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Wednesday 16 February 2022
Grand jury indicts St. Louis woman linked to fentanyl overdose investigationRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On February 16, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Chuny Ann Reed, age 46, for distribution of crack cocaine (cocaine base) and fentanyl, and distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to another person. These charges were a result of an investigation that began after a series of fatal overdoses that occurred at 4451 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri on February 5, 2022. A federal criminal complaint was filed in this matter on February 8, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on February 5, 2022, law enforcement was notified about a series of suspected fentanyl related overdoses that occurred at 4451 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, located within the Eastern District of Missouri. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators responded to assist the SLMPD with the investigation. It was determined at least nine victims suffered fentanyl overdoses at 4451 Forest Park Avenue on the day in question. On February 7, 2022, a federal search warrant was executed at the residence of Reed, where she was located and subsequently arrested.
The offense of distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to another person is punishable by imprisonment of not less than twenty years. This investigation remains ongoing.
Charges set forth are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Georgia Man Sentenced in Bank Fraud Scheme that Exploited Homeless Rhode IslandersRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Georgia man convicted for his role in a scheme in which Providence area homeless and transient individuals were recruited to cash hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit business checks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine, in exchange for cash payments, was sentenced today to 41 months in federal prison.
Michael Williams, 26, of Atlanta, GA, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2021, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
“This defendant’s actions in this case resulted in substantial losses, but equally if not more importantly, his actions managed to victimize some of society’s most vulnerable in an effort to line his pockets, recruiting them to take the risk for his benefit,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “Today’s sentence appropriately reflects the harm this defendant’s scheme caused, both financially and to individuals.”
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, from October 2018 through February 2021, numerous homeless individuals were arrested at banks throughout the region when they attempted to cash counterfeit business checks. When questioned, many reported similar stories, stating they were approached by one or more males in Providence and offered the opportunity to cash bogus checks in return for cash payments. Williams was one of the men who approached these homeless individuals. Once an individual agreed to cash a check, Williams and others created a counterfeit check made payable to that person, generally in the amount of $2,000 or more, and then drove him or her to a bank to cash it. Individuals were often paid approximately $100 per check that they successfully cashed.
According to court documents, on February 5, 2021, Williams and another person recruited and drove a homeless person to a Providence bank to cash a check, and threatened to injure the man if he failed to provide them with all the proceeds. From inside the bank, the man pointed to a vehicle parked outside of the bank containing the individuals who provided him with the counterfeit check. Providence Police located the vehicle a short distance away, arrested Williams, and seized $12,000 in cash.
A court-authorized search was conducted at a Providence residence that law enforcement determined Williams used when in Rhode Island; that search resulted in the seizure of items used to create counterfeit checks; including a computer which contained a program used to design and print checks, a printer, blank check stock, an envelope containing numerous stolen checks, and approximately $5,000 in cash.
The investigation determined that using homeless and itinerant individuals, Williams and others attempted to cash approximately $677,687 worth of counterfeit checks throughout the New England region, causing actual losses to financial institutions of approximately $480,000.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Michael Williams was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release. Williams was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $480,000.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Providence and Medway, MA, Police Departments for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Gainesville Man Convicted for Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Yesterday afternoon, a federal jury in Gainesville convicted Octavius Durdley, 43, of Gainesville, for one count of failing to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The conviction, which followed a 1-day trial that began on Tuesday, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Convicted sex offenders are legally required to comply with registration requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Ensuring the safety of our communities is a top priority. The aggressive prosecution of sex offenders who fail or refuse to adhere to registration requirements is essential to that task.”
Durdley was originally convicted and sentenced in 2010 of a federal sex offense which required him to comply with both state and federal registration requirements. Upon his release in May 2019, he initially complied with SORNA’s registration requirements. However, in October 2019, he announced his intention not to comply with any supervision or registration requirements. In December 2019, he was found to have violated his federal supervision and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment. Following his release from prison in January 2021, he again failed to comply with his supervision or registration requirements until he was arrested in April 2021.
United States Marshal Don Ladner remarked, “The U.S. Marshals are committed to ensuring that sex offenders follow all federal registration requirements. If these offenders fail to do so and break the law, we will fully investigate and prosecute their violations.”
Durdley’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 19, 2022, at 4:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before the Honorable United States District Judge Allen Winsor. Durdley faces up to ten years imprisonment, lifetime supervision, and a $75,000.00 fine.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs. In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the United States Marshal’s Service. Assistant United States Attorney F.T. Williams prosecuted this case.
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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Four Men Indicted on Federal Firearm Offenses for Allegedly Trafficking Guns from St. Louis to ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted four men on firearm offenses for allegedly trafficking guns from St. Louis to Chicago.
A superseding indictment returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges JEROME BOYKIN, 31, of St. Louis, Mo., ROBERT NARUP, 71, of Washington, Mo., RODOLFO ORTEGA, 26, of Chicago, and ROGELIO MANCERA, 26, of Schaumburg, Ill., with willfully dealing firearms without a license. The indictment charges Boykin and Mancera with possessing multiple firearms while trafficking marijuana in the Chicago area, and it charges Ortega with illegally possessing two firearms as a previously convicted felon.
Arraignments are set for Feb. 23, 2022, at 11:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle.
The superseding indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco represents the government.
ATF investigated the case alongside CPD’s Gun Investigations Team. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri, and the St. Louis Field Office of ATF’s Kansas City, Mo., Field Division.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF, CPD, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
“Firearms traffickers enable unlawful possession of guns and the violence that may follow,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in Chicago and across the country to bring impactful cases that hold firearms traffickers accountable and reduce violent crime in Chicago.”
“This case is an excellent example of how partnership and coordination among the Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF addresses the root causes of gun trafficking,” said ATF SAC de Tineo. “We will continue to focus on these investigations that have an impact on the gun violence in our community.”
According to criminal complaints previously filed in the case, Narup purchased firearms at gun shows throughout the United States and illegally sold them to Boykin in St. Louis. Boykin allegedly brought the guns to Chicago and sold them to Mancera in exchange for marijuana. Mancera then allegedly re-sold the guns to Ortega, who in turn allegedly sold them to buyers on the streets of Chicago.
The charges allege that 23 guns were possessed by Boykin and four guns were possessed by Mancera while they trafficked the marijuana.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dealing firearms without a license is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Possessing a firearm while trafficking marijuana is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of life. The illegal firearm possession charge against Ortega is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Former Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Department of Labor of $732,000 in Disability PaymentsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that George Utley (56, Oklahoma City, OK) has pleaded guilty to receiving stolen government property (Department of Labor disability benefit payments). Utley faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He has also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of $732,459.46, representing the value of the stolen funds. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Utley is a former mail handler for the United States Postal Service (USPS). In January 2009, Utley falsely claimed a job-related back injury to receive workers’ compensation disability benefits through the Department of Labor - Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP). The monthly payments ranged from approximately $2,600 (2011) to upwards of $3,300 (2019). These payments were the product of theft because Utley failed to truthfully report his prior accidents/injuries, his other sources of income and employment, and any improvements to his purported injury.
An investigation by the USPS – Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that Utley had falsely testified in a 2011 DOL deposition that he had never suffered a previous back injury or been in an automobile accident. Despite Utley’s allegations of tremendous, debilitating back pain, he had only received $14 worth of prescription pain medication during the 10-year benefit period. Utley also failed to report his other sources of income and employment—he had incorporated and operated a rubbish removal business for many years and had received monthly government housing assistance payments of $1,412 as the landlord for a property in Pennsylvania. Recorded video surveillance captured Utley doing yard work at his Florida home, repeatedly lifting and carrying heavy items, working on a racecar, and hitching a flatbed car carrier, box trailer, and fifth-wheel RV to his truck. A search of Utley’s email account and Facebook postings revealed photographs of Utley’s vacations (Key West and the Grand Canyon) and extensive physical activity (weightlifting, bicycling, deep-sea fishing, etc.). Utley’s fraudulent activity resulted in him receiving $732,459.46 in disability benefit payments to which he was not entitled.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith Sentenced to Prison for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith, 53, of Macomb Township, was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, announced United States Attorney Dawn Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Joshua Hauxhurst, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Smith pleaded guilty on January 27, 2021, before United States District Judge Linda V. Parker, to obstructing justice by attempting to get a friend and two of his assistant county prosecutors to make false statements to federal law enforcement officers and a federal grand jury in a federal criminal investigation of Smith’s own criminal conduct.
Smith’s obstruction of justice related to an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that revealed that between 2012 and 2020, Smith conducted two fraud schemes to steal approximately $75,000 in cash from his political campaign fund to use for personal expenses. When he became aware of a federal grand jury investigation in 2019, Smith pressured three witnesses to lie and commit perjury on his behalf to federal authorities and a federal grand jury.
