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Thursday 10 February 2022
Mexican National Found Guilty of Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
EL PASO – Yesterday, a federal jury convicted a Mexican national for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 15, 2021, Maria Guadalupe Rivas Camacho, 38, was found in possession of over 633 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, which was stored in a house in San Elizario. Camacho was paid $1,000 a week to stay at the residence and watch over the plastic containers that stored the methamphetamine. During trial it was also revealed that a tractor trailer would come at least once a week to fill the plastic containers with the liquid meth.
Camacho faces up to life in prison when she is sentenced. A sentencing date has not been set.
Camacho has remained in federal custody since her arrest on July 15, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John S. Johnston and Richard D. Watts are prosecuting the case.
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Meth Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Steve Garduno was sentenced to 10 years (120 months) in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 305 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Garduno, age 51 of Strasburg, Colorado, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Judge Wiegand ordered Garduno to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
On October 28, 2020, Garduno got caught in possession of 305 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine as a result of a traffic stop of his SUV conducted by the Greenville (Pennsylvania) Police Department. As of that date, Garduno had been convicted of several felony crimes throughout the prior 30 years ranging from burglaries to weapons and assault crimes to drug trafficking crimes. Also as of that date, he was on bond with a pending Colorado charge for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine that had been filed just four months earlier.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller and Special Assistant United States Attorney/Mercer County Assistant District Attorney Shane T. Crevar prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Greenville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case.
Marion County man sentenced for meth chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Charles Costello, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 60 months of incarceration for distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Costello, 53, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to one count of “Distribution of Fifty Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Costello admitted to selling 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for $7,500 in July 2020 in Marion County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The task force is comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarksburg Police Department, and the Bridgeport Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded Gun at Chicago Block PartyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun at a block party on the South Side of Chicago.
ANTHONY CARR illegally possessed the gun on the night of July 8, 2020, in the 6100 block of South Normal Boulevard in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. Shortly after 11:00 p.m., Chicago Police officers approached the block party crowd and observed Carr, who immediately attempted to run away while holding his waistband. Ignoring police commands to stop, Carr tossed the gun into a large outdoor tent before officers were able to apprehend him.
Carr, 33, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm. Carr had previously been convicted of felonies in state court, including multiple armed robberies, and was prohibited by federal law from possessing the gun.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle imposed the federal prison sentence Monday after a hearing in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The sentence 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.
“The illegal possession of guns by felons are very serious offenses that threaten the safety of the public,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty N. Wright argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant and other felons who carry guns must understand that illegally possessing weapons on the streets of Chicago translates to real consequences and real punishment.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Maine Man Indicted for Hate Crime Offenses Relating to Burning of a Black Church in Springfield, MassachusettsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Maine man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass., in connection with the Dec. 28, 2020, fire that destroyed a predominately Black church in Springfield.
Dushko Vulchev, 45, of Houlton, Maine, was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of damage to religious property involving fire and one count of use of fire to commit a federal felony. Vulchev was previously charged by criminal complaint in April 2021.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of Dec. 28, 2020, law enforcement observed a fire at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Presbyterian Church (MLK Church) which caused significant damage to the building. During a subsequent investigation, it was determined that the fire was related to other incidents, including arsons and malicious damage to vehicles that occurred on church property and the surrounding area. These included a fire at the backdoor of the MLK Church on Dec. 13, 2020, and two additional fires near the backdoor of the Church on Dec. 15, 2020. Further investigation and review of video surveillance identified Vulchev as the alleged perpetrator.
According to court documents, during a subsequent search of Vulchev’s vehicle, multiple electronic storage devices containing images demonstrating Vulchev’s racial animus toward Black people, including a “White Lives Matter” mural and a photo of Adolf Hitler in a track suit were seized. Vulchev’s electronic devices also allegedly contained messages revealing Vulchev’s hatred of Black people dating back several years, with Vulchev’s recent messages from December 2020 calling to “eliminate all N*****s,” and stating “I need a gun to kill N*****s.” According to the court documents, individuals familiar with Vulchev told law enforcement that Vulchev frequently displayed racial animus towards non-whites and routinely referred to Black people using a racial epithet.
The charge of damage to religious property involving fire provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of fire to commit a federal felony provides for a sentence of at least 10 years in prison, in addition to any sentence received for the other charged crimes. 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; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Massachusetts State Police Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Hampden and Berkshire District Attorney’s Office; Springfield Fire Department; and the Springfield, Pittsfield, Houlton (Maine), Newington (Conn.) and American International College Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of Rollins’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maine Man Indicted for Hate Crime Offenses Relating to Arson of Massachusetts Predominately Black ChurchRead the Press Release
A Maine man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Massachusetts, in connection with the Dec. 28, 2020, fire that destroyed a predominately Black church in Springfield.
Dushko Vulchev, 45, of Houlton, Maine, was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of damage to religious property involving fire and one count of use of fire to commit a federal felony. Vulchev was previously charged by criminal complaint in April 2021.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of Dec. 28, 2020, law enforcement observed a fire at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church (MLK Church) which caused significant damage to the building. During a subsequent investigation, it was determined that the fire was related to other incidents, including arsons and malicious damage to vehicles, that occurred on church property and the surrounding area. These included a fire at the backdoor of the MLK Church on Dec. 13, 2020, and two additional fires near the backdoor of the church on Dec. 15, 2020. Further investigation, including the review of video surveillance, identified Vulchev as the alleged perpetrator.
According to court documents, during a subsequent search of Vulchev’s vehicle, multiple electronic storage devices containing images demonstrating Vulchev’s racial animus toward Black people, including a “White Lives Matter” mural and a photo of Adolf Hitler in a track suit were seized. Vulchev’s electronic devices also allegedly contained messages revealing Vulchev’s hatred of Black people dating back several years, with Vulchev’s recent messages from December 2020 calling to “eliminate all N****s.” According to the court documents, individuals familiar with Vulchev told law enforcement that Vulchev frequently displayed racial animus towards non-whites and routinely referred to Black people using a racial epithet.
The charge of damage to religious property involving fire provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of fire to commit a federal felony provides for a sentence of at least 10 years in prison, in addition to any sentence received for the other charged crimes. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts; Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI; James M. Ferguson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Boston Field Division; and Peter Ostroskey, Massachusetts State Police Fire Marshal, made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Hampden District Attorney’s Office; Berkshire District Attorney’s Office; Springfield Police Department; Springfield Fire Department; Pittsfield Police Department; American International College Police Department; Houlton (Maine) Police Department; and Newington (Conn.) Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of Rollins’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with advertising the sale of firearms on Snapchat.
Juan Aparicio, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2022. Aparicio was indicted in August 2020.
In June 2019 and January 2020, Aparicio posted videos on his Snapchat offering to sell numerous firearms. A search of Aparicio’s residence resulted in the recovery of a loaded assault rifle and handgun. Due to previous convictions punishable by more than one year in prison, Aparicio is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; and Superintendent Raymond Kelly Richardson of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Panich and Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Office are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Cody J. Behrens, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 9, 2022, in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for receipt of child pornography. Behrens was sentenced to 60 months in prison and will also serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. After serving his prison sentence, Behrens will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In August of 2019, the Nebraska States Patrol received two cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC is the national clearinghouse for child exploitation material and reports under federal law. According to the cybertips, an internet search engine became aware of 26 image files of suspected child pornography associated with an online email account registered to Behrens. Additional information, including IP addresses, a phone number, and a secondary email address related to the account were also provided to NCMEC.
Investigators traced several IP addresses to the internet provider and subsequently to the subscriber on the account. Additional information determined that the subscriber using the IP addresses on the dates in question was associated with the Behrens’s residence in Lincoln.
A search warrant was served on Behrens’s residence and his cellular phone was seized. Forensic examination revealed 63 images and 3 videos of child pornography on the phone. A number of these images and videos were the same as those uploaded to the email account.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lehigh County Father and Son Charged with Unlawful Possession of More Than a Dozen Machine Guns and Nearly as Many SilencersRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Joseph Raymond Berger, 67, and Joseph Paul Berger, 32, of Bethlehem, PA, were arrested and charged by Indictment this week with multiple firearms offenses including possessing machine guns, possessing non-registered firearms, and possessing non-registered silencers.
The Indictment alleges that the defendants illegally possessed 13 fully automatic machine guns and 12 firearms silencers. According to court documents, law enforcement agents with Customs and Border Protection intercepted three firearms silencers that were illegally imported into the United States in packages addressed to the defendants at their shared residence. Investigators then obtained a search warrant for the home and recovered from the basement the 12 firearms suppressors/silencers and 13 fully automatic machine guns that are listed in the Indictment. The machine guns included 11 rifles and 2 submachine guns.
According to court documents, Investigators also uncovered evidence that the firearms found in the Berger home were originally sold and purchased as semi-automatic firearms, which were then manually converted into unregistered, fully automatic machine guns.
“The defendants allegedly possessed a stockpile of unregistered fully-automatic machine guns and silencers in violation of the National Firearms Act,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “These weapons are extremely dangerous, which is why there are laws regulating their possession. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove dangerous weapons from our District.”
“As the indictment alleges, possession of illegal firearms like these, threatens the safety of the general public, especially when in the wrong hands,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “I would like to thank our local, state and federal partners for their contributions in this investigation.”
