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2 March 2022
Schenectady Man Charged with Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Quintero, age 36, of Schenectady, New York, was arrested and charged today with receiving child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to the complaint, Quintero used the Internet to access, view and download images and videos of child pornography.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Quintero appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was detained pending further proceedings. If convicted on this charge, Quintero faces a minimum 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum $250,000 fine, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes Investigators from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Williams.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Santa Fe resident sentenced for receiving child pornography via KikRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A 25-year-old local resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Joshua Allen Kasper pleaded guilty Aug. 10, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown ordered him to serve a total of 78 months in federal prison. Kasper was further ordered to pay $13,500 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Kasper will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In 2016, law enforcement learned of a Dropbox account that contained what was suspected to be child exploitation material. The investigation revealed that the account, which belonged to Kasper, was comprised of multiple folders that contained hundreds of images and videos meeting the federal definition of child pornography.
Authorities traced the account to an IP address registered to a residential address in Santa Fe. Kasper was living there.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant in August 2018 and seized Kasper’s cell phone, which was found to contain five photos and four images of child pornography. Several months prior to the search, Kasper had received the videos over the Kik messenger application on his phone.
Previously released on bond, Kasper was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Pearland Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Red Springs Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Money Laundering and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Derek McNeill Washington, 31, was sentenced on February 24, 2022, to 300 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
Washington was indicted as part of a sixteen-count indictment in May 2021 alongside ten co-defendants for various drug trafficking, firearms, money laundering, and conspiracy charges in Rowan County. Washington was ordered to forfeit various firearms to authorities and will face five years of supervised release in addition to his 25-year prison sentence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry M. Meinecke. Homeland Security Investigations-Charlotte and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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Providence Man Detained on Fraud Charges, Threatening a Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man has been ordered detained in federal custody on charges that he filed fraudulent applications for pandemic unemployment assistance payments in at least eight states and that he threatened to assault a corrections officer, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.
Mackenzy Scott, 25, is charged by way of a federal superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, theft of government money, and threat to assault a federal corrections officer. He was arraigned in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.
It is alleged in charging documents that Scott filed fraudulent applications seeking unemployment insurance benefits provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program from the states of North Dakota, Massachusetts, Arizona, Nevada, California, Kentucky, Texas, and Pennsylvania. It is alleged that Scott filed at least four applications using the personal identifying information of others in three different states, and that he filed fraudulent applications in his own name in at least seven states.
Scott’s alleged fraudulent activity was discovered by a Rhode Island U.S. Probation Officer during a routine inspection of Scott’s cellphone. At the time, Scott was serving a term of federal supervised release, having completed a term of incarceration of 60 months on a conviction for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child. Scott’s cellphone was turned over to the FBI and Rhode Island State Police to further investigate Scott’s alleged fraudulent activity.
It is alleged that Scott fraudulently collected at least $102,000 in PUA benefits.
Scott was charged by federal criminal complaint for the alleged fraudulent unemployment insurance activity on June 1, 2021, and, after making his initial appearance on the complaint, he was ordered detained on June 2, 2021. It is further alleged that while detained on the criminal complaint, Scott threatened a corrections officer at the Donald W. Wyatt Correctional Facility.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case, as well as other instances of criminal activity related to fraudulent applications for pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits are being investigated jointly by the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. Cases are jointly reviewed, charged, and prosecuted by a team of prosecutors that include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton, Stacey P. Veroni, and G. Michael Seaman, and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.
Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at [email protected] or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.
On May 17, 2021, the United States 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.
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Polk County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison Sentence for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Livingston man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Paul Michael Oliver, 54, pleaded guilty on Aug. 26, 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield today.
According to information presented in court, on Nov. 2, 2020, Oliver was arrested at his residence on an outstanding parole violation warrant. During the arrest, Oliver was observed attempting to conceal a clear bag containing a crystal substance in a closet. A laboratory analysis determined that the substance was 684 grams of methamphetamine. A search of the residence also produced drug paraphernalia including scales and multiple clear plastic baggies. Oliver was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 3, 2021.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman.
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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Drug Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Seth Lindsey was sentenced to a total of 39 months in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl while on federal supervised release for a prior heroin trafficking conviction and also for conspiring to distribute Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances, also known as “K2,” while serving a prior federal prison sentence, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Lindsey, age 27, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan also directed that Lindsey serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
In 2017, Lindsey was incarcerated at the federal prison in Loretto, Pennsylvania, when he conspired to distribute K2 controlled substances (Schedule I synthetic cannabinoids). He was serving a prison sentence at that time for conspiring to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin and using minors to commit that crime. In 2019, he was released from prison on federal supervised release as well as on bond. In 2020, he conspired to distribute fentanyl in violation of federal law, his supervised release conditions, and his bond conditions.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole A. Vasquez Schmitt and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Police during May 20, 2020 Pittsburgh ProtestRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to a charge of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Jordan Coyne, 26, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on May 30, 2020, Coyne did knowingly and willfully throw multiple objects, including bricks, pieces of concrete, and a tear gas canister at uniformed Pittsburgh police officers, causing the obstruction, impediment and interference of law enforcement officers engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties. The tear gas canister struck an officer in the hand, causing his thumb to bleed and swell.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2022. Judge Schwab permitted the defendant to remain on bond. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Pine Ridge Man Indicted for Robbery and AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Robbery, Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony, and Assault on a Federal Officer.
Faron John Apple, age 32, was indicted on February 17, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on February 25, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is fifteen years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that in June 2021, Apple robbed an on-duty Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety officer and then assaulted the officer. The charges are merely an accusation and Apple is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Blair is prosecuting the case.
Apple was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Philadelphia Drug Dealer Sentenced to over Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Anthony Cintron, 20, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno for numerous gun and drug offenses, including illegally possessing a firearm that had been modified to be fully automatic.
In November 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges including possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a machinegun. The charges stemmed from an investigation conducted earlier in 2021 after law enforcement observed the defendant possessing firearms in social media posts. Investigators executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and seized distribution-level quantities of crack cocaine, two loaded firearms near the drugs, and a Glock pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device—i.e., a device that attached to the pistol and converted it into a fully automatic weapon. That seized, modified pistol was highlighted as an illegal weapon recently taken off the streets during the City of Philadelphia’s first biweekly gun violence briefing held nearly one year ago on March 17, 2021.
“At the time this weapon was found in the defendant’s possession and seized by law enforcement officers, City leaders asked for assistance from all partners to tackle the violence crisis in Philadelphia,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Our Office and our federal partners heeded that call and responded that we would be All Hands On Deck in doing our part. The sentence handed down today putting Cintron behind bars for more than eight years demonstrates our commitment to this pledge.”
“Cintron’s brazen display of possessing firearms on social media shows how prevalent the gun threat is and has been in our city,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “His criminal acts, to include possession of a full-automatic machinegun, show the level of violence that is associated with the illegal drug-trade. Working to stem the gun violence that has plagued Philadelphia is one of our top enforcement priorities working with our partners in the Philadelphia Police Department.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber.