Smith admitted that he had stolen over $74,000 from his campaign fund through two different fraud schemes. In one scheme, Smith falsely claimed that he was using campaign funds to pay rent on office space for his re-election efforts. In truth, however, Smith never used the office space, but instead wrote dozens of fraudulent checks to a friend worth over $50,000. The friend then kicked back cash from all of the cashed checks to Smith to use for his personal expenses. In a second fraud scheme, Smith wrote a check for $20,000 from the campaign fund to an assistant Macomb County prosecutor, ostensibly for “consulting” work on the campaign. However, the assistant prosecutor then cashed the check and surreptitiously provided $15,000 in cash to Smith for Smith’s personal expenses.
Smith has agreed to forfeit the $69,950 in fraud proceeds that he personally received from his scheme to steal from his campaign account.
US Attorney Ison stated, “Today, Former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith was sentenced to prison for violating his oath of office and betraying the trust that the Macomb County voters placed in him. Smith used his position to steal money, and then used his authority to ask witnesses to lie to federal investigators and to a federal grand jury. As an elected prosecutor, his conduct strikes at the very core of our justice system. Today’s sentence proves that our justice system works and that no one, not even a county’s chief law enforcement officer is above the law.”
“Eric Smith began his career by taking an oath to uphold the law. Sadly, Smith ended that career by encouraging others to break the law,” said Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Today’s sentence is proof that his attempt to shield himself from the consequences of his criminal activities failed because of the determination of FBI and the US Attorney’s Office to hold accountable public officials who engage in criminal and corrupt behavior.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.
Former Defense Contractor Executive Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
An Ashland, Oregon, employee of a defense contractor pleaded guilty today to tax evasion.
According to court documents, Charles D. Squires was the director of operations for a U.S. Department of Defense contracting company, eventually serving as its chief executive officer for part of the year in 2015. From 2010 through 2019, Squires did not report on his individual income tax returns all of the compensation he earned from the defense contracting firm. In total, Squires did not report to the IRS more than $1.8 million in compensation he earned during this period, causing a tax loss to the government of approximately $666,080.
Squires is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are conducting the investigation.
Assistance was provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.
Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sarah Ranney of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Goemaat of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Former Defense Contractor Executive Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Ashland, Oregon, employee of a defense contractor pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to tax evasion.
According to court documents, Charles D. Squires was the director of operations for a U.S. Department of Defense contracting company, eventually serving as its chief executive officer for part of the year in 2015. From 2010 through 2019, Squires did not report on his individual income tax returns all of the compensation he earned from the defense contracting firm. In total, Squires did not report to the IRS more than $1.8 million in compensation he earned during this period, causing a tax loss to the government of approximately $666,080.
Squires is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are conducting the investigation.
Assistance was provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.
Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sarah Ranney of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Goemaat of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Eleven Individuals Involved in Osceola County Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judges Paul G. Byron and Carlos E. Mendoza have sentenced 11 members of an Osceola County-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) to federal prison sentences ranging between 15 and 300 months for a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin. One individual was also sentenced for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. These 11 individuals were charged in 5 separate indictments and informations beginning in August 2019 and culminating in an indictment charging 7 members of the conspiracy in February 2020. The charges and sentences are as follows:
Defendant
Charge(s)
Prison Term
Roberto Nunez-Cebrero
(42, Kissimmee)
Conspiracy
25 years
Yenitza Garcia-Cosme
(27, St. Cloud)
Conspiracy
7 years, 3 months
Michael Agosto-Martinez
(33, Kissimmee)
Conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
11 years, 3 months
Eric Velazquez-Cosme
(36, Ohio)
Conspiracy
2 years, 9 months
Timothy Smith
(50, Illinois)
Conspiracy
7 years, 3 months
Jorge Alberto Quijada-Moreno
(31, Mexico)
Conspiracy
9 years, 1 month
Jose Robles-Roque
(40, Orlando)
Conspiracy
3 years, 10 months
Antonio E. Moya
(68, Illinois)
Conspiracy
3 years, 5 months
Luis Vazquez-Trujillo
(33, Illinois)
Conspiracy
10 years
Jose Antonio Cruz-Garcia
(43, Honduras)
Conspiracy
1 year, 3 months
Roberto Oduardo-Suarez
(39, North Carolina)
Conspiracy
10 years
Beginning in November 2017, a law enforcement investigation learned information about when shipments of heroin would be delivered from Mexico to Chicago and from Chicago to Osceola County by the DTO, which was led by Roberto Nunez-Cebrero. In addition, law enforcement learned when money would be paid by conspirators in Chicago and oftentimes transported to Osceola County. Based on their investigation, law enforcement seized more than 10 kilograms of heroin while it was en route to Osceola County from either Chicago or directly from Mexico, by Antonio E. Moya, Luis Vazquez-Trujillo, Jose Antonio Cruz-Garcia, and Roberto Oduardo-Suarez. Once the heroin was in the Middle District of Florida, Yenitza Garcia-Cosme, Michael Agosto-Martinez, Erik Velazquez-Cosme, Jorge Alberto Quijada-Moreno, and Jose Robles-Roque distributed the heroin to others. Michael Agosto-Martinez and Yenitza Garcia-Cosme also traveled to Chicago to pick-up money and transport heroin back to the Middle District of Florida. Timothy Smith was a Chicago-based drug trafficker who received his heroin from this drug trafficking organization. In total, from January 2012 through August 2019, this DTO was responsible for more than 100 kilograms of heroin coming into the Middle District of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
Eight Defendants Charged in Manhattan Federal Court for Distributing Fentanyl Linked to Multiple Overdose Deaths in the BronxRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Timothy Foley, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division (“DEA”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment today charging JESUS CABRERA, a/k/a “Gee,” MICHAEL AMAYA, a/k/a “Miz,” and ALBERTO CONCEPCION, a/k/a “Chino,” with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that resulted in the August 25, 2021, death of Malik Rahman in the Bronx, New York. HUMBERTO BORGES, a/k/a “Berto,” FRANKIE CAPELLAN, a/k/a “Nitty,” WILLIE HARRIS, a/k/a “Light,” LUIS RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Flaco Construction,” a/k/a “Lou,” and JOSE FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Chelo,” were also charged in the Superseding Indictment as members of the conspiracy. CABRERA, CONCEPCION, and BORGES were arrested today in the Bronx, FIGUEROA was arrested today in Brooklyn, and RAMIREZ was arrested today in West New York, New Jersey. AMAYA, who was charged in the original Indictment, was already in federal custody. CAPELLAN and HARRIS remain at large. The defendants who were arrested today will likely be presented this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants operated a network for the distribution of highly addictive and dangerous drugs. Despite knowing about the deadly effects of fentanyl, Cabrera and his crew continued to sell countless doses throughout the Bronx. As alleged, glassines stamped with the defendants’ logo were found at the scene of multiple overdoses over the past year. Today’s arrests are part of our continued commitment, along with our law enforcement partners, to stop the flow of fentanyl onto the streets of New York City and to bring to justice the dealers and suppliers who push this poison.”
DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy Foley said: “Zeroing in on drug trafficking organizations responsible for fueling the increasing overdose death rates is our focus. This action marks the first arrests in New York under DEA's newly announced Operation Overdrive, which targets drug-related violence and overdose deaths across the United States. Allegedly, Jesus Cabrera and his criminal network built a foothold for drug distribution in the Bronx adding fentanyl to their fire and branded their drugs for distribution throughout the Bronx with labels like ‘Supreme,’ ‘Off-White,’ and ‘Thriller,’ to not only highlight the potency of their drugs, but to appeal to users. DEA will continue our important work with our law enforcement partners to remove these dangerous criminals from our streets and restore the safety and health of our communities.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “When you allegedly brazenly peddle illegal narcotics that threaten the lives of innocent New Yorkers, the collective vigor of our law enforcement assets will find you and stop you — no matter who you are, where you operate, or who your illicit operations harm. This is critically important work and I praise our partners, and the leadership of the prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, for working together to achieve some measure of justice for the many victims affected in this case.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and in other court papers and proceedings[1]:
CABRERA, AMAYA, CONCEPCION, BORGES, CAPELLAN, HARRIS, RAMIREZ, and FIGUEROA are members of a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) that operates principally from a block on 142nd Street between Brook Avenue and St. Ann’s Avenue in the Bronx (the “Set”), where its members sell glassines of fentanyl in bulk to dealers who then re-distribute the DTO’s product on the Set and in other areas of the Bronx. Members of the DTO also sell individual glassines to users who line up on the Set on an almost daily basis. CABRERA is the leader of the DTO, and, until recently, AMAYA managed and oversaw the DTO’s various street-level dealers, baggers, and lookouts, including the other charged defendants. In the fall and winter of 2021 alone, the DTO distributed an estimated five to six kilograms of fentanyl per month.
