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Wednesday 26 January 2022
Philadelphia Man Admits Role in Murder for HireRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Sean Caddle and a longtime accomplice to murder one of Caddle’s associates, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Bomani Africa, 61, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. One of Africa’s conspirators, Sean Caddle, pleaded guilty on Jan. 25, 2022, before Judge Vazquez, to his role in the murder scheme.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In April of 2014, Caddle solicited one of his conspirators (identified as “CC-1”), a Connecticut resident, to commit a murder on Caddle’s behalf in exchange for thousands of dollars. CC-1 then recruited Africa, a longtime accomplice from Philadelphia, to join the plot. After CC-1 confirmed his and Africa’s interest in the job, Caddle told CC-1 that the target was a longtime associate who had worked for Caddle on various political campaigns.
On May 22, 2014, Africa and CC-1 traveled from out-of-state to the victim’s apartment in Jersey City. After entering the apartment, Africa and CC-1 stabbed the victim to death and then CC-1 set fire to the victim’s apartment.
After Caddle learned that the victim had been murdered, the following day, he met CC-1 in the parking lot of a diner in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Caddle paid CC-1 thousands of dollars in exchange for the murder, and CC-1 shared a portion of those proceeds with Africa.
Africa faces a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee M. Cortes Jr., Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Farrell, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit.
Pharmacist Sentenced for $180 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Mississippi pharmacist was sentenced today to five years in prison in the Southern District of Mississippi for a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud TRICARE and private insurance companies by paying kickbacks to distributors for the referral of medically unnecessary prescriptions. The conduct resulted in more than $180 million in fraudulent billings, including more than $50 million paid by federal health care programs.
According to court documents, David “Jason” Rutland, 42, of Bolton, a pharmacist and co-owner of compounding pharmacies, schemed to defraud TRICARE and other health care benefit programs by distributing medically unnecessary compounded medications. TRICARE is the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees and their families. Rutland adjusted prescription formulas to ensure the highest reimbursement without regard to efficacy. He solicited recruiters to procure prescriptions for high-margin compounded medications and paid those recruiters commissions based on the percentage of reimbursements paid by pharmacy benefit managers and health care benefit programs, including commissions on claims reimbursed by TRICARE. Rutland also routinely and systematically waived and/or reduced copayments to be paid by beneficiaries and members, including utilizing a purported copayment assistance program to falsely make it appear as if his pharmacy and its affiliate compounding pharmacies had been collecting copayments, among other things.
Rutland pleaded guilty on July 20, 2021, to conspiracy to defraud the United States and solicit, receive, offer and pay illegal kickbacks. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Rutland was ordered to pay restitution and forfeit all assets traced to his ill-gotten gains.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Cyndy Bruce of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DoD OIG-DCIS) Southeast Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office and DoD OIG-DCIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Alejandra Arias of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Sara Porter and Dustin Davis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
New York Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Fraudulent Prize Notice SchemeRead the Press Release
A fifth defendant pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of New York to participating in a fraudulent, multi-million dollar mass-mailing scheme that tricked consumers into paying fees for falsely promised cash prizes.
According to court documents, from November 2013 through November 2018, Carmine Maietta, 75, of Westbury, New York, engaged in a direct-mail scheme that sent fraudulent prize notification mailings to thousands of consumers. The mailings induced consumers to pay a fee, purportedly in return for a large cash prize. None of the consumers who sent a fee ever received such a prize. Maietta pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
“Mass mailing fraud schemes often trick elderly victims into sending money based on false promises of large cash prizes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to pursuing and prosecuting the perpetrators of these schemes.”
“With today’s guilty plea, Maietta admits to deceiving elderly and other vulnerable victims into believing they had won cash prizes when, in reality, he was simply pocketing their hard-earned funds,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This office is committed to protecting the vulnerable from the financial harm caused by fraudulent mail solicitation schemes.”
“Sweepstakes and other frauds are extremely damaging to those who fall victim to a scammers’ pitch of trickery and lies,” said Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “These fraudulent schemes by design are nothing more than lies written on paper. Postal Inspectors will always vigorously pursue individuals who prey on the public, bringing them to justice for their criminal activity.”
Four other defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for participating in the scheme. Charles Kafeiti, 58, of Scottsdale, Arizona, pleaded guilty on Dec. 23, 2020. Steven Diaz, 53, of Mount Sinai, New York, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2021. Anthony Kafeiti, 61, of Port Jefferson, New York, pleaded guilty on July 28, 2021. Drew Wilson, 63, of British Columbia, Canada, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24, 2021. The defendants were part of a multi-million dollar mail fraud scheme in which they worked together to coordinate the mailings, open and process victims’ responses to the fraudulent solicitations, manage lists of recipients and respondents, and process victim payments.
Maietta will be sentenced at a later date. Each of the five defendants faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles P. Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seeks to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
New York Man Arrested for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York Man was arrested today on charges arising from a scheme to fraudulently obtain business loans and unemployment pandemic relief funds made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Ronald Buie, 35, was charged with one count of wire fraud. Buie will make an initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of New York this afternoon and will appear in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Buie engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting fraudulent applications for loans offered in connection with the CARES Act. It is alleged that Buie applied for SBA loans under various false identities for which he had also opened bank accounts and email accounts. Buie also allegedly submitted fraudulent documentation to apply for and obtain a fraudulent loan from the SBA Paycheck Protection Program for his company, Platinum Car Service LLC. Specifically, in support of his loan application, Buie allegedly provided what he purported to be a monthly bank statement for his business checking account showing an ending balance of more than $198,000, whereas bank records for that particular month show that the actual balance was less than $3,000. In addition, it is alleged that Buie’s scheme also involved the utilization of various false identities to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office; Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance; and the New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Milford Man Indicted on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, Luke Shager, age 35, of New Milford, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual contact, online enticement, transportation of a minor and production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on November 4, 2019, Shager traveled from Pennsylvania to New York to engage in illicit sexual conduct and between July 2020 and December 2020, Shager used the internet and a cellular device to entice a minor victim to engage in sexual activity. The indictment also alleges that on August 1, 2020, Shager transported a minor from New York to Pennsylvania with the intent to engage in sexual activity and on August 2, 2020 Shager produced child pornography.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Monmouth County Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in Gun Trafficking Conspiracy and Possessing Firearm as Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man with a prior felony conviction was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and conspiring to illegally sell firearms, including multiple handguns and a semi-automatic rifle, in and around Monmouth and Ocean counties, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Javier Rodriguez-Valpais, 33, aka “Broly,” of Morganville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Judge Thompson imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2020 through September 2020, Javier Rodriguez-Valpais and others were members of a gun trafficking conspiracy that spanned from Florida to New Jersey. Rodriguez-Valpais sold a .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle to co-defendant Enrique Quijada, who in turn sold the rifle to an individual working at the direction and supervision of the FBI.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Rodriguez-Valpais to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, and the Jersey Shore Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr.; and the Freehold Police Department, under the direction of Chief Craig Dispenza, with the investigation leading to the today’s sentencing. He also thanked the FBI Tampa Division, the ATF Newark and Tampa Field Divisions for their assistance in the investigation.
In July 2021 the U.S. Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C. According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in the New York/northern New Jersey area originate from outside the area. The new strike force will help ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in the New York/northern New Jersey area with their counterparts in those other locations.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to Six Months’ Home Confinement for Selling Carvings Made of Sperm Whale IvoryRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to five years’ probation, including six months’ home confinement, for the interstate sale of carvings made of sperm whale ivory, U.S Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Richard Gontarek, 55, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court to an information, charging him with two counts of violating the Lacey Act, by selling to a buyer in Pennsylvania carvings made of sperm whale ivory that Gontarek should have known were possessed in violation of New Jersey State law. Judge Hammer imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Jan. 3, 2018, and on Dec. 6, 2018, Gontarek shipped a package containing a carving made from the tooth of a sperm whale to a buyer in Etter, Pennsylvania, in exchange for payment. Sperm whales are listed in Appendix I to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The Lacey Act makes it a crime to sell in interstate commerce wildlife possessed in violation of any state law when in the exercise of due care the seller should have known that the wildlife was possessed in violation of the state law. New Jersey state law makes it unlawful for any person to possess with intent to sell ivory or any item that contains or is made from ivory.
Gontarek has agreed to pay a fine of $2,800 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lacey Act Reward Fund. He cannot possess, purchase, sell or transport wildlife protected under federal or state law during the probationary period.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Sean Mann, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison making false statements to United States government agencies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Gulshan Manko, 37, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2021, by videoconference before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an information charging him with one count of making false statements to federal agents. He also pleaded guilty on Sept. 11, 2019, to Count Two of an indictment charging him with making false statements in a separate case.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
Manko submitted an application, referred to as an SF-86 Form, for employment as a federal agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Manko submitted fictitious academic transcripts from two higher education institutions located in New Jersey and represented that he had graduated from these two academic institutions. Manko made these statements in his employment application knowing that they were false in an attempt to gain employment with the DEA.
