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14 March 2022
Las Vegas Apartment Complex Manager Pleads Guilty to Violating Clean Air Act Asbestos Regulations at Two FacilitiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Bobby Babak Khalili, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty to renovating two apartment complexes in violation of federal Clean Air Act regulations intended to prevent human exposure to toxic airborne asbestos fibers. Khalili, 46, entered a guilty plea to two counts of violating the Clean Air Act before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sentencing is currently scheduled for June 15, 2022. Khalili faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count, and up to three years of supervised release.
Khalili was indicted by a grand jury sitting in the District of Nevada in September 2019, in connection with asbestos-related Clean Air Act violations at a Las Vegas apartment complex. The grand jury later returned a Superseding Indictment against Khalili in July 2021, in connection with new Clean Air Act asbestos violations at a second apartment complex, which Khalili now admits he committed while on pretrial release for the first set of charges.
As part of his guilty plea, Khalili acknowledged that, on behalf of his company Las Vegas Apartments LLC, he oversaw renovation activities at both apartment complexes. He further admitted that he was aware of asbestos-containing materials at both buildings, and that he hired untrained individuals to tear out those materials without following asbestos work practice standards prescribed by the Clean Air Act. Those work practice standards require that asbestos-containing materials be safely removed prior to general renovation activity taking place. Asbestos-containing materials must be kept wet at all times to prevent dust escaping, sealed in leak-proof bags, and disposed of at facilities authorized to accept asbestos waste. At both apartment buildings, untrained laborers removed asbestos-containing drywall and ceiling texture without wetting or containment, releasing asbestos fibers into the surrounding atmosphere.
Khalili also admitted to taking steps to evade law enforcement at each site. At the first apartment complex, Khalili attempted to have a dumpster filled with asbestos waste removed from the site when inspectors from the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability, Division of Air Quality discovered asbestos-related violations. At the second complex, where he oversaw illegal renovations while on pretrial release, he instructed the contractor in charge of the renovation to lie to inspectors about who owned and oversaw the project, in an attempt to blame another person for the Clean Air Act violations he knowingly committed.
Inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers has been determined to cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma, an invariably fatal disease. Congress and the EPA have determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.
“The defendant" placed workers and community members in harm’s way when he knowingly violated Clean Air Act requirements for the safe handling of asbestos, and then did it again while already under indictment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable those who defy federal law aimed at protecting the public from adverse health effects of asbestos.”
“Exposure to asbestos is associated with life-threatening illnesses and serious respiratory diseases,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada. “By failing to follow required standards for properly handling asbestos, the defendant put the health of our communities — including workers at two apartment renovation sites — at risk. This case reflects our office’s commitment to working with our state and federal partners to enforce environmental laws that protect Nevadans from hazardous pollutants.”
“By not removing asbestos – a known carcinogen – safely from the buildings he was working on, the defendant placed the health of his apartment residents and the surrounding community at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of the EPA’s Criminal Enforcement Program in Nevada. “Today’s agreement demonstrates that those who violate those laws will be held responsible.”
Special agents of the EPA and employees of the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability, Division of Air Quality investigated the case. Trial Attorney Cassandra Barnum of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jean Ripley for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
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Lane County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Children, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Lane County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today after sexually abusing multiple children entrusted to a daycare run by his wife, possessing thousands of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, and distributing child pornography.
Eric Wade Rogers, 55, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in June 2017, an undercover law enforcement agent was on a website commonly used to trade child pornography. While investigating another target, the agent identified two online photo albums containing photos of minor girls shared by Rogers’ account. Four days later, Rogers uploaded two more albums containing covertly-taken photos of a minor girl who appeared in the first albums. Rogers wrote various comments on the photos including “I really miss playing with her” and “hot sexy little body.”
The undercover agent initiated a ruse to chat and email with Rogers and determine if he had in fact made sexual contact with any minors. In these conversations, Rogers admitted to touching and kissing one of the children. He further admitted he was no longer allowed to be alone with the child, told the agent that the child attended his wife’s daycare, and that “things kind of went south.” In subsequent conversations, Rogers provided explicit details of how he sexually abused the child.
On June 14, 2017, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant on Rogers’ Eugene residence while he was traveling for work. Rogers’ wife confirmed running a daycare in their home and recalled previous inappropriate conduct by Rogers which she reported to law enforcement. On the same day, investigators contacted Rogers in California. He admitted to possessing thousands of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, including some that portrayed sadistic conduct involving toddlers. He again admitted to abusing the child referenced in his online chats with the undercover agent as well as a second child.
On June 15, 2017, Rogers was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography. Later, on November 19, 2019, he was charged by criminal information with the same. On December 2, 2021, Rogers waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the single charge.
All families affiliated Rogers’ wife’s in-home daycare have been contacted by law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the FBI and the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by William McLaren and Amy Potter, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Kentucky Men Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal and Transport 30 Catalytic Converters Recovered in State CollegeRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 10, 2022, Jose William Perez Felipe, age 25, and Wilber Sori San Miguel age 31, both of Louisville, Kentucky, were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to transport 30 stolen catalytic converters from Kentucky and Ohio to State College, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between November 29, 2021 and December 2, 2021, Perez Felipe and San Miguel unlawfully agreed to transport stolen catalytic converters from Kentucky to New York, where the valuable metals contained inside them, including rhodium, palladium, and platinum, were to be extracted.
During a stop in Ohio, they received additional stolen catalytic converters. According to the indictment, they also stopped in State College, where they stole six additional catalytic converters from Penn State University vans parked in a campus parking garage and from box trucks at two businesses in State College. The indictment also alleges that they used a reciprocating saw to cut the converters from the vehicles. The defendants were found sleeping inside a green Ford van parked in the PSU garage and the van contained approximately 30 stolen catalytic converters. The indictment alleges that the 30 stolen catalytic converters recovered from the van had a value of approximately $90,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the State College Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years in prison, 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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KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy that, in total, distributed more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 10 kilograms of heroin, valued at more than $1.7 million.
Matthew John Fabulae, 33, of was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, March 11, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Fabulae to forfeit to the government $44,000 based on his distribution of at least five kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
On July 21, 2021, Fabulae pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and a money-laundering conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2020. Fabulae also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, one count of being a drug user in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Fabulae is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Amy Leann Nieman, 50, of Moorseville, Mo., was sentenced on Feb. 25, 2022, to nine years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies and to possessing firearms during a drug-trafficking crime. Co-defendant Seth Alan Turbyfill, 33, of Chillicothe, Mo., pleaded guilty to the same crimes on Jan. 25, 2022, and awaits sentencing.
Fabulae’s plea agreement cites three separate instances in which law enforcement officers had contact with Fabulae, who was in possession of illegal drugs and firearms, while he was staying at local hotels.
On Feb. 12, 2019, Kansas City, Mo., police officers were patrolling the parking lot of the Motel 6 at 3636 Randolph Road when they saw Fabulae drive past in his 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Officers activated their emergency equipment and followed Fabulae, attempting to conduct a traffic stop. Fabulae refused to stop and began to elude the officers. Fabulae drove the Jeep off road and up a hill approximately 100 feet from the roadway. Fabulae, who had a black and white drawstring backpack strapped around his shoulders, got out of the vehicle and ran into some trees and brush. The officers followed Fabulae into the brush and found the backpack on the ground. Officers found Fabulae hiding inside a large trash dumpster in a parking lot. Officers searched him and found approximately two grams of methamphetamine, a firearm magazine containing five .45-caliber rounds, and $1,096 in cash. Inside the backpack, officers found 48 grams of cocaine HCL, 10 grams of marijuana, and 280 grams of methamphetamine. Inside Fabulae’s Jeep, officers found four cell phones, one tablet, one laptop, one firearm magazine that contained five rounds of .45-caliber ammunition. On the ground next to the Jeep was a blue backpack with one live .45-caliber round inside. Officers later found a Springfield Armory .45-caliber handgun concealed in some vegetation in the woods.