The DTO has frequently used a signature “stamp” on the glassines of fentanyl it sells. For many months, the DTO stamped its glassines with a “Supreme” logo. Starting in or around December 2021, the DTO began using an “Off White” logo, and, recently, the DTO switched to a “Thriller” logo.
Despite the DTO’s leadership’s awareness of the potential deadly impact of fentanyl, members of the DTO continued pushing the DTO’s product. Indeed, as early as on or about January 2019, CABRERA sent AMAYA a link to a news article that described law enforcement’s crackdown on heroin dealers in the Bronx who were “pushing a deadly cut of heroin . . . using a new drug known as fentanyl,” which had led to a rash overdose deaths.
On or about August 25, 2021, CONCEPCION sold a quantity of loose “Supreme”-stamped glassines to an individual on the Set (“Individual-1”), who subsequently provided one of those glassines to Rahman. Rahman died from an overdose shortly after ingesting the substances in the “Supreme”-stamped glassine, the residue of which later tested positive for, among other things, fentanyl. Both CABRERA and AMAYA were directly involved in overseeing CONCEPCION’s narcotics sales at that time. Indeed, in the days leading up to Rahman’s fatal overdose, AMAYA and CABRERA exchanged text messages referencing certain quantities of narcotics that were going to CONCEPCION for resale on the Set.
Including Rahman’s fatal overdose, between in or around March 2021 and in or around December 2021, there were at least six confirmed fatal overdoses in the Bronx at which “Supreme”-stamped glassines were found on the scene and two additional suspected overdose deaths at which the “Supreme”-stamped glassines were found on the scene. In or around January 2022, there was a ninth fatal suspected overdose in the Bronx at which a “Thriller”-stamped glassine was found on the scene.
During the course of this morning’s arrests and pursuant to judicially authorized search warrants and consent searches, law enforcement recovered, among other items, approximately 1.5 kilograms of mixtures and substances containing suspected fentanyl, numerous “Thriller” glassines, ledgers reflecting the DTO’s weekly drug inventory, a firearm, and over $120,000 in cash.
* * *
JESUS CABRERA, a/k/a “Gee,” 42, MICHAEL AMAYA, a/k/a “Miz,” 40, ALBERTO CONCEPCION, a/k/a “Chino,” 50, HUMBERTO BORGES, a/k/a “Berto,” 45, FRANKIE CAPELLAN, a/k/a “Nitty,” 40, WILLIE HARRIS, a/k/a “Light,” 52, LUIS RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Flaco Construction,” a/k/a “Lou,” 36, and JOSE FIGUEROA, a/k/a “Chelo, 57, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. CABRERA, AMAYA, and CONCEPCION are also charged with causing the deaths of a victim in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and DEA, and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) Intelligence Analysts for their support and assistance in this matter. He also thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Robles and Kaylan E. Lasky are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Superseding Indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and other court papers and proceedings, and the description of the Superseding Indictment Superseding Indictment and other court papers and proceedings set forth herein, constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Doctor Pleads Guilty to Accepting Illegal Kickback Payment in Return for Writing Prescriptions for Compounded DrugsRead the Press Release
A doctor licensed in the states of Oklahoma and Texas pleaded guilty Wednesday for writing and referring compounded drug prescriptions in return for illegal kickback payments, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jerry May Keepers, 68, of Kingwood, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of soliciting and receiving heath care kickback. Keepers violated the federal anti-kickback statute when he accepted the illegal payment.
If the plea agreement is accepted by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan, Keepers will serve 36 months of supervised probation and pay no more than $1,518,180.46 in restitution. Judge Eagan will sentence Keepers on May 10, 2022.
In the plea agreement, Keepers admitted that OK Compounding solicited him to write prescriptions for his patients that would be filled by the pharmacy. OK Compounding was a pharmacy controlled by Christopher Parks and Dr. Gary Lee, who are also defendants in the case.
Specifically, on January 22, 2014, Keepers knowingly received $25,000 from representatives of OK Compounding. The purpose of the payment was to induce Keepers to refer prescriptions for expensive compounded drugs to the pharmacy. The compounded medications were filled, and claims were filed by the pharmacy. Those medications were in turn paid for by federal healthcare programs, including TRICARE, Medicare, CHAMPVA, and the Federal Employees Compensation Act Program.
According to the superseding indictment filed in the case, kickback payments were disguised through various sham business arrangements, including contracts where several physicians purported to serve as “medical directors” or “consulting physicians” for the pharmacy. Keepers and OK Compounding represented that Keepers had been paid for his services as a national spokesperson, medical director or national marketing director.
It is illegal to pay or receive “kickbacks” in conjunction with federal health care insurance. Prohibitions against kickbacks are crucial to ensure that financial motives do not undermine the medical judgment of physicians and other health care providers.
Keepers ran a pain clinic practice in the cities of Friendswood, Beaumont and Humble, Texas, and established a clinic in Tulsa in November 2012.
The Department of Labor- Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Service- OIG, Department of Veterans Affairs- OIG, FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services-OIG, and Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Noble Nelson and Richard M. Cella are prosecuting the cases.
Court Permanently Shuts Down Chicago Tax PreparerRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Northern District of Illinois has permanently enjoined a Chicago, Illinois, tax return preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning, operating or franchising any tax return preparation business in the future.
According to the court’s order, Melissa Gasca, individually and doing business as Su Familia Income Tax, as well as related tax preparation business FinancialPlus Services Inc., consented to entry of the injunction. The terms of the order require that Gasca and FinancialPlus Services Inc. send notice of the injunction to multiple individuals. The order permits the United States to conduct discovery against Gasca going forward to monitor her compliance with the terms of the injunction.
The complaint alleges that Gasca prepared tax returns which significantly understated the customers’ tax liabilities by falsely reporting inflated Form W-2 federal income tax withholdings. The complaint further alleges that this fraudulent activity resulted in a loss to the Treasury of more than $5 million.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2022.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Colville Tribal Member Sentenced to 71 Months for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – U.S. District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr., sentenced James H. Gallaher, 63, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, to 71 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Gallaher pleaded guilty to an indictment on October 12, 2021.
According to court documents, on June 28, 2021, a security officer at the Chief Joseph Dam saw Gallaher carry what appeared to be a pistol and AR style rifle from his camper to a white Honda sedan. The security officer, who knew Gallaher was not permitted to possess firearms, obtained surveillance video of Gallaher carrying the firearms and reported the offense to the Colville Tribal Police. The next morning, officers with the Colville Tribal Police traveled to Chief Joseph Dam, where they saw two firearms through the window of the white Honda. Gallaher’s camper was parked next to the Honda. Tribal Police approached the camper and arrested Gallaher without incident.
After Gallaher’s arrest, Tribal Police and ATF agents executed a search warrant for the Honda sedan and Gallaher’s camper. Officers recovered four firearms – two inside the Honda and two inside the camper, along with more than 100 rounds of ammunition. At the time, Gallaher had sustained four prior federal convictions, including Manslaughter, Abusive Sexual Contact, Theft of Government Property, and Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
In announcing the 71-month sentence, Judge Mendoza emphasized Gallaher’s violent history, which had “spanned four decades.” Judge Mendoza also rejected Gallaher’s explanation that he obtained the firearms for sentimental reasons, noting that Gallaher knew he was not permitted to have firearms because of his similar prior conviction for being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition. The 71-month sentence reflected an upward variance from Gallaher’s advisory sentencing guideline range of 33-41 months of incarceration.
United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref lauded the significant sentence and commended the joint efforts of law enforcement. She also emphasized the need to keep Eastern Washington safe and strong. “It is alarming that Mr. Gallaher, notwithstanding his lengthy criminal history, brazenly carried multiple firearms in such a public area. Because of the cooperative efforts of federal, Tribal, and local officers, an individual with prior convictions for homicide and sexual abuse – who was able to obtain multiple firearms after numerous felony convictions – is again off the streets.”
“As a multi-convicted federal felon, Mr. Gallaher’s actions were clearly in blatant disregard for both the law and the safety of the community,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “This sentence will hopefully send a clear message to Mr. Gallaher and anyone who attempts to possess firearms as a felon that we will do everything we can to stop this illegal conduct.”
Colville Tribal Police, ATF, and security personnel for Chief Joseph Dam investigated this case, which were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Barker and Patrick J. Cashman.
Columbia, Maryland Drug Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Heroin and Meth Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Scott Gregory Screen, age 56, of Columbia, Maryland to eight years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; Chief Lisa D. Myers of the Howard County Police Department and Colonel Kevin Anderson of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.
According to his plea agreement, from May 2020 to February 23, 2021, Screen conspired with others to distribute heroin and possess with intent to distribute those drugs in Maryland and elsewhere.