In the earlier case, Manko made false statements during a criminal investigation, including falsely asserting that he had shredded a government identification card.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wolfson sentenced Manko to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, and special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, with the investigation leading today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit and Joseph Gribko in Newark.
Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Attempting to Breach Cockpit then Jumping from Departing Airplane at LAXRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for attempting to breach the cockpit of a commercial airliner taxiing at Los Angeles International Airport, assaulting a flight attendant who tried to stop him, then opening the exit door and jumping out of the aircraft.
Luis Armando Victoria Dominguez, 34, of La Paz, Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also ordered him to pay $20,132 in restitution.
Dominguez pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of interference with flight crew members and flight attendant.
On June 25, 2021, Dominguez was a passenger on United Airlines flight 5365, operated by SkyWest Airlines, that was scheduled to fly from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City. Soon after the plane pushed back from the gate, Dominguez “sprinted” to the front of the aircraft past a seated flight attendant and “began banging on the cockpit door and manipulating the locked doorknob,” according to an FBI affidavit that was filed with a criminal complaint in this case.
When he failed to gain entry to the cockpit, Dominguez pushed past the flight attendant and went to the emergency exit on the right side of the plane, where he managed to partially open the door, causing the emergency slide to partially deploy, the affidavit states. While a nearby passenger attempted to restrain him, Dominguez managed to get away and jump from the aircraft, missing the emergency slide.
“Once…Dominguez landed on the tarmac, he began crawling away from the aircraft. His right leg appeared broken,” the affidavit states.
“[Dominguez] assaulted a flight attendant and endangered the lives of countless others when he attempted to breach the cockpit of the plane and then partially deployed a slide while the plane was taxiing, causing the pilot to immediately shut off the engine to avoid having the slide sucked into the engine,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “[Dominguez’s] unruly conduct damaged the plane, taking it out of commission for four days.”
The FBI investigated this matter and received substantial assistance from the Los Angeles Airport Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Lyndsi C. Allsop of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 66 Months for Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. –Laveneur Jackson, 41, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm on two separate occasions. Jackson was found guilty by a federal jury on September 28, 2021.
According to trial exhibits and witness testimony during the two-day jury trial, Jackson was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions. Despite this, on two separate occasions in December of 2016, Jackson unlawfully obtained firearms by having an acquaintance purchase them for him at two separate federally licensed gun stores in New Hampshire. Jackson then sold the guns to others in Massachusetts.
“When convicted felons get their hands on guns, they present a grave risk to the public,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “By obtaining guns unlawfully and selling them in Massachusetts, the defendant not only committed a serious crime, but also put guns into the hands of others who may use them to commit crimes of violence. To protect public safety, we work closely with the ATF and our other law enforcement partners to prosecute gun crimes and keep dangerous felons off the streets.”
“ATF remains dedicated to investigating violent crime and disrupting straw purchasing schemes and today’s sentence is yet another example of the commitment we have made to tirelessly pursue those who violate federal firearms laws.” said James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Boston Field Division. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of our communities and stop the flow of guns to individuals who cannot legally purchase them.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Seth R. Aframe, as well as former Assistant United States Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Seizes Domain Name Purporting to be the Website of the U.S. Department of LaborRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has seized “US-dolbids.com” which purported to be the official website for the United States Department of Labor.
The seizure of the domain was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Cooper of the Division of Advanced Technology and Analytics, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure, the domain US-dolbids.com claimed to be the official website of the U.S. Department of Labor and claimed to accept bids from potential contractors for ongoing government projects. In order to bid for a purported government contract, the fraudulent domain instructed users to log into a portal with the user’s email address and password. In reality, the website intended to steal a user’s email login credentials for nefarious purposes and financial gain. Additionally, the domain mimicked stylistic designs and language as the authentic U.S. Department of Labor website, including a purported link providing “Coronavirus Resources” for “responding to COVID-19.”
Individuals visiting the site now will see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Department of Labor- Office of Inspector General, HSI, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Sean Delaney, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man from Mescalero pleads guilty to federal assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Romeo Martinez, 23, of Mescalero, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 25 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Martinez will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, on June 29, 2021, Martinez, who is not a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe or any other federally recognized tribe, arrived at his grandmother’s residence and assaulted a victim, identified in court records as “M.B.,” on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Martinez accused his grandmother and M.B., who is an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, of having his vehicle towed, and began to scream at them. Martinez attacked M.B., hitting her face multiple times and causing a laceration to her forehead and a broken nose and septum. As a result of Martinez’s assault, the victim required medical treatment and surgery.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
Man from Mescalero pleads guilty to federal assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Romeo Martinez, 23, of Mescalero, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 25 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Martinez will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, on June 29, 2021, Martinez, who is not a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe or any other federally recognized tribe, arrived at his grandmother’s residence and assaulted a victim, identified in court records as “M.B.,” on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Martinez accused his grandmother and M.B., who is an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, of having his vehicle towed, and began to scream at them. Martinez attacked M.B., hitting her face multiple times and causing a laceration to her forehead and a broken nose and septum. As a result of Martinez’s assault, the victim required medical treatment and surgery.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
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Man Who Sold Pistol Used in Synagogue Hostage Crisis Federally ChargedRead the Press Release
The man who sold Malik Faisal Akram the gun he used to kidnap hostages in a Texas synagogue earlier this month has been charged with a federal firearm crime, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Henry “Michael” Dwight Williams, 32, was charged Tuesday via criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée H. Toliver in the Northern District of Texas Wednesday afternoon. A detention hearing has been set for Monday, Jan. 31.
“Federal firearm laws are designed to keep guns from falling into dangerous hands. As a convicted felon, Mr. Williams was prohibited from carrying, acquiring, or selling firearms. Whether or not he knew of his buyer’s nefarious intent is largely irrelevant — felons cannot have guns, period, and the Justice Department is committed to prosecuting those who do,” said U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We are grateful to the many officers and agents who sprang into action as soon as the synagogue hostage crisis began, and who worked tirelessly to track the weapon from Mr. Akram to Mr. Williams. The freed hostages, the Beth Israel congregation, and indeed the entire Jewish community deserve that support.”
“The Dallas FBI Field Office and our partners have worked around the clock since January 15, 2022 to determine how Malik Faisal Akram acquired the weapon he used to terrorize worshipers at Colleyville’s Congregation Beth Israel synagogue," said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. "Along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners we pledge to continue our efforts to protect our communities from violence."
According to the complaint, Mr. Williams – a felon previously convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted possession of a controlled substance – allegedly sold Mr. Akram a semiautomatic Taurus G2C pistol on Jan. 13. Two days later, on Jan. 15, agents recovered the pistol from Colleyville’s Congregation Beth Israel synagogue, where Mr. Akram had held four individuals hostage for several hours before he was fatally shot by federal law enforcement.
As part of its intensive investigation into the hostage taking, the FBI tied Mr. Williams to Mr. Akram through an analysis of Mr. Akram’s cellphone records, which showed the pair exchanged a series of calls from Jan. 11 through Jan. 13.
When agents first interviewed Mr. Williams on Jan. 16, Mr. Williams stated that he recalled meeting a man with a British accent, but that he could not recall the man’s name. (Mr. Akram was a British citizen.) Agents interviewed the defendant again on Jan. 24, after he was arrested on an outstanding state warrant. After viewing a photo of Mr. Akram, Mr. Williams confirmed he sold Mr. Akram the handgun at an intersection in South Dallas. Analysis of both men’s cellphone records showed that the two phones were in close proximity on Jan. 13.
Mr. Williams allegedly admitted to officers that Mr. Akram told him the gun was going to be used for “intimidation” to get money from someone with an outstanding debt.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Williams is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division, and the Colleyville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Magliolo is prosecuting the case with the support of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Errin Martin, Jay Weimer, Alex Lewis, Lindsey Beran, Nicole Dana, and P.J. Meitl, along with Trial Attorneys David Smith and Michael Dittoe of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Man Who Fled from Police After Tossing Firearm and Drugs Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who fled from police and tried to get rid of a loaded firearm, $14,000 in cash, and marijuana was sentenced yesterday to over nine years in federal prison.
Christopher Evans, age 33, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty on June 7, 2021 to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, during a high-speed chase with law enforcement, Evans struck a vehicle containing a pregnant woman, two children, and an adult male. After the collision, a child had glass in his car seat. Both the pregnant woman and a child suffered injuries as a result of the crash. Instead of checking on the occupants of that car, Evans continued to flee from law enforcement on foot before being ultimately detained. During the chase, Evans tried to dispose of a loaded firearm and illegal drugs.