Kansas City police officers were called to the Sure Stay Plaza Hotel, 11828 N.W. Plaza Circle in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 6, 2017, when two men attempted to rob Fabulae at gun point in his room. Fabulae shot one of the men multiple times and fled from the scene. When Fabulae was arrested a few days later, he told officers he had been in the room about to take a shower when the two men entered the room. One of them pointed a gun at him and a physical altercation ensued. Fabulae stated the gun fell to the floor and he picked it up and fired several times. Fabulae stated he was unsure if the men meant to rob him or kill him.
Law enforcement officers were dispatched to 2214 Taney St. in North Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 28, 2018, on reported sounds of shots. Upon arrival they contacted Fabulae, who allegedly shot into another room. Officers searched Fabulae’s vehicle and found a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun, an American Tactical AR pistol, and a black duffel bag that contained 331 grams of methamphetamine, 124 grams of cocaine, and 124 grams of marijuana.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Judge sentences Arkansas man to 18 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Jerrell West, 32, of Forrest City, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
On August 12, 2021, West was found guilty by jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Rodney Sippel.
According to the government’s evidence, the minor victim met West through an online application which allows users to utilize video chat and text communication. Over a period of multiple months, West communicated with the minor victim daily. Many of these conversations were friendly and causal in nature, ultimately leading to conversations that were sexual in nature. In April 2020, West informed the minor victim that he wanted her to live with him and would drive to the Saint Louis area to pick her up. West traveled from Forrest City, Arkansas to the Saint Louis area to pick up the minor victim from her home. West then drove to a rest stop area approximately 60 miles away and sexually assaulted the minor victim. West then drove back to the minor victim’s home to drop her off. West was arrested in May 2020 and detained pending trial.
“A child who is sexually abused will be forced to deal with that trauma for life. We hope today's 18-year sentence will empower the victim to see that 100% of the blame sits squarely on child predator Jerrell West,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI St. Louis Division. “I commend Pagedale Police Department for notifying us immediately. Their quick action enabled agents to use a large number of advanced techniques to produce overwhelming and undeniable evidence against the perpetrator.”
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dianna R. Collins and Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang led the prosecution team.
Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charges in Death of Kate SteinleRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate pleaded guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to being an alien unlawfully present in this country in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman.
A federal grand jury indicted Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate on December 5, 2017. According to the indictment, on July 1, 2015, Garcia-Zarate, who is a citizen of Mexico and reportedly 51 years old, possessed a semi-automatic pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (felon in possession of a firearm) and 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5) (possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully present in the United States). In a public filing in the case, the government described that Garcia-Zarate was on Pier 14 of the Embarcadero in San Francisco on July 1, 2015. Also on the pier were Kathryn “Kate” Steinle, who was 32, her father James Steinle, and Frances “Kaye” Williams, a family friend. The three were sightseeing. At approximately 6:30 p.m., Garcia-Zarate possessed and fired a loaded semi-automatic pistol. The bullet hit Kathryn Steinle in her back, killing her. At the time of the shooting, Garcia-Zarate was a convicted felon and illegally in the United States, having previously been deported. He was also on federal supervised release from a 2011 Texas conviction.
On November 30, 2017, a prosecution by the San Francisco County District Attorney’s Office resulted in a jury convicting Garcia-Zarate of one state violation – being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of California state law – and acquitting him of homicide charges. On August 30, 2019, a California state Court of Appeals court overturned Garcia-Zarate’s conviction based on the failure of the state trial court to instruct the jury on the state’s affirmative defense of momentary possession. The ruling had no legal effect on the federal prosecution, which had already been initiated.
Garcia-Zarate made his initial appearance in federal court to face federal firearm charges on January 8, 2018, immediately following his release from state custody. A federal jury trial set in January 2020 was delayed when the Court ordered Garcia-Zarate to be evaluated for mental competency to stand trial. Following competency proceedings occurring throughout 2020 and 2021, a change of plea hearing was set for today.
At today’s hearing, Zarate-Garcia pleaded guilty to the two charges in the federal indictment against him, without a plea agreement. He admitted that on July 1, 2015, he was on San Francisco Embarcadero Pier 14 and possessed a semi-automatic pistol loaded with eight rounds. He admitted he knew he was an alien that was unlawfully and illegally in the United States at the time and that he had previously been convicted of a felony, including the felony of Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation for which he spent more than a year in federal prison.
Garcia-Zarate’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 6, 2022, at 1 p.m. before United States District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco. Garcia-Zarate remains in custody pending the sentencing hearing.
Each of the two violations of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) to which Garcia-Zarate pleaded guilty has a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Cheng and Kevin Barry, with assistance from Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.
Iowa Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography and South Dakota Woman Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Spencer, Iowa, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography was sentenced on March 11, 2022, and a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Sex Trafficking of a Child was sentenced on January 31, 2022. Both were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Ronald Dean Johnson, age 39, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Melanie Joyce Hollingsworth, age 36, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Johnson and Hollingsworth were indicted by a federal grand jury on February 2, 2021. Johnson pled guilty on December 9, 2021, and Hollingsworth pled guilty on October 15, 2021.
The convictions stemmed from multiple incidents between on or about January 11, 2020, and October 10, 2020, when Johnson and Hollingsworth knowingly and intentionally recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained by any means a juvenile female who had not attained the age of 18, to knowingly engage in commercial sexual acts.
Hollingsworth used texts, telephone calls, and apps on her phone to communicate with Johnson to set up commercial sexual acts. The commercial sexual acts were followed by wire transmission of funds via Western Union. Hollingsworth benefited financially from the commercial sexual acts by receiving funds, some of which were sent via Western Union.
Johnson videorecorded some of the sexual encounters with the minor female.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Both Johnson and Hollingsworth were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Illinois woman sentenced for counterfeit chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Asante James, of Freeport, Illinois, was sentenced today to time served for a counterfeit charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
James, 22, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of “Possession of Counterfeit Obligations.” James admitted to having sixty-nine $100 counterfeit bills in December 2020 in Ritchie County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service, the Ritchie County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Charleston Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Illinois woman sentenced for counterfeit chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Clarissa Mosley, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to time served for a counterfeit charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Mosley, 25, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of “Possession of Counterfeit Obligations.” Mosley admitted to having sixty-nine $100 counterfeit bills in December 2020 in Ritchie County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service, the Ritchie County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Charleston Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Idaho Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Tribal Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A resident of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho and former CEO of the Warm Springs Economic Development Corporation (WSEDC) pleaded guilty today for his role in a fraud scheme targeting the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Roderick Ariwite, 66, pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a tribal organization and interstate transportation of a security taken by fraud, resolving two separate criminal cases against him.
According to court documents, WSEDC, also known as Warm Springs Ventures (WSV), is a Tribal organization owned and operated by the Warm Springs Tribes. WSV operates as the management organization for several Tribal business entities, including the Warm Springs Construction Enterprise (WSCE).
Ariwite and an accomplice, Thomas Valentino Adams, 49, a Nevada resident and the former manager of WSCE, created a construction company called Warbonnet Construction Services LLC. While drawing tribal salaries and travel reimbursements, Ariwite and Adams engaged in work projects for Warbonnet. In 2018, Ariwite and Adams used tribal funds to hire a subcontractor for a Warbonnet project and submitted vouchers for expenses they incurred on behalf of themselves and Warbonnet, which were reimbursed with tribal funds. In total, Ariwite and Adams’ scheme cost the Warm Springs Tribes more than $50,000.