As stated in his plea agreement, on February 8, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants in multiple locations including Screen’s Columbia, Maryland apartment. As a result of the search warrants, investigators located multiple bags of narcotics including 900 grams of a fentanyl methamphetamine mixture, 499 grams of a heroin and methamphetamine mixture, $18,000 in cash, and at least eight digital scales.
Investigators later located Screen in Georgia where he was arrested on February 23, 2021. Prior to his arrest, Screen dropped a vehicle at a car dealership and told the employees that he was preparing to leave the area for a long time. Additionally, after he heard of the raid on his apartment, Screen contacted the management company of his apartment complex and informed them that he was not returning and that his belongings should be thrown away.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the DEA, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary B. Stendig, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile.
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Citrus County Man Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Dean Dumont (23, Inverness) with possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm (machinegun). If convicted, Dumont faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Dumont was indicted on December 7, 2021. He was arrested on February 14, 2022.
According to the facts presented in court, in November 2021, Dumont unwittingly reached out to a law enforcement confidential informant and offered to sell the informant a fully automatic, Glock-style handgun for $900. At that time, Dumont was on state felony supervision for an unrelated matter. Dumont sent the informant text messages and video files confirming that the firearm was a machinegun. The informant subsequently purchased the machinegun from Dumont. Law enforcement testing verified that the firearm discharged more than one round of ammunition from a single pull of the trigger. A record check confirmed that this machinegun was not registered to Dumont in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. Investigators also determined that the firearm sold by Dumont was a “ghost gun”—it had had no manufacturer serial number.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Chillum Drug Dealer Caught with Two Kilograms in Cocaine Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Ludin Alfredo Ipina-Ipina, age 33, of Chillum, Maryland, today to 66 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute over two kilograms of cocaine.
The sentence 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; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to his plea agreement, from July 2020 to November 2020, Ipina sold cocaine to co-conspirators on three instances. Specifically, in July 2020, Ipina sold 21.7 grams of cocaine to a co-conspirator for $1,600; in August 2020, Ipina sold 55.7 grams of cocaine to a co-conspirator for $3,600; and in September 2020, Ipina sold 167.8 grams of cocaine to a co-conspirator for $10,000.
On November 12, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at Ipina’s residences. At his Chillum, Maryland residence, law enforcement recovered approximately 2,406.2 grams of cocaine, digital scales, baggies, and shrink wrap with cocaine residue. In addition to the cocaine and drug paraphernalia, law enforcement also recovered five-kilogram wrappings with cocaine residue and $118,453 in cash. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement also recovered $1,021 from Ipina’s person. In an interview with law enforcement, Ipina admitted that the cocaine recovered by law enforcement was his and claimed that he was holding the two kilograms of cocaine for another individual. Ipina also informed authorities that he intended to use the $119,474 in recovered cash to purchase 10 kilograms of cocaine from a drug supplier in Texas.
As stated in his plea agreement, Ipina distributed 167.8 grams of cocaine, possessed 2,405.2 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and attempted to purchase 10 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute that cocaine to drug users and distributors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajeev R. Raghavan, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Rioting ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge accusing him of inciting rioting involving multiple incidents of property damage and looting in the city in the summer of 2020.
JAMES MASSEY, 23, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of inciting a riot, and participating in and carrying on a riot. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for May 10, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri L. Wong.
“Anyone involved in destructive behavior in Chicago – such as rioting – should expect to be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our office will continue to work with the FBI, CPD, and our other law enforcement partners to prosecute rioters and others engaged in violent crime.”
“Inciting riots and other unlawful activity is both irresponsible and reckless, and the FBI will continue to work tirelessly with police and prosecutorial partners to ensure public safety is not compromised,” said FBI SAC Buie.
Massey admitted in a plea agreement that on Aug. 9, 2020, he posted multiple videos and messages on Facebook calling for people to travel to downtown Chicago to engage in property damage and looting. In one of the videos, Massey stated, “Y’all ready? I sent everybody the location to link up at bro. I trying to get something. I need to hit a couple stores.” In another video, Massey stated, “Fitting to go [expletive] them up. I ain’t missing out. I am ready to steal.”
Massey admitted in the plea agreement that he and at least three other individuals damaged four stores in the downtown or Near North Side areas of Chicago.
Central Florida Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of CocaineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway has sentenced Carlo Dorelli (36, O’Brien) to 10 years in federal prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it. Dorelli had pleaded guilty on August 16, 2021.
According to court documents, on January 16, 2021, deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) executed a search warrant at Dorelli’s residence and seized 990 grams of cocaine that was concealed by snake bedding inside of a glass tank in the living room. The deputies also seized firearms and ammunition. At the time of his arrest, Dorelli, a felon on probationary status, admitted that he had purchased the “brick” of cocaine for $39,000, and intended to sell it for an $8,000 profit.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera.
Central Coast Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Causing Fatal Car Accident Near Vandenberg Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Barbara County man was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for crashing a stolen Jeep near Vandenberg Air Force Base while under the influence of drugs, killing one motorist and severely injuring another.
Michael James Culligan, 30, of Lompoc, was sentenced by United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. after pleading guilty in September to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
On June 16, 2020, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Culligan drove a stolen 2019 Jeep Wrangler on Vandenberg Air Force Base property. After veering onto the right shoulder, Culligan’s car swerved into the oncoming lane of traffic and collided head-on with a blue Lexus sedan, killing its driver and seriously injuring its passenger. Following the traffic collision, Culligan climbed out of the Jeep Wrangler’s sunroof and fled the scene. Law enforcement later found him hiding in a drainpipe.
Culligan was under the influence of illegal narcotics at the time of the accident, according to court documents. During his post-arrest interview, Culligan admitted using drugs before operating the vehicle, crashing the Jeep into another car and fleeing the scene of the accident.
Culligan has been in federal custody since June 2020.
“The severity and tragedy of [Culligan’s] conduct cannot be overstated,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “His disregard for the safety of the community was staggering. Driving a stolen car while drunk and high is the very epitome of recklessness and, sadly, [Culligan’s] conduct had consequences.”
The United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations investigated this matter. The California Highway Patrol and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Center Ossipee Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kyle Amaral, 29, of Center Ossipee, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2021, investigators identified a series of chats involving images and videos of child sexual abuse that were posted by Amaral over a social networking platform. Evidence obtained through the execution of search warrants at his residence and the social networking platform confirmed that Amaral created images and videos of child sexual abuse at his residence, which he later distributed to other individuals over the social networking platform.
Amaral is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2022.
“Sexual exploitation of children is a horrific crime,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “By sexually abusing minors and distributing videos of these terrible acts, this defendant stole the innocence of his victims and caused immeasurable harm. To protect the safety of our community’s children, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who victimize young people in the Granite State.”
"The NH Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is proud to work with our local and federal law enforcement partners in an effort to fight child exploitation,” said Lt. Eric Kinsman, Commander, NH ICAC Task Force. “NH ICAC urges parents to talk to their kids about internet safety and to not hesitate to reach out to law enforcement for help. Helpful resources can be found at nhicac.org."
“The abuse and exploitation of a child is among the cruelest and most heinous crimes our agents investigate. The children who are preyed upon will live with the effects of this trauma for the rest of their lives,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston Field Office. “HSI is proud to work with the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to detect crimes like these and hold the perpetrators to account to prevent them from inflicting more harm.”
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Cedar Park Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating an FBI AgentRead the Press Release
WACO – A Cedar Park man was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for impersonating a federal officer in order to obtain Fentanyl patches.
According to court documents, on June 29, 2021, Jonathan Jefferson Ferris, 53, was found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of impersonating a federal officer.
Evidence presented during trial revealed that on multiple occasions in July and August 2019, Ferris entered a pharmacy in Temple looking to fill an out-of-state prescription for Fentanyl patches. Ferris always identified himself to the pharmacy employee as an out-of-town FBI agent on temporary assignment. Ferris wore a lanyard with a fake FBI identification card attached and used fraudulent documentation purportedly from the FBI to support his request for filling the Fentanyl prescriptions.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs made the announcement.
The FBI Central Texas Violent Crime Task Force conducted this investigation together with investigators from DEA Diversion and the Cedar Park Police Department. The success of this investigation would not have been possible without the invaluable work and dedication of an FBI Task Force Officer from the Temple Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier prosecuted the case.
