021, the Missouri law declares five categories of federal firearms laws “invalid” and deters and penalizes their enforcement by federal, state and local law enforcement officers. The government’s complaint seeks declaratory and injunctive relief prohibiting enforcement of H.B. 85 and further clarifying that state and local officials may lawfully participate in joint federal task forces, assist in the investigation and enforcement of federal firearm crimes, and fully share information with the federal government without fear of H.B. 85’s penalties. Specifically, the complaint alleges that H.B. 85 is invalid under the Supremacy Clause, is preempted by federal law, and violates the doctrine of intergovernmental immunity.
“This act impedes criminal law enforcement operations in Missouri,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The United States will work to ensure that our state and local law enforcement partners are not penalized for doing their jobs to keep our communities safe.”
“A state cannot simply declare federal laws invalid,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This act makes enforcement of federal firearms laws difficult and strains the important law enforcement partnerships that help keep violent criminals off the street.”
The complaint alleges that the restrictions imposed by H.B. 85 have hindered cooperation and other activities that assist federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts. Federal law enforcement agencies within the state report that enforcement of federal firearms laws in Missouri has grown more difficult since H.B. 85 became effective. The penalties associated with H.B. 85 have prompted state and local agencies and individuals within those entities to withdraw support for federal law enforcement efforts, including by not sharing critical data used to solve violent crimes and withdrawing from joint federal task forces. The complaint challenges the constitutionality of the law and seeks to enforce the supremacy of federal law. Dozens of state and local officers have resigned from federal joint-task forces in the state as a result of the law. According to Missouri’s own statistics, nearly 80% of violent crimes are committed with firearms.
According to the complaint, Missouri enacted H.B. 85 despite its conflict with the fundamental constitutional principles of supremacy of federal law, preemption, and intergovernmental immunity. The restrictions imposed by the statute are premised on a declaration that several categories of federal statutes are “invalid,” but a state may not lawfully declare federal law invalid under the Constitution. In addition to penalizing individuals for working on joint federal-state law enforcement task forces, the statute penalizes current federal employees by barring them from state employment if they enforced the purportedly invalid laws. The statute further directs the state judiciary to “protect” against the federal laws declared invalid.
Jury convicts Washington woman of cyberstalking for harassing, threatening Montana man, public officialsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A jury today convicted a Washington woman of cyberstalking a Montana man she met online and public officials by hacking the man’s email and sending harassing and threatening communications, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
After a three-day trial, the jury found Kathy Ann Hendrickson, also known as Kathy Thorberg, 60, of Walla Walla, Washington, guilty of cyberstalking as charged in an indictment. Hendrickson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The trial began on Feb. 14.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. Judge Molloy set sentencing for May 26. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hendrickson was detained pending further proceedings.
“Hendrickson stole the victim’s personal information, hacked into his email account and then used her cell phone as a weapon to threaten and harass not only the victim but also public officials. Predators who try to hide their true identity on the internet to stalk innocent victims will be held fully accountable. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot and the FBI for investigating and prosecuting this case,” U.S. Attorney Johnson said.
In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that Hendrickson met the victim, identified as John Doe, on a dating website sometime in 2015 or 2016. The two communicated online and eventually met in person on several occasions at John Doe’s residence in Trout Creek. John Doe ended the relationship. John Doe strongly suspected Hendrickson of stealing his wallet. Hendrickson started harassing John Doe as early as May 2018 when, using an anonymous email account, sent John Doe an email stating, “I’m going to bring you down.” Hendrickson also called the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office and claimed John Doe was threatening her.
The government further alleged that Hendrickson obtained John Doe’s email password, hacked into his account and sent nasty messages to his friends and threatening messages to herself. Henderson forwarded the alleged threatening messages to the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office and asked for protection from John Doe. Hendrickson also used John Doe’s email account to send threatening messages to two Sanders County commissioners and a receptionist. The subject of the messages was “Death,” and contained messages including, “Your (sic) going to die.”