Evans was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Evans was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evans is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Jake Schunk, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and 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 20-CR-01041.
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MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An MS-13 member was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for racketeering conspiracy and being an illegal alien in unlawful possession of ammunition.
Cristian Alvarez Hernandez, a/k/a “Duende,” 22, a Salvadoran national residing in East Boston, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Alvarez Hernandez will also be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In September 2021, Alvarez Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and to being an illegal alien in unlawful possession of ammunition.
MS-13, or La Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. MS-13 members follow certain core rules and principles, including that members attack and attempt to kill members of rival gangs and that members do not act as informants or cooperate with law enforcement.
Alvarez Hernandez was a chequeo, or mid-level, member in MS-13’s Everett Locos Salvatrucha (ELS) clique. As a member of MS-13, Alvarez Hernandez accepted and furthered its core objectives of attacking rival gang members or MS-13 members who violated the enterprise’s rules. Alvarez Hernandez was a rising member within ELS, and photographs showed him embracing MS-13’s lifestyle, including flashing gang signs, wearing gang colors or symbols, posing with weapons and being photographed alongside numerous other MS-13 members. He was also found in possession of three firearms and over 150 rounds of ammunition.
Alvarez Hernandez’s membership activity within the gang also included his dispute with a teenage boy who was killed in September 2015 by four other MS-13 gang members based on the victim’s perceived status as a rival. The four MS-13 members who personally participated in the murder were charged separately and have each been convicted for their participation in the murder. Edwin Gonzalez a/k/a “Sangriento,” was sentenced to life in prison; Carlos Melara a/k/a “Chuchito,” was sentenced to 36 years in prison; and Henry Parada Martinez a/k/a “Street Danger,” was sentenced to 21 years in prison. The last remaining MS-13 member involved, Rene Mejia Flores, a/k/a Gasper, pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy; and Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes made the announcement today.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas J. Hart, age 50, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 26, 2022, to 60 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between July 10, 2019, and August 12, 2020, Hart used Kik Messenger to receive and distribute videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Luzerne County Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, James Rodriguez, Jr. a/k/a “Mack Mulla,” age 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between January 2021 and January 2022, Rodriguez Jr. conspired with other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. It is alleged that on October 27, 2021, Rodriguez, Jr aided in the distribution of fentanyl which resulted in the death of an individual. The indictment further alleges that on January 20, 2022, Rodriguez was in possession of over 40 grams of fentanyl and additional quantities of marijuana which he intended to distribute, all while in possession of multiple handguns and a shot gun in furtherance of these drug trafficking activities. Finally, the indictment seeks forfeiture of the firearms and Rodriguez’s Porsche automobile.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kingston Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty under federal law for this offense of life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Luzerne County Man Indicted on Drug Delivery Resulting in Death ChargeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 25, 2022, James Rushton, age 31, of Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of drug delivery resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on October 27, 2021, Rushton distributed fentanyl to an individual in Luzerne County and the use of that fentanyl resulted in the individual’s death.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was 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.
If convicted, Rushton faces a maximum penalty under federal law for this offense of life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Long Island Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Fraudulent Prize Notice SchemeRead the Press Release
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Carmine Maietta pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a fraudulent mass-mailing scheme that tricked consumers into paying fees for falsely promised cash prizes.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian M. Boynton, Acting Assistant Attorney of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), announced the guilty pleas.
“With today’s guilty plea, Maietta admits to deceiving elderly and other vulnerable victims into believing they had won cash prizes when, in reality, he was simply pocketing their hard-earned funds,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is committed to protecting the vulnerable from the financial harm caused by fraudulent mail solicitation schemes.”
“Mass mailing fraud schemes often trick elderly victims into sending money based on false promises of large cash prizes,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Boynton. “The Department of Justice is committed to pursuing and prosecuting the perpetrators of these schemes.”
“Sweepstakes and other frauds are extremely damaging to those who fall victim to a scammers’ pitch of trickery and lies. These fraudulent schemes by design are nothing more than lies written on paper. Postal Inspectors will always vigorously pursue individuals who prey on the public, bringing them to justice for their criminal activity,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Brubaker.
According to court documents, from November 2013 through November 2018, Maietta engaged in a direct-mail scheme that sent fraudulent prize notification mailings to thousands of consumers. The mailings induced consumers to pay a fee, purportedly in return for a large cash prize. None of the consumers who sent a fee ever received such a prize.
Four other defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for participating in the scheme. Charles Kafeiti pleaded guilty on December 23, 2020; Steven Diaz pleaded guilty on February 8, 2021; Anthony Kafeiti pleaded guilty on July 28, 2021; and Drew Wilson pleaded guilty on August 24, 2021.
When sentenced, the five defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly of the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case with Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The Department of Justice has engaged in extensive efforts to combat elder fraud to halt the widespread financial losses senior citizens suffer from fraud schemes. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This hotline, which is managed by the Office for Victims of Crime at the Department of Justice, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to victims. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The Defendant:
CARMINE MAIETTA
Age: 74
Westbury, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 21-CR-639 (JMA)
The Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
STEVEN DIAZ
Age: 53
Mount Sinai, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 21-CR-35 (JMA)
ANTHONY KAFEITI
Age: 61
Port Jefferson, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 21-CR-253 (JMA)
CHARLES KAFEITI
Age: 58
Scottsdale, ArizonaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-578 (JMA)
DREW WILSON
Age: 63
British Columbia, CanadaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 21-CR-373 (JMA)
Justice Department Establishes Initiative to Strengthen States’ Use of Criminal Justice DataRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today launched Justice Counts, an effort to help states make smarter policy and budget decisions using up-to-date, actionable criminal justice data. The initiative, announced today by Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta during a virtual conference with criminal justice practitioners and researchers, is led by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center in collaboration with 21 professional associations representing every part of the criminal justice system.
“Our justice systems should be built on principles of fairness, effectiveness and efficiency, and policymakers and the public need better data in order to advance these principles,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta. “The better equipped we are with timely data, the more effectively we can serve our communities and secure the trust and confidence of those we serve.”
Justice Counts is being created in response to calls from policymakers and public safety professionals for more actionable data on crime, incarceration, community supervision and related topics. State leaders are making budgetary and policy decisions based on data that are inconsistently collected and reported across the comparable agencies in their jurisdictions. Agencies lack the time, technology and mandate to create scalable solutions. Members of the public are also seeking greater transparency in criminal justice budgets. Justice Counts will deliver a set of key recommended criminal justice metrics as well as aggregation tools that make the most of data already collected to help leaders reach informed decisions without requiring costly upgrades.
“This impressive collaborative of partners is working together to make criminal justice data visible, digestible, actionable and transparent,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). “The Justice Counts initiative is building the data infrastructure this country needs — and will use — to create safe and just communities.”
“We take for granted that the fiscal and policy decisions being made by our elected leaders are informed by up-to-date, carefully analyzed data, but we find that, on issues of public safety, that is often not the case,” said Acting Director Kristen Mahoney of the BJA. “This partnership — virtually unprecedented in its size and scope — will drive us toward consensus on the key data points needed to shape our responses to our nation’s crime and justice challenges.”
States and localities and agencies therein will receive tools and assistance from Justice Counts partners to adopt metrics and use the data to inform their decision-making. The Justice Counts Data Scans already demonstrate the concept in a central, practical resource for stakeholders to identify gaps and inconsistencies in corrections reporting across all 50 states.
“Before we can solve the challenges facing our criminal justice system, we first need an accurate picture of what is happening inside the system,” said Director Megan Quattlebaum of the CSG Justice Center. “Unfortunately, many policymakers are forced to make important decisions surrounding public safety and justice based on outdated or incomplete information. Justice Counts is an unparalleled, consensus-based initiative that will empower states to use accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date data, allowing state and local leaders to make informed decisions that increase public safety, health and equity.”
A list of Justice Counts partners follows:
- American Jail Association
- American Probation and Parole Association
- Correctional Leaders Association
- CNA
- International Association of Chiefs of Police
- Justice Management Institute
- Measures for Justice
- National Association of Counties Research Foundation
- National Association of State Budget Officers
- National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
- NRI
- National Criminal Justice Association
- National Center for State Courts
- National Conference of State Legislatures
- National District Attorneys Association
- National Governors Association
- National Legal Aid & Defender Association
- National Sheriffs’ Association
- RAND Corporation
- Recidiviz
- University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute
For more information, visit the Justice Counts website.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Jury Convicts Tulsa Man for Strangling and Repeatedly Punching his Dating PartnerRead the Press Release
A federal jury found a Tulsa man guilty Tuesday for assaulting and strangling a dating partner, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Dhylian Whalin Rhain Gonzalis, 30, of Tulsa, was convicted of assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate/dating partner in Indian Country. The jury returned their verdict in in less than 30 minutes.