Pain Clinic Owners Convicted of Unlawfully Distributing Opioids and Multimillion-Dollar Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Tennessee physician and his wife yesterday in the Northern District of Alabama for unlawfully distributing opioids, providing unnecessary services and defrauding insurers from their now-shuttered Alabama clinics.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mark Murphy, 65, and his wife, Jennifer Murphy, 65, both of Lewisburg, owned and operated North Alabama Pain Services (NAPS), which closed its Decatur and Madison offices in early 2017. Over the approximately five-year period leading up to the clinic closing its Alabama locations, Murphy and his wife, who was the office manager, caused over $50 million in fraudulent or unnecessary medical services to be charged to Medicare, TRICARE, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and others. Evidence at trial showed that NAPS provided pre-signed prescriptions to thousands of patients a month, including prescriptions written outside the usual course of professional practice without a legitimate medical purpose. The Murphys also solicited and received unlawful payments for referring fraudulent or unnecessary services to patients. Jennifer Murphy was also convicted of tax-related charges for underreporting clinic income.
Both defendants were convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, along with various substantive counts related to the same. They were also convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States and receiving kickbacks. The Murphys face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the drug charges and a maximum of 10 years in prison for the health care fraud charges. Both defendants face a maximum of five years in prison for charges stemming from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and Jennifer Murphy faces up to three years in prison for the tax charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for June 30.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama; Special Agent in Charge Bradford L. Byerly of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. of the FBI Birmingham Division; Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Atlanta Region made the announcement.
FBI, HHS-OIG, IRS-CI and DEA investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Jillian Willis and Trial Attorney Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward of the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 90 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 105 million pills. The ARPO Strike Force is part of the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which since March 2007 has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Pain Clinic Owners Convicted of Unlawfully Distributing Opioids and Multimillion-Dollar Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal jury convicted a Tennessee physician and his wife yesterday for unlawfully distributing opioids, providing unnecessary services and defrauding insurers from their now-shuttered Alabama clinics.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mark Murphy, 65, and his wife, Jennifer Murphy, 65, both of Lewisburg, owned and operated North Alabama Pain Services (NAPS), which closed its Decatur and Madison offices in early 2017. Over the approximately five-year period leading up to the clinic closing its Alabama locations, Murphy and his wife, who was the office manager, caused over $50 million in fraudulent or unnecessary medical services to be charged to Medicare, TRICARE, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and others. Evidence at trial showed that NAPS provided pre-signed prescriptions to thousands of patients a month, including prescriptions written outside the usual course of professional practice without a legitimate medical purpose. The Murphys also solicited and received unlawful payments for referring fraudulent or unnecessary services to patients. Jennifer Murphy was also convicted of tax-related charges for underreporting clinic income.
Both defendants were convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, along with various substantive counts related to the same. They were also convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States and receiving kickbacks. The Murphys face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the drug charges and a maximum of 10 years in prison for the health care fraud charges. Both defendants face a maximum of five years in prison for charges stemming from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and Jennifer Murphy faces up to three years in prison for the tax charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for June 30.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama; Special Agent in Charge Bradford L. Byerly of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. of the FBI Birmingham Division; Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Tamela Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Atlanta Region made the announcement.
FBI, HHS-OIG, IRS-CI and DEA investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Jillian Willis and Trial Attorney Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward of the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 90 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 105 million pills. The ARPO Strike Force is part of the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which since March 2007 has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Out of state man indicted for stalking local victimRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Colorado man has been charged with threatening a woman with releasing sexually explicit images unless she moved with him across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Moses Cano was originally charged by criminal complaint. Today, the grand jury returned the indictment. He is is expected to appear for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison in the near future.
The complaint alleges Cano and the victim dated for a brief amount of time. At the end of that relationship, Cano made threats to her if she did not agree to come to Colorado with him, according to the charges. The victim allegedly refused. In retaliation, according to the complaint, he then sent sexually explicit images of the victim to her place of employment and several of her friends. He took over her Facebook account and used it to send the images and other messages to her contacts, according to the charges. He also allegedly posted a sexually-explicit video of the victim to a well-known adult pornography site.
In distress, the victim contacted authorities.
If convicted, Cano faces up to five years in federal prison and a 250,000 maximum possible fine.
Cano made his initial appearance Feb. 22, following the filing of the complaint. At that time, he was ordered to remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of and Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Nigerian National Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Mail Fraud Conspiracy Resulting in the Loss of More Than $500,000Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Samson A. Oguntuyi, age 29, of Atlanta, Georgia, yesterday to 54 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Imari R. Niles of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; Postal Inspector in Charge Greg Torbenson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Special Agent in Charge J. Russell George of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
According to his plea agreement, between July 25, 2016, and February 5, 2019, Oguntuyi conspired with Johnson B. Ogunlana, age 25, of Middle River, Maryland and others to steal bank checks and credit and debit cards from the mail, open fraudulent business banking accounts using the names of victim businesses and the stolen identities of victim postal customers to negotiate the stolen checks by depositing them into the fraudulent bank accounts, and then conduct transactions with stolen payment cards and with money derived from the stolen checks. Ogunlana was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Brooklyn, Maryland.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Ogunlana intercepted and stole mail pieces containing credit cards addressed to individual victims and sent photos of the stolen mail pieces and credit cards through a messaging application to Oguntuyi and other conspirators. Oguntuyi then used the victims’ personal identifying information (“PII”) to activate the stolen credit cards and to obtain new credit cards the victims never requested or applied for. Once the stolen credit cards were activated, members of the conspiracy used the credit cards to make retail purchases.
As detailed in his plea agreement, members of the conspiracy registered fraudulent businesses with state government agencies using the names of victim businesses and the names and identifying information of postal customer identity theft victims as the agents and/or incorporators of the businesses. Ogunlana and others used stolen payment cards issued to identity theft victims to pay fees to register some of the fraudulent businesses. Ogunlana also stole banks checks payable to victim businesses, whose mail was serviced out of the USPS facility where Ogunlana worked, by intercepting their mail. Oguntuyi and Ogunlana then endorsed some of the checks by forging the signatures of identity theft victims and deposited the checks into the fraudulent business bank accounts the conspirators opened in the names of the victim businesses. The conspirators then withdrew the money from the accounts through cash withdrawals, debit card purchases and cash back transactions at retail merchants, wire transfers, and by writing checks drawn on the accounts.
As stated in his plea agreement, at least $565,000 was stolen from two victim businesses and at least eight postal customers were victims of identity theft.
Ogunlana was sentenced to six years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of mail by a postal employee on February 18, 2022.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and TIGTA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Davio, who prosecuted the case.
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New Orleans Man and Woman Indicted for Gun and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TONI JONES, age 33, and TIMREK ANDREWS, age 43, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged on February 25, 2022 in a four-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Federal Controlled Substances Act. Specifically, TONI JONES is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) in Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment. TONI JONES and TIMREK ANDREWS are each charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) in Counts 3 and 4 of the indictment.
According to court documents, JONES was previously convicted of illegally possessing heroin and fentanyl in St. Bernard Parish and ANDREWS was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Due to their criminal history, they are prohibited from having a firearm and are now charged with possessing a Glock 43, 9mm handgun. JONES is additionally accused of possessing that firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on February 10, 2022 along with possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”), and methamphetamine, all Schedule II controlled substances, with the intent to distribute.