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California Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Large-Scale Fentanyl Analogue Pill Mill OperationRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A California man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for conspiracy and manufacturing, distributing, and possessing with intent to manufacture and distribute a fentanyl analogue, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Andrew Tablack, 30, of Beverly Hills, California, was convicted in July 2021 of one count of manufacturing, distributing, and possessing with intent to manufacture and distribute pills containing cyclopropyl fentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl intended for human consumption, and one count of conspiracy to do the same, following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
From at least March 2017 through December 2017, Tablack ran a pill-making operation that distributed millions of fentanyl analogue pills throughout the United States, including New Jersey. These pills contained a powerful synthetic opioid with significant abuse potential. Tablack manufactured these illegal pills in clandestine labs in and near Los Angeles and sold them anonymously on the dark web, the Internet’s black market, using the moniker “XanaxKing2.” Tablack shipped approximately 400,000 of his illegal pills per month and made millions of dollars from his illegal operation in digital currency that is commonly used in the black market due to its relative anonymity.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Tablack to three years of supervised release and ordered the forfeiture of various cryptocurrency holdings and electronic devices belonging to Tablack, which the trial jury had found were subject to forfeiture.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Newark Division, under the direction of under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; and special agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
This case 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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tazneen Shahabuddin of the Special Prosecutions Division and Sarah Devlin, Chief of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Caldwell man was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
According to court records, Travis Rouse, 53, of Caldwell, aided and abetted his co-defendant in transporting methamphetamine from Mexico to Idaho prior to his arrest on February 19, 2021. During his arrest, law enforcement officers searched the vehicle occupied by him and his co-defendant and found approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine and 25 marijuana starter plants. Law enforcement officers also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers to repackage their controlled substances for sale such as a digital scale and empty zip loc baggies.
Rouse has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Iowa. He also has state convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia and assault -domestic violence in Canyon County, Idaho.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Rouse to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Rouse pleaded guilty to the charge on November 21, 2021.
On November 30, 2021, the co-defendant, Patrick Collingwood, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and applauded the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the City County Narcotics Unit consisting of officers from the Caldwell Police Department and the Canyon County Sheriff’s office, which led to the charges.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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Business Owner Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Bribing Former Official at D.C. Office of Tax and RevenueRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Mohammad Ezazul Hoque, 59, the former owner of several Washington, D.C. restaurants, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for paying bribes to the former Chief of Collections of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) in exchange for the OTR official taking actions favorable to Hoque’s businesses.
Hoque was also sentenced to 37 months in prison, to run concurrent to his bribery sentence, for executing a multi-year scheme to obtain credit cards in others’ names, without their knowledge or consent, to fund his personal and business expenses. Hoque pleaded guilty to the charges in January 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
According to court documents, Hoque, of Alexandria, Virginia, paid more than $45,000 in bribes to the OTR official between 2015 and 2017 so that the official would change the status and limit the negative effects of unpaid tax liabilities on his businesses, which numbered in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Court documents also state that, in 2016, in exchange for the bribes Hoque was paying, the OTR official released a lien on one of his businesses and provided a false certification that it had no outstanding tax liabilities so that Hoque could sell the business to a third party. In fact, Hoque still owed tens of thousands of dollars in taxes and related fees.
As a result of the OTR official’s actions, Hoque was able to sell the business and make a profit of approximately $84,000.
Court papers further state that Hoque also carried out a fraud scheme spanning 2013 to 2017, in which he obtained more than 15 credit cards from various financial institutions in the names of others without their knowledge or consent. Hoque charged more than $40,000 in personal and business expenses to the cards he fraudulently obtained.
In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Carl J. Nichols ordered Hoque to pay a fine of $45,000 and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $84,000. He must also serve a period of three years of supervised release following completion of his prison term.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Forde, and Paralegal Specialist Joseph McClanahan.
Billings man sentenced to two years in prison for cocaine trafficking, promoting prostitutionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking cocaine and promoting prostitution in the community by setting up a commercial sex date for an individual was sentenced today to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Anthony Marcos Chadwell, 28, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and with use of a facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering.
Chadwell also was sentenced today to one year in prison for multiple violations of federal supervised release imposed in a prior conviction on a firearms offense. The one-year term is to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the cocaine trafficking and promoting prostitution offenses, bringing Chadwell’s total amount of imprisonment to three years.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2019, Chadwell became involved in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy and in commercial sex in Billings. Chadwell distributed cocaine to individuals, including to his co-defendant, William Newkirk. In early 2019, Chadwell was introduced to an individual, identified as Jane Doe 11. At some point, Doe 11 began engaging in commercial sex with Chadwell’s assistance. Chadwell used his cellular phone to set up a commercial sex date for Doe 11 at a Billings motel in which Doe 11 engaged in a sex act in exchange for money.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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Berkeley, Missouri man pleads guilty to solicitation of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Barry J. Parrott, 55, appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk today and pled guilty to the offense of solicitation of child pornography. Judge Pitlyk set sentencing for May 18, 2022. This offense is punishable by imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than twenty years, a fine of not more than $250,000, and the Court shall also impose a period of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement, on or between April 21, 2021 and April 26, 2021, in the Eastern District of Missouri, Parrott communicated over the internet via social media and digital communications with an undercover law enforcement officer who the defendant believed to be a fifteen-year-old juvenile female. During the course of those communications, Parrott solicited the purported juvenile to send him a visual depiction of her fully nude and in the shower as well as an image that Parrott requested to be sexy. With these solicitations Parrott intended and was attempting to obtain one or more images of child pornography involving a lascivious display of the purported juvenile’s nude genitals. Parrott further sent the purported juvenile over the internet two videos depicting adult male genitalia.
Parrott solicited child pornography from the purported juvenile via the internet using his cellular telephone that was produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Charles County Police Department and the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Arrest for Man Threatening Flight AttendantsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Michael Easley announced that yesterday in federal court, an initial appearance was held for Michael Aaron Ganter after being charged with Interference with a Flight Crew and Flight Attendants by criminal complaint. A probable cause and detention hearing is scheduled for Friday.
As described in the criminal complaint affidavit, on February 9, 2022, Ganter flew on a Frontier Airlines flight departing from LaGuardia Airport, New York. The flight was scheduled to fly to Orlando International Airport, Florida. According to statements from passengers and flight attendants, Ganter began making statements threatening violence to those on the flight and became increasingly disruptive during the flight. Flight attendants requested assistance from other passengers, who restrained Ganter. Due to Ganter’s conduct, the pilots diverted the flight to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and Ganter was taken to WakeMed for evaluation. Upon his release from WakeMed, Ganter was arrested by special agents with the FBI.
Mr. Easley stated, “Passengers who threaten violence in the close confines of a commercial aircraft put everyone in danger. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute federal crimes in the skies and ensure the safety of the flying public. Safe air travel is essential to our economy and keeping families connected. No passenger, flight crew, or flight attendant should have to fly in fear.”
This arrest is part of an ongoing commitment by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina to do its part to prevent violence, intimidation, threats of violence, and other criminal behavior that endangers the safety of passengers, flight crews, and flight attendants on commercial aircraft. The Attorney General’s press release about the Department of Justice’s guidance concerning criminal conduct on commercial airctaft is located here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-addresses-rise-criminal-conduct-commercial-aircraft.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Police, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brad DeVoe represented the government.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Another Former Ft. Bragg Employee Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fayetteville man pleaded guilty today for receiving bribes in his role as a flooring technician while employed at Ft. Bragg.
According to court documents, Calvin Alfonza Jordan was a procurement agent assigned to the Operations and Maintenance Division, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), at Fort Bragg, NC. To obtain services, a Ft. Bragg facilities user submits a request for a repair or service of a facility, such as a roof leak, damaged floor, or plumbing issue to the DPW. The request creates a Demand Maintenance Order (DMO) that is forwarded to the appropriate commodity section. The DMO is assigned to a DPW technician that specializes in a certain trade, such as roofing, flooring, plumbing, or carpentry.
The DPW technician assesses the issue to determine if they can complete the repair or service themselves within the time allotted, or certifies that because of manpower, needed expertise, or particular equipment needs, a contractor should undertake the work. If a contractor is to be used for the work, the technician submits a request for a contract to the work leader. If the work is estimated to cost under $2,500, the approved contract is forwarded to a DPW procurement agent who hires a contractor to complete the work. The technician who requested the contract would inspect and certify the work upon completion. Once the technician inspected and certified the contractor’s work, the procurement agent would pay the contractor using a government purchase card.
From 2011 into 2019, Jordan used his position as a procurement agent to receive bribes of approximately $200 per DMO from various vendors contracting with DPW, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, in return for increasing the amount of federal contracts given the vendor. Jordan received approximately $1 million in illegal bribes.
“As I have earlier announced, the ‘pay-to-play’ culture encouraged by government employees at Ft. Bragg stops now,” Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said. “The taking of bribes by employees of the United States will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
"Our country places great trust and responsibility in our public officials. Calvin Jordan repeatedly chose greed over integrity as he orchestrated a nearly decade long bribery scheme to line his own pockets," said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "Today's guilty plea is a direct result of the hard work and dedication DCIS and our law enforcement partners put into stamping out corruption that threatens the U.S. Military and its installations."