“Because of Dhylian Gonzalis’ criminal actions he will now spend time in federal prison where he can no longer batter his dating partner. Strangulation is a serious violent criminal offense that can lead to death,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Domestic violence prosecutions save lives. This office will continue seeking justice on behalf of survivors and will connect them with community partners who can provide needed resources for mental and physical recovery.”
On Aug. 28, 2020, the victim and Gonzalis, who were dating at the time, got into an argument. Gonzalis punched the victim in the right eye and continued striking her eight times before she was able to retrieve a phone and run to the hallway bathroom with the intention of calling 911. Gonzalis chased her and berated her for trying to call for help. He then slammed through the bathroom door, grabbed the victim by the neck, lifted her off the floor, pressed her up against the wall, and strangled her until she was nearly unconscious.
At the time of the assault, Gonzalis was on parole with the state of Oklahoma for trafficking methamphetamine. He begged the victim not to call the police, threatened to kill himself, and told her to take him to a relative’s house.
Once she dropped him off, the victim quickly drove to her brother’s house, and later contacted authorities. Responding officers took pictures of her injuries, and the victim made her statement. The victim suffered a severe black eye, various cuts and bruises, and defensive wounds on her arms. She also had visible strangulation marks around her neck and her voice was hoarse.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Buscemi and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Judge sentences area man to 36 months for tax crimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Gary D. Primm, Jr. to 36 months in prison today. After a federal jury trial in October 2021, Primm was found guilty of two counts of tax evasion and one count of failure to file an income tax return.
Primm owned and operated United Auto Defense, LLC, (“United”) located in St. Charles, Missouri, which was a call center that marketed and sold auto warranties. In the tax year 2014, United had taxable income in excess of $620,000, but Primm failed to file an income tax return for the company. In the tax years 2014 and 2015, Primm received over a million dollars in income from United operations, but he did not pay any personal income taxes on that income.
Primm took steps to evade assessment of his taxes by diverting United funds to a nominee bank account instead of his personal bank account and by filing false forms with the IRS. Primm used funds from the nominee bank account to pay personal expenses, including his mortgage payments, jewelry purchases, automobile purchases, and gambling expenses.
“Mr. Primm’s deliberate attempt to evade paying taxes on his income was a violation of an obligation we all have to pay our fair share of taxes,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, St. Louis Field Office. “IRS-CI is committed to enforcing the nation’s tax laws so the system is fair for all taxpayers. This sentence shows there are consequences for criminals who attempt to cheat the system.”
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle T. Bateman and John Ware handled the matter for the United States Attorney’s Office.
Iraqi National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Refugee ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Iraqi national, Aws Muwafaq Abduljabbar, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States related to his role in a scheme to defraud U.S. refugee programs.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Mark A. Sullo.
Abduljabbar, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras of the District of Columbia. He remains held without bond pending sentencing on June 24, 2022.
Abduljabbar is one of three defendants charged in an indictment that was unsealed on January 22, 2021. The indictment charges Abduljabbar and two other foreign nationals, Haitham Isa Saado Sad, 43, and Olesya Leonidovna Krasilova, 44, in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and, in particular, the Iraq P-2 program, which allows certain Iraqis to apply directly for refugee resettlement in the United States. Sad previously pleaded guilty and remains held pending sentencing. Krasilova remains at large.
According to the indictment and statement of facts agreed to by Abduljabbar as part of his guilty plea, from approximately February 2016 until at least April 2019, the three defendants, led by Abduljabbar, conspired to steal U.S. government records related to hundreds of USRAP applications. Sad was employed in Amman, Jordan from 2007 to 2016 by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Krasilova held a similar position at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. As part of their duties, both defendants had access to the State Department’s Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS), a database containing sensitive, non-public information about refugee applicants and their family members, as well as the results of security checks and internal assessments by U.S. officials regarding applications.
Abduljabbar organized and led the conspiracy, and he relied on and paid Sad and Krasilova to steal WRAPS records and information so that Abduljabbar could assist applicants in gaining admission to the United States through fraudulent means. As outlined in the indictment and statement of facts, the theft of USRAP records creates a number of risks to public safety and national security while imposing significant costs on the U.S. government, its taxpayers, and otherwise legitimate refugee applicants negatively impacted by the scheme.
The charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated jointly by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke M. Jones and Erik M. Kenerson of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 51 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Castillo, age 40, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 24, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 51 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a felon. Because Castillo is not a lawful resident of the United States, he faces deportation to the Dominican Republic and no term of supervised release was imposed.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Castillo previously admitted that in 2019, along with two other individuals, he participated in a drug distribution operation in Hazleton. Castillo and these individuals used the basement of Castillo’s Hazleton home to prepare bulk amounts of fentanyl for sale and on several occasions that year sold hundreds of bags of fentanyl to others, including undercover informants working with law enforcement. At the time of a June 2019 search of Castillo’s home, hundreds of grams of bulk fentanyl, packaging materials that included 70,000 empty bags, and a hand gun were seized. As a convicted felon, Castillo was prohibited from possessing the handgun.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Three TimesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported three times was sentenced today to ten months in federal prison.
Juan Ramirez-Morales, age 37, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on September 27, 2021, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
At the guilty plea, Ramirez-Morales admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Ramirez-Morales was deported in December 2012, April 2013, and October 2013. Ramirez-Morales’ second deportation occurred following his conviction in January 2013 in the Southern District of Texas for Illegal Entry into the United States. Ramirez-Morales was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County of Operating While Intoxicated, second offense, a felony, in 2011. He was also convicted in Black Hawk County of Operating While Intoxicated for offenses occurring in 2005 and 2006, and for Operating a Motorboat While Intoxicated in 2019.
Ramirez-Morales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ramirez-Morales was sentenced to ten 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.
Ramirez-Morales is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-2049.
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Grand Jury Returns Two IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Juneau County Man Charged with Receiving Child Pornography
Kyle Orlando Luke, 26, Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, is charged with receiving a visual depiction of child pornography. The indictment alleges that on December 29, 2021, Luke received a video via Snapchat depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
If convicted, Luke faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution.
La Crosse Woman Charged with Drug Crimes
Kojoua Vu, 32, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine and with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that she distributed methamphetamine on August 18, 2021 and that she possessed methamphetamine for distribution on October 28, 2021.
If convicted, Vu faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the distribution charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on the charge of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The charges against her are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse, Onalaska, and Campbell Police Departments and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Grafton Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Chad Rombow, 47, of Grafton, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2019, Drug Enforcement Administration agents received information about a suspicious package sent from Phoenix, Arizona to New Hampshire addressed to an individual in Lebanon (Person 1). After obtaining a warrant, investigators opened the package and found over 336 grams of methamphetamine.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Person 1’s residence. On May 10, 2019, after removing the drugs from the package, the investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the package. A co-defendant collected the package from the porch of the residence. Investigators subsequently learned that Rombow paid the co-defendant in methamphetamine to pick up packages of methamphetamine for him. Rombow intended to further distribute the methamphetamine that was in the package.
Rombow is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2022.
“Drug traffickers have been flooding New Hampshire with large quantities of methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “This dangerous and addictive drug is being brought into our state by drug dealers who are seeking to profit from the misery caused by this illegal substance. As this case demonstrates, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the criminals who are bringing this drug into the Granite State and distributing it in our communities.”
“Rombow conspired to bring methamphetamine—a drug that has caused death and destruction in communities across the United States— into New Hampshire. HSI is proud to work alongside our local and federal partners to keep dangerous drugs out of New England,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston Field Office, which covers all of New England.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, the Hartford, Vermont Police Department, and the Lebanon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
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Former U.S. Postal Service employee admits stealing gift cards from mailRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man today admitted to a charge accusing him of stealing and cashing gift cards from a birthday card while he worked for the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Lassana Diaby, 40, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with theft of mail by officer or employee. Diaby faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided. Sentencing was set for June 1 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Diaby was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on March 26, 2021, a U.S. Postal Service customer reported items were stolen from a birthday card that was sent to his locking mailbox in Missoula. The sender confirmed that she mailed the card on March 20, 2021 from Whitefish and that it contained a $200 gift card to Costco, two $100 gift cards to Amazon and $40 cash. An investigation determined that Diaby presented his Costco membership card and the gift card to complete a purchase at the Costco in Missoula and presented his receipt to a Costco employee at the exit. At the time, Diaby worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a mail processing clerk and completed night shifts on March 20 to 23, including working several hours in the manual letter sorting section.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
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Former South Florida Pharmacy Executive Pleads Guilty to $88 Million Health Care Fraud Conspiracy Targeting Military Health Care ProgramsRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Palm Beach County, Florida man has pleaded guilty to his role in a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to defraud Tricare and CHAMPVA through a South Florida compounding pharmacy fraud scheme.