If convicted of Count 1, JONES faces a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. If convicted of Count 2, she faces a minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. JONES, if convicted of Count 3, and ANDREWS, if convicted of Count 4, each face a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
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New Mexico Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Meth and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PECOS – Yesterday, a New Mexico man was sentenced to 240 months in prison for importing and possessing methamphetamine and 60 months in prison for a firearm charge.
According to court documents, Jarod Richard Melancon, 38, was arrested on May 5, 2021, after a federal search warrant was executed on a hotel room in Kermit where Melancon was staying. In the hotel room, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents discovered about 464.3 grams of crystal methamphetamine in a nightstand and approximately 593.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine in a minifridge. Agents also seized a 9mm pistol located near the nightstand.
On July 6, 2021, Melancon pleaded guilty to one count of Importation of Methamphetamine; one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and one count of Possessing a Firearm During and in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking crime.
Melancon received 240 months in prison for each of the drug counts to run concurrently. He received another 60 months in prison for the firearm charge that will run consecutive to the drug sentences.
“Methamphetamine is a highly addictive, destructive and dangerous drug,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Our office is proud to work with our partners at DEA in order to hold traffickers accountable and we resolve to rid our communities of this poison.”
“Methamphetamine trafficking and abuse causes terrible harm to our communities,” said Greg Millard, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division. “DEA will continue to hold meth dealers accountable by having them face justice, shutting down their distribution networks, and seizing their profits.”
The DEA El Paso Division’s Alpine Resident Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ellis prosecuted the case.
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New Haven Man Charged with Federal Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MAURICE MENAFEE, also known as “Mo,” 32, of New Haven, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with drug and firearm offenses.
Menafee appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and is detained pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for March 4 at 9:30 a.m.
As alleged in court documents, in the morning of February 9, 2022, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the New Haven Police Department Shooting Task Force observed a car involved in suspected drug transactions at the intersection of Baldwin Street and Davenport Avenue in New Haven, and then traveling recklessly at high-rate of speed throughout the city. Investigators subsequently located the vehicle parked at a residence on Plymouth Street and identified the driver as Menafee. After Menafee was apprehended, a search of his person revealed $564 in cash and a search of the car revealed a Sig Sauer P238 .380 caliber pistol, 64 baggies of crack cocaine, and 116 wax folds of fentanyl.
Menafee was arrested on state charges on February 9 and released on bond.
It is alleged that Menafee’s criminal history includes state firearm and drug convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The complaint charges Menafee with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Boyles and Nathaniel J. Gentile.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders 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.
Mission Woman Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on February 28, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Teyaune Clairmont, a/k/a Teyaune Clairmont Escobedo, age 30, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Clairmont was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 9, 2020. She pled guilty on November 29, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of June 27, 2020, in Todd County, South Dakota. Clairmont went to the victim’s residence and argued with her. After arguing with the victim for several minutes, Clairmont became angry and lunged at the victim, biting the victim on the arm, back, and nose. The injury to the victim’s nose was severe and required reconstructive surgery
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Clairmont was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Miami Man Charged with Attempting to Murder FBI Task Force OfficersRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Today, a South Florida federal grand jury indicted a 21-year-old Miami man, James Robert Mills, Jr., with attempting to murder, and using a deadly weapon to forcibly assault, two federal agents and one local police officer, and with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the indictment and an earlier-filed criminal complaint affidavit, Mills discharged a hail of gunfire at a vehicle occupied by two FBI task force officers and a City of Homestead police officer earlier this year.
The charging documents allege the following: On January 31, the three officers were on duty, driving an unmarked white sports utility vehicle (SUV) in the Homestead-Miami area. At about 8:30 p.m., as they drove north on S.W. 116th Avenue, an officer noticed a gun pointed at them from an open backseat window of a parked car. According to the allegations, it was defendant Mills pointing the gun, which he then fired at the SUV as it drove by. The officers’ SUV accelerated, trying to evade the gunshots. The three officers in the SUV managed to lose the suspects’ vehicle without being wounded or firing their weapons. Crime scene investigators recovered approximately 24 nine-millimeter (9 mm) bullet casings and one projectile from the scene, says the affidavit.
An investigation into the shooting led law enforcement officers to Mills, whom they arrested following a search of a Miami residence where he was staying. According to the charging documents, officers recovered a Glock 17, 9 mm pistol with an extended magazine from the attic of the house, where Mills stashed it after the January 31 shooting.
If convicted of all the offenses charged in the indictment, Mills faces a mandatory minimum term of ten years in federal prison for each of the three counts charging him with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; and those sentences must run consecutively to all other sentences. Therefore, if convicted on all counts, Mills faces a mandatory minimum term of 30 years’ imprisonment for the firearm counts, consecutive to any sentences imposed for attempted murder and forcible assault. Moreover, the court may impose a maximum term of life imprisonment if Mills is convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Yesterday, following a pre-trial detention hearing, a federal magistrate judge ordered that Mills remain in detention, without bond, pending his trial.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the charges.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from Homestead Police Department and Miami-Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne E. Williams is prosecuting the case.
Indictments contain mere allegations and defendants are innocent unless and until found guilty in a court of law.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. It is also part of the Miami-Dade Chiefs of Police Operation Community Shield Initiative.
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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Mercer County Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Interfering with Law Enforcement Officers During Civil DisorderRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for attempting to interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder when he attempted to set fire to a police vehicle during a riot in Trenton, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Earlja J. Dudley, 28, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of attempting to obstruct, impede, or interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder affecting commerce. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence by videoconference today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 31, 2020, large-scale protests were held throughout the United States, including in Trenton, in response to the death of George Floyd. Although the May 31st protest in Trenton was peaceful earlier in the day, violence erupted later. A group of individuals proceeded down East State Street in downtown Trenton and began to riot, smashing store fronts, looting stores, and attacking multiple marked Trenton Police Department vehicles parked on the 100 Block of East State Street.
A City of Trenton street camera and other video footage taken by an individual present on the street captured Dudley and an unidentified male open the hood of a police vehicle. Dudley was then joined by another unidentified male who ignited an object that Dudley was holding. Dudley then placed the flaming object into the engine well of a Trenton Police Department vehicle, attempting to set the police vehicle on fire. Law enforcement later identified Dudley through analysis of street camera and other video footage and he was arrested on June 17, 2020.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Dudley to three years of supervised release.
Dudley is the third of four individuals sentenced in connection with the protest in Trenton. Killian F. Melecio was sentenced in June 2021 to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Justin D. Spry was sentenced in September 2021 to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Kadeem A. Dockery previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve E. Wilson; troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and officers of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Michelle S. Gasparian of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Memphis Man Receives 10-Year Federal Sentence for Possession of Firearm While Shooting GirlfriendRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Terrence Mull, 36, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on January 8, 2019, Terrence Mull used a firearm to assault and shoot his girlfriend during an argument. Mull put a gun to his girlfriend's head and stated, "Til death do us part." He then attempted to shoot the victim, but the gun jammed and the two struggled, until Mull eventually shot the victim in the arm and neck. The defendant also choked the victim. She was able to escape the home with her two minor children.