“This father-and-son duo possessed a small artillery of firearms in their home, including more than a dozen machine guns and silencers. This type of fire-power is incredibly dangerous if in the wrong hands,” said William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “HSI Philadelphia was pleased to work alongside our partners on this important investigation to ensure the defendants are held accountable for their crimes and not able to terrorize this community or any other.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a $270,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lansing Area Methamphetamine Traffickers SentencedRead the Press Release
Joseph and Lisa Burgess, the last of seven defendants, will each spend hundreds of months behind bars and forfeited their house as well as over $20K in seized cash.
LANSING, MI – United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced that Joseph and Lisa Burgess of Dewitt, Michigan were sentenced today for their role in a conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine. They were the last of the seven defendants charged in the conspiracy to receive their sentences.
The Hon. Hala Jarbou, the U.S. District Court Judge in Lansing, sentenced Lisa Burgess, age 48, to 235 months in prison (over 19 years) for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Joseph Burgess, also known as “Diamond,” age 50, was sentenced to 352 months in prison (over 29 years) for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Each defendant will have to pay fines and special assessments and will spend three years on supervised release when released from the Bureau of Prisons. Their house and over $20,000 in cash were also forfeited.
In January 2020, law enforcement officers from the Michigan State Police Department’s Tri-County Metro Narcotics Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the Burgess residence and seized over three pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 15 handguns, 33 long guns, over $20,000, and drug trafficking paraphernalia (rubber gloves, digital scales, and baggies). The investigation showed that Joseph and Lisa Burgess and their codefendants trafficked crystal meth in the Lansing area and the Upper Peninsula.
“Crystal methamphetamine continues to have a devastating impact in our communities in both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge. “My office treats drug trafficking very seriously, particularly when the danger is increased by offenders possessing firearms.”
“These seven individuals were part of a drug trafficking organization that pushed poisonous methamphetamine into mid-Michigan and the upper peninsula in exchange for money,” added Acting Special Agent in Charge Kent Kleinschmidt of the DEA Detroit Field Division. “DEA, and our law enforcement partners, will employ every resource at our disposal to bring drug pushers to justice and stop the flow of illegal drugs into our communities.”
“Tri-County Metro Narcotics appreciates the collaborative efforts of our local and federal partners,” said Michigan State Police Tri-County Metro Narcotics Team Commander Detective Lieutenant Bill Eberhart. “This investigation and subsequent sentencing demonstrates our continuing commitment to pursue drug dealers who are inflicting harm upon the communities and citizens we serve. Tri-County Metro Narcotics will continue to work vigorously to disrupt and dismantle those illicit organizations and endeavor to keep our citizens and communities safe.”
The Burgesses were the last members of the conspiracy to be sentenced. The other defendants received the following sentences:
- Garylee Dexter, a/k/a “Flip”—108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Ryan Timko—172 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Jeremy Brusso—132 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Nicholas Cornish—120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and
- Kendra Stidolph—45 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The Michigan State Police Tri-County Metro Narcotics Team and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexis Sanford, Ted Greeley, and Erin Lane prosecuted the case.
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Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for assault, firearms crimes after high-speed chase, shootout with officers on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man was sentenced today to 17 years and four months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for multiple crimes after he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that ended in a shootout when he shot at officers, who returned fire, wounding him on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Antoine Robert Threefingers, 37, was convicted by a jury on Sept. 17, 2021, of assault on a federal officer, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that on Sept. 1, 2020, a Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer, identified as John Doe 1, attempted a routine traffic stop of Threefingers. Threefingers stopped initially but then fled as Doe 1 approached, engaging officers in a 25-minute, high-speed chase with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on dirt roads and Highway 212. Three additional BIA officers and a Rosebud County Sheriff’s deputy joined the pursuit.
While driving, Threefingers pulled out a gun and put it to his head before turning it on law enforcement. Threefingers fired a shot at Doe 1 and continued driving. Threefingers eventually led law enforcement to a dirt road near Birney, where he stopped his vehicle and exchanged gunfire with Doe 1. Another BIA officer later exchanged gun fire with Threefingers. Other officers nearby described Threefingers’ shots sailing over their heads but did not return fire.
Threefingers then ran from his car while continuing to shoot at law enforcement. Officers shot Threefingers, who fell to the ground and continued firing. Officers approached and detained Threefingers, who was transported to the hospital and treated for injuries. Law enforcement recovered a Colt .45-caliber pistol and multiple casings near Threefingers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
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Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zachary Watkins, age 21, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 9, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to five years’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release for receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Watkins previously pleaded guilty and admitted to receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click the tab on “resources.”
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Lackawanna County Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 8, 2022, Jaime Ryan Chorba, age 46, of Archbald, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between June 3, 2016, and November 16, 2020, Chorba received images of child pornography. The indictment also alleges that he possessed images of prepubescent minors under the age of twelve, including images depicting himself with the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
On February 9, 2022, Chorba was arrested by federal agents and appeared before Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr for his arraignment. Chorba was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 14, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Philadelphia Division and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 60 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Racially Motivated Federal Hate Crime Targeting Black ManRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Colton Donner, 27, pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening an African American man with a knife because of the man’s race, and in order to intimidate and interfere with the man’s right to fair housing.
According to documents filed in connection with the plea, on Sept. 11, 2019, Donner was driving through a residential area of Paola, Kansas, when he saw the victim, an African American man, walking on the sidewalk. Donner stopped, got out of the car, and approached the victim while brandishing a knife. Donner threatened the victim, yelled racial slurs, and told the victim that Paola is a “white town.”
“Using racially motivated threats of violence to drive someone out of their home or community is a deplorable crime, and the Justice Department stands ready to use our nation’s hate crimes laws to hold perpetrators accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racially motivated hate crimes have no place in our society today. All people deserve to feel safe and secure living in their communities, regardless of race, color or national origin.”
“Any attempt to deny someone an opportunity to live where he or she chooses based on race, color or national origin is wrong and a violation of that person’s civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas. “It is the responsibility of the Justice Department to prosecute such offenses to ensure the equal protection under the law to which we all are entitled, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
“Every individual has the right to occupy a home free from racial discrimination, yet the defendant targeted the victim for no other reason than the victim’s race,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “The defendant’s actions directly undermined the victim’s right to reside in a community in Paola, Kansas, and to enjoy the protections afforded under the federal civil rights act. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, have no tolerance for this type of fear and intimidation and are committed to protecting residents regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, national origin or familial status.”
Donner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the civil rights offense.
The case was investigated by the Paola Police Department and the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tristan Hunt of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Racially Motivated Federal Hate Crime Targeting Black ManRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Colton Donner, 27, pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening an African American man with a knife because of the man’s race, and in order to intimidate and interfere with the man’s right to fair housing.
According to documents filed in connection with the plea, on Sept. 11, 2019, Donner was driving through a residential area of Paola, Kansas, when he saw the victim, an African American man, walking on the sidewalk. Donner stopped, got out of the car, and approached the victim while brandishing a knife. Donner threatened the victim, yelled racial slurs, and told the victim that Paola is a “white town.”
“Using racially motivated threats of violence to drive someone out of their home or community is a deplorable crime, and the Justice Department stands ready to use our nation’s hate crimes laws to hold perpetrators accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racially motivated hate crimes have no place in our society today. All people deserve to feel safe and secure living in their communities, regardless of race, color or national origin.”
“Any attempt to deny someone an opportunity to live where he or she chooses based on race, color or national origin is wrong and a violation of that person’s civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas. “It is the responsibility of the Justice Department to prosecute such offenses to ensure the equal protection under the law to which we all are entitled, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
“Every individual has the right to occupy a home free from racial discrimination, yet the defendant targeted the victim for no other reason than the victim’s race,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “The defendant’s actions directly undermined the victim’s right to reside in a community in Paola, Kansas, and to enjoy the protections afforded under the federal civil rights act. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, have no tolerance for this type of fear and intimidation and are committed to protecting residents regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, national origin or familial status.”
Donner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the civil rights offense.
The case was investigated by the Paola, Kansas Police Department, and the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tristan Hunt of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
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Jury Convicts Youth Group Leader for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a church youth group leader Wednesday for engaging in a sexualized relationship with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Thomas Daniel Johnson, 48, of Sand Springs, was found guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier presided over the trial.
“Thomas Johnson was known for being a mentor to adolescent males. He hid behind that reputation when he repeatedly sent a vulnerable child sexually explicit texts and requests for nude photographs,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to commend the victim in this case who exhibited courage and strength as he testified at trial this week. I am also proud of the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Gallant and Valeria Luster who fought for justice for this child.”
Thomas Johnson knew the victim’s family and volunteered as a youth leader at a church both families attended. Johnson was known as a mentor to adolescent and teenage boys, so the victim’s family asked him to mentor their child.
On Aug. 15, 2020, the victim’s mother discovered numerous sexually explicit texts, memes and images sent to her child by Johnson and confronted the defendant. Then both parents contacted law enforcement and turned their child’s phone in to authorities. Further examination of the phone revealed thousands of messages exchanged between Johnson and the victim, dating back to March 2019.
During the trial, prosecutors contended that Johnson engaged in a sexualized relationship using text messaging when the minor was 11, 12 and 13 years old, thus committing the crime of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
The United States argued Johnson groomed the victim, first gaining the victim’s trust and friendship. Johnson regularly encouraged the victim and called the victim a stud, sexy beast, and made sexual references and jokes.