As part of his guilty plea, 58-year-old Matthew Smith admitted his role in fraudulently billing Tricare and CHAMPVA for expensive, medically unnecessary compound drugs from a Broward pharmacy. Tricare and CHAMPVA are the health care benefit programs for the United States Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. In furtherance of the scheme, Smith—then executive vice-president of the pharmacy—and his co-conspirators paid approximately $40 million in kickbacks to patients, patient recruiters and doctors in exchange for their ordering expensive pain creams, scar creams and vitamins without regard to the beneficiaries’ actual medical needs. The drugs were formulated to maximize profit without legitimate therapeutic value. The reimbursement rates sometimes reached $15,000 for a one-month supply. In addition, the pharmacy did not charge beneficiaries the mandatory copayments, something that the co-conspirators concealed. The fraudulent billings caused a loss to the programs of approximately $88 million.
Smith pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for April 5, at 3:00 p.m., in Miami, before U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman. Smith faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, Department of Defense Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office; Special Agent in Charge David Spilker, Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Southeast Field Office; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI Miami; and Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
“Fraudsters steal exorbitant amounts of money from our government health programs through prescription medication fraud schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Gonzalez. “Those who use kickback payments and fraudulent billing activities to defraud vital public programs will be held accountable.”
“Compounding pharmacy fraud bilked the Defense Health Agency of over a billion dollars and exploited not only the military, but all citizens,” said DCIS Special Agent in Charge Bruce. “I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative team for their tireless effort to untangle this web of crime, trace the assets, and hold these individuals accountable.”
“The defendant pleaded guilty for his abhorrent conduct in defrauding multiple federal healthcare programs meant to benefit deserving veterans and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG is committed to continuing its work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of VA’s healthcare and benefit programs.”
“Illegal kickbacks undermined the integrity of the Tricare health benefit program by putting profits in front of patient welfare,” said George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “The investigators who unraveled this scam are to be commended for their diligence and commitment. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue those individuals who pay kickbacks and fraudulently bill for medical services that are not necessary.”
“Criminals whose schemes cause medically unnecessary prescription drugs to be sent to consumers could put the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Miami Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who place profits above public health.”
The DCIS, VA-OIG, FBI, and the FDA, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling the asset forfeiture component of the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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Former Santa Rosa County Deputy Sheriff Faces Federal and State Charges for Fraud Related CrimesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Scott P. Haines, 49, of Milton, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple counts of wire fraud and making false statements to federal agents, announced Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Haines made his initial appearance in federal court to face the charges on January 25, 2022.
The federal indictment alleges that, between January 2015 and May 2021, Haines engaged in a scheme to defraud an elderly victim out of over $10,000. The scheme, as articulated in the indictment, is alleged to be based upon Haines’s attempt to obtain the money after inserting himself into the personal and business affairs of the victim. The indictment also alleges that, when confronted with these allegations by federal agents, Haines made multiple material false statements about his relationship in the personal and business affairs of the victim.
In addition to the federal indictment, Haines was arrested on state charges of exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult, theft from a person 65 years of age or older, and unauthorized access of a computer system or network. He appeared in state court after his initial appearance in federal court in Pensacola in order to be advised of the charges against him.
Trial in the federal case has been set for March 7, 2022, at 8:30 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable M. Casey Rodgers.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg and Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Karen C. Murillo.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography and Making Interstate Threats to ExtortRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor and for making threatening interstate communications with the intent to extort, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Markell Smith, age 25, formerly of the city’s Hill District neighborhood, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that law enforcement identified Markell Smith as the Instagram username “7deadlysins19” who threatened a minor female under the age of 12, then residing in New Jersey, to create and send to him, over the internet, sexually explicit images of herself on May 31, 2018. Smith’s threats to the minor included threats to her person, her property, and her reputation. The minor first received a message from Smith as “7deadlysins19” asking her to send to him a picture of her feet and legs. Smith told the minor that if she did not send the pictures that he was going to hack into her account and get her address and that he would kill her mother, father, and her family. The minor told law enforcement that she was scared, so she sent the pictures that Smith demanded. The minor further told police that “7deadlysins” (Smith) directed her how to take the pictures to send to him. After she was told to take a picture of her feet and legs, Smith told the minor to remove her undergarments and to take pictures of her exposed private parts, as well as her stomach and chest, and then face. The minor kept telling Smith that she wanted to go to sleep, but he demanded that she continue taking pictures for him. Smith admitted to law enforcement that he contacted young girls on the internet and asked for sexually exploitive images.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for June 15, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 and not more than 50 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Smith remained detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation—Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Police Department, as well as the Red Bank Police Department (New Jersey); the FBI—Spokane (Washington) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force; the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (Florida), and the Winchester
Police Department (Kentucky), conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Metro East Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former police officer in the Village of Alorton, Illinois, will be
spending time in federal prison after falsifying thousands of hours on his timesheets. Ricky Perry,
51, of East Saint Louis, Illinois, was sentenced to 10 months confinement today, consisting of 5
months in prison and 5 months of home confinement after his release.United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said, “The overwhelming majority of police officers are
honorable public servants who place their lives in harm’s way to protect the rest of us. But there
must be consequences for those rare situations when officers break the laws they swore to uphold.
We will continue to enforce the law in an evenhanded way against all who break it.”FBI Special Agent in Charge David Nanz said, “The cornerstone of the public’s trust
in law enforcement relies on the expectation that each person who takes the oath to protect and
serve the public will do so with integrity. The FBI is committed to maintaining trust in law
enforcement by holding all those who break the law accountable for their actions.”According to court documents, Perry started as a patrol officer with the Alorton Police Department
in August 2017. Within his first six months, Perry began falsifying his timecards to hide the fact
that he wasn’t really patrolling the jurisdiction during his shifts. In fact, nearly every shift
that Perry claimed to be patrolling Alorton, he absconded from the jurisdiction without
justification or approval. He usually went to his home outside of Alorton, where he parked his
patrol car outside his house and sometimes ignored calls from dispatchers. Perry was often the only
patrol officer on duty at the time.Between May 2018 and April 2021, Perry spent about 4,000 hours on the clock as an Alorton patrol
officer while improperly outside the jurisdiction. He received $60,346.25 based on his
misrepresentations. As part of his sentence, Perry was ordered to pay this money back in
restitution in addition to a small fine. He will also spend one year on supervised release after
his time in prison and home confinement.The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Public Corruption Task Force, which
consists of agents with FBI Springfield, and the Illinois State Police.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith and Luke J. Weissler.Citizens are encouraged to report suspicions of public corruption to the Southern Illinois Public
Corruption Task Force Tip Line at (618) 589-7373.Former Government Employee Admits to Stealing Identities of 37 Individuals in Bank and Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 26, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Kevin Lee of Chula Vista pleaded guilty in federal court today to using his position at the Defense Contract Management Agency (“DCMA”) to steal the identities of at least 37 individuals and using those identities to commit over $240,000 in bank and loan fraud.
DCMA is a federal agency responsible for administering contracts for the Department of Defense and other authorized federal agencies. For his former position at DCMA, Lee held a Top Secret, Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (TS-SCI) clearance. Beginning in approximately September 2018 and continuing up to and including September 2020, Lee devised a scheme to defraud various banks and loan companies by using stolen identities to apply for and obtain loans, which he then used to pay personal debts and bills.
According to his plea agreement, Lee initially used the identities of family members to apply for and obtain fraudulent loans. In approximately September 2019, Lee began applying for loans and bank accounts using information he had access to as a result of his employment at DCMA. Specifically, Lee accessed a DCMA Sharepoint site called DCMA 360 that contained personal identifying information belonging to various individuals employed by, or in some way in contact with, DCMA, including Department of Defense employees and contractors.
The plea agreement said the following:
The information Lee accessed included social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and various forms relating to government employment. After collecting sufficient personal identifying information on an individual, Lee used that information to apply for bank accounts and loans online. To do so, Lee created fraudulent identification documents using the stolen information, including driver’s licenses and passports. Lee additionally created and/or doctored pay stubs, bank statements, and tax documents to support his loan applications. In order to qualify for more loan money, Lee fraudulently increased the salary reflected on some of the documents. Lee created false email accounts for some of the stolen identities, and used various Google voice phone numbers to accomplish his fraud.