On September 24, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Ariwite and Adams with conspiracy and theft of funds from a Tribal organization. In a separate indictment, Ariwite was charged with one count of interstate transportation of a security taken by fraud.
Ariwite faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 6, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.
As part of his plea agreement, Ariwite has agreed to pay $39,613 in restitution to the Warm Springs Tribes and $3,000 to an unnamed adult victim.
On August 23, 2021, Adams pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a Tribal organization. He will be sentenced on March 29, 2022 before Judge Mosman.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Warm Springs Police Department. It was prosecuted by Meredith Bateman and Seth Uram, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug offense.
According to court documents, Marcus Allen Johnson, 37, admitted that on June 5, 2021, he used a telephone to assist a co-conspirator involved in cocaine sales in Huntington. Johnson admitted that he was contacted and enlisted by the co-conspirator to find purchasers for kilogram quantities of cocaine. During the calls, Johnson agreed to market the cocaine to prospective purchasers.
Johnson pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense and faces up to four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 21, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The TOC-West Task Force is comprised of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department. The West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West also provide support. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, the FBI and DEA in Columbus also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans are handling the prosecution.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109.
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Honolulu Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Possessing Ammunition as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Senior United States District Judge Susan O. Mollway today sentenced Tiseya Puapuaga, 27, of Honolulu and California, to 37 months in prison for possessing ammunition as a felon, to run consecutive to any State of Hawaii term of imprisonment that is imposed if revocation of his state probation occurs.
United States Attorney Clare E. Connors stated that, according to court documents and information presented in court, on December 18, 2020, the Honolulu Police Department responded to an apartment in Waikiki where Puapuaga was residing. In the apartment, police recovered a disassembled pistol, known as a ghost gun, a disassembled AR-15-type rifle, other gun parts, such as a loaded handgun magazine, and four rounds of ammunition from the living room, kitchen, and inside the oven. Ghost guns are capable of subverting application of federal firearms laws because their separate parts may be assembled in the State of Hawaii, rather than being manufactured in another jurisdiction.
Puapuaga was on probation with the State of Hawaii when the incident in Waikiki occurred. His probation status was for a 2019 felony conviction involving assault and a firearms offense related to a shooting that occurred in the Chinatown area of Honolulu. Revocation of his probation for the 2019 State of Hawaii conviction Puapuaga is pending.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Honolulu Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca A. Perlmutter.
Harvey Man Indicted for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today the indictment of JAYDEN D. D. HALL, age 21, of Harvey, Louisiana, who was charged on March 11, 2022 in a five-count federal indictment for crimes involving child exploitation.
HALL was charged with one count of Production of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Children in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) and (e); three counts of Transportation of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Children in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(1) and (b)(1); and one count of Obstruction of Justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1519.
If convicted of the production count, HALL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years up to a maximum sentence of thirty years of imprisonment. If convicted of the transportation counts, HALL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to a maximum sentence of twenty years of imprisonment. If convicted of the obstruction count, HALL faces up to twenty years of imprisonment.
For the production and transportation counts, HALL also faces a term of supervised release of no less than five years and up to life after his release from prison. For the obstruction count, HALL faces up to three years of supervised release. For each count, HALL faces a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person as a result of these offenses, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Straw Purchasing Guns for FelonsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Windham, age 22, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 46 months' imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for weapons offenses.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Windham pled guilty to conspiring with three other individuals to purchase guns for felons and persons under indictment. Windham was prohibited by law from possessing a gun, but he arranged for Taashaun Mansfield, age 23, of Harrisburg, to purchase a gun for him. Mansfield also purchased six other guns for felons.
Mansfield, of Harrisburg, entered a guilty plea to weapons offenses and was sentenced to 37 months in prison in February 2022. Antonio Godbolt, age 34, of Harrisburg, entered a guilty plea to conspiring to straw purchase guns and possessing a gun as a felon and is awaiting sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives brought this case in conjunction with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Great Falls woman admits embezzling more than $600,000 from former employerRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls woman today admitted allegations that she stole more than $600,000 from a construction company when she was employed as its bookkeeper, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Nicole Ann Lopez, 37, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Lopez faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for June 9. Lopez was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2013, M&D Construction, Inc., a Great Falls company, hired Lopez as its bookkeeper. Lopez was given access to the company’s business enterprise bank account. Between 2017 and 2020, Lopez charged more than $600,000 on her personal credit card accounts for mostly consumer shopping and travel. To pay her personal credit card expenses, Lopez directed approximately $611,000 in 72 payments from M&D’s business account into her personal accounts without the company’s authorization. Lopez’s embezzlement scheme was discovered when she purchased a small boutique clothing store, called Sora & Co., in downtown Great Falls, and resigned from M&D. A new accountant hired to replace Lopez reviewed the books and determined that more than $600,000 was missing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Georgia man admits to fentanyl and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dextavious McCurry, of Commerce, Georgia, has admitted to drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
McCurry, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” McCurry admitted to having heroin and fentanyl in January 2021 in Berkeley County. McCurry, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, also admitted to having a 9mm pistol.
McCurry faces up 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug charge and faces up to to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Freight Carriers Agree to Pay $6.85 Million to Resolve Allegations of Knowingly Presenting False Claims to the Department of DefenseRead the Press Release
YRC Freight Inc. (YRC), Roadway Express Inc. and Yellow Transportation Inc. (collectively the YRC defendants), have agreed to pay approximately $6.85 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that they knowingly presented false claims to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) by systematically overcharging for freight carrier services and making false statements to hide their misconduct.
The YRC defendants, transporters of industrial, commercial and retail goods, contracted with DOD to ship military freight across the country from September 2005 to October 2013. Under their contracts, the YRC defendants were paid based in part upon a shipment’s weight.
The United States alleged that the YRC defendants fraudulently billed the United States for delivery charges based on higher weights when, after reweighing the shipments, they knew that the actual weights were lower. For more than seven years, the YRC defendants allegedly reweighed many shipments before final delivery, and when the reweighs showed that a shipment weight was more than the original weight, the YRC defendants charged DOD for these higher weights. But when the reweighs showed that a shipment weight was less than the original weight, the YRC defendants allegedly concealed from DOD the lower weights and instead charged DOD for the original, inflated weights. To further hide the scheme, the YRC defendants allegedly made false statements assuring DOD that they would comply with the rules requiring them to correct discrepancies uncovered during any reweigh process.
“We expect companies to do business with the government honestly and fairly,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to hold accountable those who defraud the government and, by extension, the American taxpayers.”
“The Defense Department entered into contracts with YRC, Roadway, and Yellow for shipping services,” said U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York. “These companies, which purposely overcharged for these services and then made false statements to cover up their actions, are now being held accountable for their behavior.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by James Hannum, an employee of Yellow Transportation. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Hannum v. YRC Freight, Inc., Roadway Express, Inc., and Yellow Transportation, Inc., Civil Action No. 08-0811 (W.D.N.Y.). Mr. Hannum will receive $1.3 million, plus interest, as his share of the settlement.
“Investigating schemes that undermine the integrity of Department of Defense (DoD) procurement is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to hold companies accountable for artificially inflating the cost of services provided to the DoD.”
“After working extensively on this case, DCAA is gratified the work of our auditors made a significant contribution to the outcome of this case,” said Lead Investigative Auditor John Manfredonia for the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, with assistance from DCIS; DCAA, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Command.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Benjamin Young and John F. Schifalacqua of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell for the Western District of New York.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Freight Carriers Agree to Pay $6.85 Million to Resolve Allegations of Knowingly Presenting False Claims to the Department of DefenseRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY – YRC Freight Inc. (YRC), Roadway Express Inc. and Yellow Transportation Inc. (collectively the YRC defendants), have agreed to pay approximately $6.85 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that they knowingly presented false claims to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) by systematically overcharging for freight carrier services and making false statements to hide their misconduct.