"The defendant made a bad choice to engage in a bribery scheme," said Frank Robey, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division's Major Procurement Fraud Unit. "MPFU, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to use every available tool to combat and prevent people from exploiting the government contracting system for their personal benefit."
“Participating in a long-term scheme to defraud the government to line your pockets is a losing proposition,” said Michael Curran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Southeast Fraud Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud, wherever we find it.”
Jordan pleaded guilty to receiving bribes, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201. Tentatively set for sentencing in May 2022, Jordan faces a maximum penalty of 180 months in prison.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief United States Judge Richard E. Myers II, accepted the plea. Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division, Major Procurement Fraud Unit, are investigating the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-328-FL.
Albany Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jamie Johnson, age 36, of Albany, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Johnson admitted to filing false unemployment insurance applications online with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) in order to fraudulently obtain $701,441 in benefits issued in the names of other people.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang; Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG).
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman stated: “Jamie Johnson used stolen identities to cheat a system designed to help unemployed New Yorkers as the pandemic raged in 2020 and 2021. Johnson’s crimes ultimately did not pay – she is going to prison and she has forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars in ill-gotten gains. Johnson’s prosecution is the result of a multi-agency initiative to pursue, stop and deter fraudsters who try to steal public funds and undermine the integrity of the unemployment insurance program.”
New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang stated: “Unemployment insurance fraud undermines the integrity of a vital government safety net, can affect victims’ ability to file legitimate claims, and puts additional strain on already struggling New York State families. Our office is grateful for the collaboration with our federal partners in working to protect vulnerable community members and good government.”
HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino stated: “Jamie Johnson displayed a complete disregard for the law and a system designed to assist those struggling. I commend our agents and law enforcement partners on a job well done—HSI will continue to find and hold accountable those who defraud the U.S. programs designed to assist individuals in need.”
In pleading guilty, Johnson admitted to receiving personal identifying information from other people and using it to file false unemployment insurance applications in other people’s names. She then collected the resulting unemployment insurance benefits, including by driving a Maserati sport utility vehicle to Capital Region banks and withdrawing cash using debit cards tied to the benefits. The Maserati, over $200,000 in cash, and multiple jewelry items are subject to administrative forfeiture pursuant to the plea agreement.
Johnson also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $701,441 to the State of New York.
The mail fraud conviction carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The identity theft conviction carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, 2022 by Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. 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.
USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward stated: “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is firmly committed to investigating individuals like Johnson who take advantage of programs designed to support individuals during times of hardship. The U.S. Postal Service has proven to be an essential service that our customers rely on, especially throughout this pandemic. We will continue to work hard to prevent any criminal misuse of the U.S. Mail and work with our law enforcement partners to put a stop to complex fraud schemes such as this.”
USDOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone stated: “Jamie Johnson used the identities of others to fraudulently obtain over $700,000 in unemployment benefits. The Unemployment Insurance Program exists to provide needed assistance to qualified individuals who are unemployed due to no fault of their own. Fraud against the Unemployment Insurance Program distracts state workforce agencies from ensuring benefits go to individuals who are eligible to receive them. The Office of Inspector General will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who exploit the Unemployment Insurance Program.”
This case was investigated by the New York State Inspector General’s Office, HSI, USPIS, and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations, the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center, the Albany County Department of Social Services, and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Chisholm.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A Southfield Woman Has Been Charged with Unemployment Insurance Benefit Fraud Related to the COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Southfield, Michigan woman was charged in a criminal complaint for allegedly making false and fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims filed in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in this announcement were Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge John Marengo, United States Secret Service’s Detroit Field Office and Julia Dale, Director, Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.
Katrina Patreese Maddox, 46, is charged with mail fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Maddox was arrested today and will be appearing in federal court in Detroit this afternoon.
The complaint alleges that from May 2020 through December 2021, Maddox used the identities of other people to file over 35 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and that illegally obtained benefits cards were used, among other things, to make court payments and DoorDash deliveries for Maddox as well as cash withdrawals. Approximately $311,440 in benefits was paid out as a result of the scheme, and the potential loss to the government was over $1.2 million.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigations are completed, determinations will be made whether to seek felony indictments.
This case is being investigated by agents of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General with the assistance of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Chasteen and Sarah Youngblood.
Tuesday 15 February 2022
White Earth Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Violent Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for a violent domestic assault. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Nicholas Edward Durant, 31, was living with the victim in a residence located on the White Earth Indian Reservation. On April 3, 2020, Durant violently assaulted the victim, hitting her multiple times in the chest, abdomen, face, and head. The victim was treated for a deep laceration below her eye, extreme back pain, and a traumatic hematoma of the head.
On October 25, 2021, Durant pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Mahnomen County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek.
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Wheeling man sentenced for selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lorenzo Clark, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 57 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Clark, also known as “Renny,” age 40, pled guilty in November 2020 to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Clark admitted to selling cocaine near the Hil-Dar housing complex in Ohio County in May 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Wheeling man sentenced for methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Scott Everly, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 37 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Everly, also known as “Capt,” 70, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Everly admitted to selling methamphetamine near Riverview Towers in Wheeling in July 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Weapons Smugglers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Alejandro Valles, 27, of Aguila, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 15 months in prison for smuggling weapons from the United States into Mexico. Judge Soto previously sentenced David Alberto Duarte-Marquez, 21, a Mexican citizen and Valles’ co-conspirator, to 33 months in prison. Both men pleaded guilty to their offenses.
On October 22, 2018, Valles placed an online order for an M203 40mm grenade launcher barrel. Valles received the barrel and sent the package to another individual in southern Arizona, who then smuggled the barrel into Mexico.
Similarly, on November 26, 2018, Valles’ co-conspirator Duarte-Marquez placed an online order for an M203 40mm grenade launcher barrel with the intent to smuggle it into Mexico. Duarte-Marquez had the barrel shipped to Valles. Once Valles received the barrel, he intended to follow the same steps of sending the package to southern Arizona so it could be smuggled into Mexico. However, the second barrel was intercepted by law enforcement while it was en route to Valles.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 21-0543-TUC-JAS and 20-2414-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-011_Valles# # #
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.Wanted Felon Pleads to Illegally Possessing Pistols and Ammunition Stolen from a Retired Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Braddock Hills, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to violations of federal gun laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Frankie Leon Morrison, 55, pleaded guilty to three counts before Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, on April 8, 2019, the Buffalo Township (Butler County) police were aware of multiple break-ins of vehicles in the area. A Buffalo Township Officer observed defendant Morrison reaching into a vehicle at 3:00 a.m. and when the officer attempted to speak with him, Morrison fled on foot. As Morrison later drove from the area, he was stopped and his vehicle was found to contain multiple stolen items, including two Glock pistols, ammunition, handcuffs and a key stolen from the vehicle of a recently retired Pittsburgh Police Sergeant. The defendant has multiple prior federal and state convictions which precluded him from lawfully possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. The defendant also pleaded guilty to possessing the firearms and ammunition despite being a wanted fugitive from the state of Connecticut and to possessing stolen firearms.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for June 7, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. For each charge, the law provides for a total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Judge Cercone noted that Morrison also faces the potential of an additional sentence because at the time of his crimes he was being supervised by United States Probation Officers after serving a prior federal sentence of 123 months for Armed Bank Robbery and the Illegal Possession of a Firearm. Judge Cercone set that sentencing for the same date.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded Morrison to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Morrison, with valuable assistance from the Buffalo Township Police Department.
Two Women Sentenced in Multi-Million-Dollar Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colorado woman and a Houston woman were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for their roles in a multi-million-dollar Medicare fraud scheme.
Jessica Jones, 32, of Lakewood Colo., and Elizabeth Putulin, 31, of Houston, Texas were each sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. to three years of supervised release, the first year to be served in home detention. Judge O’Toole, Jr. also ordered Jones to pay restitution in the amount of $8.6 million and ordered Putulin to pay restitution in the amount of $20.7 million. Jones and Putulin are also barred from engaging in an occupation business in the health care industry. On Jan. 20, 2021, Jones and Putulin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Jones and Putulin conspired with Juan Camilo Perez Buitrago to submit more than $107.6 million in false and fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment (DME) such as arm, back, knee and shoulder braces. Jones and Putulin helped Perez manufacture and submit false and fraudulent Medicare claims by establishing shell companies in more than a dozen different states, including Massachusetts. At Perez’s request, Jones and Putulin purchased Medicare patient data from foreign and domestic call centers that targeted elderly patients and instructed call centers to contact the Medicare beneficiaries with an offer of ankle, arm, back, knee and/or shoulder braces “at little to no cost.” Perez then submitted Medicare claims for those patients without obtaining a prescriber’s order to ensure that the braces were medically necessary. Jones and Putulin further facilitated the fraud by answering frequent phone calls from Medicare patients who received DME that they did not request, want or need. Additionally, Jones and Putulin responded to insurance companies’ requests for prescriber’s orders and medical records, which they were unable to provide.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Johnnie Sharp Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Field Division; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Boston Division; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Q. Wan of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Former Federal Correctional Officers Plead Guilty to Bribery and Contraband Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
Two former correctional officers pleaded guilty today to engaging in bribery and smuggling contraband into Leavenworth Detention Center.