Mull pled guilty on August 26, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On March 1, 2022, United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Mull to the maximum statutory penalty of 120 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
There are also current charges pending against Mull with the State of Tennessee related to this incident.
This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. The (PSN) initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner and Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Samuel D. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig was assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Members of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Receive Sentences Totaling 75+ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Seven members of a drug trafficking conspiracy were recently sentenced by Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr., with the lead defendant having been sentenced today, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
Demetrius DeAngelo Hall, 37, of Bossier City, Louisiana, was sentenced today to 262 months (21 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Hall’s co-defendants and their sentences are as follows:
Steve Mireles, 41, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 96 months (8 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
John R. Wilson, 50, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Larry Nichols, 48, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 77 months (6 years, 5 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Aaron McKinney, 40, of Shreveport, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Bland Mouncil, 57, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Nolan Washington, 35, of Bossier City, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
From March 1, 2019, and continuing until on or about December 31, 2019, each of these defendants were involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy and pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing methamphetamine in the Caddo and Bossier Parish areas. Law enforcement officers began an investigation into their illegal drug trafficking activities and were able to obtain a court ordered wiretap on Hall’s cell phone. Through numerous intercepted communications, agents learned that Hall was obtaining his methamphetamine from multiple sources, including from Steve Mireles in Texas. Hall transported the narcotics himself or through a courier to the Shreveport area where he would distribute the methamphetamine to his co-defendants. Hall met individuals at various locations throughout the Shreveport and Bossier area.
During the investigation, on October 21, 2019, law enforcement agents intercepted phone calls and text messages between Hall and his co-conspirators indicating that Hall was traveling to Texas to obtain more methamphetamine from Mireles. During these intercepted calls, Aaron McKinney was heard discussing a request for more drugs with Hall. Upon Hall’s and his co-conspirator, Bland Mouncil’s return from Texas, officers initiated a traffic stop. Mouncil then fled from law enforcement throwing the methamphetamine out the window. A high-speed pursuit with Mouncil began. During the pursuit, Mouncil called Hall and informed him he had thrown the methamphetamine out the window. Law enforcement was able to recover the drugs. Hall was later arrested on November 7, 2019, and he pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. McKinney later admitted to law enforcement agents that he was buying and selling methamphetamine from Hall.
Larry Nichols participated in numerous phone calls with Hall in which they discussed various amounts of drugs, prices, and meeting locations, as well as making arrangements for Nichols to provide Hall with various amounts of drugs. On October 15, 2019, Nichols was found to be in possession of a stolen vehicle and was arrested by law enforcement officers. A search of the stolen vehicle revealed a clear plastic bag containing marijuana and methamphetamine. The seized methamphetamine was sent to the crime lab for analysis and determined to have a net weight of at least 5 grams or more.
Calls were also intercepted between Hall, Nolan Washington and John Wilson wherein they discussed the purchasing and selling of methamphetamine. Hall met with both Washington and Wilson at different times to conduct drug transactions. Through their surveillance, DEA agents observed both Washington and Wilson meet Hall to obtain the drugs. On November 5, 2019, agents observed Wilson get into Hall’s vehicle for a brief time, exit, and walk back to his vehicle. Agents followed Wilson and an officer conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle. A search was conducted, and the same amount of methamphetamine was found in the vehicle that they had discussed in the intercepted phone call. Wilson admitted to purchasing methamphetamine from Hall numerous times.
The two remaining defendants in this conspiracy, Michael C. Francis and David Williams, have each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
This case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Greenwood Police Department, and Louisiana State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille Gilreath and Allison Duncan.
This effort is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Maple Grove Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for receiving material depicting the sexual abuse of children. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between 2017 and 2020, Uriel Adan Vasquez-Rios, 29, created multiple social media accounts to solicit child pornography, the production of child pornography, and sexual contact with both children and adults. He also accessed websites depicting child pornography and downloaded a video depicting the sexual abuse of a minor. During this time, Vasquez-Rios was a student at the University of Minnesota’s School of Dentistry and had access to children.
On May 11, 2021, Vasquez-Rios pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the University of Minnesota Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek.
Manderson Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted at trial of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 18, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
A federal jury found Alec Respects Nothing guilty in November 2021. Respects Nothing, age 31, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
During his involvement in the conspiracy, Respects Nothing obtained methamphetamine from multiple large scale methamphetamine suppliers, which he then sold to others, primarily on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Many of the people Respects Nothing supplied with methamphetamine went on to further distribute it to others.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Respects Nothing was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lorain Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Fentanyl Analogues, Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, against Defendant Brandon J. Sharp, 34, of Lorain, Ohio, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent in Cleveland. Sharp was convicted of four counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 29, 2020, law enforcement officers with the Lorain Police Department received an anonymous tip regarding the location of various amounts of narcotics stored under the bumper of a vehicle. Police responded to the site and confirmed the presence of the drugs.
While police were investigating, a woman arrived at the scene and explained to officers that the vehicle was used by her boyfriend, Defendant Brandon Sharp, for work. Sharp later spoke to police via phone and confirmed that the vehicle belonged to his employer.
Law enforcement investigators then obtained and executed a search warrant for the vehicle. During the search, investigators seized various amounts of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, heroin, cocaine and over $2,000 dollars in U.S. currency. Investigators also discovered a cell phone linked to Sharp and various documents and pieces of mail bearing Sharp’s name, phone number and address in the vehicle. Sharp was later arrested on December 28, 2020.
Sharp is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2022, and faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler and FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Lorain Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Vanessa V. Healy.
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Logansport Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Sean Beebout, 27 years old, of Logansport, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Beebout was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, the Law Enforcement Division of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources learned that Beebout was hunting deer without a license. During the execution of a search warrant at his residence, investigators found five firearms, including two sawed-off shotguns, as well as crossbows, a firearm suppressor, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Turns out Beebout had three prior felony convictions and committed this federal offense while on bond for another felony offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Jerome W. McKeever.
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Leader of Wholesale Drug Distribution Network SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for leading a conspiracy involving the distribution of wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in the proceeds of the sale of that spice.
According to court documents, from 2017 through November 2019, Joseph Ruis, 56, was the leader of a Southern California-based wholesale spice manufacturing and distribution operation, along with co-defendants and sisters Kimberly Drumm, 52, and Bonnie Turner, 50, of Olive Branch, Mississippi. The illicit business presented as Aroma Superstore, and maintained a professional-looking website through which buyers around the country, including in the Eastern District of Virginia, could order packages of different varieties and flavors of spice.
The spice that Aroma Superstore sold almost uniformly contained chemicals listed as Schedule I controlled substances. The spice was sold in packages bearing the label “Not For Human Consumption” in an attempt to avoid regulatory or law enforcement scrutiny. The products were, in reality, intended to be consumed and induce a “high” similar to other controlled substances. The spice connected to this conspiracy was used by an individual from New Hampshire to fatally overdose.