The YRC defendants, transporters of industrial, commercial, and retail goods, contracted with DOD to ship military freight across the country from September 2005 to October 2013. Under their contracts, the YRC defendants were paid based in part upon a shipment’s weight.
The United States alleged that the YRC defendants fraudulently billed the United States for delivery charges based on higher weights when, after reweighing the shipments, they knew that the actual weights were lower. For more than seven years, the YRC defendants allegedly reweighed many shipments before final delivery, and when the reweighs showed that a shipment weight was more than the original weight, the YRC defendants charged DOD for these higher weights. But when the reweighs showed that a shipment weight was less than the original weight, the YRC defendants allegedly concealed from DOD the lower weights and instead charged DOD for the original, inflated weights. To further hide the scheme, the YRC defendants allegedly made false statements assuring DOD that they would comply with the rules requiring them to correct discrepancies uncovered during any reweigh process.
“We expect companies to do business with the government honestly and fairly,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to hold accountable those who defraud the government and, by extension, the American taxpayers.”
“The Defense Department entered into contracts with YRC, Roadway, and Yellow for shipping services,” said U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York. “These companies, which purposely overcharged for these services and then made false statements to cover up their actions, are now being held accountable for their behavior.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by James Hannum, an employee of Yellow Transportation. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Hannum v. YRC Freight, Inc., Roadway Express, Inc., and Yellow Transportation, Inc., Civil Action No. 08-0811 (W.D.N.Y.). Mr. Hannum will receive $1.3 million, plus interest, as his share of the settlement.
“Investigating schemes that undermine the integrity of Department of Defense (DoD) procurement is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to hold companies accountable for artificially inflating the cost of services provided to the DoD.”
“After working extensively on this case, DCAA is gratified the work of our auditors made a significant contribution to the outcome of this case,” said Lead Investigative Auditor John Manfredonia for the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, with assistance from DCIS; the Defense Contract Audit Agency, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Command.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Benjamin Young and John F. Schifalacqua of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell for the Western District of New York.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding, was sentenced on March 14, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Donald Big Eagle, Jr., age 37, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and eight months in federal prison for Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding, with the sentences to be served consecutively, followed by three years of supervised release. Big Eagle was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, totalling $125, and to pay restitution in the amount of $400.
Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 8, 2020, and he pled guilty on October 4, 2021, for the charge of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. For the charge of Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding, Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 8, 2021, and pled guilty on October 4, 2021.
The Assault with a Dangerous Weapon conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on November 23, 2018, in Fort Thompson, in which Big Eagle repeatedly stomped and kicked an intimate partner, while wearing steel-toed boots. As a result of the assault, the victim sustained serious bodily injury to her torso, including multiple broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
The Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 10, 2020, in Fort Thompson. While sleeping in his vehicle, the victim was drug out of his truck and was beaten by a group of people. An investigation in an unrelated matter led to DNA evidence and a confession from Big Eagle that he was a member of the group that assaulted the victim.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, Crow Creek Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Big Eagle was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Rapid City Priest Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a former Rapid City, South Dakota, priest convicted of Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in a Foreign Place was sentenced on March 11, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Marcin Stanislaw Garbarcz, age 43, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. This sentence was ordered to be served after Garbacz completes his sentence of seven years and nine months, which was handed down in November 2020 for his financial fraud and tax convictions following a March 2020 jury trial.
Garbacz was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 19, 2020, and pleaded guilty on November 8, 2021. The charge stems from Garbacz, while traveling in Poland, video recording an unclothed minor. The videos constituted production of child pornography. The videos were later found on Garbacz’s computer following his arrest on the financial fraud charges.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Garbacz was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Oregon Corrections Official Indicted for Sexually Assaulting a Dozen Female Inmates While Serving as a NurseRead the Press Release
A federal indictment was unsealed today in Portland, Oregon, charging a former Oregon Department of Corrections employee with sexually assaulting a dozen female inmates while serving as a nurse at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF), Oregon’s only women’s prison.
Tony Daniel Klein, 37, of Clackamas County, Oregon, is charged with 21 counts of depriving the victims of their constitutional right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by sexually assaulting them. The indictment alleges that from 2016 through 2017, Klein committed various forms of sexual assault, some of which included aggravated sexual abuse and some resulting in bodily injury. Klein is also charged with four counts of perjury for giving false testimony during a 2019 deposition related to a federal lawsuit alleging he committed sexual misconduct while serving as a corrections nurse.
If convicted, Klein faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office with assistance from the Oregon State Police and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Rykken and Hannah Horsley of the District of Oregon, and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Oregon Corrections Official Indicted for Sexually Assaulting a Dozen Female Inmates While Serving as a NurseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal indictment was unsealed today charging a former Oregon Department of Corrections employee with sexually assaulting a dozen female inmates while serving as a nurse at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF), Oregon’s only women’s prison.
Tony Daniel Klein, 37, of Clackamas County, Oregon, is charged with 21 counts of depriving the victims of their constitutional right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by sexually assaulting them. The indictment alleges that from 2016 through 2017, Klein committed various forms of sexual assault, some of which included aggravated sexual abuse and some resulting in bodily injury. Klein is also charged with four counts of perjury for giving false testimony during a 2019 deposition related to a federal lawsuit alleging he committed sexual misconduct while serving as a corrections nurse.
If convicted, Klein faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office with assistance from the Oregon State Police and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Rykken and Hannah Horsley of the District of Oregon, and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Judson ISD Police Officer Convicted of Making Threats Against BidenRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Today a New Braunfels man was convicted of making threats against then presidential candidate Joe Biden.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on December 11, 2019, William Oliver Towery, 55, responded to a text message regarding a campaign rally where Biden was to appear. In his response, Towery said, “I’ll be there and have been practicing my sniping skills all month just for this occasion. If you will be nell [sic] near him you may want to wear something dark to hide the blood splatter.”
Towery was remanded into custody after the verdict. Towery faces up to five years in prison, up to three years supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. Sentencing is set for July 13, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson made the announcement.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark T. Roomberg and William R. Harris are prosecuting the case.
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Former Boston Police Clerk Sentenced for Overtime FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former clerk for Boston Police Department’s (BPD) District A-1 Detectives Unit was sentenced today in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department.
Marilyn Golisano, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 90 days in prison followed by three years of supervised release with the first three months to be spent in home confinement. Golisano was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $29,000 to the City of Boston. On Sept. 13, 2021, Golisano pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds and six counts of wire fraud.
Golisano, who handled the overtime paperwork for the unit, submitted dozens of false and fraudulent overtime slips in 2017 and 2018 claiming she had worked extra hours, with many of those slips bearing forged signatures of her supervisor. Although Golisano’s work was done primarily on the computer, Golisano never logged into the BPD computer system at all during many of the overtime shifts she claimed to have worked. Furthermore, on several occasions when Golisano was supposedly working overtime in downtown Boston, cellphone location information placed Golisano well outside the city. In total, Golisano stole $11,000 from BPD in 2017 and $18,000 in 2018 as a result of the fraud.
From 2016 through 2018, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Ferguson man pleads guilty to the production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea of guilty from Mark Bennett on today’s date, for the production of child pornography. Judge Autrey set sentencing for June 13, 2022. At sentencing, Bennett is subject to imprisonment of not less than fifteen years and not more than thirty years, and a fine of not more than $250,000. The Court may also impose a period of supervised release of not more than life and not less than five years.
According to the plea agreement, on December 11, 2019, Bennett attempted to download child pornography from a Microsoft search engine. Due to material sought, Microsoft reported the activity as a cyber tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on December 12, 2019. This cyber tip led to a law enforcement investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence of Bennett.