The harassment continued, the government alleged, and in January 2019, Hendrickson hacked John Doe’s email address and sent a threat to Montana’s then-Gov. Steve Bullock. The message read, “You are the worst Governor for our state. Do us all a favor and leave. Maybe best if you were terminated permantly (sic). A gun, which I have many will do the job. Be aware of your surroundings.”
Investigators identified Hendrickson as the suspect, executed a search warrant at her residence and seized her cell phone. A forensic examination of the phone found evidence relevant to Hendrickson’s stalking of John Doe, including an app that allows users to place calls that appear to be from numbers other than the number assigned to the phone. John Doe and his friends received dozens of prank calls during 2018 from numbers they did not recognize. Investigators also suspected Hendrickson was using a burner cell phone to send menacing emails from John Doe’s account. Hendrickson used the burner phone to call the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Yakima, Washington, and the FBI office in Richland, Washington, within days of the search of her residence and seizure of her actual phone and asked when her phone might be returned.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Jamaican Man Convicted of Obstructing His DeportationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found an unidentified Jamaican man, who was charged as John Doe, guilty of three counts of obstructing his deportation. Doe faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison for each count. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 16, 2022. Doe had been indicted on October 24, 2019.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, Doe was first encountered by immigration authorities in January 1985 in Miami when he attempted to enter the United States from Jamaica by claiming to be a U.S. citizen named Freddie Davis. When authorities determined that he was not a U.S. citizen, he was allowed to voluntarily return to Jamaica. Doe attempted to enter the country again the next month in West Palm Beach, claiming to be a citizen of the Bahamas and using a fraudulent Bahamian passport in the name of Joseph Gordon. This ruse was discovered, and he was deported to Jamaica.
Sometime later, at an unknown place and time, Doe successfully entered the United States illegally and was encountered by immigration authorities in Dallas in September 1988, after serving a prison sentence. Doe said then that his name was Joseph Gordon and at first said that he was a U.S. citizen born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, but later said that he was a citizen of the Bahamas. An immigration judge subsequently ordered him to be deported to Jamaica, but he was not deported at that time.
In June 2018, after completing a prison sentence in Florida, Doe was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Miami, this time using the name Ricardo Jones, the name under which he was convicted. Because Doe’s true identity could not conclusively be determined, the Jamaican authorities told ICE they needed more information to verify that he was a Jamaican citizen. Over the next several months, ICE and Jamaican authorities attempted to determine Doe’s true identity but were unsuccessful. Doe repeatedly was warned that he could be prosecuted if he continued to obstruct his deportation.
On January 18, 2019, Doe was scheduled for an interview with the Jamaican consulate, but he refused to speak to them. When an ICE officer, asked him his name, he responded “Only God knows my name.” Later that month, Doe was transferred to ICE custody in Baker County. In March 2019, ICE again attempted to obtain a travel document to deport Doe to Jamaica. The Jamaican consulate once again informed ICE that it could not issue a travel document for Doe, because there was no conclusive evidence that Doe was a citizen of Jamaica.
On April 17, June 20, and July 23, 2019, ICE attempted to obtain Doe’s cooperation in identifying him, and Doe refused to cooperate. Doe also claimed that he needed an attorney to advise him.
In addition to the identities discussed above, Doe has also used the names Dave Davis, Patrick Melbourne, Frank Douglas, and Danny Brooks while he has been illegally present in the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Ithaca Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William L. Marshall, 40, of Ithaca, New York, pled guilty yesterday to possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun as a prior convicted felon, and possessing marihuana with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and Acting Chief of Police John Joly, City of Ithaca Police Department.
As part of his guilty plea yesterday, Marshall admitted that he possessed a loaded Lorcin .380 mm caliber semiautomatic handgun in his Ithaca residence when it was searched by Ithaca Police on August 18, 2021, pursuant to a search warrant. The handgun was reported stolen from Norfolk, Virginia in 2014. Marshall also admitted that he was a convicted felon, having been found guilty after trial in 2002 of the New York State felony of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree in Tompkins County Court, for which he was sentenced to serve eight (8) years in prison.