Ruis controlled the operation and employed several individuals, including Drumm and Turner, who helped run the business. Ruis ran Aroma Superstore like a legitimate business in many ways, such as maintaining an office, hiring a financial manager, and issuing regular paychecks to employees. Ruis dictated the prices of the different sizes of the packages of spice and employed at least two individuals to answer phone calls and take orders for spice.
Ruis, Drumm, and Turner concealed the proceeds of their spice distribution by moving the profits through a network of shell corporations. Ruis directed Turner, who had no criminal record, to open bank accounts and register businesses in her name to avoid detection by law enforcement or by financial institutions.
In May 2019, law enforcement searched locations in Southern California used by Ruis, Drumm, and Turner for their business. In one warehouse location, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of spice as well as a large volume of packaging material and equipment used in the distribution of the spice. At another warehouse location, law enforcement seized approximately 4,500 pounds of marijuana, approximately 300 kilograms of butane honey oil, lab equipment for the extraction of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and approximately $45,000. Law enforcement also searched the storage locker that Drumm had rented on behalf of Aroma Superstore and recovered approximately one kilogram of 5F-MDMB-PICA, a Schedule I chemical used to manufacture the spice. At the residence shared by Ruis, Drumm, Turner, and some of their employees, law enforcement seized three Rolex watches and one Philippe Patek watch that had belonged to Ruis; the total value of the four watches was appraised at approximately $137,200. Luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari belonging to Ruis, were also seized.
As part of his plea agreement, Ruis agreed to forfeit more than $2.9 million to the United States. Drumm and Turner each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of distribution of Schedule I controlled substances. Drumm and Turner were sentenced to 6 years and 5 years of imprisonment respectively for their role in the conspiracy.
Three additional defendants pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to over 6 years in prison combined.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office; Greg L. Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; and Jeremy A. Falls, Fauquier County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Rumbaugh and Bibeane Metsch prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, Operation Scary Spice. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-76.
Leader of Alabama Chapter of Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction of Congress for Efforts to Stop Transfer of Power Following 2020 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
A regional leader of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty today to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions before, during and after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol breach. As part of the plea agreement, James has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation.
As described in court documents, James is the regional leader in charge of the Alabama chapter of the Oath Keepers. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as members, they explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement, and first-responder personnel.
In his guilty plea, James, a military veteran, admitted that, from November 2020 through January 2021, he conspired with other Oath Keeper members and affiliates to use force to prevent, hinder and delay the execution of the laws of the United States governing the transfer of presidential power. He used encrypted and private communications, equipped himself with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and was prepared to answer a call to take up arms.
According to court documents, on Jan. 4, 2021, James and others traveled to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He brought a semi-automatic handgun and stored multiple firearms at a Virginia hotel. On Jan. 6, after learning the Capitol had been breached, James and others traveled to the Capitol on golf carts, driving around multiple barricades, including marked law enforcement vehicles. James was wearing a backpack, a combat shirt, tactical gloves, boots, a paracord attachment, and an Oath Keepers hat and patches. He and others unlawfully entered the Capitol together through the East Rotunda doors. Inside the Rotunda, James assaulted a Metropolitan Police Department officer by grabbing the officer’s vest and pulling him towards the mob. While pulling the officer, James yelled, “Get out of my Capitol! This is not yours! This is my Capitol!” James was expelled by law enforcement, including at least one officer who aimed chemical spray at him.
On the evening of Jan. 6, 2021, James and others heard that law enforcement was searching for them and immediately departed the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Soon after, James traveled to Texas to join with the leader of the Oath Keepers and other co-conspirators. There, he helped co-conspirators amass thousands of dollars’ worth of firearms, ammunition and firearms equipment – some of which he later stored in storage sheds in Alabama – and prepared to distribute the equipment to others and to engage in violence in the event of a civil war.
James was arrested on March 9, 2021. He was among 11 defendants indicted on Jan. 12, 2022, in the District of Columbia on seditious conspiracy and other charges; the others have pleaded not guilty. James faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with potential financial penalties. No sentencing date was set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Birmingham Field Offices.
In the 13 months since Jan. 6, more than 750 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 235 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Leader of Alabama Chapter of Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction of Congress for Efforts to Stop Transfer of Power Following 2020 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A regional leader of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty today to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions before, during and after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol breach. As part of the plea agreement, James has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation.
As described in court documents, James is the regional leader in charge of the Alabama chapter of the Oath Keepers. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as members, they explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement, and first-responder personnel.
In his guilty plea, James, a military veteran, admitted that, from November 2020 through January 2021, he conspired with other Oath Keeper members and affiliates to use force to prevent, hinder and delay the execution of the laws of the United States governing the transfer of presidential power. He used encrypted and private communications, equipped himself with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and was prepared to answer a call to take up arms.
According to court documents, on Jan. 4, 2021, James and others traveled to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He brought a semi-automatic handgun and stored multiple firearms at a Virginia hotel. On Jan. 6, after learning the Capitol had been breached, James and others traveled to the Capitol on golf carts, driving around multiple barricades, including marked law enforcement vehicles. James was wearing a backpack, a combat shirt, tactical gloves, boots, a paracord attachment, and an Oath Keepers hat and patches. He and others unlawfully entered the Capitol together through the East Rotunda doors. Inside the Rotunda, James assaulted a Metropolitan Police Department officer by grabbing the officer’s vest and pulling him towards the mob. While pulling the officer, James yelled, “Get out of my Capitol! This is not yours! This is my Capitol!” James was expelled by law enforcement, including at least one officer who aimed chemical spray at him.
On the evening of Jan. 6, 2021, James and others heard that law enforcement was searching for them and immediately departed the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Soon after, James traveled to Texas to join with the leader of the Oath Keepers and other co-conspirators. There, he helped co-conspirators amass thousands of dollars’ worth of firearms, ammunition, and firearms equipment – some of which he later stored in storage sheds in Alabama – and prepared to distribute the equipment to others and to engage in violence in the event of a civil war.
James was arrested on March 9, 2021. He was among 11 defendants indicted on Jan. 12, 2022, in the District of Columbia on seditious conspiracy and other charges; the others have pleaded not guilty. James faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with potential financial penalties. No sentencing date was set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Birmingham Field Offices.
In the 13 months since Jan. 6, more than 750 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 235 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Las Vegas Man Convicted of Carrying Out Mail Forwarding and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted a Las Vegas man yesterday for his role in a mail forwarding and identity theft scheme, which defrauded more than 300 victims.
Following a two-day trial, Nosa Frank Obayando (29) was found guilty of one count of mail theft, one count of using an unauthorized access device, and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) was alerted in April 2017 to a fraudulent mail forwarding scheme. The USPIS’ investigation revealed that Obayando and co-defendant Efeturi Ariawhorai carried out a scheme where mail belonging to over 300 victims was forwarded to addresses under Obayando and Ariawhorai’s control, without the victims’ knowledge or consent. As part of the scheme, Obayando and Ariawhorai used a debit card — for a bank account opened in a victim’s name — to withdraw at least $5,000 in cash from ATMs in the Las Vegas area.
Obayando is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2022. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of 17 years in prison.
Co-defendant Ariawhorai has been arrested by authorities in Italy and is currently pending extradition proceedings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the USPIS. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Simon Kung and Tony Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Please report suspected mail fraud and mail theft to the USPIS by calling 877-876-2455 or by making a report online at https://www.uspis.gov/report.