Then the sexualized relationship increasingly involved the exchange of memes and comments with references to oral sex, penises, ejaculation and more. Johnson eventually told the victim about several sexual experiences he (Johnson) had taken part in. The victim testified that at first, he felt the exchange of texts and memes were jokes, but he grew increasingly uncomfortable as the defendant began routinely making comments about the victim’s penis and physical appearance, as well as implying that he was sexually attracted to the victim.
Johnson repeatedly asked the minor to send pictures of his penis or “nudes.” The defendant further suggested in messages that he could give the victim oral sex or vice versa. A few days before the communications were discovered, Johnson sent the victim a selfie of himself with a banana in his mouth simulating oral sex and during the texting exchange, asked the victim if he “could handle it,” implicitly offering to perform oral sex on the minor victim.
The victim testified that he believed Johnson would have acted on his (Johnson’s) requests had the victim complied.
The defense contended that taken in context and with the understanding of Johnson’s reputation for making sexual innuendos among family, friends, and other adolescents and teenagers he had mentored, the messages were simply misguided humor and did not represent grooming behavior. The defense further argued that Johnson was mentoring the child and trying to connect with the child by using common terminology, references and memes used among teenage males today.
Federal prosecutors argued that Johnson’s behavior was consistent with psychological tactics exhibited by child predators known as grooming behaviors. In court documents, prosecutors cited United States v. Chambers which stated, “The ultimate goal of grooming is the formation of an emotional connection with the child and a reduction of the child’s inhibitions in order to prepare the child for sexual activity.”
In closing, prosecutors reminded the jury that the defendant’s actions were no joke and that framing the texts as jokes was not a defense. They reminded the jury that the defendant told the victim to delete their text messages, which indicated Johnson understood the communications were questionable and criminal. They said instead of simply being misguided, harmless jokes, Johnson’s communications were meant to sexualize a 12-year-old child and desensitize the child to inappropriate sexual communications and material. They stated the only thing that stopped the inappropriate behavior was the intervention by the child’s parents and law enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Gallant noted Johnson wrapped himself in “a cloak of authority” and took advantage of the victim’s trust. He stated that mentors set age-appropriate boundaries with children. Instead, Johnson, a man in his forties, repeatedly crossed those boundaries by sending a “cesspool of memes and messages” that degraded and sexualized a vulnerable boy. He asked the jury to hold Johnson accountable with one word: Guilty.
The Sand Springs Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Gallant and Valeria G. Luster are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Las Vegas Man of Coercion, Enticement of A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – After a two-day trial, a federal jury convicted a Las Vegas man yesterday for coercion and enticement of a girl to engage in sexual activity.
Barry Allen Gabelman (51) was found guilty of one count of coercion and enticement. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 20, 2022.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from October 31 to December 6, 2019, Gabelman exchanged sexually explicit messages and photos via his social media account, as well as his messaging account, with individuals whom he believed to be an 11-year-old girl and her stepfather. In reality, a law enforcement officer was posing as both the girl and stepfather. During their communications, Gabelman discussed having sex with the girl and sent a nude photo of himself. On December 6, Gabelman traveled to a pre-arranged location in Las Vegas to meet and have sex with the girl. Law enforcement officers arrested Gabelman at the meeting place.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Pucci and Supriya Prasad are prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Jackson Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court records, on April 28, 2019, Stephen Donald Baucum, Jr., 32, entered the Bancorp South Bank at Canton Mart in Jackson and demanded money. Baucum told the tellers to put their hands up and instructed a teller to put the money in the bag he provided. He quickly left and fled in a silver Toyota Camry, which was later found to be stolen. Baucum was identified as the suspect and ultimately arrested on June 21, 2021. At the time of arrest, Baucum was found in possession of a firearm.
Baucum pled guilty to bank robbery on October 7, 2021, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
In addition to his prison term, Baucum was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,943 to Bancorp South Bank.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Deputy Chief Erin Chalk prosecuted the case.
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.
International Drug Traffickers Sentenced for Conspiring to Import Tons of CocaineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Two defendants who admitted to conspiring to import tons of cocaine into the United States were recently sentenced in the Eastern District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced GILBERTO CONTRERAS, age 45, to 108 months in prison for conspiring to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States. United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced CARLOS RIVADENEIRA, age 50, to 121 months in prison for conspiring to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States.
According to court records, RIVADENEIRA was a “broker” who connected individuals in Ecuador/Colombia who wanted to move ton quantities of cocaine with transporters who could move the drugs from South America to Central America/Mexico, with an ultimate destination of the United States. CONTRERAS operated a transportation service moving thousands of kilograms of cocaine from off the coast of Ecuador/Colombia to Central America and Mexico, with an ultimate destination of the United States. CONTRERAS owned/operated several large container vessels on which a specialized welder had constructed hidden compartments. After RIVADENEIRA brokered the deals, load owners in Ecuador and Colombia, who owned/produced the cocaine being shipped, would pay CONTRERAS a per kilogram price to move the drugs by sea to buyers in Mexico. The load owners would stockpile thousands of kilograms of cocaine in hidden locations primarily along the coast of Ecuador. CONTRERAS would send his vessels from Panama, where they were kept, to meet go-fast boats bringing the cocaine from shore out to international waters. CONTRERAS’s vessels were outfitted with cranes capable of lifting tons of merchandise from the go-fast boats onto the larger vessels, where crew members then secreted the cocaine in hidden compartments. CONTRERAS admitted to using four different vessels to transport large amounts of cocaine on at least six different occasions. Each of the six trips involved at least 3,000 and up to 8,500 kilograms of cocaine, which has a street value in the hundreds of millions. RIVADENEIRA admitted being caught in a recorded undercover meeting discussing the logistics of a recurring 3,000 kilogram shipment of cocaine to buyers in Mexico from producers in Ecuador.
The case arose from a multi-year investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans, in conjunction with several HSI offices in Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. As the investigation developed, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Panama office also became heavily involved, with assistance from DEA’s offices in Ecuador and Colombia. This truly collaborative investigation across agencies and offices led to three massive maritime interdictions, coordinated by the Joint Interagency Task Force South, and involving the United States Coast Guard and the Guatemalan Navy, in which over 13,000 kilograms of cocaine were seized.
The interdictions led to the prosecution both in the United States and abroad of scores of crew members. Later prosecutions in the United States focused on dismantling the organization and included charges against the expert welder who built the hidden compartments, associates who helped prepare the vessels for the drug runs, the shore to ship service provider, and a money launderer who help hide the proceeds. These prosecutions were assisted by numerous parts of the Department of Justice and, with substantial assistance from the Department’s Office of International Affairs, involved coordinating arrests in multiple countries and subsequent extraditions. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana has secured convictions of 15 participants and forfeited luxury apartments here and abroad, as well as high end vehicles and cash.
“Our office remains highly focused on disrupting any international drug trafficking that benefits from the illegal sale and consumption of controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “Despite the immense scope and duration of this investigation, its outcome was due to effective local and international law enforcement collaborations. Their tireless efforts resulted in the successful prosecutions of those engaged in this criminal conspiracy.”
“The scope and length of this investigation is a testament to our resolve to disrupt the illegal drug trade, aggressively pursue narcotics traffickers, and keep our communities free from dangerous narcotics,” said Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Special Agent in Charge David Denton. “HSI, and our law enforcement partners, know that our work isn’t over, but our commitment to the American public is as strong as ever.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the United States Coast Guard. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
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Independence Man Indicted for Multi-million Dollar Conspiracy to Sell Stolen Catalytic ConvertersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for selling millions of dollars in stolen catalytic converters to companies in Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana.
James Spick, 56, was charged in a 26-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Tuesday, Feb. 8. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Spick’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Spick, the owner of J&J Recycling in Independence, is charged with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines since Jan. 1, 2018, and 25 counts of transporting stolen property across state lines.
In his salvage business, Spick primarily buys and resells catalytic converters rather than other automotive parts or recyclable items. Catalytic converters convert toxic gases and pollutants from internal combustion engines into less-toxic pollutants. Catalytic converters contain precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium. Stolen catalytic converters have value because of the precious metals, which can be extracted from the converters.
Beginning in at least 2014, Spick bought catalytic converters at his business from individuals whom he paid in cash. The cash payments attracted thieves, the indictment says, particularly drug addicts. Spick resold the catalytic converters to companies in Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana. The Texas and Louisiana companies processed the catalytic converters to extract the precious metals.
Over a four-year period from Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2021, the indictment says, Spick received over $11 million from the sale of catalytic converters.
According to the indictment, Spick withdrew almost $2.5 million in cash from his bank accounts to buy catalytic converters from 2018 to 2021. From Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2021, Spick allegedly sold catalytic converters, including stolen catalytic converters, to a Kansas City, Mo., scrap company for an approximate total of $3,621,791, and to a Lee’s Summit, Mo., scrap company for an approximate total of $206,084.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Mahoney and Nicholas Heberle. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Illinois Man Arrested for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kevin Couture, a/k/a “travelsizepocket,” 40, of Chicago, Illinois, appeared yesterday in federal court on a charge that he attempted to entice a minor into sexual activity.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to the criminal complaint, Couture exchanged weeks of sexually explicit messages with undercover law enforcement officers posing as the child, who Couture believed to be 9 years old, and the child’s mother. Before his arrest yesterday, Couture travelled from his home in Chicago, Illinois to Oneida County, New York with gifts for the child with whom Couture intended to engage in sexual activity upon his arrival.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Couture faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000. 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. Additionally, if convicted, Couture would be required to register as a sex offender.