A subsequent search of Bennett’s electronics revealed over fifteen hundred files of child sexual abuse material. It was learned that Bennett had been abusing his adopted daughter and he had digitally recorded and photographed the abuse. Bennett was found in possession of five hundred and eight-nine images and videos of the aforementioned sexual abuse of his adopted daughter.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Federal jury convicts Navajo man of manslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A federal jury on March 10 returned a guilty verdict on Brian Tony, 50, of Gallup, New Mexico. The jury found Tony guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
Tony, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was arrested on June 3, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with killing a man by stabbing him in the head and neck and hitting him with a hammer. Tony killed the victim on the Navajo Nation in McKinley County, New Mexico, on May 9, 2016. At the time, Tony was on supervised release for a prior conviction on a federal assault charge.
Tony, who was accompanied by his brother and his girlfriend, drove to a residence in Gallup and picked up the victim and the victim’s friend. While at the residence, Tony retrieved a hammer and placed it in his vehicle. Tony drove them to a location called “Superman Canyon,” where Tony and the victim got out of the vehicle and the victim was killed out of sight of the other passengers. An autopsy revealed that the victim had been stabbed repeatedly in the head and neck and had blunt-force trauma wounds on his head.
On Aug. 8, 2017, Tony was charged in a superseding indictment with first-degree murder and two counts of witness tampering. On Sept. 30, 2017, a jury convicted Tony of witness tampering. Following Tony’s arrest in June 2016, while he was detained at the Santa Fe County Detention Center, Tony called friends and relatives imploring them to convince a witness to leave town and to prevent him from testifying. In a number of these recorded calls, Tony can be heard attempting to dissuade his girlfriend from cooperating with law enforcement.
Tony has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled. Tony faces up to 15 years in prison for the voluntary manslaughter conviction.
This case was investigated by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle and Nicholas J. Marshall are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Amherst Businessman on 40 Counts for Defrauding the Paycheck Protection and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Programs Out of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 40-count indictment charging Hormoz Mansouri, 67, of Amherst, NY, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, who is handling the case, stated that the indictment charges Mansouri with filing fraudulent loan applications under both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). Mansouri controlled the following business entities which applied for loans:
• HLM Holding LLC, • El Team Inc., • NPTS Inc., • 2060 Sheridan Drive LLC, • 212 Holden Avenue LLC, • 350 Old Niagara Falls Boulevard LLC, • 47 East Amherst LLC, and
• 3600 Harlem Road LLC.The PPP loans that the Mansouri-controlled entities obtained, either inflated or completely fabricated the average monthly payroll and six of the eight entities had no actual employees or payroll expenses at all. The total amount of money received from the fraudulent PPP loans totaled approximately $3,000,000. The Mansouri controlled entities also received approximately $450,600 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These loan applications falsely represented revenues and cost of goods sold. On May 28, 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office seized approximately $1,923,603 of the fraudulently obtained money.
The indictment also charges Mansouri with moving the fraudulent PPP and EIDL funds between various bank accounts; commingling the proceeds with legitimate business revenues; and funding certain accounts, including a campaign account (in the name of “Mansouri for County Comptroller”).
Mansouri was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- March 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March 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.
Jose Guadalupe Campos Lopez. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 1); Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (Counts 2,3); Sex Trafficking of Children (Counts 4,5). Campos, 35, is alleged to have engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim between the ages of 12 and 16, from Jan. 1, 2019, to Oct. 11, 2021. He is further charged with enticing the same victim and a second minor victim to engage in sexual activity. Finally, Campos allegedly recruited the two victims to engage in commercial sex acts. He allegedly provided money and other items as payment in return for the minors performing sex acts with him. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-71
Dakota Wayne Campus. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Campus, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling an intimate partner on Feb. 4, 2022. He is further charged with assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon and with carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Finally, he is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus Int. 9 mm caliber pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition. Neighbors in the apartment complex called authorities with reports of hearing a violent attack. Campus allegedly fled when authorities arrived but was located on Feb. 11 and taken into custody after a chase. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-64
Carlos Montil Cobb. 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. Cobb, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Fabrique Nationale 9 mm caliber semi-automatic pistol and seven rounds of ammunition on Feb. 10, 2022. He is further charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Feb. 10, 2022, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-72
Tye Dean Lewis Ross Cody. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Cody, 21, of Nowata, was allegedly speeding and unlawfully passed another vehicle. Cody’s vehicle struck one motorist’s vehicle as he attempted to pass it and then collided head-on with a second vehicle, killing the driver. The incident occurred on May 28, 2020, in Nowata County. The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-63
Derek Ray Flaming. Receipt of an Obscene Visual Representation of the Sexual Abuse of Children; Distribution of an Obscene Visual Representation of the Sexual Abuse of Children; Aggravated Sexual Abuse; Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse; Attempted Sexual Abuse (second superseding). Flaming, 35, of Salina, Oklahoma, allegedly received and later distributed an image depicting a minor child engaged in sexually explicit conduct from Feb. 1, 2016, to Nov. 29, 2016. He is also charged with engaging in a sexual act with a minor under 12 years of age from May 1, 2015, to Oct. 23, 2016. He is further charged with assaulting a minor victim under the age of 12 with intent to commit aggravated sexual abuse from Nov. 1 through Nov. 16, 2016. Finally, he is charged with attempting to sexually abuse the child on Nov. 18, 2016. Flaming allegedly committed the crimes when he was a dependent of a U.S. Armed Forces member. The Army Criminal Investigative Command, CEOS High Technology Investigative Unit, U.S. Marshals’ Northern Oklahoma Violent Crime Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. CEOS Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly of the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case. See the June 28, 2021 press release announcing the initial indictment. 21-CR-281
Anthony James Nadolny. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Third Degree Burglary in Indian Country. On Dec. 17, 2019, Nadolny, 33, of Tulsa, allegedly broke into a home with the intent to commit a crime. He also broke into an automobile in the garage. Nadolny allegedly stole numerous items to include a firearm, credit cards, a tool set, personal documents, and more. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-65
Vernon Jenedia Neel. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country (second superseding). Neel, 42, a transient, is alleged to have held a victim down, choked her, then struck her in the face as he attempted to sexually assault her on July 3, 2021. Neel is also alleged to have taken the victim’s cell phone, keys, and BB gun by force and intimidation. Neel is further charged with first degree burglary for kicking in the door of a second woman’s home while the home was occupied on April 4, 2021. Finally, he is charged with assaulting a third victim, who was an intimate partner, by strangling her on Sept. 27, 2017. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd and Vani Singhal are prosecuting the case. 21-CR-362
Kishan Harkishonbhai Panchal. Making a False Statement to a Firearms Dealer. Panchal, 26, of Broken Arrow, allegedly lied on federal forms, specifically the AFT Form 4473, when he attempted to purchase a firearm from Quik Fix Gun and Pawn in Bristow. Panchal marked that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence when, in truth, he had been convicted of Domestic Assault and Battery Against a Pregnant Woman in Osage County District Court in September 2020. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-62
Richard Alan Stewart. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Stewart, 50, of Miami, Oklahoma, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Spike’s Tactical Model ST15 multi-caliber semi-automatic rifle and with carrying the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Nov. 13, 2019. He allegedly possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Nov. 13, 2019. Stewart is further charged with being a felon in possession of a Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol, a Smith and Wesson .45 caliber revolver and a Heritage .22 caliber revolver and with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on March 18, 2021. Stewart allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 18, 2021. Stewart is further charged with being a felon in possession of a Ruger EC9s 9 mm caliber pistol and seven rounds of ammunition and with possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 17, 2021. Stewart allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on May 17, 2021. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Oklahoma District 13 Drug Task Force are the investigative agencies. This indictment resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation “Operation Pullin Chains.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle McWaters is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-74
Nicholas Chase Washington. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (superseding). Washington, 36, of Tulsa, allegedly assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on Jan. 10, 2022. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-55
Zane David Williams. Theft from a Gaming Establishment on Indian Lands of More Than $1,000. On Feb. 22, 2022, Williams, 35, of Harrison, Arkansas, allegedly stole property worth more than $1,000 from a casino operated by the Quapaw Nation. The FBI and Quapaw Tribal Marshals Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-75
James Edward Wise. Possession of an Unregistered Rifle Having a Barrel of Less Than 16 Inches in Length. Wise, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing an Izimash 7.62 X 39 caliber semi-automatic rifle having a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-76
Federal Fugitive Arraigned on Escape and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, federal fugitive BRYAN SCOTT MILLER, 36, from Oklahoma City, was arraigned on two grand jury indictments charging him with drug and escape offenses, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On January 6, 2022, Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury with one count of Possession of Cocaine Base with Intent to Distribute and one count of Possession of Cocaine HCL with Intent to Distribute, both in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). These charges stemmed from Miller’s October 12, 2021, arrest by Oklahoma City Police Department Officers and U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Squad members for violations of the terms of his previously imposed federal term of supervised release.