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Large Clackamas County Drug Seizure Leads to Federal Indictment of Local Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment today charging two local men for trafficking and selling large quantities of methamphetamine and counterfeit prescription pills across the Portland Metropolitan Area.
Juan Manuel Angulo, 50, of Gresham, Oregon, and Enrique Ocegueda, 31, of Beaverton, Oregon, have been charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2022, Angulo and Ocegueda were arrested when they showed up to a drug deal with an undercover law enforcement informant in Clackamas County, Oregon. Investigators found and seized a combined 50 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 10,000 counterfeit pills suspected to contain fentanyl from Angulo and Ocegueda’s vehicles. Later that same evening, agents executed federal search warrants on both men’s residences and a storage locker belonging to Ocegueda. They seized several thousand additional counterfeit prescription pills, 15 additional pounds of methamphetamine, one pound of heroin, and approximately $50,000 in cash.
Both defendants will be arraigned on March 4, 2022. If convicted, they face maximum sentences of life in prison with ten-year mandatory minimum sentences.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lake Elsinore Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Bagman Role in Scheme to Defraud Elderly Victims with Threats of ArrestRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for participating in an international fraud scheme in which he helped collect more than $550,000 in cash conned out of elderly victims by other co-conspirators pretending to be federal agents threatening the victims with arrest on bogus warrants.
Anuj Mahendrabhai Patel, 32, a.k.a. “Mike” and “Indio,” of Lake Elsinore, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who said, “I don’t understand how anyone could be so cruel and prey upon” elderly, vulnerable victims. Judge Wright also ordered Patel to pay $490,500 in restitution to his victims that investigators identified.
From April 2019 to March 2020, Patel participated in the international conspiracy that deceived elderly victims out of their money. Other members of the conspiracy, some of whom are believed to be in India, telephoned victims and pretended to be government employees or law enforcement officers. Using several false pretenses – including phony badge numbers and using spoofed government telephone numbers – the co-conspirators convinced the victims, most of whom were elderly, that their identities or assets were in trouble.
Some victims were told that their Social Security numbers had been linked to crimes and that there were warrants issued by courts authorizing the victims’ arrests. The co-conspirators further told the victims that to clear the warrants, they should withdraw their savings and send cash by mail to other members of the scheme.
The victims were ordered to send the parcels through shipping companies that allowed parcel recipients to pick up parcel so long as the recipients had identification matching the names listed on the parcel as the addressees. The addresses the defendants gave primarily were at locations in Riverside County, but also in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
Patel used tracking numbers to monitor the victims’ parcels, and communicated with couriers – Elmer Miranda Barrios, 37, a.k.a. “Welbin Raul Mejia” and “Joe Rodriguez,” and William Margarito Barrios, 37, Elmer Barrios’s cousin, both of Lake Elsinore – who used fraudulent identification documents matching the names listed on the parcels as addresses. Patel also received or intended to receive 18 packages sent by victims.
William Barrios pleaded guilty in January 2021 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and he was sentenced to a time-served sentence of five months in federal prison. He was ordered released to immigration authorities for deportation. Elmer Barrios pleaded guilty in December 2021 to a conspiracy count, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; the Social Security Administration; the United States Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; the Murrieta Police Department; the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Huntington Beach Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Stanislaus County (California) Sheriff’s Department; the Seattle Police Department; the Brownsville (Texas) Police Department; the St. James Parish (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office; the Cook County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office; the Addison (Illinois) Police Department; the Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police; the Northwest Lancaster County (Pennsylvania) Regional Police Department; the Edison Township (New Jersey) Police Department; and the St. Petersburg (Florida) Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Peter H. Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is one of six offices participating in the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of federal law enforcement and non-governmental organizations to combat international fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors.
Lake Andes Man Sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Lake Andes, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography was sentenced on February 28, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Cameron Allen Zephier, age 25, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Zephier was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 2, 2021. He pled guilty on November 30, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 6, 2020, and September 30, 2020, when Zephier used his Snapchat accounts to upload files containing child pornography. Zephier downloaded the files from the internet to his cellular phone.
Zephier admitted to knowingly having received the digital files containing child pornography that had been transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce via the means of his cellular phone. Zephier knew the files contained child pornography as they depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Zephier was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kidnappers admit to holding four migrants hostage at gunpointRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men have pleaded guilty to kidnapping and holding victims for ransom for three days, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jesus Ochoa, 26, Laredo, pleaded guilty today, while Luis Armando Garcia, 29, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in Laredo, admitted his role in the scheme Monday, Feb. 28.
On Nov. 19, 2020, Ochoa and Garcia went to the banks of the Rio Grande in Laredo. There, they encountered a group of individuals who had just crossed the river and offered them a ride to San Antonio in exchange for payment.
They traveled to Garcia’s residence in Laredo, but told the group they were actually in San Antonio. They then forced all four people to call their family members and ask them to send $4,000 for each person’s release.
For three days, Ocho and Garcia held the group hostage at the residence, threatening each person with a firearm. They repeatedly forced them to call family members and beg for ransom money. Held at gunpoint, the victims had to record videos and voice messages, make video calls and send text messages to family. On several occasions, Ochoa and Garcia spoke to the family members directly, telling them if payment was not made, something would happen to the hostages.
Ultimately, family contacted authorities who were able to obtain the general location where the phone calls originated.
Ochoa and Garcia saw law enforcement in the area and panicked. They loaded the group back into a vehicle and transported them to an industrial park in Laredo. They dropped off the group and said they would return later.
The victims borrowed a phone from a nearby truck driver and called for help. Authorities found all four and were transported to safety.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Ochoa and Garcia face up to life in prison.
They have been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens is prosecuting the case.
Kansas National Guard Soldier Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Chanute, Kansas, man serving with the Army National Guard pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually exploiting an 11-year-old southwest Missouri victim to produce child pornography.
Christian Sinclair, 21, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a child.
By pleading guilty today, Sinclair admitted that he used a minor to produce child pornography from Aug. 1, 2020, through June 15, 2021.
According to today’s plea agreement, a captain in the Kansas National Guard contacted the Sierra Vista, Arizona, police department on June 15, 2021, while his unit was deployed to Arizona. The captain reported that Sinclair, one of the soldiers in his command, was sexting an 11-year-old child in Missouri. Sinclair’s fiancée had reported to the captain earlier the same day that she had screenshots between herself and Sinclair in which Sinclair admitted to “cheating” on her with an 11-year-old child.
The child victim told investigators that she had sent Sinclair multiple pornographic videos and images of herself via Snapchat at Sinclair’s request. Sinclair admitted that he also sent pornographic images of himself to the child victim via Snapchat.
Under federal statutes, Sinclair is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Lamar, Mo., Police Department, the Sierra Vista, Arizona, Police Department, and the Chanute, Kan., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Kansas Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for tax fraud and ordered to pay $40 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.In November 2021, Scott Tucker, 59, of Leawood pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false or fraudulent tax return. According to court documents, Tucker owned a professional auto racing business called Level 5 Sports. On a 1040-tax return in 2010, Tucker reported that Level 5 had approximately $18,251,000 in gross receipts and approximately $17,514,000 in expenses. Tucker admitted in a plea agreement Level 5 never operated as an intended for-profit business, and he admitted to submitting false information on the 1040 form to try to disguise the amount of tax due and owing.