For example, Lee created a fake Gmail account for a DCMA employee, D.B. Two months later, on March 26, 2020, Lee conducted six separate searches for personal identifying information belonging to D.B. on the DCMA 360 site. Between March 26-March 30, 2020, Lee then used D.B.’s name, birthdate, address, and social security number to fraudulently apply for at least eight bank accounts and loans using D.B.’s identity. Lee created a fake Arizona Driver’s License using D.B.’s name address and birthdate, which he submitted with the fraudulent loan applications. Lee successfully obtained three loans in D.B.’s name, and used the funds for personal expenses. In total, Lee stole and used or attempted to use the identities of 37 actual individuals at 16 different financial institutions. The total amount of Lee’s actual and attempted fraud was $244,513.45.
“Government employees hold positions of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “The identity theft and fraud in this case is particularly egregious because Mr. Lee violated that public trust for his own selfish ends. Those who engage in fraud and identity theft will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team as well as Defense Criminal Investigative Service and
Defense Contract Management Agency-Office of Inspector General for their excellent work on this case.
“The theft of personally identifiable information can significantly harm our military service members, civilian employees, and their families,” said Kenneth A. DeChellis, Special Agent in Charge, DoD Office of Inspector General, DCIS - Cyber Field Office. “This conviction, resulting from the coordinated actions of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Cyber and Western Field Offices, as well as our partner agencies, demonstrates our commitment to swift action against those who attempt to enrich themselves at the expense of our current and prior Department of Defense personnel.
Lee is next scheduled to appear at a sentencing hearing on April 22, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Lopez.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES Case Number 22CR147-LL
Kevin Lee Age:41 Chula Vista, CA
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: Mandatory two years consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS)
Defense Contract Management Agency-Office of Inspector General (DCMA-OIG)
Former Bruning Woman Convicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Krystal Smith, 30, formerly of Bruning, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for distribution of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Smith was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 8 years of supervised release with special conditions. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith was additionally ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
This case began with a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cyber tip indicating that Facebook user “Shane Smith” had attempted to share a video of child pornography to another Facebook user in August of 2019. Later investigation determined that Krystal Smith’s husband, Shane Smith, was responsible for this activity. On February 13, 2020, a residential search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence. Krystal Smith’s personal cellphone was among the devices that were seized during the execution of the search warrant. A forensic examination of her cellphone revealed sexually explicit files of a child in Krystal Smith’s life. These files included one video and multiple still photos which depicted the lascivious exhibition of the child’s genital area. The video and images appear to have been taken by Krystal Smith. Smith admitted to producing the video and sending it to her husband.
A review of Facebook message conversations between the Smiths additionally revealed that Krystal Smith produced and shared additional sexually explicit images and video files of the child to Shane Smith and had conversations discussing the potential sexual abuse of the child.
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 Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
Florida man admits to unlawfully accessing IRS system and fraudulently filing tax returnsRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Keith Joseph, of Miami, Florida, has admitted to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Joseph, age 37, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Wire Fraud” and one count of “Aggravated Identity Theft.” Joseph admitted to fraudulently accessing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) eAuthentication online taxpayer system, which has servers located in Berkeley County, from March 2015 to March 2017. Joseph obtained personal identifying information of taxpayers without their knowledge to gain access to the IRS online taxpayer system. Once he had access, Joseph unlawfully obtained income tax transcripts and fraudulently filed tax returns using the taxpayers’ personal identifying information.
As a part of the plea agreement, Joseph agreed to pay $142,237 in restitution.
Joseph faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the wire fraud count and two years of incarceration the aggravated identity theft count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Cybercrime Investigations Division investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Five Defendants Charged in Connection with Interstate Car Theft RingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KEINAN CHAPMAN, age 39, a resident of Atlanta, Georgia; GREGORY BUTLER, age 37, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana; TAWUAN SYLVESTER, age 46, a resident of Marrero; JONATHAN BUSH, age 35, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana; and AARON THIBODEAUX, age 36, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged in a multi-count indictment with conspiring to sell stolen cars after they were transported across state lines in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy), 18 U.S.C. § 2313 (sale and transportation of stolen cars), and 18 U.S.C. § 511 (altering vehicle identification numbers). The indictment was returned on December 10, 2021. The indictment was unsealed on January 18, 2022, following the arrest of the defendants.
The indictment also alleges that the defendants stole cars from car dealerships and rental car facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. After stealing the cars, the defendants retitled the cars under fraudulent Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINS) with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Once the cars were retitled and cloned with fraudulent VINS, the defendants then resold the cars to buyers in the New Orleans metro area at discounted prices.
The indictment charges CHAPMAN in counts 1, 5, and 9. BUTLER is charged in counts 1,7-10. SYLVESTER is charged in counts 1-3. BUSH is charged in counts 1-4, and 6. THIBODEAUX is charged in counts 1-3, and 6. 18 U.S.C. § 371 carries a term of imprisonment of up to five years. 18 U.S.C. § 2313 carries a term of imprisonment of up to ten years. 18 U.S.C. § 511 carries a term of imprisonment of up to five years. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
“We are grateful to our federal and state law enforcement partners for their continued efforts to reduce interstate car theft related crimes in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Evans.
“Organized retail crime can have a devastating, far-reaching financial impact on our community. This alleged vehicle theft ring is estimated to have cost retailers and private citizens millions in losses,” said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge David Denton. “These indictments are the result of the hard work and collaboration between HSI agents and our trusted law enforcement partners. Together, we will work to ensure those involved in this scheme are investigated and brought to justice.”
“Over the last two years, LSP Investigators have worked diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify and recover several millions worth of stolen vehicles across the Gulf South”, said Colonel Lamar Davis, Louisiana State Police Superintendent. “The success of this operation exemplifies the dedication of our personnel and the strength of our collaborative efforts to ensure public safety.”
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Jon Maestri are in charge of the prosecution.
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a Sig Sauer HandgunRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 32 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Amini Nerson, age 21, formerly of the city’s Northview Heights neighborhood.
According to information presented to the court, on or about January 23, 2020, Nerson was stopped by Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for a traffic violation. After providing false identification information to the police, a search of his vehicle was conducted by the police. At that time Nerson was found to be in possession of a Sig Sauer handgun, Model P320, despite having been previously convicted of a felony in the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County, PA.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Nerson.
Federal, State, and Local Agencies Work Together to Combat Crimes involving Guns and Violence in the Monroe AreaRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown, along with Monroe Police Chief Vic Zordan, Ouachita Parish Sheriff Jay Russell, Ouachita Parish First Assistant District Attorney Holly Jones, and agents from the ATF, FBI, and DEA, held a press conference today to discuss their efforts to increase the investigation and prosecution of cases against violent criminals in the City of Monroe.
The Project Safe Neighborhoods program brings together all levels of law enforcement - federal, state, and local - and this community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Because of this program and joint efforts of the agencies represented here today and other law enforcement partners, we have brought hundreds of federal firearm prosecutions in the Western District of Louisiana since 2018 and our efforts are increasing. Below are some statistics:
- In FY18 through FY21, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted approximately 461 defendants in firearm related offenses, including felons and drug dealers in possession of firearms, in the entire Western District of Louisiana. Those divisions include Monroe, Shreveport, Lafayette, Alexandria, and Lake Charles. That is nearly double the number of such cases brought in the previous four years.
- There were 47 firearm related cases brought in Monroe during that same time frame.
- Currently our office has 14 active cases involving illegal firearms in the Monroe Division alone.
These statistics show that we have been committed to prosecuting federal firearm cases and getting dangerous criminals off the streets of our cities and pledge to work even harder to bring these offenders to justice. Cooperation with our state and local law enforcement partners in bringing these federal firearms indictments allows our state and local partners to concentrate on other crimes in our district.
An example of cases we are prosecuting in federal court to combat these types of crimes is an indictment that was returned today by a federal grand jury charging Montrelle Jones, 20, of Monroe, with illegally possessing a firearm by a prohibited person, knowing that he was subject to a protective order. The second count of the indictment charges Jones with possession of a firearm in a school zone. Federal laws prohibit the possession of any firearm in a school zone and Jones was found to have a loaded firearm in his possession after an altercation erupted between several individuals who were attending a basketball game at Neville High School on Friday, January 14, 2022.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Jones faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, for each of the two counts.
“The goal of Project Safe Neighborhoods is to provide safe neighborhoods in Monroe and surrounding communities where people can safely live, work and raise their families,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “We will continue to work closely with other law enforcement agencies to make that happen by removing some of the most violent and dangerous offenders from our streets. This is not something new for us, but instead a renewed effort to address the violent crime in the Monroe area to rid our communities of those bad apples. Illegally carrying a loaded gun and threatening those around you is not acceptable behavior and can result in the loss of innocent lives. Our message to those who participate in these bad acts is that threatening the safety of innocent people will not be tolerated and we are committed to boosting our coordinated efforts to rid the streets of this type of crime.”