Marshall also pled guilty yesterday to possessing with intent to distribute over a pound of marihuana in his apartment when it was searched by Ithaca Police. As part of his guilty plea, Marshall also agreed to forfeit $37,064.00 in cash recovered during the search warrant as proceeds of drug selling.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 8, 2022, in Binghamton, New York, at which time Marshall faces a maximum sentence of up to 10-years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000.00 for his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. For his conviction for possession of a controlled substance (marihuana) with intent to distribute, Marshall faces a maximum sentence of up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and term of supervised release of at least 2 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.
This case is being investigated by City of Ithaca Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Inmate Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison and Second Inmate Pleads Guilty for Participation in a Racketeering Conspiracy at Maryland Correctional Institution JessupRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced inmate Todd Holloway, age 36, today to 50 months in federal prison, consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving, followed by three years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy charge related to his participation in a scheme to smuggle contraband into the Maryland Correctional Institution Jessup (MCIJ), including narcotics, unauthorized flash drives, tobacco, and cell phones into the prison.
Inmate Irving Hernandez, age 27, pleaded guilty to the same charge yesterday.
The sentence and guilty plea were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Robert L. Green, of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
According to court documents, MCIJ was a medium-security prison in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, that housed approximately 1,100 male inmates, with 262 custody staff or Correctional Officers (COs) and 52 non-custody staff, including case management, medical, and administrative staff.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Holloway conspired with individuals outside the facility who obtained and packaged contraband, including, Suboxone Strips, K2, and tobacco, met with employees, and managed the proceeds of contraband sales for Holloway. The contraband was brought into MCIJ by exterminator Ricky McNeely in exchange for bribe payments.
For example, at Holloway’s direction, McNeely met with a facilitator co-conspirator on June 10, 2017 to obtain a bribe payment and contraband, which McNeely subsequently brought into MCIJ and provided to Holloway. The following week, McNeely again met with a facilitator co-conspirator to obtain additional contraband and bribe payment. On June 19, 2017, McNeely brought Suboxone, K2, and tobacco, into MCIJ. While McNeely was in the library attempting to plant the contraband, a correctional officer saw McNeely dropping K2. A subsequent search revealed 215 Suboxone strips, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base, and K2, all of which was intended to be delivered to Holloway and other co-conspirators.
According to Hernandez’s plea agreement, he conspired with MCIJ Contract Nurse Joseph Nwancha, who brought contraband, including K2, pills, tobacco, and cell phones into the facility in exchange for bribe payments. On November 28, 2017, co-defendant Joseph Nwancha was stopped at MCIJ in possession of approximately 230 grams of K2 intended for MCIJ inmates. A cell phone recovered from Nwancha was subsequently searched and revealed numerous text message conversations between Hernandez and Nwancha discussing bribe payments and smuggling contraband into MCIJ. For example, on October 28, 2017, Nwancha agreed to bring K2 into MCIJ in exchange for $1,000. On October 30, 2017, Hernandez, through a co-conspirator, wired Nwancha a $700 bribe via Western Union. On November 3, 2017, Hernandez sent Nwancha a text message stating that he was going to “start sending a good amount [of contraband] every week.” Nwancha agreed to bring K2 and tobacco into the facility for Hernandez in exchange for $1,000 per week.
Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for racketeering conspiracy. Judge Xinis scheduled sentencing for Irving Hernandez on May 26, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
In addition to Holloway and Hernandez, 15 other defendants—six outside facilitators, five prison employees, and four inmates—have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy, including Ricky McNeely and Joseph Nwancha. Seven defendants are awaiting sentencing and three defendants are pending trial.
This case arose from the efforts of the Maryland Prison Task Force, coordinated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and comprised of local, state, and federal stakeholders that meet regularly to share information and generate recommendations to reform prison procedures and attack the gang problem that has plagued Maryland in recent years. The work of the Task Force previously resulted in the federal convictions of more than 78 defendants, including 16 correctional officers, at the Eastern Correctional Institution, and 40 defendants, including 24 correctional officers, at the Baltimore City Detention Center.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their work in the investigation. The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, whose staff initiated the MCIJ investigation and have been full partners in this investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney, who is prosecuting this 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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Individual Pleads Guilty to Acting Within the United States on Behalf of Russian GovernmentRead the Press Release
A Mexican national, who was residing in Singapore, pleaded guilty yesterday to acting within the United States on behalf of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General.