According to court documents, Jacqueline Sifuentes, 26, of Laredo, Texas, and Cheyonte Harris, 29, of Raytown, Missouri, previously worked as correctional officers at Leavenworth Detention Center, a privately-run maximum-security federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. Sifuentes used her position to smuggle contraband — including methamphetamine, marijuana and tobacco — into the prison in exchange for bribes from a federal inmate. Harris used her position to smuggle contraband into the prison in exchange for bribes from inmates and their associates.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to accept bribes and provide contraband to inmates of a federal prison. Each is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, and each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge William J. Hannah of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and DOJ-OIG are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys Rebecca M. Schuman and Dahoud A. Askar of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the cases.
The cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat prison corruption. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section recently obtained convictions against two other former Leavenworth Detention Center officials for similar conduct. See United States v. Willie Golden, Case No. 2:21-cr-20061 (D. Kan.); United States v. Janna Grier, Case No. 2:22-cr-20001 (D. Kan.). Separately, the Public Integrity Section has obtained convictions against three former North Carolina prison officials who smuggled contraband, including narcotics, into a state facility in exchange for bribes. See United States v. Ollie Rose, III, No. 4:20-CR-96 (E.D.N.C.); United States v. Kenneth Farr, No. 4:21-CR-9 (E.D.N.C.); and United States v. Jeremy Chambers, No. 4:21-CR-38 (E.D.N.C.).
Two East St. Louis Men Indicted for String of Carjackings in the Metro EastRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – Armon R. Simpson, 18, and Jamariante N. Burgess, 19, both of East St. Louis,
Illinois, have been charged by superseding indictment with Conspiracy to Commit Carjacking,
Carjacking, and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Both men have been
ordered detained pending trial.
According to court documents, between July 12, 2021, and August 5, 2021, Simpson, Burgess, and
others, conspired to commit armed carjackings, including three carjackings in the
Eastern District of Missouri and the Southern District of Illinois. The final carjacking prior to
their arrest occurred on August 5, 2021. Burgess and Simpson approached a vehicle in downtown Saint
Louis, Missouri, displayed firearms at the passengers, and forcibly took their vehicle. Afterwards,
they fled to East St. Louis, Illinois, where they shot a man walking in an apartment complex and
then discarded the stolen vehicle.If convicted, Simpson and Burgess face up to 15 years imprisonment on the Carjacking charge, 5
years for Conspiracy to Commit Carjacking, and an additional sentence of 7 years for Using a
Firearm during a Crime of Violence, which must run consecutive to all other sentences.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of
the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program
proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders
work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and
develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement
efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry
programs for lasting reductions in crime.This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG),
the East St. Louis Police Department, Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and Saint Louis County Police Department. PSEG is a newly formed Illinois State Police unit embedded in
and working in direct partnership with the East St. Louis Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexandria Burns is prosecuting the case.
Three Men Sentenced for $2.7 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Three men were sentenced yesterday in the Middle District of North Carolina for fraudulently seeking over $2.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Joseph Marsell Cartlidge, 30, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was sentenced to 72 months in prison; David Christopher Redfern, 32, of Trinity, North Carolina, was sentenced to 60 months in prison; and Eric Alexander McMiller, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 66 months in prison. Each defendant was also ordered to pay $498,657 in restitution.
According to court documents, Cartlidge, Redfern and McMiller joined a scheme led by James Stote, who with others, recruited the defendants to apply for fraudulent PPP loans for registered businesses, with the understanding and agreement they would provide a portion of the PPP loan proceeds to their recruiter. Between May and June 2020, the defendants submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications misrepresenting the number of employees and the average monthly payroll expenses of the defendants’ various businesses. The defendants submitted false tax and bank records in support of their loan applications. The defendants also independently applied for fraudulent EIDLs and misrepresented the number of employees, gross revenues, and costs of goods sold for each business. In total, the defendants sought over $2.7 million in PPP loans and EIDL funds. The defendants then used the loan proceeds for their own personal benefits, including for luxury purchases and cash withdrawals.
Stote pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2021, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the Northern District of Ohio.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina; Acting Special Agent in Charge Mona Passmore of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kyle Myles of the FDIC-OIG Atlanta Region; Special Agent in Charge Mark Morini of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Southeast Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the SBA’s Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Eastern Region made the announcement.
TIGTA, FDIC-OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case. The Justice Department thanks SBA-OIG for their support and assistance.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Bilinkas and Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Dupre for the Middle District of North Carolina and Meredith Ruggles, formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina, prosecuted the case.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Three Men Sentenced for $2.7 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Three men were sentenced yesterday in the Middle District of North Carolina for fraudulently seeking over $2.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Joseph Marsell Cartlidge, 30, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was sentenced to 72 months in prison; David Christopher Redfern, 32, of Trinity, North Carolina, was sentenced to 60 months in prison; and Eric Alexander McMiller, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 66 months in prison. Each defendant was also ordered to pay $498,657 in restitution.
According to court documents, Cartlidge, Redfern and McMiller joined a scheme led by James Stote, who with others, recruited the defendants to apply for fraudulent PPP loans for registered businesses, with the understanding and agreement they would provide a portion of the PPP loan proceeds to their recruiter. Between May and June 2020, the defendants submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications misrepresenting the number of employees and the average monthly payroll expenses of the defendants’ various businesses. The defendants submitted false tax and bank records in support of their loan applications. The defendants also independently applied for fraudulent EIDLs and misrepresented the number of employees, gross revenues, and costs of goods sold for each business. In total, the defendants sought over $2.7 million in PPP loans and EIDL funds. The defendants then used the loan proceeds for their own personal benefits, including for luxury purchases and cash withdrawals.
Stote pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2021, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the Northern District of Ohio.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina; Acting Special Agent in Charge Mona Passmore of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kyle Myles of the FDIC-OIG Atlanta Region; Special Agent in Charge Mark Morini of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Southeast Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the SBA’s Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Eastern Region made the announcement.
TIGTA, FDIC-OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case. The Justice Department thanks SBA-OIG for their support and assistance.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Bilinkas and Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Dupre for the Middle District of North Carolina and Meredith Ruggles, formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina, prosecuted the case.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Three Individuals Charged in Orleans County Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated two individuals were arrested on February 15, 2022, in Westfield, Vermont on federal charges relating to the distribution of controlled substances. Federal arrest warrants had been issued for their arrests in conjunction with a criminal complaint filed in federal court on February 10, 2022, alleging that Rachael Goulet (age 27), Johnny Crocker (age 25), and an unidentified individual using the street name “Danger” had conspired with one another and others to distribute controlled substances—including cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”), and fentanyl—in the District of Vermont between the end of December 2021 and the filing of the complaint. Goulet and Crocker are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Burlington before Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle for an initial hearing on the complaint this afternoon or tomorrow.
The following factual allegations are contained in the criminal complaint filed in the case. Goulet and Crocker possessed and distributed controlled substances from their shared residence in Westfield. Goulet and Crocker also hosted individuals from outside of Vermont at their residence for purposes of obtaining and distributing controlled substances. “Danger” was one such individual who lived in their residence and distributed large amounts of drugs while collecting the proceeds from the distributions. The defendants worked together to bring cocaine and fentanyl into Vermont and then process and distribute it in Orleans County for a profit or to support their own consumption. Many of the defendants’ drug-distribution activities involved communications over social media or smartphone applications. During the period of the conspiracy, an individual with whom Goulet and Crocker were acquainted was shot and seriously wounded in Holland, Vermont on January 1, 2022; the individual’s mother was present and was also wounded in the incident. A suspect has been charged by the Orleans County State’s Attorney in connection with that shooting, and he is presently in custody in Connecticut on an unrelated charge.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the complaint is a preliminary accusation only and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of this offense, Goulet and Crocker would each face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1 million fine. Any actual sentence for each defendant, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the United States Code.
The charge in this complaint follows an investigation conducted by multiple state and federal agencies that was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). During the investigation, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of narcotics from, and investigated the purchase and attempted purchase of multiple firearms by, the defendants and their associates. ATF was assisted in this investigation by the Vermont Drug Task Force, detectives and troopers from the Vermont State Police, members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, officers with the Newport Police Department, agents and task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and aviators with the Air & Marine Operations (AMO) component of United States Customs & Border Protection.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended law enforcement’s collaborative investigatory efforts in this matter.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Attorney information for the defendants is not yet available.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. See https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Suspect Arrested in Indian Country MurderRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOHNNY SAPCUT, 18, of Elgin, Oklahoma, has been arrested for murder in connection with a death in Indian country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed today, in the early hours of February 15, 2022, law enforcement responded to a home after a woman called 911 in apparent distress. The affidavit alleges that Sapcut and the woman were the only two in the home and that the woman was deceased. An investigation into the cause of death is underway.