As a result of his prior supervised release violations, on November 4, 2021, the Honorable Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Miller to 24 months custody in the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Miller was thereafter designated at the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution to serve his sentence. It is alleged that on February 14, 2022, Miller escaped from BOP custody. On March 1, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a second indictment charging him with Escape From Custody, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 751(a).
Miller remained a federal fugitive until he was apprehended in Oklahoma City on March 12, 2022, by Oklahoma City Police Officers and Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Miller was arraigned today before Magistrate Judge Gary Purcell. Judge Purcell ordered that Miller be detained pending trial.
If found guilty, Miller faces a maximum potential penalty of up to forty years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine as to his charge of Possession of Cocaine Base with Intent to Distribute; up to twenty years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine as to his Possession of Cocaine HCl with Intent to Distribute charge; and up to five years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on the Escape from Custody charge. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsie A. Pratt is prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Federal Correctional Officer Charged and Former Prison Nurse Pleads Guilty in Bribery and Contraband Smuggling SchemesRead the Press Release
A former nurse at Leavenworth Detention Center has pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle contraband into the prison, and a federal grand jury in the District of Kansas has returned an indictment charging a former correctional officer with a similar scheme.
According to court documents, Jeane Arnette, 61, of Leavenworth, Kansas, previously worked at Leavenworth Detention Center, a privately run, maximum-security federal prison. Arnette used her position as a nurse to smuggle and attempt to smuggle contraband — including cell phones — into the prison.
Arnette pleaded guilty on March 10 to conspiracy to provide contraband to inmates of a federal prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, James Bunch, 40, of Leavenworth, previously worked at Leavenworth Detention Center as a correctional officer. Bunch allegedly used his former position to smuggle contraband, including cell phones, into the prison in exchange for bribes from federal inmates.
Bunch was arrested on March 11 and is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and provide contraband, and bribery. He made his initial appearance today in the District of Kansas. If convicted of both counts, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge William J. Hannah of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and DOJ-OIG are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys Rebecca M. Schuman and Jacob R. Steiner of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the cases.
The cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat prison corruption. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section recently obtained convictions against four other former Leavenworth Detention Center officials for similar conduct. See United States v. Jacqueline Sifuentes, Case No. 2:21-cr-20053 (D. Kan.); United States v. Cheyonte Harris, Case No. 2:21-cr-20054 (D. Kan.); United States v. Willie Golden, Case No. 2:21-cr-20061 (D. Kan.); and United States v. Janna Grier, Case No. 2:22-cr-20001 (D. Kan.). Separately, the Public Integrity Section has obtained convictions against three former North Carolina prison officials who smuggled contraband, including narcotics, into a state facility in exchange for bribes. See United States v. Ollie Rose, III, Case No. 4:20-CR-96 (E.D.N.C.); United States v. Kenneth Farr, Case No. 4:21-CR-9 (E.D.N.C.); and United States v. Jeremy Chambers, Case No. 4:21-CR-38 (E.D.N.C.).
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Isabella, PA waived indictment and pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Cedric Harrison, age 35, pleaded guilty to a two-count Information before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on or about July 9, 2021, Cedric Harrison possessed a quantity of cocaine with the intent to distribute it and that, from in and around June 2020 until July 2021, Harrison conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute quantities of cocaine and heroin.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for July 7, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of not more than $2,000,000, or both.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court ordered Harrison released subject to a $50,000 unsecured bond.
Assistant United States Attorneys Yvonne Saadi and Jonathan Lusty are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Perryopolis Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cedric Harrison.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
FCI Gilmer inmate sentenced for indecent exposureRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Darius McNeal, an inmate at Federal Corrections Institution Gilmer, was sentenced today to eight months of incarceration for indecent exposure, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
McNeal, 20, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to three counts of “Indecent Exposure.” McNeal admitted to exposing himself and committing sexual acts in front of another person on three separate occasions in November 2019m December 2019, and June 2020 in Gilmer County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Prisons investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Eugene Man Pleads Guilty After Illegally Importing and Exporting Live ScorpionsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Eugene, Oregon man who formerly resided in Southern Oregon pleaded guilty today in federal court to violating the Lacey Act by illegally importing and exporting hundreds of live scorpions.
Darren Dennis Drake, 39, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to commit Lacey Act violations, a federal misdemeanor.
According to court documents, between September 4, 2017 and March 21, 2018, Drake imported and exported dozens of live scorpions from and to contacts in Germany without first obtaining an import-export license from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). On one parcel intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Drake falsely labeled the package contents as “chocolates.” Drake also mailed or received several hundred live scorpions from other U.S. states, including Michigan and Texas, in violation of federal mailing laws.
On February 23, 2022, Drake was charged by criminal information with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act.
Drake faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 22, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FWS Office of Law Enforcement with assistance from CBP and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for protecting America’s wildlife from poaching, illegal commercialization, and other kinds of wildlife crime. If you have information related to a wildlife crime, please call 1-844-FWS-TIPS (1-844-397-8477) or email [email protected].
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assaulting an Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner was sentenced on March 14, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Walter Hanson, Jr., age 37, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hanson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 8, 2021. He pled guilty on December 2, 2021.
The conviction stems from an incident on September 10, 2020, in Cherry Creek, South Dakota, when Hanson accused his intimate partner of losing his EBT card and assaulted her causing serious bodily. Hanson got out of the car they were in, drug the female out of the vehicle, and shoved her to the ground. He then punched her, pulled her hair, kicked her in the stomach and chest area, and stomped on her left shoulder, breaking her left clavicle. After the assault ended, Hanson found the EBT card in his own jacket pocket. Hanson was classified as a Career Offender based upon a 2005 conviction for Voluntary Manslaughter and a conviction in 2016 for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
This case was investigated by Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Hanson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Drug User Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Vantez Wright, Jr., age 19, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 12, 2001, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
At the guilty plea, Wright admitted that on February 26, 2021, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Springfield .45 caliber pistol, as a prohibited person. Wright was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was an unlawful user of marijuana, a controlled substance. During the execution of a search warrant at Wright’s house on February 26, 2021, police officers found a loaded .45 caliber handgun. Officers also found marijuana which Wright admitted regularly using and selling for extra money. Wright stated he preferred to have the gun at his house, “just in case.” Later at the police station, Wright provided a urine sample which tested positive for marijuana metabolites, confirming that defendant had recently used marijuana.