According to court documents, Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, 36, acted under the direction and control of an individual he believed to be a Russian government official. Instructed by this Russian official, Fuentes, a Mexican citizen who has spent significant time in Russia, arranged for an intermediary to lease a unit in a specific residential building in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where a specified U.S. person, who had previously provided information about the Russian government to the U.S. government, resided.
Furthermore, at the direction of the same Russian official, Fuentes traveled to Miami in February 2020 to obtain the license plate number and parking location of the specified U.S. person’s car, and to provide this information to the Russian official upon his next trip to Russia.
Fuentes’s travel companion, at his request, took a photo of the specified U.S. person’s car. A WhatsApp message from Fuentes’s travel companion to Fuentes contained a close-up photograph of the specified U.S. person’s car. The manner in which Fuentes communicated with the Russian government official and his undertakings in this case are consistent with the tactics of the Russian intelligence services for spotting, assessing, recruiting and handling intelligence assets and sources.
Fuentes had not notified the U.S. Attorney General, as required by law, that he was acting in the United States as an agent of the Russian government.
Fuentes is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, in Miami, and faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida, and Director of Field Operations Vernon T Foret of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and CBP are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Thakur for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Hustlas Don’t Sleep Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A former resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to ten years’ imprisonment and six years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Jason Jackson, age 28.
According to information presented to the court, Jackson pleaded guilty to knowingly participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. He was part of a drug trafficking organization who referred to themselves as "Hustlas Don’t Sleep” that sold a variety of illegal narcotics.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jackson.
Hunterdon County Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Hunterdon County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Daniel Murphy, 48, of Lebanon, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Jan. 1, 2017, to Nov. 20, 2019, Murphy downloaded and possessed more than 600 images depicting the sexual abuse of children from a peer-to-peer network on the internet.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Murphy to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $19,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Sulkowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
Homer Man Receives Federal Prison Sentence for Possession of the Feather of a Bald EagleRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Daniel Glenn Smith, 20, of Homer, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge Mark Hornsby to spend 30 days in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for the unlawful possession of a bald eagle feather.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries learned that Smith had been photographed with a dead bald eagle and began an investigation. Agents executed a search warrant on Smith’s vehicle and recovered a feather that belonged to the slaughtered bald eagle. When interviewed after the search, Smith admitted that he killed the bald eagle and then kept a feather from it.
“The American Bald Eagle is a symbol of our American freedom,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This defendant did not take this symbol seriously, nor the laws that prohibit anyone from killing or possessing even a feather of a bald eagle. These laws were created to protect our wildlife and we will continue to prosecute individuals who abuse those laws.”
Smith had previously been placed on probation and ordered not to possess a firearm for one year, as a result of hunting violations involving other wildlife.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten.
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Hilton Man Arrested, Charged with StalkingRead 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 David Guest, 24 of Hilton, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with stalking. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in 2019, Guest began to threaten and harass an acquaintance (Victim) through various social media accounts. Guest posted nude photographs of the Victim to various pornography websites using the Victim’s full name. Guest also sent the nude photographs to among others, the Victim’s family members, colleagues, former classmates, and friends. In addition, Guest used fake online accounts in an attempt to get the Victim to produce additional sexually explicit content. As a result of Guest’s conduct, the Victim has continued to receive unwanted communications from other individuals who received the photographs, causing the Victim extreme emotional distress.