Couture appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks, who ordered Couture detained pending trial.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Honolulu Woman Receives Three Months in Prison for Removal and Retention of Classified MaterialRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Asia Janay Lavarello, 32, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii on February 10, 2022, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge J. Michael Seabright to three months of imprisonment and a $5,500 fine for knowingly removing classified information concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States and retaining it at an unauthorized location. Lavarello had pleaded guilty to the charge in July 2021.
According to information produced to the court, Lavarello, a Department of Defense employee, removed and retained numerous classified documents, writings, and notes relating to the national defense or foreign relations of the United States without authority. While working as an Executive Assistant at the United States Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, Lavarello accepted a temporary assignment working at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. There, Lavarello had access to classified computers and documents, and attended classified meetings as part of her official duties. Court documents list several specific instances in which Lavarello mishandled classified material of the United States.
On March 20, 2020, Lavarello removed classified documents from the U.S. Embassy Manila. She took the classified documents to her hotel room where she hosted a dinner party later that evening. Among the guests were two foreign nationals. During the party, a co-worker at the U.S. Embassy Manila discovered the documents, which included documents classified at the SECRET level. Lavarello’s temporary assignment in the Philippines was ultimately terminated due to her mishandling of SECRET classified documents.
Around March 28, 2020, Lavarello returned to Hawaii. In June of that year, investigators executed a search warrant at her workplace at the United States Indo-Pacific Command. In her desk, investigators found a notebook containing Lavarello’s handwritten notes of meetings she attended while working at the U.S. Embassy Manila. The notes contained facts and information classified at the CONFIDENTIAL and SECRET levels. Investigators determined that Lavarello did not send the classified notebook via secure diplomatic pouch from the U.S. Embassy Manila to Hawaii, as required. Instead, she personally transported the documents to Hawaii, unsecured, and kept the classified notebook at an unsecure location until at least April 13, 2020. Subsequently, Lavarello made false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in response to questioning about her handling of the classified material.
United States Attorney Clare E. Connors; Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice; Steven Merrill, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Honolulu Field Division; and Norman Dominesey, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Hawaii Field Office made the announcement today.
“Government employees authorized to access classified information should face imprisonment if they misuse that authority in violation of criminal law as Ms. Lavarello did in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Connors. “Such breaches of national security are serious violations of criminal law, and we will pursue them.”
“The American people entrust government employees with the responsibility to ensure classified information is properly handled and secure. Ms. Lavarello violated this trust when she removed classified documents from the U.S. Embassy Manila,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Merrill. “Today’s sentencing reflects the FBI and its partners unwavering commitment to keeping our communities safe and bringing offenders to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing of Ms. Lavarello is a reminder that Department of Defense employees have the responsibility to ensure classified information is properly secured. Mishandling classified information places lives and the U.S. National Security at risk,” said NCIS Special Agent in Charge Dominesey. “Ms. Lavarello violated that trust and was brought to justice through the collaborative investigative efforts of the FBI, NCIS, and U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The case was the result of a joint investigation between the FBI and NCIS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohammad Khatib and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division prosecuted the case.
Hancock County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Samuel Anthony Spilios, of Newell, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Spilios, 39, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Spilios admitted to selling more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in December 2020 in Hancock County.
Spilios faces at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration in Youngtown, Ohio; the Liverpool Township Police Department-Ohio; and the East Liverpool Police Department -Ohio investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Georgia Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A federal jury in Abingdon convicted a Georgia man yesterday for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine from Georgia into Southwest Virginia.
Jerada “Rod” Henderson, 40, of Locust Grove, Georgia, was convicted by a jury on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of more than 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Henderson was arrested in October 2018 for conspiring with others to traffic methamphetamine from Georgia into Smyth County for redistribution.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division announced the conviction today.
Henderson will be sentenced on May 3, 2022. The defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory sentence of up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting the case.
Gambino Crime Family Captain Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay $1 Million in Restitution for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Andrew Campos, a captain in the Gambino organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra, was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 37 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy. The Court also ordered Campos to pay $1 million in restitution and a $15,000 fine. Campos pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2021, admitting his participation in various predicate acts of wire fraud and money laundering.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Keechant Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“As a captain in the Gambino crime family, Campos has engaged in multiple fraud and money laundering schemes and maintained the corrosive influence of organized crime in the construction industry,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office, together with its law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue all investigative avenues to deter, interrupt and hold accountable members of organized crime who seek to line their pockets at the expense of businesses and taxpayers.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Probation Departments for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor and the United States Department of Labor for their assistance during the investigation.
“Andrew Campos led a scheme that lined his pockets and cheated taxpayers. He failed to pay more than $1 million in payroll taxes and laundered money to build his personal residence,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso. “Criminals, take note. Trying to cheat the system is not the way to do business.”
Campos and his co-conspirators carried out multiple fraudulent schemes to earn millions of dollars in criminal proceeds, in part through their operation of a carpentry company, CWC Contracting Corp. (“CWC”). Campos helped orchestrate a massive scheme to defraud the IRS by failing to pay approximately $1.3 million in payroll taxes owed to the federal government by paying CWC employees millions of dollars in cash without making the required payroll tax withholdings and payments. Campos and others also laundered money through a scheme by which checks were made out to others and cashed, purportedly for work performed in connection with CWC construction projects, but where, in fact, no services were performed, and the proceeds were used to construct Campos’s residence. Campos and his co-conspirators also fraudulently procured cards from the United States Department of Labor indicating completion of certain Occupational Safety and Health Administration training courses when, in fact, the courses were never completed. Further, as found by the Court at sentencing, between approximately June 2018 and June 2019, CWC paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to employees of a real estate development company. CWC paid the bribes in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of free labor and materials used for renovations on a co-defendant’s residence.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Kayla C. Bensing is in charge of the prosecution, assisted by Eastern District of New York Special Agent Erik Nesbitt. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
ANDREW CAMPOS
Age: 51
Scarsdale, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-575 (AMD)
Gilette Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DUSTIN ANTHONY HIEBERT, 24, of Gillette, Wyoming was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of production of child pornography. Hiebert appeared for an arraignment hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for April 11, 2022, before United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal. Hiebert was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
If convicted on all counts, Hiebert faces 15 years to life imprisonment and five years to life of supervised release. He could also be ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment pursuant to the Victims of Sex Trafficking Act of 2015 and a $100 special assessment on each count; a $50,000 special assessment and mandatory restitution of not less than $3,000 per requesting victim pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018; and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation ICAC. It is also part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative. Assistant United States Attorney Christyne M. Martens is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-00006-NDF
About Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 154 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – William Washington, 27 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to charges associated with his role in a series of armed robberies, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Washington was sentenced to 154 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $528.00 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, Washington plead guilty to Hobbs Act Robberies (Counts 3 & 7) and using a firearm during a crime of violence (Count 8). The criminal activity took place between the evening hours of January 21, and the early hours of January 22, 2018. Washington and his accomplice, co-defendant Brendan Collicott, robbed several Fort Wayne gas stations. Washington waited outside, while an armed Collicott robbed the gas stations, after which the two fled together. At one of the robberies, Washington was seen interacting with the store clerk immediately before Collicott robbed the clerk. No more than a few hundred dollars was taken during any of the robberies.
On January 11, 2022, co-defendant Collicott was sentenced to 252 months imprisonment for his role in these crimes.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 120 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Ronnie L. Rutherford, Jr., 45 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady, on his plea of guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Rutherford was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between June and July 2021, four controlled buys of cocaine and fentanyl were made from Rutherford. Based on the buys, a search warrant was obtained and executed on July 15, 2021. During the search, officers located 240 grams of marijuana, over 90 grams of fentanyl, over 60 grams of cocaine, along with other evidence of drug distribution and almost $4,000 cash. Rutherford had a previous federal conviction for carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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Former Professional Football Player Sentenced to Probation for Using a Telephone to Facilitate Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jeffrey Paul Hatch, 42, of Savannah, Georgia, formerly of Manchester, was sentenced to three years of probation for using a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, federal, state and local law enforcement officers conducted an investigation in 2017 of fentanyl traffickers, including an individual in Lawrence, Massachusetts who provided quantities of fentanyl to a Manchester-based fentanyl trafficker. Couriers assisted the Manchester-based trafficker by transporting drugs and money. On July 25, 2017, Hatch used his cellular telephone to arrange to pick up fentanyl from the Massachusetts-based trafficker on behalf of the Manchester-based trafficker.
From 2002 to 2005, Hatch played in the National Football League for the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Hatch previously pleaded guilty on August 1, 2019. In addition to his probationary sentence, Hatch was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
“Fentanyl is a deadly drug that has been responsible for hundreds of overdose deaths and has damaged countless individuals and their families in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “As this case demonstrates, people from all walks of life can end up participating in the illegal drug trade. As a result of his illegal conduct, this professional athlete is now a convicted felon. I hope that his experience serves as a lesson to young people about the dangers of fentanyl and the consequences of drug trafficking.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is proud to work closely with our law enforcement partners to uncover and disrupt trafficking networks that bring fentanyl and other deadly drugs into New England,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston Field Office.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Portsmouth Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, and Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Cole Davis and Seth R. Aframe.