A federal judge ordered Tucker’s 36-month prison sentence to be served concurrent with a previous conviction in the Southern District of New York. In 2018, Tucker was sentenced to 200 months in prison for operating a nationwide $3.5 billion internet payday lending enterprise that systematically evaded New York state laws.
“Taxes are due on all earned income, even income earned by ripping people off,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI will always pursue the interests of the public. Mr. Tucker spent decades defrauding others through payday lending schemes and now a $40 million tax bill is due. In addition to the time he’s already serving, he’s now being held accountable for cheating the U.S. government and honest taxpayers.”
The IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Chris Oakley prosecuted the case.
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Indianapolis Felon Serving Community Correction Sentence Indicted for New Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Indiana returned an indictment late yesterday charging Dreshaun Carter, 25, of Indianapolis with crimes related to the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on February 1, 2022, Carter was arrested on federal charges of distribution of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and seized 19 firearms, body armor, approximately 600 grams of fentanyl, approximately two kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine, approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately $90,000 in U.S. currency. Carter was serving a sentence with Marion County Community Corrections for a prior felony drug trafficking conviction at the time of his federal arrest.
If convicted on the new federal charges, Carter faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment for distribution of methamphetamine and intent to distribute cocaine, up to life in prison if convicted on each count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and up to 10 years if convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Carter also faces a mandatory minimum of five years up to life in prison if convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Deadly drugs and deadly weapons fuel violence and suffering in our communities. My office will focus our efforts on identifying armed, repeat offenders engaged in serious new offenses and holding them accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “This prosecution shows that we will work tirelessly and together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to make our communities safer.”
“Dealing drugs laced with lethal fentanyl is unacceptable and is a large reason 285 Americans are dying every day,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon. “Drug dealers who distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, in addition to an array of firearms while on house arrest must be held accountable. DEA commends the outstanding work that was done in this investigation by the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the Metro Drug Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana. DEA remains committed to working hand in hand with our state, local and federal partners to keep our communities safe.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department also provided valuable assistance.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who is prosecuting the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Houston County Man Guilty of Federal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Crockett man has pleaded guilty to federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Shapala Butler, 32, pleaded guilty to theft from a federal firearm licensee and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 14, 2020, the Crockett Police Department responded to a burglary at Houston County Pawn, located in Crockett. Upon arrival, officers discovered the front door glass of the business was shattered. The officers searched the woods near the burglary and discovered eight firearms that were stolen from the pawn shop. Law enforcement was able to identify Butler as the perpetrator by using the pawn shop’s surveillance video as well as DNA evidence collected at the scene. Butler was interviewed by a federal agent and confessed to committing the burglary. Butler further confessed to knowing he was a felon at the time of the burglary. Butler had been convicted of burglary of a building on two prior occasions and as a convicted felon is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
Butler was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 15, 2021. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Crockett Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane Evans announced today that WILSON AMILCAR VASQUEZ-CABALLERO, age 29, was charged on February 25, 2022 in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, WILSON AMILCAR VASQUEZ-CABALLERO (“VASQUEZ”), reentered the United States after she was previously deported on June 24, 2010. If convicted, VASQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U. S. Attorney Duane Evans reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
Hancock County woman admits to money launderingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jacque Phillips, of Weirton, West Virginia, has admitted to money laundering, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Phillips, also known as “Jacque Phillips-Brown,” 33, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Money Laundering.” Phillips was employed as a billing manager at a medical billing company in Steubenville, Ohio. Beginning in January 2018 through March 2019, Phillips defrauded her employer, her employer’s patients, and insurance companies out of more than $100,000. Phillips used the financial services company Square, Inc. by linking her personal bank accounts to the Square, Inc. accounts she registered in her employer’s name. Phillips then used those Square accounts to transfer funds paid to her employer, some from insurance and health care benefits programs, into her personal accounts.
Phillips faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Hammond Man Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Latrell McGee, 28, of Hammond, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
McGee was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on March 2, 2020, McGee possessed a firearm and purchased ammunition at a Merrillville, Indiana gun range. A traffic stop on March 27, 2020, resulted in law enforcement seizing from McGee the firearm he possessed on March 2nd. McGee’s criminal history reveals he has a prior felony conviction for battery which precludes him from possessing any firearm and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the East Chicago Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin F. Wolff.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Fort Thompson Man Indicted for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Adonis Collins, age 19, was indicted on February 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 25, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, at least five years, up to life, of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between July 2021 and August 2021, in Fort Thompson, Collins knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, a sexual act with a minor female.
The charge is merely an accusation and Collins is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services – Crow Creek Agency, and the Isleta, New Mexico, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Collins was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former TSA Officer Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint Alleging He Attempted to Smuggle Methamphetamine Through LAXRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging he smuggled what he believed was methamphetamine through Los Angeles International Airport in exchange for a total of $8,000 in cash.
Michael Williams, 39, of Hawthorne, is charged with one count of attempting to distribute methamphetamine. He is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, authorities in 2020 conducted undercover operations involving Williams, whom they suspected of helping smuggle narcotics past security checkpoints at LAX. During the operations, Williams allegedly met with a drug source to exchange methamphetamine in the days prior leading up to his shift at LAX.
As a TSA employee with unscreened access to LAX, Williams agreed to deliver the “methamphetamine” in a backpack to the drug source’s accomplice in the men’s restroom on the secure side of the airport terminal.
After taking possession of what he believed was real narcotics, Williams allegedly transported an unscreened package containing the fake methamphetamine beyond the TSA screening area and delivered the package to another individual. This individual, whom Williams did not know was a federal agent, on both occasions exchanged $4,000 in cash in the stalls of the men’s restroom in the airport’s secure area.
Williams was observed on LAX’s security cameras exiting the restroom while wearing his TSA uniform en route to begin his shift screening passengers and luggage.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Williams would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI, DEA and the Los Angeles HIDTA investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremiah M. Levine and Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Former Postal Contract Employee Pleads Guilty to Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Miranda Delee Farleigh (25, Ocklawaha) has pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail. Farleigh faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Farleigh had been indicted on February 1, 2022.