City of Monroe Police Chief Vic Zordan stated: “Mayor Friday Ellis and I are excited to be working with the Western District of Louisiana’s United States Attorney in ridding Monroe of violent gun offenders. The Monroe Police Department is dedicated to working hand in hand with our federal law enforcement partners so that violent criminals have significant and appropriate consequences for their actions. When convicted in the federal system, the offender will serve approximately 85% of their sentence in jail, as opposed to approximately 50% in the Louisiana State system.”
Ouachita Parish Sheriff Jay Russell stated: “The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office has enjoyed a long standing relationship with U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown. Together we targeted violent felony criminals, removed them from our streets and brought them to justice. We look forward to continuing our combined efforts of improving the quality of life in our community for all of our citizens.”
Ouachita Parish District Attorney Steve Tew stated: “The District Attorney’s office is fortunate to be partnered with these law enforcement agencies on the state and federal level. Our First Assistant, Mrs. Holly Chambers Jones, has been at the forefront of this operation from its inception. She has done an outstanding job in coordinating the efforts of our office with these other agencies.”
If you have any information related to individuals committing crimes of violence in Monroe, please contact Monroe Police Department at 318-329-2600 or Crime Stoppers of North Delta at 318-388-CASH (2274).
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Federal Prison Time for Man Who Assaulted Flight Attendant While Traveling from Cancun to MiamiRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal district judge in Miami has sentenced a 50-year-old Canadian man to six months in U.S. federal prison for assaulting an American Airlines flight attendant.
On August 6, 2021, Enio Socorro Zayas was flying on American Airlines flight #1723 from Cancun, Mexico to Miami International Airport. During the flight, an attendant was serving refreshments to passengers and left snacks on Zayas’ lap because she believed Zayas was asleep. Zayas then reached around his side, intentionally grabbed the flight attendant on the back of the leg, and moved his hand up to her buttocks, all without the flight attendant’s consent.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, and Vernon T. Foret, Director of Field Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami and Tampa Field Office, announced the sentence, which Senior U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck imposed.
FBI Miami and CBP Miami and Tampa Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-20435-PCH.
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Federal Indictment Returned in Pee Dee Kidnapping and CarjackingRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — United States Attorney Corey F. Ellis announced today that a federal grand jury in Florence returned an indictment in connection with a kidnapping and carjacking that began in Florence and ended with the successful recovery of the victim and arrest of the suspected kidnapper in Lumberton, North Carolina.
Specifically, Joseph Alan Wright, a/k/a “Wiz”, 39, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of carjacking.
As charged in the indictment and an associated criminal complaint filed with the court, on December 21, 2021, Wright abducted his victim, a pastor at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Florence, at knifepoint at approximately 10:20 a.m. According to the complaint, Wright forced the pastor into his vehicle located in the church parking lot and then left at a high rate of speed.
Almost immediately, employees at Immanuel Baptist Church realized that something was wrong and contacted the police. Attempts to contact the pastor on his cell phone were unsuccessful, so the Florence Police Department began attempts to locate him through various other electronic means, including obtaining information from OnStar, cell phone providers, and bank card use records. The complaint further states that officers also promptly reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for additional assistance upon discovering that a kidnapping had occurred.
Through these efforts, officers swiftly located the stolen vehicle in Lumberton, North Carolina, at approximately 12:09 p.m. – less than two hours after the incident began. Florence Police officers communicated this information to the Lumberton Police Department, who sent officers to locate the vehicle, rescue the pastor, and arrest Wright, all without incident.
“At its core, the mission of this office is to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the people of South Carolina and elsewhere. The complaint and indictment here illustrate that when we do that, we can save lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis. “The swift, collaborative work of the Florence Police Department, the Lumberton Police Department, and the FBI likely prevented an even greater tragedy.”
“This incident, as traumatic as it was for the victim, could have turned out much worse,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic. “Thankfully, our local partners with the Florence Police Department and law enforcement in North Carolina were quick to respond and safely brought this situation to an end. The FBI along with other law enforcement partners will continue to root out violent offenders who place others in harm’s way.”
“We want to take this opportunity to thank our federal law enforcement partners for seeking this indictment,” said Chief Allen Heidler of the Florence Police Department. “It serves as another notice to violent offenders that this area’s law enforcement, from the federal level down to the local level, will continue our collaborative efforts to bring them to justice.”
Wright faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted. Wright, who is currently in federal custody at the Florence County Detention Center as a result of the federal criminal complaint previously filed against him in this case, will be arraigned by a United States Magistrate Judge at the McMillan Federal Courthouse in Florence on February 3, 2022, at 2:30 p.m.
The case was investigated by a joint team consisting of the Florence Police Department, the Lumberton Police Department, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Everett E. McMillian and Lauren Hummel are prosecuting the federal case in close coordination with the 12th Circuit Solicitors’ Office.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Fort Washakie Man Indicted for Carjacking and Assault on the Wind River Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that SHANE DUANE BLACKBURN, age 33, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was arrested and indicted for carjacking, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assaulting a federal officer. If convicted on all charges, Blackburn could face up to 45 years’ imprisonment, up to a $750,000 fine, three years of supervised release and a $200 special assessment.
Blackburn appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Teresa M. McKee on January 21, 2021, for an arraignment hearing and pleaded not guilty. Blackburn was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals, and a jury trial has been set for March 14, 2022, before Chief United States District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case # 0:22-cr-00012-SWS
Essex County Man Admits Illegal Possession of Multiple Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted illegally possessing multiple firearms and a significant quantity of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Walter Lee Nichols, 51, of East Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 17, 2020, Nichols possessed a firearm and 32 rounds of ammunition in a hidden compartment in his vehicle. In a storage unit rented in his name, Nichols possessed four firearms – including at least one semiautomatic firearm that was capable of accepting a large capacity magazine – and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Nichols has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, including a controlled substance offense.
The firearms offense to which Nichols pleaded guilty carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Pesce of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
East St. Louis Man Sentenced for Distribution of Controlled Substances and Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – Anthony Wisham, 60, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced to 135 months
imprisonment in federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. Wisham
previously pled guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with
intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Wisham admitted to distributing ounce quantities of fentanyl on September 15, 2020, in East St.
Louis, Illinois. On December 10, 2020, Wisham admitted he possessed, with the intent
to distribute, approximately 21.3 grams of cocaine while possessing a firearm. Wisham
is a convicted felon and prohibited from carrying a firearm.The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.District Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Her 11-Month-Old DaughterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Tyra Anderson, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the February 2020 death of her 11-month-old daughter, which was caused by blunt force trauma to the head, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Anderson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a 10-year prison term, with all but three years of that time suspended on the condition that Anderson have no future unsupervised contact with children and that she engage in mental health treatment. Following the prison term, Anderson is to be placed on five years of supervised release. The Honorable Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2022.
Anderson was the parent and primary caregiver for the child, Makenzie Anderson. On Feb. 6, 2020, she took her daughter to Children’s National Medical Center, where the child was pronounced dead. Anderson, who was residing at a hotel in the 1600 block of New York Avenue NE, told law enforcement that the child fell from a bed on or about Feb. 3, 2020. She stated that the child “was not active and not acting like herself” the following day, and that she was gasping for air on Feb. 5. Finally, on Feb. 6, she stated, she found the child unresponsive and cold to the touch. She maintained that she did not seek immediate medical attention because she was scared.
On Feb. 7, 2020, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy. Prior to the examination, the staff washed the child’s remains and observed a brown-colored residue on the towels and sponges. A member of the staff noted that the residue looked like make-up or some type of cosmetic. Once the child was fully washed, the examination detected multiple contusions to the head and face. Following a search warrant, cosmetics were recovered from the hotel room. The autopsy determined that the child suffered from multiple contusions to the face and head, skull fractures, and other injuries. The cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Anderson was arrested on Dec. 4, 2020, following an investigation.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives, officers, and others who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert, Grazy Rivera, and Meridith McGarrity, former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Amy Trotto. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who is prosecuting the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty in 2020 Murder of Man in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bratrell Hawkins, 29, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed for a January 2020 homicide in Southwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hawkins pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea calls for a sentence within the Superior Court Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines. Hawkins is to be sentenced on May 20, 2022, by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan.
The government’s evidence showed that on the evening of Jan. 4, 2020, inside a residence in the 1400 block of Third Street SW, Hawkins, his girlfriend, and her female friend were socializing with the victim, Xavier Tate, 26. Hawkins and the others were in the living room and were drinking and smoking. The two females went to bed and Hawkins came to join them in the bed. A short while later, an argument ensued between Hawkins and his girlfriend, who ordered Hawkins and her friend out of the bedroom. All three of them went downstairs and continued to argue before the girlfriend ordered them both out of the house.