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Former Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Portland resident pleaded guilty in federal court today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, on August 28, 2021, the Brewer Police Department was called to the Brewer Walmart parking lot due to a disturbance. Patrick Mullen, 52, was located in his truck in the parking lot. Law enforcement ran his information and determined that Mullen had three outstanding warrants. In addition, he was observed in his truck holding a firearm. After an hours-long standoff, Mullen was arrested. Mullen is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of a 2017 conviction in the Washington County Unified Court for Domestic Violence Criminal Threatening (With a Dangerous Weapon).
Mullen faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Brewer Police Department, the Holden Police Department, the Bangor Police Department, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police, and the ATF investigated the case. The Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the case.
The prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. PSN is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources. Across all districts, PSN follows four key design elements of successful violent crime reduction initiatives: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability.
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Former Ohio resident extradited from Ghana pleads guilty to laundering proceeds of online romance scamsRead the Press Release
Columbus, Ohio – Samuel Antwi, a citizen of Ghana and former Columbus resident, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to crimes resulting from his involvement in laundering money obtained through online romance scams.
After being charged on Valentine’s Day in 2018, Antwi fled the United States. He was arrested in Ghana in July 2021at the request of the United States and Ghanaian authorities extradited Antwi back to Columbus to face his pending charges. He has remained in custody since his extradition.
According to court documents, the perpetrators of the romance scams created several profiles on online dating sites. The scammers then contacted men and women throughout the United States and elsewhere, established relationships with the victims and ultimately asked for money. The victims received account information and were directed to send money to those accounts, including some controlled by Antwi. The fraud generated millions of dollars in proceeds. Antwi is not charged with perpetrating the romance scams, but instead is charged with laundering the proceeds to conceal or disguise their criminal source.
“Scammers use online dating sites to build trust relationships with victims and persuade them to send money or share personal and financial information,” said U.S Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “As Valentine’s Day approaches, remember, never send money to someone you have only met online. If you are the victim of a romance scam, file a complaint at ic3.gov.”
Court documents spell out Antwi’s involvement in the scheme. He used a company he established, E.N.O. Services, to launder the money. From at least December 2013 through May 2015, Antwi knowingly laundered or attempted to launder $331,150 using bank accounts in his name and his company’s name. Antwi also unlawfully possessed stolen credit card numbers and other confidential personal information of others. Between April 26, 2016, and May 18, 2016, he possessed at least 87 stolen credit card numbers.
Antwi pleaded guilty to one count of concealment money laundering and one count of access device fraud. The parties have agreed to a term of incarceration of between 24 and 30 months, and restitution to victims of $291,150.
Antwi was one of eight people charged on Valentine’s Day 2018 in connection with the romance scam money laundering. Six have received sentences ranging from 42 months in prison to 30 months of probation. One defendant remains at large.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Pittsburgh Division; and James C. Harris III, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the guilty plea entered before U.S. District Chief Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division worked with law enforcement partners in Ghana to secure the arrest of Antwi in Ghana and his extradition to the United States.
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Former Inmate Sentenced to 19 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to use Drones to Smuggle Contraband into Fort Dix Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 19 months in prison for his role in a scheme to use drones to smuggle contraband, including cell phones and tobacco, into the federal correctional facility at Fort Dix, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Johansel Moronta, 29, of Linden, New Jersey, a former inmate at Fort Dix, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of possessing and obtaining contraband while in prison. Moronta, who had been released from custody several months after the offense occurred and was on federal supervised release thereafter, also pleaded guilty to violating the terms of his supervised release.
Another former federal inmate, Jason Arteaga-Loayza, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the scheme as well as to distributing narcotics and was sentenced in September 2021 to 43 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton. Two other men, Adrian Goolcharran, aka “Adrian Ahoda,” aka “Adrian Ajoda,” aka “Adrian Ajodha,” and Nicolo Denichilo, also have been charged with participating in the scheme to use drones to smuggle contraband into Fort Dix prison.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Moronta, an inmate at Fort Dix from April 2018 to March 2019, participated in multiple drone deliveries of contraband into Fort Dix while incarcerated. Between October 2018 and June 2019, Arteaga-Loayza arranged for Goolcharran, with Denichilo’s assistance, to fly drones over Fort Dix and drop packages of contraband – including cell phones, cell phone accessories, tobacco, weight loss supplements, eyeglasses – into the prison, where Moronta took possession of the contraband and helped sell it to inmates for a profit.
Moronta admitted in court that, on Oct. 30, 2018, he received a bag dropped by a drone onto the roof of a housing unit at FCI Fort Dix which contained contraband tobacco, cellphone chargers and charging cables. Prison officials recovered that bag which contained 127 bags of Bugler tobacco, 10 cell phone chargers and 10 USB charging cables. Moronta also admitted to possessing a contraband cell phone on that date, which he had used to coordinate the drone drop.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Moronta to one year of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Cyber Investigations Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Keith A. Bonanno; the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 307, under the direction of Superintendent Nicholas Kaplan; and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
He also thanked Federal Bureau of Prisons personnel at Fort Dix; special agents of the FBI; special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office; and officers with the Pemberton Borough Police Department; the Pemberton Township Police Department; and Chesterfield Township Police Department, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaints issued against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Government Contractor Executives Indicted for Unlawful Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
Three Hawaii-based executives of a government contractor were indicted today in the District of Columbia for allegedly making unlawful campaign contributions to a candidate for Congress and a political action committee.
According to the indictment, Martin Kao, 48, Clifford Chen, 48, and Lawrence “Kahele” Lum Kee, 52, all of Honolulu, were employed by a defense contractor prohibited from making contributions in federal elections. The defendants allegedly created a shell company and then used that shell company to make an illegal contribution to a political action committee supporting the election of a candidate for the U.S. Senate using government contractor funds. The defendants also allegedly used family members as conduits to make illegal contributions to the campaign committee of the same candidate, and then reimbursed themselves for those donations using funds obtained from their employer.
All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make conduit and government contractor contributions, making conduct contributions, and making government contractor contributions. Kao is also charged with two counts of making false statements for causing the submission of false information to the Federal Election Committee.
Kao, Chen and Lum Kee will make their initial appearance at a later date. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liz Aloi and Joshua Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Government Contractor Executives Indicted for Unlawful Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three Hawaii-based executives of a government contractor were indicted today in the District of Columbia for allegedly making unlawful campaign contributions to a candidate for Congress and a political action committee.
According to the indictment, Martin Kao, 48, Clifford Chen, 48, and Lawrence “Kahele” Lum Kee, 52, all of Honolulu, were employed by a defense contractor prohibited from making contributions in federal elections. The defendants allegedly created a shell company and then used that shell company to make an illegal contribution to a political action committee supporting the election of a candidate for the U.S. Senate using government contractor funds. The defendants also allegedly used family members as conduits to make illegal contributions to the campaign committee of the same candidate, and then reimbursed themselves for those donations using funds obtained from their employer.
All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make conduit and government contractor contributions, making conduct contributions, and making government contractor contributions. Kao is also charged with two counts of making false statements for causing the submission of false information to the Federal Election Committee.
Kao, Chen and Lum Kee will make their initial appearance at a later date. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liz Aloi and Joshua Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Unemployment Benefits in the Names of Identity Theft VictimsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Christopher Kenneth Guy, age 30, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Greg L. Torbenson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES ACT) was enacted on March 27, 2020, to assist individuals experiencing financial distress as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Among other things, the CARES Act established the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC), which provided federal funds to state agencies responsible for the administration of unemployment benefits. The FPUC funds were provided to supplement regular unemployment compensation payments to qualified applicants.
According to his plea agreement, from May 26, 2020, to August 5, 2020, Guy and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent applications, using the personal information of identity theft victims, claiming unemployment benefits to which they were not entitled. The applications were submitted through the internet to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) and other state workforce agencies. Based on the fraudulent applications, OSEC and other workforce agencies disbursed benefits, including FPUC funds, through debit cards issued in the names of the identity theft victims. The debit cards were mailed to addresses in Maryland and elsewhere, that were accessible to Guy and other conspirators. Guy and his co-conspirators used the debit cards to withdraw money and to conduct retail transactions.
For example, between July 27 and August 5, 2020, Guy conducted fraudulent transactions using debit cards in the names of at least seven identity theft victims and funded with unemployment compensation, including FPUC funds. On August 5, 2020, Guy used a debit card issued in the name of an identity theft victim to purchase a laptop computer for $2,225.99, from a retail electronics store in Elkridge, Maryland. Howard County Police officers, who had been called for a possible fraudulent purchase, approached Guy in the parking lot. Upon questioning by the officers, Guy falsely stated that he had lost the receipt and that he made the purchase using a card he produced bearing no name. When officers advised that the number on the card did not match that listed on the receipt reprinted by the store, Guy falsely claimed that he must have lost the card he used to purchase the laptop. Guy was then arrested by officers, who located the card used to purchase the laptop in Guy’s pocket.
A search of Guy’s vehicle by Howard County Police Department officers recovered $1,500 in cash, four debit cards issued in names other than Guy’s, multiple electronic devices, and a room key from a hotel in Chevy Chase, Maryland. A search warrant was obtained for Guy’s hotel room and officers recovered 13 additional debit cards issued in various names, additional electronic devices, receipts from retail purchases, and $11,619 in cash. DOL-OIG agents obtained surveillance images that showed Guy using the debit cards funded with fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits at ATMs within a mile of the hotel where he was staying. Twelve of the debit cards that were used in these transactions were recovered from Guy or his hotel room on August 5, 2020.