The case is charged in federal court because the alleged crime took place on tribal land of the Comanche Nation both the defendant and victim are members of the Comanche Nation.
Sapcut was arrested in the early morning hours and made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shon T. Erwin. Judge Erwin ordered that Sapcut be detained pending a detention hearing on February 18, 2022.
If found guilty, Sapcut faces a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and mandatory restitution. This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office, the Comanche Nation Police, and the Comanche County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Noble is prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that this charge is merely an allegation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
St. Louis man enters guilty plea for being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –On February 15, 2022, Horatio Harris pleaded guilty in front of District Court Judge Ronnie L. White to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on September 4, 2020, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) received a call about a crowd gathered outside a boarding house in the City of St. Louis. When officers arrived, they found a group of fifteen to twenty people in the street. A woman from the crowd explained that she had come to confront their stepfather, Horatio Harris, about the suspicious death of her two-year-old nephew.
When Harris saw the group approaching the boarding house, he went to his room upstairs, retrieved a silver revolver, and answered the door with the gun in hand. Officers determined that Harris was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm, specifically in this case, a .38 caliber Colt Army Special revolver that was recovered by police at the scene. Harris later made admissions knowing he was a convicted felon and that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm.
Harris faces a maximum term of incarceration of not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine. The Court also may impose a period of supervised release of not more than 3 years. Sentencing is set for May 18, 2022.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Bluestone.
Southbridge Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Southbridge man was pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to cocaine possession.
Revel Pedro Rivera, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for June 7, 2022. Rivera was indicted in September 2020.
In early July 2020, federal agents intercepted a package containing a kilogram of cocaine that was shipped to Rivera’s residence from Puerto Rico. Agents removed the cocaine and replaced it with a counterfeit substance. On July 6, 2020, Rivera accepted delivery of the package and was arrested as he left the property with the package that he believed contained cocaine.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 21 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Samuel Strickland, 37, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Strickland was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on April 7, 2019, officers responded to a shots fired call in Hammond and recovered a loaded 9mm firearm from Strickland. His criminal history revealed he had been previously convicted of aggravated battery with great bodily harm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Richland Naturopath Agrees to Pay $70,096 for Improper Prescription of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – Judith K. Caporiccio, N.D., a Richland-based naturopathic doctor, has agreed to pay $70,096 to resolve allegations under the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act, which allege that she improperly prescribed controlled substances between July 2016 and July 2021. The Controlled Substances Act regulates certain drugs that pose a risk of abuse and dependence. To protect public safety and prevent misuse and diversion, the Act requires practitioners to register with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) to prescribe these controlled substances.
During the relevant time period, Dr. Caporiccio was a naturopathic doctor licensed in the State of Washington and practicing in Richland, Washington. Under state and federal law, as a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Caporiccio was only authorized to prescribe two types of controlled substances: codeine and testosterone products. In the settlement agreement recently reached between the United States and Dr. Caporiccio, she admitted issuing at least 421 prescriptions for controlled substances that she was not authorized to prescribe. These controlled substances included the sleep aid zolpidem (often sold under the brand name Ambien); the anti-anxiety drug alprazolam (sometimes sold under the brand name Xanax); the benzodiazepine lorazepam; the stimulant modafinil (typically prescribed for narcolepsy and sleep apnea); and the sedative pregabalin (sold by Pfizer under the brand name Lyrica).
The settlement agreement also indicates that Dr. Caporiccio ceased her improper prescribing practices in 2021 after being contacted by the DEA, and that she voluntarily surrendered her DEA registration. Additionally, the settlement agreement requires Dr. Caporiccio to implement additional controls and procedures to ensure that this conduct does not recur.
“My office is committed to protecting our community from drug misuse and diversion. I am relieved that it appears no patient was seriously harmed by the medications improperly prescribed by Dr. Caporiccio, but when a healthcare practitioner prescribes controlled substances that she is not licensed or qualified to prescribe, the public is placed at serious risk of potentially dangerous side effects, drug interactions, and contraindications,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “This resolution demonstrates our commitment to protecting public health, keeping our families safe, and building strong communities. In particular, I commend the excellent investigative work conducted by DEA’s Diversion Group and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold health care practitioners accountable to their patients and the public.”
“Doctor Caporiccio’s careless and irresponsible prescribing habits are a violation of federal law and in serious breach of her naturopathic license, presenting a clear and present danger to our nation’s health and security,” said Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in Charge of the DEA’s Seattle Field Division. “The DEA is working closely with our federal partners in a joint effort to increase community outreach and education, while simultaneously using our civil and administrative enforcement authorities to hold accountable pharmacies who fail to exercise their corresponding responsibility and prescribers who are writing prescriptions outside their scope of practice. Today’s settlement sends a strong message that we will seek justice and hold those accountable, like Dr. Caporiccio, who intentionally distribute highly addictive drugs to patients with reckless abandon and no concern for their safety.”
The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by DEA’s Seattle Field Office, Diversion Group, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Seattle Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene handled this matter on behalf of the United States.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison a for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philadelphia, 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 conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence Christofer Waters 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from on or about July 5, 2018, to on or about May 5, 2020, Waters did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and a quantity of heroin. According to information presented to the court, Waters was a co-leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated between Philadelphia and Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Waters admitted responsibility for distributing a total of 142 grams of fentanyl and 23 grams of heroin on 23 occasions between July 2018 and May 2019
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. 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.
OCDETF conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Indiana Borough Police Department.
Pearl District Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing with intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine from his Pearl District apartment.
Antonio Bernal Osorio, Jr., 40, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, in September 2020, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents learned that Osorio was selling drugs from his apartment in Northwest Portland. Between November 2020 and January 2021, DEA agents conducted multiple successful controlled purchases of cocaine from Osorio, and, on January 21, 2021, executed a search warrant on his apartment. They seized approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine, a .40 caliber pistol, an AR-15-syle semi-automatic rifle, a 9mm handgun, $46,000 in MGM Casino chips, and more than $450,000 in cash.
On May 10, 2021, Osorio was charged by criminal information with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On June 8, 2021, he waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the single charge.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was prosecuted by DEA with assistance from the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force. It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Oklahoma Orthopedic Surgeon Agrees to Pay Almost $343,000 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Dr. Mark Stephen Wilson agreed to pay the United States $342,750 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he accepted illegal kickback payments from Brookhaven Specialty Pharmacy LLC, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Wilson is an orthopedic surgeon in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and focuses on pain management and rehabilitation.
From February 2014 through September 2016, Wilson was alleged to have knowingly accepted significant payments from Brookhaven Specialty Pharmacy LLC in exchange for recommending and prescribing pain creams that were compounded and produced by the pharmacy.
As part of their arrangement, the pharmacy paid Wilson what the two parties characterized as “medical director fees” based upon an hourly rate. However, the United States alleged the “medical director fees” were, in actuality, kickback payments for prescribing the compounded pain creams.
Because Wilson wrote the prescriptions for patients who were federally insured under the Federal Employees Compensation Act Program (FECA), the kickbacks were in violation of the False Claims Act.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring federal health care dollars are spent in accordance with the law and will not tolerate the abuse of federal health care programs,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The government will use every tool at our disposal, including civil or criminal proceedings, to hold violators accountable.”
It is illegal to pay or receive “kickbacks” in conjunction with federal health care insurance. Prohibitions against kickbacks are crucial to ensure that financial motives do not undermine the medical judgment of physicians and other health care providers. The civil False Claims Act is an important tool used to protect the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs.
To report fraud and abuse committed against the federal government in the Northern District of Oklahoma, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 918-382-2700 and speak to a member of the ACE Unit.
This settlement agreement resolves allegations that Wilson had an illegal financial relationship with Brookhaven Specialty Pharmacy LLC, concerning pain creams. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Molot of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and is the product of a collaborative investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Carjacking and Violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARRION YOUNG, age 37, a resident of New Orleans, was charged on February 11, 2022 in a six-count indictment by a federal grand jury for carjacking, brandishing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
If convicted of carjacking, YOUNG faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, YOUNG faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, YOUNG faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, YOUNG faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, to be served consecutively to all other charges, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of brandishing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, YOUNG faces a minimum term of imprisonment of seven (7) years up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, to be served consecutively to all other charges, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
As to each of the six (6) counts of the indictment, YOUNG also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel.
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