As the girlfriend and Hawkins were preparing to leave, the girlfriend and Tate went back upstairs. Hawkins retrieved a gun out of a black bag and put the weapon in his coat. He then walked back upstairs. While on the second floor, at approximately 5:25 a.m. on Jan. 5, 2020, Mr. Tate confronted Hawkins about the earlier argument. While arguing, Hawkins shot him several times. At the time, Hawkins was under the mistaken and unreasonable belief that Mr. Tate was reaching for a weapon. Hawkins was arrested on Jan. 9, 2020.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert, Grazy Rivera, Meridith McGarrity, and Tasha Harris; former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cynthia G. Wright and David Gorman, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Distribution of Fentanyl Results in Federal Prison Sentences for Two North Louisiana ResidentsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that three individuals from North Louisiana have been sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell for their involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl.
Makayla Monique Smith, 29, of Campti, Louisiana, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Smith was charged in an indictment in July 2020 and pleaded guilty July 7, 2021 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. In March 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cenla Safe Streets Task Force began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of individuals in the Natchitoches, Louisiana area. During their investigation, law enforcement agents learned that three USPS Priority Parcels were received in the Natchitoches Post Office addressed to a known vacant address but were returned to the post office as “undeliverable.” An individual called the USPS Hotline to inquire about the subject parcels and provided a callback number. An agent with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service contacted the individual and she provided him a new address in Campti for the subject parcels to be delivered.
Law enforcement agents arranged for a narcotic detection K-9 to conduct an open-air narcotics sniff of the subject parcels and positively alerted to the presence of narcotics. A search warrant was obtained and agents recovered approximately 51 grams of fentanyl in the parcels. Agents attempted to make a controlled delivery to the new address given but the parcels were refused by an adult female at the address. USPS contacted the individual who had provided the new address and left a message that the delivery was attempted but the parcels were refused. A male individual called and told the post office that the packages would be picked up. That afternoon, agents observed two females arrive in a Jeep and enter the post office, retrieve the subject parcels, drive to a residence in Campti and take the packages into the residence. Soon after, two males arrived at the residence and went inside. A female then exited the residence and placed a box inside the Jeep and the two females and four children then got into the Jeep and left, followed by the two males. Agents conducting surveillance observed the two vehicles travel from Campti to Natchitoches and the agents were able to stop their vehicles for probable cause. Smith was the driver of the Jeep and the driver of the other vehicle was her boyfriend and co-defendant. A K-9 officer alerted at the rear of the Jeep to the presence of narcotics and agents searched and found the three packages in the rear area covered by a blanket. Smith and her co-defendants, Jeremy Dewayne Armstrong and Earl Mack Wallace, II, were arrested. All three defendants admitted to their involvement in obtaining the fentanyl.
Smith’s co-defendants, Jeremy Dewayne Armstrong, 37, of Natchitoches, and Earl Mack Wallace, II, 39, of Campti, both previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Judge Dee D. Drell to the following: Armstrong received a sentence of 240 months (20 years) in prison, followed by 3 years supervised release, and Wallace was sentenced to 3 years probation.
“A few grains of fentanyl can have deadly consequences and unfortunately fentanyl overdose cases have been an issue across our district in recent years,“ said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “One of our goals will be to vigorously prosecute those who possess this drug illegally. Further, we will continue to work closely with all of our law partners to disrupt drug fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers, stopping them in their tracks.
The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office and Natchitoches Police Department investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
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Director of Chabad at UCSD Admits to Conspiracy to Defraud Qualcomm with Former Chabad of Poway Rabbi GoldsteinRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431 and Valerie Chu (619) 546-6750
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 26, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Rabbi Yehuda Hadjadj, director of Chabad at the University of California, San Diego, pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring with former Chabad of Poway Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and at least three other individuals to defraud Qualcomm’s corporate matching program.
Beginning no later than August 2010 and continuing through late 2017, Hadjadj fraudulently obtained funds from Qualcomm’s corporate matching program for Chabad at UCSD, by inducing at least three donors to make sham donations to Friendship Circle, a non-sectarian organization run at the time by Rabbi Goldstein. Chabad at UCSD was not eligible to receive corporate matching funds from Qualcomm, as the corporate matching program excluded sectarian or denominational religious groups from its eligible donation recipients. To conceal the true recipient of the matched funds, Hadjadj told the donors to write checks to Friendship Circle. At the time, or shortly after the donor wrote the check, Hadjadj returned all or most of the donation in cash. The donors would nonetheless request that Qualcomm match the sham donation. After Qualcomm matched the sham donations to Friendship Circle, Rabbi Goldstein funneled approximately two thirds of the matched funds back to Hadjadj, keeping one third for himself.
According to Hadjadj’s plea agreement, on September 26, 2017, a donor wrote a check for $4,900 to Friendship Circle. Shortly thereafter Hadjadj visited the donor’s home and gave him $4,400 in cash. The donor nonetheless requested that Qualcomm match the $4,900 sham donation. In total, Hadjadj met with this donor eleven times to give him cash in exchange for sham matched donations to Friendship Circle. Hadjadj recruited at least two additional donors to engage in this scheme. Hadjadj fraudulently obtained approximately $40,000 for Chabad at UCSD over the course of the scheme.
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 Hadjadj.
Hadjadj is the tenth individual to plead guilty to crimes discovered in this investigation. Two additional individuals agreed to deferred prosecution agreements as a result of the investigation.
“Rabbi Hadjadj violated his position of trust within our community and took advantage of a corporate program meant to encourage employee charitable donations,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Fraud has no place in fundraising, and those who use lies and dishonesty to obtain money, whether for themselves or for an organization, will be held to account for their crimes.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and FBI and IRS agents for their excellent work on this case.
“The defendant abused his status and connections to help facilitate a years-long fraud scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “The FBI is proud to work with our federal partners at the Internal Revenue Service to root out these schemes which not only defraud the companies who participate in corporate matching programs, but also diminish the public’s trust in the validity of charitable contributions.”
“Rabbi Hadjadj conspired with Rabbi Goldstein to cheat Qualcomm, and even recruited others who trusted him to commit fraud,” said IRS Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner. “IRS Special Agents will do everything in our power to uncover financial deceptions, and we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served against all who choose to place their own greed ahead of the welfare of our businesses and the community.”
Rabbi Hadjadj is next scheduled to appear at a sentencing hearing on April 18, 2022, at 9 a.m. before Judge Cynthia Ann Bashant.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES Case Number 22CR148-BAS
Yehuda Hadjadj Age:47 La Jolla, CA
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, 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
Mendel Goldstein, Case Number 20CR2772-BAS Age: 63 Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five 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
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
Detroit man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stewart Jenkins, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 33 months of incarceration for a cocaine charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Jenkins, 49, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.” Jenkins admitted to having cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in September 2020 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
DeepDotWeb Administrator Sentenced for Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
An Israeli national was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in prison for operating DeepDotWeb (DDW), a website that connected internet users with Darknet marketplaces, where they purchased illegal firearms, malware and hacking tools, stolen financial data, heroin, fentanyl and other illicit materials.
According to court documents, Tal Prihar, 37, an Israeli citizen residing in Brazil, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in March 2021. Beginning in October 2013, Prihar owned and operated DDW, along with co-defendant Michael Phan, 34, of Israel. In addition to providing general information about the Darknet, DDW provided users with direct links to illegal Darknet marketplaces, which are not accessible through traditional search engines.
For providing these links, Prihar and Phan received kickback payments from the marketplaces in the form of virtual currency, including approximately 8,155 bitcoins (worth approximately $8.4 million at the time of the transactions). To conceal the nature and source of these illegal kickback payments, Prihar transferred the payments from his DDW bitcoin wallet to other bitcoin accounts and to bank accounts he controlled in the names of shell companies. DDW was seized by federal authorities in April 2019, and Prihar has agreed to forfeit $8,414,173. Phan remains abroad and is currently undergoing extradition proceedings in Israel.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorneys C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.
The department thanks French authorities as well as its law enforcement colleagues at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Brazilian Federal Police Cyber Division, Israeli National Police, Dutch National Police, Europol Darkweb Team, Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany, and National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom. Significant assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
This case was brought in conjunction with the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) Team. Established within the FBI’s Hi-Tech Organized Crime Unit, J-CODE is a U.S. Government initiative aimed at targeting drug trafficking, especially fentanyl and other opioids, on the Darknet. The J-CODE team brings together agents, analysts, and professional staff with expertise in drugs, gangs, health care fraud and more.
This prosecution is also a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.