A forensic examination of the electronic devices seized from Guy and his hotel room revealed internet searches and browsing history relating to unemployment benefits; notes containing the mailing addresses where the fraudulent debit cards were delivered by mail; and a listing of the last four digits of each of the 18 debit cards recovered on August 5, 2020, each with a monetary balance listed next to it.
Agents with DOL-OIG also learned that the 18 debit cards seized from Guy or his hotel room were issued as a result of 16 fraudulent applications for unemployment benefits submitted in the names of identity theft victims. The 16 fraudulent claims resulted in the disbursement of more than $176,970 in unemployment and FPUC funds, which losses were reasonably foreseeable to Guy. The 16 fraudulent claims were associated with 30 Internet Protocol addresses that are connected to thousands of other unemployment claims filed with OESC and the state workforce agencies in Maryland, Arizona, Massachusetts, California, Nevada, and many other states, resulting in the disbursement of approximately $11,084,141.
Guy faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for Guy on May 11, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Department of Labor-OIG, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Maddox and Sean R. Delaney, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Five Sentenced to Prison in Cell Phone Store Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN.– Five people have now been sentenced to prison terms in connection with an armed robbery at a Kansas City, Kansas cell phone store in which victims were bound.
• Mario Lambert, 39, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 61 months;
• Sir Love, 36, of Knoxville, Tenn. was sentenced to 35 months;
• Domonique Walker, 30, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 145 months;
• Sharod Pitts, 40, of Chicago, Ill. was sentenced to 100 months;
• and Terry Curtis, 38, of Rockford, Ill. received a sentence of 72 months.According to court documents, in September 2016, Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts entered a Verizon store on Village West Parkway. They pulled out handguns, and announced it was a robbery. The men locked the doors and forced the employees and customers to the back of the store at gunpoint. The assailants made the victims lie face down on the floor and bound their hands behind their back with zip ties. Then they untied one employee, put a gun to his face and demanded he open the store safe. Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts stole cash and merchandise before fleeing the scene with Curtis who was waiting outside as the getaway driver.
Walker, Curtis, Lambert, and Love each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Pitts pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Lambert, Love, and Walker were indicted and sentenced in Tennessee and Illinois on related charges.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.
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Five Members of a Family-Run Sex Trafficking Organization Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences in Brooklyn Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Five members of a family-run sex trafficking organization were sentenced this week to prison terms of nearly 40 years in prison by United States District Judge Allyne R. Ross in federal court in Brooklyn. Jose Miguel Melendez-Rojas was sentenced to 39 years and six months in prison; Jose Osvaldo Melendez-Rojas and Rosalio Melendez-Rojas were each sentenced to 39 years and four months in prison; Francisco Melendez-Perez and Abel Romero-Melendez were sentenced to 25 years and 20 years in prison respectively. The defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to their victims. The defendants were convicted by a federal jury in March 2020 of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of minors, interstate prostitution, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. A sixth co-defendant, Fabian Reyes-Rojas, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and sex trafficking in December 2019 and is awaiting sentencing.
“Through false promises of a better life, the defendants ensnared young, vulnerable victims in a sordid world of sex-trafficking and used violence and cruel threats to force them into prostitution,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s lengthy sentence reflects the immeasurable harm the defendants’ brutality and exploitation inflicted on these young women and girls, and the commitment of this Office and its law enforcement partners to combating human trafficking in all its forms,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I applaud the courage shown by the victims who testified and hope that the sentences the Court meted out will help them find closure on their path to healing. I commend the diligent and compassionate work of Eastern District of New York prosecutors and HSI agents and thank them for bringing the defendants to justice.”
“The traffickers in this case used deception and coercion to sell dreams of a better life in the United States to young and impressionable women, who arrived only to be forced into a life of torment, misery, sexual abuse and prostitution at the hands of their captors,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Patel. “The conviction and sentencing of these traffickers represent the culmination of an imperative investigation and could not have been possible without the cooperation and testimony of these brave victims, whose boundless courage led to justice for the heinous and reprehensible acts committed against them. HSI New York’s Human Trafficking Task Force combines federal, state, local and international resources to combat human trafficking by working hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle criminal networks engaged in human trafficking and provide protection, assistance, and safe haven to victims.”
Between 2006 and July 2017, the defendants transported young and vulnerable Mexican women and girls, some of whom were minors, to the United States and forced them to work in prostitution. The defendants used false promises of love, marriage, and a better life to lure the women and girls into romantic and sexual relationships and isolated their victims from their families by bringing them to live with them at the defendants’ homes in Tenancingo, Mexico. The defendants then used physical and sexual violence, threats, and fraud to coerce their victims to work in prostitution in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware. The defendants took the proceeds generated from the victims’ prostitution and laundered them to conceal their source.
Six victim-witnesses testified at trial regarding the physical and sexual abuse they endured at the hands of the defendants. One victim identified as “Diana” testified that she was smuggled into the United States as a minor and forced to work as a prostitute. When she tried to escape, Jose Miguel Melendez-Rojas beat and raped her in front of other members of the household, including Rosalio Melendez-Rojas and Abel Romero-Melendez. Another victim identified as “Delia” testified that she was forced into prostitution by Francisco Melendez-Perez and his uncle Rosalio Melendez-Rojas when she was 14 years old. When she refused to work, she was beaten. Victims “Fabiola” and “Maria Rosalba” also testified that they were forced to work as prostitutes through threats, physical abuse and forced abortions by Rosalio Melendez-Rojas and Jose Osvaldo Melendez-Rojas. Victim “Daisy” testified that she was forced into prostitution by Fabian Reyes-Rojas. Victim “Veronica” testified at trial that Jose Miguel Melendez-Rojas threatened her and her family, telling her that he would “chop [her] mother up into little pieces” if she did not work in prostitution for his benefit.
The investigation, prosecution, bilateral enforcement action and extradition of the defendants apprehended in Mexico were coordinated through the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative. Since 2009, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have collaborated with Mexican law enforcement counterparts in the bilateral initiative to more effectively dismantle human trafficking networks operating across the U.S.-Mexico border, bring human traffickers to justice, restore the rights and dignity of human trafficking victims and reunite victims with their children. These efforts have resulted in successful prosecutions in both Mexico and the United States, including U.S. federal prosecutions of more than 170 defendants in multiple cases in Georgia, New York, Florida and Texas, in addition to numerous federal and state prosecutions of associated sex traffickers in Mexico. The convictions in this case are the latest development in the Eastern District of New York’s comprehensive anti-trafficking program, which has to date indicted more than 100 defendants for sex trafficking; assisted more than 180 victims, including over 40 minors; reunited 19 victims’ children with their mothers; and secured restitution orders of over $4 million on behalf of trafficking victims.
The investigation and prosecution of the defendants was led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and HSI New York’s Trafficking in Persons Unit, with assistance from HSI Mexico City Attaché Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department, Interpol and the New York City Police Department. The government of Mexico, including Mexico’s Procuraduría General de la República and Policía Federal, as well as the National Center for Attention to Cybercrimes against Minors (CENADEM), also played a prominent role in advancing the bilateral anti-trafficking enforcement efforts in this case. Non-governmental victim service providers and advocates also dedicated efforts to restore and improve the lives of survivors of trafficking and their families.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Erin Argo and Gillian Kassner are in charge of the prosecution.
If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.
The Defendants:
JOSE MIGUEL MELENDEZ-ROJAS
Age: 45
MexicoFRANCISCO MELENDEZ-PEREZ (also known as “Paco” and “El Mojarra”)
Age: 27
Queens, New YorkABEL ROMERO-MELENDEZ (also known as “La Borrega” and “Borrego”)
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkJOSE OSVALDO MELENDEZ-ROJAS
Age: 46
MexicoROSALIO MELENDEZ-ROJAS (also known as “Leonel, “Wacho” and “El Guacho”)
Age: 40
MexicoCo-Defendant To Be Sentenced:
FABIAN REYES-ROJAS
Age: 42
MexicoE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-434 (ARR)
Financial Manager for Puyallup steel fabrication business indicted for tax fraudRead the Press Release
Seattle – The co-owner and financial manager of a Puyallup, Washington steel fabrication business was indicted today for nine counts of failing to pay over employment taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Donna Powell, 56, co-owns and operates Pinnacle Steel Fabricators, a company that makes steel parts. Donna Powell serves as the Secretary/Treasurer and Accounting Manager for the business. The indictment alleges that between 2010 and 2018, the company withheld approximately $1,167,891 payroll taxes from employees’ paychecks, but failed to pay any of those funds over to the Internal Revenue System (IRS).
Powell will appear for an arraignment at 1:30 on February 14, 2022, at U.S. District Court in Tacoma.
According to the indictment, the company has 15-20 employees. Between 2010 and 2018, Powell withheld the employees’ share of employment taxes from their paychecks but failed to pay the withheld funds over to the government as required by law. Each quarter, Powell was required by law to file Forms 941 with the IRS disclosing the amount of payroll taxes withheld. Powell failed to file any Forms 941 for the period between 2010 and the first quarter of 2018. Instead of paying the taxes, Powell and her husband spent on personal interests such as travel ($32,000+), gambling at casinos ($41,000+), online gaming ($33,000+) and approximately $7,400 on spa and pool-related purchases.