Wright was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Wright was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Wright was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on May 9, 2022.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-2048.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Drug Trafficking Offenses After Incident That Seriously Injured Two VictimsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Carl Young, Jr., 41, of Indianapolis, appeared in federal court today to face charges of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2022, Young was arrested by officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department after allegedly stealing a vehicle, fleeing from police, and crashing into another car. The occupants of the other vehicle were ejected during the crash and suffered serious injuries. Young allegedly had cocaine, approximately six pounds of marijuana, and a loaded shotgun inside the stolen vehicle, which police seized. Young has numerous prior felony convictions, including three convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person within the last three years.
If convicted on the new federal charges, Young faces up to 20 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, up to 5 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, up to 10 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and up to life in prison for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor and ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division, Timothy Canon, made the announcement.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who is prosecuting the case.
This case was 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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Columbus Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Donald Ray Jackson, 38, assisted in the sale of what was purported to be heroin to a confidential informant on August 30, 2016 in Huntington. A forensic chemist who analyzed the substance subsequently found it to contain a mixture of both heroin and fentanyl.
Jackson pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin and fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 13, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-00183.
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Cincinnati man who advertised online for babysitting services sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who sought babysitting jobs online was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 100 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography.
Ryan J. McConnell, 31, was arrested by federal agents in December 2020.
According to court documents, FBI agents in El Paso, Texas, acting in an undercover capacity on Kik messenger discovered McConnell through a group called “Toddlers.” Members within this group distributed hundreds of videos and images of child rape.
McConnell’s phone contained child pornography depicting pre-pubescent and pubescent boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct while wearing diapers.
Additionally, McConnell actively sought work as a babysitter from approximately 2010 until 2020 on a number of websites, including SitterCity.com, Care.com, Craigslist.org and possibly others. For example, McConnell was registered for three SitterCity accounts and had created at least 20 Craigslist ads offering childcare and/or babysitting services as recently as late October 2020. He was accepting babysitting jobs as “Bryan S.”
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Cedar Rapids Woman Who Brought Child to Drug Deal Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Paige Elizabeth Axler, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 27, 2021 guilty plea to distributing at least fifty grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on two occasions in December 2020, Axler distributed approximately two ounces of ice methamphetamine. The first time, she brought a seven-year-old child with her to the drug deal. The second time, she obtained the ice methamphetamine from a person in a hotel room before selling it to another person. Though she is only 25 years old, Axler has accumulated eight adult criminal convictions.
Axler was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. She was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Axler is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-43.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Camden County Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man today admitted fraudulently obtaining a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan of $237,500, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Cornell McCoy, 49, of Lawnside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”). To obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying small business must apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and payroll expenses. Businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.
In February 2021, McCoy applied for a PPP loan on behalf of Silver Cup Services Group LLC, a company that he owned. McCoy stated on the application that Silver Cup had 12 employees and an average monthly payroll of $95,000. He also submitted federal tax forms and returns that purported to show that Silver Cup paid $300,000 in wages during each quarter of 2019 and that McCoy earned more than $800,000 in income from Silver Cup in 2019. In fact, Silver Cup had no employees other than McCoy himself and paid no wages in 2019. The tax forms submitted with the application were forged. In April 2021, the lender approved the loan based on the fraudulent application and disbursed $237,500 to a bank account controlled by McCoy.
The charge of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. As part of his guilty plea, McCoy agreed to make restitution in the full amount of the PPP loan and agreed to forfeit the contents of the bank account to which the loan proceeds were disbursed. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Jason M. Richardson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
California Man Sentenced to 21 Months for National Forest BurglariesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Brian D. Lisanti, 51, of Weimar, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott Rash to 21 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme to burglarize user fee collection sites on the Coronado National Forest in Southern Arizona.
Lisanti previously pleaded guilty to destruction of government property by breaking into a fee envelope collection tube on the Coronado National Forest near Safford, Arizona and to stealing $1,408 of government funds from a fee envelope collection tube on the Coronado National Forest near Green Valley, Arizona in 2020. In pleading guilty, Lisanti also admitted that between July 23, 2020 and November 8, 2020, he committed at least 42 burglaries and theft of government funds at fee collection sites on national recreation lands in Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah. Lisanti committed these acts by breaking the locks on fee collection tubes and stealing monies that recreational users had deposited as fees payable to the United States government.
The U.S Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01603-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-023_Lisanti# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Sentenced to 12 1/2 years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Spring Valley, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on March 7, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Larre Hayes, age 37, was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He also forfeited four firearms.
Hayes was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on February 19, 2021. He pleaded guilty on November 1, 2021. Hayes was involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Rapid City area. Hayes brought methamphetamine from California to South Dakota with co-conspirator, Shelby Tripp Lien, who is currently awaiting trial. Hayes also facilitated the mailing of methamphetamine from California to South Dakota. During the conspiracy Hayes obtained firearms as payment for methamphetamine and also for personal protection.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Hayes was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Brother of Former Chabad of Poway Rabbi Goldstein Sentenced for Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431 and Valerie Chu (619) 546-6750
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 11, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Mendel Goldstein, brother of former Chabad of Poway Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, was sentenced in federal court today to 8 months custody and a $5,500 fine for his participation in a years-long scheme with his brother to evade taxes. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $164,475.82. While imposing the sentence, District Court Judge Cynthia Bashant stated, “It’s important to send a message . . . people need to know, this is what happens when you commit tax fraud.”
According to his plea agreement, Mendel Goldstein concealed the entirety of his income for at least six years by funneling the income from his successful videography business through Chabad of Poway bank accounts that were controlled by his brother, Rabbi Goldstein. In return, Rabbi Goldstein took a ten percent cut of Mendel Goldstein’s income.
Mendel Goldstein was able to access his funds by writing checks to himself from the Chabad of Poway bank account that concealed the true recipient of the money, instead addressing checks to fictitious people including “Mr. Green,” “Mr. Gold,” or “Mr. Fish,” or simply making the checks out to “CASH.” Between April 2012 and August 2018, Mendel Goldstein concealed over $700,000 in income from the IRS, evading over $150,000 in taxes.
Rabbi Goldstein alerted Mendel Goldstein to the investigation around December 2018 and encouraged Mendel Goldstein to conceal his tax evasion by filing delinquent tax returns.
In July 2020, Rabbi Goldstein pleaded guilty to fraud charges, admitting that he participated in a complex, years-long, multi-million-dollar tax-evasion scheme and other financial deceptions involving theft of public money. Rabbi Goldstein’s plea agreement outlined the fraud scheme with Mendel Goldstein.
“Our community should not tolerate tax fraud, and offenders will continue to be prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. Grossman thanked the prosecution team and FBI and IRS agents for their excellent work on this case.
“For years, Mendel Goldstein worked with his brother, Yisroel - then the director of the Chabad of Poway - to orchestrate a financial scheme to hide more than $700,000 of his own income from being taxed,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “The FBI has no tolerance for those who abuse the tax-exempt status of religious organizations for their own financial gain. We are proud to work alongside our federal partners at IRS - Criminal Investigation to uncover various forms of financial fraud and I would like to thank them for their ongoing partnership in this case.”