Guest made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held pending a detention hearing on February 18, 2022.The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Helena woman sentenced to more than five years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine from Las Vegas into MontanaRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena woman who admitted to helping to bring pounds of methamphetamine from Las Vegas, Nevada, into Montana for distribution was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Rhonda Jeanette Lapier, also known as Rhonda Trench, 49, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that in May, an investigation in Great Falls led to Lapier’s residence, where she and a co-defendant were suspected of trafficking meth together. Officers ultimately stopped a vehicle being driven by the co-defendant and found about 3.6 pounds of meth in the trunk. Officers also obtained a warrant to search Lapier’s residence and located about three pounds of meth and $6,132 in a bedroom where Lapier had been staying with another person. Officers learned that several people, including Lapier, had gone to Las Vegas to pick up meth, had returned with six pounds and had dropped some of it off at Lapier’s residence. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of 21,744 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force, the Missouri River Drug Task Force, FBI, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
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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Haines City Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Machinegun PartsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway has sentenced Marc Anthony Hayes (48, Haines City) to three years in federal prison for possessing 3D printed auto sear devices. Hayes had pleaded guilty on November 3, 2021.
According to court documents, between January 12 and 30, 2021, Hayes engaged in the unlawful possession and sale of seven auto sear devices (a device used to convert a semi-automatic firearm to fully automatic firing mode). Hayes coordinated the sales through Facebook instant messages.
A firearms expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive’s (ATF) Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division (FATD) forensically analyzed the auto sears and found that the devices were 3D printed, meaning the devices had been manufactured using a 3D printing device. The ATF FATD expert also tested the functionality of the auto sears by installing each device into a semiautomatic AR-15 type rifle. When installed, the device caused the rifle to function as an automatic machinegun. Thus, the auto sears were found to be parts designed and intended solely and exclusively for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun.
On June 30, 2021, ATF special agents executed a search warrant at Hayes’s residence and seized two auto sears, a silencer, and a short-barreled rifle. The auto sears were test-fired and found to function as machineguns. ATF also examined the silencer and short-barreled rifle, which were found to meet the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFA) registration guidelines. Hayes was found to be in violation of NFA registration requirements.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Grosse Pointe Park Man Sentenced for Scheme to Defraud and Steal Funds from Religious CharityRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Grosse Pointe Park resident was sentenced today to one year in prison and six months at a halfway house on wire fraud charges in connection with obtaining by fraud, embezzling, and stealing the funds of the Holy Cross organization, a large charitable organization based in Clinton, Michigan, that receives federal funds, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement was Acting Special Agent in Charge Joshua Hauxhurst, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Sentenced was John R. Lynch, 57. In sentencing Lynch, United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman also ordered Lynch to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution in the amount of $247,867.75.
According to court records, in March 2012 Lynch became the CFO of the Holy Cross organization, and in January 2015 he became its CEO. Holy Cross was established in 1948 when Boysville of Michigan was incorporated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit. Boysville of Michigan later became Holy Cross Children’s Services, which is now known as Holy Cross Services. The Holy Cross organization provides welfare services to disadvantaged children and adolescents, behavioral health services to adolescents and adults, and a number of support services to the homeless. Holy Cross services are provided mostly to individuals in Southeast and Mid-Michigan. The Holy Cross organization also includes the Samaritan Center, a large community resource center that provides healthcare, employment services, and other forms of support to residents of Detroit’s east side.
At the time of his plea, Lynch admitted that when he was Holy Cross’s CEO, he used Holy Cross funds to pay for repairs to his own cars, install a new roof on his house, pay down his personal mortgage balance, and make payments on a personal American Express account. Lynch also used Holy Cross funds to pay his own consulting company, JKL Consulting, and to pay another company hired to provide security services at the Samaritan Center, First Nation Security, a company ostensibly controlled by a relative but actually controlled by him. Lynch attempted to justify some of these payments with bogus invoices. In addition, Lynch used his corporate Holy Cross American Express card to pay for goods and services of a personal nature, such as lodging at resorts, dining at restaurants, travel, and purchases at apparel and department stores.
Altogether, Lynch embezzled approximately $248,000 of Holy Cross’s funds. Moreover, apart from that, he violated Holy Cross’s conflict-of-interest policy by steering Holy Cross business to companies that he and/or close relatives controlled.
Holy Cross received federal funds under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. It also received federal funds under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which pays for foster care and provides adoption assistance and guardianship assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hiyama. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.