Failure to pay over the taxes ultimately hurts the employees whose earning records are incomplete for Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment benefits. Employees can report concerns about federal withholding to the IRS and records can be corrected with documentation.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Willful failure to pay over employment taxes is punishable by up to five years of imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.
powell_indictment.pdfFinal Defendant Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for 2011 Murder of Joshua RubinRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that KEVIN TAYLOR was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff to 28 years in prison for his role in the October 31, 2011, murder of Joshua Rubin in Brooklyn, New York. Judge Rakoff previously sentenced co-defendants GARY ROBLES and MICHAEL MAZUR to 28 and 18 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in Rubin’s murder.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s sentencing brings long-awaited closure to the family of Joshua Rubin for the horrific events from more than a decade ago when Taylor, Robles and Mazur killed Rubin during a planned drug robbery, and then burned and abandoned Rubin’s body in a deserted field in Pennsylvania. This case is another example of this Office’s commitment to seeking justice for victims, even if the road to justice is long. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for persevering in this case until justice was achieved for the victim’s family.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
On or about October 31, 2011, KEVIN TAYLOR, GARY ROBLES, and MICHAEL MAZUR planned to rob Joshua Rubin of a pound of marijuana. ROBLES agreed to bring a firearm to the robbery. TAYLOR lured Rubin to a Brooklyn apartment where, under the guise of purchasing the marijuana, the trio planned to rob Rubin of the drugs. On the night of the robbery, TAYLOR and ROBLES waited inside the apartment while MAZUR was positioned outside to serve as a lookout. After Rubin entered the apartment, TAYLOR and ROBLES demanded that Rubin surrender the marijuana. When Rubin refused, ROBLES shot and killed him.
After the murder, TAYLOR, ROBLES, and MAZUR placed Rubin’s body into the trunk of a car and drove to rural Pennsylvania. Once there, TAYLOR, ROBLES, and MAZUR placed Rubin’s body in a garbage can, doused it with an accelerant, and set the body on fire. TAYLOR, ROBLES, and MAZUR then drove back to New York in the early morning hours of November 1, 2011. After the murder, TAYLOR arranged to have Rubin’s credit cards used to purchase items from retail establishments in Orange County, New York.
In addition, in 2019 and 2020, TAYLOR attempted to impede the federal murder investigation by paying thousands of dollars to a potential witness, and offering another witness hundreds of thousands of dollars if that witness refused to speak with law enforcement.
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TAYLOR, 29, pled guilty to one count of robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and one count of conspiracy to commit witness tampering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. In connection with his guilty plea, TAYLOR admitted to his role in the murder. In addition to his prison sentence, TAYLOR, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
ROBLES, 39, pled guilty to one count of robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and one count of narcotics conspiracy, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(b)(1)(D). In connection with his guilty plea, ROBLES admitted to his role in the murder. In addition to his prison sentence, ROBLES, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
MAZUR, 27, pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, and in connection with his guilty plea admitted to his role in the murder. In addition to his prison sentence, MAZUR, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He also thanked the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the South Whitehall Township Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra N. Rothman, Mollie Bracewell, and Dominic A. Gentile are in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Jury in Lafayette Returns Guilty VerdictRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a federal jury seated in Lafayette, Louisiana, has returned a guilty verdict against Morgan Lyons, 42, of Jennings, Louisiana on firearms and drug possession charges.
United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. presided over the trial, which began Monday, February 7, 2022. Lyons was charged in October 2019 in a superseding indictment and was found guilty last night of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
Testimony at trial this week revealed that on May 5, 2016, law enforcement officers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Combined Anti-Drug Task Force, the Louisiana State Police and the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, using a cooperating witness, did a controlled delivery of marijuana to a residence in which Morgan Lyons resided. Shortly after the controlled delivery, officers executed a search warrant of the residence and located approximately 43 ounces of cocaine, a ledger book, 4 digital scales, $36,020, an AR-15 assault rifle, a Ruger 9mm firearm, and a large box of assorted ammunition, as well as numerous documents in the name of Morgan Lyons.
Lyons has a prior felony conviction for possession of cocaine, and a prior conviction for possession of over 400 grams of cocaine, as well as multiple violent felony arrests. For these federal convictions, he faces a sentence of not less than 5 years nor more than 40 years in prison on the drug possession charge, up to 10 years in prison on each firearms charge, not less than 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,000,000. In addition, Lyons will forfeit the $36,020 which was seized.
Sentencing has been scheduled for June 23, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Luke Walker and Craig R. Bordelon.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced for Possessing A Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 9, 2022, inmate Hugo Reynosa, age 26, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann for possessing a weapon in prison. Reynosa’s sentence will run consecutively to his current 96-month federal sentence for conspiring to distribute nearly four kilograms of pure methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Reynosa was previously found guilty of possessing a weapon in prison following a December 2021 bench trial. On May 12, 2020, officers at the United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, caught Reynosa trying to dispose of a 6.25-inch piece of metal with a crude handle and sharp point, commonly referred to as a “shank,” during a mass search of Reynosa’s housing unit.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Willie Lamont Nash, age 31, was sentenced on February 9, 2022, to 96 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Nash was an inmate at the United States Penitentiary (USP) Canaan, Waymart, Pennsylvania on October 12, 2017, when he attacked another inmate by striking him on the head and upper body with a lock in a sock. As a result of the attack, the victim inmate suffered multiple injuries including blunt ocular trauma, resulting in significant vision loss.
The case was investigated by the FBI in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
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Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Murder of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A federal inmate at Milan Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan, has pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder in the death of a fellow inmate, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Jonathan Hemingway, Warden, Milan Correction Facility.
Adam Taylor Wright, 41, a former resident of Springfield, Illinois, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Paul D. Borman.
According to court records, on January 2, 2019, Wright, along with co-defendants Alex Albert Castro, 41, and Jason Dale Kechego, 40, unlawfully killed fellow inmate Christian Maire. Specifically, Wright and Kechego repeatedly kicked and stomped Maire in the head, and Wright prevented Maire from fleeing while Castro repeatedly stabbed Maire. Wright, along with his two co-defendants, then worked together to throw Maire’s body down a flight of metal stairs.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence over 27 years that can be imposed concurrently, partially concurrently, or consecutively to the sentences of imprisonment (totaling 199 months) he is already serving on three other cases.
Charges are still pending against Castro and Kechego. They are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“When a murder happens within a prison, it undermines the safety and security of our penal institutions as well as the inmates and Bureau of Prisons employees who work there,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office will bring to justice those who engage in such senseless and brutal acts of violence.”
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frances Lee Carlson and Andrew R. Picek.
Federal Indictment Charges Man with Setting Fire to Chicago BuildingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been indicted on a federal arson charge for allegedly using a Molotov cocktail to set fire to a building in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago.
JUAN AGUILAR, 37, of Chicago, is charged with one count of maliciously damaging and destroying a building, and one count of unlawfully possessing an improvised incendiary bomb, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment accuses Aguilar of setting fire to a building in the 1600 block of West Cullerton Street in Chicago on Sept. 24, 2019.
Aguilar was taken into federal custody on Monday. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday afternoon in federal court in Chicago. A detention hearing is set for today at 11:15 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert.
The 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 U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in Chicago; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Julien.