“Instead of paying his fair share, Mr. Mendel Goldstein used his relationship and the exploitation of a religious organization’s special non-profit status to divert his income, conceal his earnings and evade paying his taxes,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s sentencing and this investigation demonstrate our commitment to hold accountable those who shirk their tax obligations by corrupting our nation’s tax laws for their own personal gain.”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES Case Number 20CR-2772-BAS
Mendel Goldstein Age:64 Brooklyn NY
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
PREVIOUSLY CHARGED DEFENDANTS AND SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Yisroel Goldstein, Case Number 20CR1916-BAS Age: 58 Poway
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Alexander Avergoon, Case Number 19CR2955-BAS Age: 44 San Diego
Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 1343
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, USC 1028A
Maximum Penalty: Two years minimum consecutive term in prison
Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, USC 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
Bruce Baker, Case Number 20CR1912-BAS Age: 74 La Jolla
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and file false tax returns, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Bijan Moossazadeh, Case Number 20CR1893-BAS Age: 63 San Diego
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Yousef Shemirani, Case Number 20CR1895-BAS Age: 74 Poway
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Boris Shkoller, Case Number 20CR1913-BAS Age: 83 Del Mar
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Stuart Weinstock, Case Number 21CR0042-BAS Age: 64 Escondido, CA
Filing False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C. §7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Jason Ellis, Case Number 21CR2200-BAS Age: 42 Poway, CA
Filing False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C. §7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison
Yehuda Hadjadj, Case Number 22CR148-BAS Age: 47 La Jolla, CA
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Rotem Cooper, Case Number 20CR3968-BAS Age: 54 San Diego
Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Igor Shtilkind, Case Number 20CR3955-BAS Age: 55 San Diego
Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service
Brookings Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Brookings, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Production of Child Pornography.
Keenan Chidaushe, age 25, was indicted on March 1, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 11, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between November 8, 2021 and November 19, 2021, and on December 19, 2021, Chidaushe knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced two juvenile females to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depictions would be transported in interstate and foreign commerce, or mailed, and such visual depictions would be produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, including by computer.
The charges are merely accusations and Chidaushe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Brooking Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Chidaushe was remanded to state custody pending trial, which has not been set.
Albuquerque man appears in court accused of a series of bank robberiesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Evan Lemmon, 28, of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court today for a detention hearing, charged with nine counts of bank robbery. Lemmon will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, from Sept. 28, 2021, to March 7, 2022, Lemmon allegedly committed nine bank robberies in Albuquerque following a similar pattern. Each time, Lemmon allegedly entered the banks wearing a cap, face covering, and a glove on his right hand and passed a similar note to a teller. After the tellers complied, Lemmon allegedly fled on foot to a car parked nearby and left the scene.
On March 7, the day of the ninth robbery, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lemmon’s residence. Investigators allegedly recovered cash consistent with the ninth robbery as well as clothing allegedly resembling what was worn in several of the robberies.
“If you rob a bank, expect the FBI and our partners to do everything we can to bring you to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office Raul Bujanda. “Rob a lot of banks, and our determination to find you becomes that much stronger. We worked closely with the Albuquerque Police Department to end this crime spree before someone got hurt. The FBI's time-tested strategy for solving bank robberies still fits like a glove: teams of our special agents and intelligence analysts combing through every lead, working alongside local law enforcement counterparts, focused on the capture and successful prosecution of the offender.”
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lemmon faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime and Gang Task Force and the Albuquerque Police Department’s Investigate Support Unit (ISU) investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.
Alabama Resident Indicted for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that QUINCY WHITE, age 41, and a resident of Mobile, Alabama, was charged on March 11, 2022 in a one count indictment by a federal grand jury with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
According to the indictment, on October 24, 2020, WHITE possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted of Count One, WHITE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office, and the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman.
Akron Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron, Ohio man who helped lead a multi-state drug conspiracy was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, George Devonte Langford, 29, admitted that he participated in the conspiracy between April and September 2019. Langford admitted that he frequently acquired methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Akron area which he and others transported to the Southern District of West Virginia. Langford then distributed the drugs to various customers in multiple locations including Scott Depot, Charleston and Sissonville. Langford also admitted that customers traveled to locations in Ohio on multiple occasions, including Akron and Canton, where he met with them to provide them with methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Langford was aware that these customers traveled from, and intended to return to, West Virginia with the drugs where they would be re-distributed. Langford previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-000246.
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13 March 2022
Arvada Woman Who Fired on Sheriff's Deputies after Robberies Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Kitira Hays, age 21, of Arvada, was sentenced to 14.75 years in federal prison for her role in armed robberies of Lakewood and Westminster stores.
According to the plea agreement, on November 14, 2020, Hays drove two co-defendants to a Foot Locker in Lakewood and to a DSW located in Westminster so her co-defendants could rob the stores. At both locations, one co-defendant brandished a firearm as the other robbed the stores of clothing and shoes. Hays served as a getaway driver.
Later that same day, an Adams County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop the car, but the co-defendant and Hays drove away at a high rate of speed. The deputy maintained pursuit and was joined by other deputies. When the deputies deployed stop sticks to stop the car, Hays, then riding in the passenger seat, used a silver revolver to shoot out the window of the vehicle at pursuing deputies, as the co-defendant drove around the stop sticks. Hays continued shooting at law enforcement as the co-defendant drove and ultimately crashed the vehicle in the trailer park where Hays lived. Hays continued to shoot at law enforcement before fleeing on foot
“Violent gun crime is a serious problem that threatens all of us,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “Choosing to use a gun to commit a crime – and especially shooting at law enforcement – will send you to federal prison for a long time.”
“These armed and violent criminals jeopardized the safety of our communities and law enforcement partners,” said ATF Denver Field Division Special Agent in Charge David S. Booth. “These are exactly the sort of crimes we seek to identify, disrupt and upon which we focus all of our investigational efforts.”
United States District Court Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced the Defendant on February 28, 2022. Judge Jackson denied the Defendant’s request to lessen the sentence, noting that anyone who attempts to shoot, injure, or kill a law enforcement officer would not receive a lesser sentence.
The ATF, together with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Celeste Rangel and Melissa Hindman handled the prosecution of the case.
Case Number 21-cr-0024
12 March 2022
Fugitive Arrested on Charges Related to 2019 Robbery of Brinks TruckRead the Press Release
DENVER - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Justin White was arrested in New Mexico this week on charges related to the robbery of a Brinks Truck in 2019. Earlier this year, a federal Grand Jury in Denver issued a superseding indictment charging White, along with Jamarius Jones, David Taylor, and Jimmy Garrison for robbery affecting commerce and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence related to a robbery of a Brinks Truck on October 30, 2019. All of the indicted defendants have now been arrested. Taylor and Garrison are detained and currently set for trial.
Jamarius Jones pled guilty on February 18, 2022, before United States District Court Chief Judge Philip A. Brimmer to one count of robbery affecting commerce. Jones is detained and scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2022.
The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn is handling handled the prosecution of the case.
Charges in an indictment are allegations. The Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case number 21-cr-00014
11 March 2022
Woodbury County Man Sentenced to over 19 years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while he illegally possessed a gun was sentenced March 10, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
Matthew Sandoval, 28, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 28, 2021, guilty plea of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sandoval had prior convictions for assault, possessing controlled substances, and three convictions of evading law enforcement which involved high-speed pursuits.
Evidence at the hearings showed that between 2016 and continuing to June 2021, Sandoval and others conspired to distribute at least 40 pounds of methamphetamine in the Siouxland area while he possessed a firearm. The conspiracy involved, in part, several shipments of methamphetamine utilizing the United States Postal Service.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works diligently to preserve the integrity of the US Mail said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, which includes Iowa. People who use the mail to distribute dangerous drugs cause great harm to our communities, and they also place USPS employees at risk of exposure to dangerous controlled substances as well as violence associated with drug trafficking. This conviction reflects successful teamwork among federal, state and local law enforcement. We want the public to know that Postal Inspectors will aggressively pursue anyone who attempts to use the Postal Service for criminal activity. We will not allow the U.S. Mail to be used to commit crimes, and we aim to keep illegal drugs out of the mail for the safety of our employees and customers."
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sandoval was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Sandoval remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4059. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.