The arson charge is punishable by a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. The unlawful possession charge is punishable by up to ten years. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- February 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February 2022 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Alberto Barragan-Ochoa. Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute. On or about January 4, 2022, Barragan-Ochoa, 31, knowingly possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams heroin. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Tulsa Police Department, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-38
Jeremy Nicholas Botonis. Coercion and Enticement of a Child; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child in Indian Country (superseding). Botonis, 43, of Sand Springs, allegedly persuaded and enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity from May 20, 2019, to Sept. 3, 2019. On Aug. 24, 2019, he further engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual contact with the minor who was between the ages of 12 and 16. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations and the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-195
Markia Curran. Attempted Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. On Dec. 29, 2021, Curran, 37, of Sand Springs, knowingly and intentionally attempted to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-44
Skyler Dean Easter. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. On or about December 13, 2021, Easter, 21, of Bartlesville, is alleged to have knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a child between the ages of 12 and 16. The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-31
Luis Alfredo Jacobo; Antonio Cervantes Garcia; William Donavan Johnson III; Shauni Breanne Callagy; David Scott Chambers; Gene Olen Charles Rast; Renee Lynn Haynes; Jesus Valdez Martinez; Kelly Wayne Bryan; Curtis Anthony Jones. Continuing Criminal Enterprise (Count 1); Drug Conspiracy (Count 2-5); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 6-7); Interstate Travel to Aid Racketeering (Counts 8, 13); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 9); Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 10); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 11); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 12); Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility (Counts 14-39) (3rd superseding indictment). In this third superseding indictment, Jacobo, 30, of Bakersfield, California, is further charged in counts 14-39 with using a cell phone and app to coordinate drug operations. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, City of Miami Police Department, Grove Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Oklahoma District 13 Drug Task Force are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe is prosecuting the case. See the press release announcing charges here. 22-CR-102
Alejandro Jimenez-Lobaina. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. On or about January 11, 2022, Jimenez-Lobaina, 29, of Tulsa, intentionally possessed with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. He is further alleged to have possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-32
Clyde Douglas Knox Jr. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearms During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Knox Jr., 52, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute cocaine on Sept. 8, 2021. He is further charged with possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking crimes. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-45
Ashton Nikoel Mattingly. Child Neglect in Indian Country (Count 1); Tampering with Evidence by Corruptly Altering, Destroying, Mutilating, and Concealing Records and Other Objects (Counts 2-4). Mattingly, 30, of Tulsa, allegedly neglected an infant who was two months old on Jan 4, 2021. The child died. Mattingly is also charged with calling an individual on Feb. 11, 2021, and asking the individual to go to Mattingly’s residence and remove a white pill bottle with an orange cap so the pill bottle would be unavailable as evidence in the investigation into the death of the child. She also allegedly instructed the same individual to change the password for the Snapchat associated with Mattingly’s username so the record inside would be unavailable as evidence. On Feb. 16, 2021, Mattingly is also alleged to have instructed a different individual to report falsely to Mattingly’s service provider that Mattingly’s cell phone was stolen and to request the service provider disable access to the phone, so the record inside would be unavailable as evidence. The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Tonkin is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-30
Jesse Clay Miles Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Miles Jr., 51, of Miami, was a felon in possession of a Smith and Wesson .32 caliber pistol and 217 rounds of ammunition. He is further charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Nov. 22, 2021. Miles Jr. is also charged with knowingly possessing the Smith and Wesson, .32 caliber pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Finally, he is charged with maintaining a place in Miami, Oklahoma, for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. McWaters is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-33
Eduardo Perez-Ulloa; Marco Antonia Venegas-Gallardo. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Perez-Ulloa, 22, and Venegas-Gallardo, 40, both illegally in the United States, are charged with drug conspiracy. The two men allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl and possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Jan. 4, 2022. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Tulsa Police Department, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-40
Casey Stephen Proctor. On July 20, 2021, Proctor, 36, possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-46
Wesley James Smith. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Smith, 31, of Collinsville, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Jan. 4, 2022. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Tulsa Police Department, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-41
Quindell Curtis Stanley. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (superseding). On May 30, 2019, Stanley, 35, of Fairland, assaulted the victim, with intent to commit murder, by shooting the woman in the chest with a firearm. He is further charged with carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during the crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, and Joplin Police Department are the investigative agencies Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris and Justin G. Bish are prosecuting the case. 21-CR-424
Francisco Alejandro Urieta-Nunez. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Urieta-Nunez, 21, of El Paso, Texas, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-43
Tyler Ward. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Ward, 28, of Tulsa, is alleged to have possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is also charged with possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking crimes and with maintaining a residence in Tulsa to distribute the drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Tulsa Police Department, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-42
Federal Firearms Conviction Leads to Lengthy Prison Sentence for Houston ManRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Jarvis Pierre, 38, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. on federal firearms charges. Pierre was found guilty by a federal jury in May 2021 after a week-long trial of two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Pierre was sentenced today to 348 months (29 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on those charges. He was found to be an Armed Career Criminal based upon his criminal history and this sentence is a reflection of that enhancement.
Evidence introduced at the trial revealed that Pierre was stopped by law enforcement officers on two occasions for traffic violations. On October 7, 2018, deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fired call outside of the Cloud 9 night club in Lake Charles, Louisiana. When deputies arrived, the crowd began to disburse and many patrons left the parking lot. Deputies observed a vehicle that remained in the parking lot with the driver acting suspiciously. Law enforcement officers followed the vehicle once the driver left the parking lot and observed the vehicle drift from the lane of travel several times and conducted a traffic stop. Pierre was the driver of the vehicle and as deputies approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. After a search of Pierre’s person, deputies found large amounts of cash, and a brown, powdery substance which was determined to contain heroin and fentanyl. While searching the vehicle further, deputies found a loaded FN57 handgun under the driver’s seat, as well as a loose 5.7mm round of ammunition, a rolled marijuana cigarette, and a baby bottle containing promethazine. Memo books containing writing that was determined to be prices for different amounts of narcotics with names and addresses were also found in the vehicle. The amount of cash found on Pierre’s person and in the vehicle totaled over $11,000.
When Pierre was stopped by Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies for a traffic violation on December 27, 2018, they found him to have a loaded handgun between the driver’s seat and center console of his vehicle, along with marijuana on his person and in the vehicle, and two cellular phones. Deputies determined at that time that Pierre had an active warrant out of Texas stemming from a traffic stop in February 2018 in Pearland, Texas by officers with the Pearland Police Department. During the Pearland, Texas stop, law enforcement officers found a loaded 9mm handgun, over 400 oxycodone pills and $11,629 in cash, as well as 4 cellular telephones.
Pierre has previous felony convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute (2001); distribution of cocaine (2002); and aggravated assault with a firearm (2013). It is illegal for individuals with a prior felony conviction to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Vermaelen, John W. Nickel and J. Luke Walker.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Fayette County Attorney Pleads Guilty to Defrauding ClientsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 9, 2022, John William “JW” Eddy, age 39, of Fayette County, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for misappropriating funds from clients of his law practice between 2016 and 2020.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Eddy ran a private law practice, Eddy Law Office. As an attorney representing members of the public in the practice of law, Eddy was required to maintain a trust account for client funds, also known as an Interest on Lawyer Trust Account or “IOLTA.” This account was to be used for the securing of client funds, such as proceeds from legal settlements, fees advanced for services not yet performed, or money for court fees. At his guilty plea before United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, Eddy admitted that between 2016 and 2020 he misappropriated $242,975.89 of client funds entrusted to him.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Farmington Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Thomas Blanchette, 45, of Farmington, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Blanchette conspired with others between approximately 2016 and December 20, 2018 to distribute fentanyl. As part of the conspiracy, on November 17, 2017, a New Hampshire State Police (“NHSP”) trooper made a motor vehicle stop of co-conspirator Christopher Stearns’ vehicle after observing several motor vehicle violations. Blanchette and his wife, co-conspirator Amy Blanchette, were passengers in the vehicle, along with another individual. The trooper subsequently seized the vehicle, executed a search warrant, and seized 176 grams of fentanyl from a box near the rear passenger seat where Amy Blanchette had been seated. Arrest warrants were obtained for Blanchette, Stearns and Amy Blanchette.
On January 2, 2018, DEA agents observed Stearns and Thomas Blanchette in Stearns’ vehicle travel to the area of Lawrence, Massachusetts and return to New Hampshire a short time later. A NHSP trooper stopped the vehicle and arrested Stearns and Thomas Blanchette on the outstanding arrest warrants. The NHSP subsequently executed a search warrant on Stearns’ vehicle and seized over 28 grams of fentanyl.
On December 20, 2018, DEA agents executed federal arrest warrants for Thomas and Amy Blanchette at their residence. A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and several firearms. Thomas Blanchette was prohibited from owning firearms due to a felony conviction in 2010.
Blanchette previously pleaded guilty on June 9, 2021. Amy Blanchette and Christopher Stearns also pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
“Fentanyl traffickers are selling a deadly substance that has caused immeasurable harm to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “When drug dealers are armed, the risk to the public is even greater. As this case demonstrates, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the fentanyl dealers who peddle this dangerous substance in the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Hampshire State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.
This investigation 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.
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Fairfax Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Interfering and Assaulting Flight AttendantRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kameron C. Stone, 29, of Fairfax, Virginia, pled guilty on Tuesday to interfering with flight crew and assault by striking and wounding in special aircraft jurisdiction. The plea was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
On April 16, 2021, Stone boarded a flight departing from Dulles International Airport in Virginia bound for Pensacola International Airport. During the flight, passengers noticed Stone was behaving obnoxiously and smelled strongly of alcohol. A flight attendant warned Stone on several occasions about his behavior, which included pretending to shoot at passengers, refusing to remain seated or wear a seatbelt, and reaching for the cockpit door. As the flight began its final descent, Stone approached the front of the aircraft and tried to open the cabin and cockpit doors. A flight attendant attempted to prevent Stone from opening the doors and, as a result, Stone pushed her, grabbed her shoulders, and shoved her into the galley wall, injuring her in the process. During the altercation, Stone successfully breached the main cabin door to the external portion of the plane, triggering the alarm and causing the pilots to declare an emergency with the Federal Aviation Administration. The flight attendant prevented Stone from fully opening the door while three passengers, to include an off-duty Deputy United States Marshal, subdued Stone until landing.
Sentencing in this case is currently set for April 28, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge T.K. Wetherell, II. Stone faces a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan.
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 available 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.
Essex County Man and Union County Man Charged with Scheme to Steal Checks and Defraud BanksRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two people were arrested today for their roles in a scheme to steal and alter checks from the mail by using stolen U.S. Postal Service keys that access mail receptacles and to fraudulently obtain funds from banks by depositing the stolen and altered checks, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Baba Diakite, 20, of East Orange, New Jersey, and Nasir Johnson, 22, of Hillside, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with bank fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to commit mail theft and possess stolen mail, and the theft and possession of U.S. Postal Service keys. Both defendants are scheduled to appear by videoconference this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least January 2020 to October 2021, Diakite, Johnson, and others conspired to steal checks from the mail in Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties. They sold the checks to third parties or deposited them, sometimes in altered or duplicate form, into the bank accounts of complicit accountholders who had provided access to their bank accounts for the scheme. Diakite obtained stolen official USPS keys, which he used to access mail and steal checks directly from USPS receptacles. Johnson also was in possession of at least one of those keys.
The bank fraud conspiracy is punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The conspiracy to commit mail theft and possess stolen mail is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and the theft and possession of stolen USPS keys is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The bank fraud conspiracy also carries a fine of up to $1 million. All other charges are punishable by a maximum potential fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; special agents with the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office; and special agents with the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s arrests. He also thanked the Hillside, Livingston, Millburn, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Roselle Park, South Plainfield, Warren Township, and Watchung police departments for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tazneen Shahabuddin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.