According to court records, Farleigh worked as a contract employee of the United States Postal Service delivering mail for the Lady Lake Post Office. Farleigh’s route included mail delivery services to postal stations in The Villages. On or about November 23, 2021, Farleigh’s supervisor discovered several tubs and bags of U.S. Mail in Farleigh’s possession that had been rifled (unlawfully opened). When confronted, Farleigh admitted to law enforcement that she had been opening outgoing mail in Lake and Sumter Counties for a month with the intent to steal money and gift cards to support her heroin addiction. In total, approximately 4,000 pieces of mail had been rifled through by Farleigh.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Former Monmouth County Residents Charged with $3.3 Million Paycheck Protection Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two former residents of Monmouth County, New Jersey, now residing in Frisco, Texas, were arrested today for their roles in fraudulently obtaining over $3 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) payments, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jean E. Rabbitt, 51, formerly of Farmingdale, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with bank fraud, conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Kevin Aguilar, 51, formerly of Farmingdale, is charged by complaint with conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Rabbitt and Aguilar are scheduled to make their initial appearances by videoconference on March 3, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson in the Eastern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
Rabbitt submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of four businesses that she controlled. The applications contained fraudulent representations to the lenders, including a Federal Home Loan Bank member, and the Small Business Administration (SBA), including fraudulent payroll records and tax records and false certifications as to the number of employees and gross revenue of Rabbitt’s businesses. According to IRS records, none of the purported tax documents that Rabbitt submitted to the PPP lenders were, in fact, filed with the IRS. Other government records showed that, contrary to the fraudulent payroll records and certifications, Rabbitt’s businesses had not in fact paid wages to any employees. Based on Rabbitt’s alleged misrepresentations in the loan applications, Rabbitt’s businesses received approximately $3.33 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses.
After Rabbitt’s businesses received the PPP loans through the fraudulent applications, Aguilar created sham payroll companies. Rabbitt then wrote checks from Rabbitt’s businesses to the sham payroll companies, falsely indicating on each check that the payments were for payroll. Rabbitt and Aguilar then transferred funds from the sham payroll companies to other companies that Aguilar created. Aguilar and Rabbitt then used the funds to purchase residential properties in Sherman, Texas, and to pay for personal expenses.
Rabbitt also made false and fraudulent statements and used falsified and fraudulent documents in support of applications for forgiveness of certain of the PPP loans. Based on Rabbitt’s false and fraudulent certifications and documents, the SBA paid more than $2 million dollars to lenders in connection with the fraudulent PPP loans Rabbitt obtained.
Each count of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. Each count of conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity carry a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The court may impose an alternate fine of not more than twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; and 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.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olajide Araromi and David V. Simunovich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Government Fraud Unit, in Newark.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Moline Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Marshall Eugene Popp, age 31, formerly of Moline, was sentenced on February 28, 2022, to 36 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Following his imprisonment, Popp was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Popp was also assessed a $100 Special Assessment fee payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, the investigation on Popp began when the Davenport Police Department received information that resulted in a search warrant being obtained for Popp’s Davenport residence. Officers located a loaded .22 caliber pistol during the search incident to arrest, which Popp subsequently admitted he knowingly and intentionally possessed. At the time Popp possessed the firearm, he was aware he had been convicted of a prior felony offense. On November 1, 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Former Illinois Speaker of the House Indicted on Federal Racketeering and Bribery Charges in Connection with Alleged Corruption SchemesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago today indicted former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN on racketeering and bribery charges for allegedly using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.
The 22-count indictment accuses Madigan of leading for nearly a decade a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance Madigan’s political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his political allies and associates. The charges allege that Madigan, who served as Speaker and occupied a number of other roles, including Representative of Illinois’s 22nd District, Committeeman for Chicago’s 13th Ward, Chairman of both the Illinois Democratic Party and the 13th Ward Democratic Organization, and partner at the Chicago law firm of Madigan & Getzendanner, used these positions to further the goals of the criminal enterprise. The indictment alleges that Madigan directed the activities of his close friend – co-defendant MICHAEL F. MCCLAIN – and that McClain carried out illegal activities at Madigan’s behest. Madigan and McClain allegedly caused various businesses, including the utility company Commonwealth Edison, to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, at times in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the businesses.
Madigan, McClain, and other members of the enterprise allegedly unlawfully solicited benefits from businesses and other private parties. The indictment accuses Madigan of engaging in multiple schemes to reap the benefits of private legal work unlawfully steered to his law firm, including legal work from those with business before the State of Illinois and City of Chicago.
Madigan, 79, of Chicago, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion. McClain, 74, of Quincy, Ill., is charged with racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery and wire fraud.
Arraignments in U.S. District Court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Timothy J. Chapman, Sarah E. Streicker, Michelle Kramer, and Julia Schwartz.
“Corruption by an elected official and his associates undermines the public’s confidence in our government,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “The indictment alleges a long-term, multifaceted scheme to use public positions for unlawful private gain. Rooting out and prosecuting the kind of corruption alleged in the indictment will always be a top priority for this office.”
“Our elected officials swear an oath to carry out the duties of their office,” said FBI SAC Buie. “When they dishonor that oath, it erodes the trust we have in our officials to do the right thing for our communities, and the FBI and its partners stand ready to stamp out corruption at any level of government.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation provides financial investigative expertise in our work with our law enforcement partners,” said IRS-CI SAC Campbell. “Our hallmark expertise in following the money trail in this type of case shows our agency is committed to rooting out public corruption. Today’s indictment underscores our commitment to this work in a collaborative effort to promote honest and ethical government at all levels, and to prosecute those who allegedly violate the public’s trust.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Former El Cajon Tax Preparers Admit to Filing Hundreds of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Joseph J.M. Orabona (619) 546-7951 and Jennifer E. McCollough (619) 546-8773
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 2, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Two former tax preparers based in El Cajon pleaded guilty in federal court today to their involvement in a tax return scam that resulted in the filing of hundreds of false returns.
In a hearing before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel, Mimi Bozzo, also known as Mimi Morrison, and Vincent Bozzo, admitted their involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by aiding and assisting the filing of false income tax returns. Mimi and Vincent Bozzo admitted they previously owned and operated a tax return preparation business in El Cajon under various business names, including “All Pro Services” and “A to Z Tax Preparation,” that solicited taxpayers by passing out flyers and business cards at local welfare offices, homeless shelters, and trolley stations.
The Bozzos additionally admitted that from January 2014 through April 2018, they knowingly prepared and filed several hundred federal income tax returns that contained false Schedule C business income and expenses, resulting in fraudulently inflated tax credits and refunds. Specifically, the Bozzos encouraged taxpayers to create false receipts for income and expenses, and then prepared and submitted tax returns based on these false receipts. In total, the false returns prepared and filed by Vincent and Mimi Bozzo caused the IRS to disperse refunds to taxpayers with losses over $225,000 and $540,000 respectively
“Tax fraud continues to be a growing problem plaguing our community,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “When these tax fraud scams committed by local tax preparers are brought to our attention, we will work with the IRS to unravel the fraud and prosecute those responsible for defrauding the IRS and honest taxpayers in order to protect the integrity of our tax system.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the IRS for their excellent work on this case.
“The Bozzos, working as return preparers, had a duty to assist clients with preparing and filing accurate income tax returns. Instead the Bozzos targeted those in need at local welfare offices and homeless shelters to perpetrate a multi-year tax fraud scheme,” said Ryan L. Korner, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigations reminds the public to choose a tax preparer wisely. Each year taxpayers’ personal information is comprised by unscrupulous tax preparers. For more information go to IRS.gov.”
Mimi and Vincent Bozzo are scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel.
The public is reminded that tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen SSN (or the SSN of a dependent) to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. If your SSN is compromised and you know or suspect you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, the IRS recommends these additional steps:
• Respond immediately to any IRS notice; call the number provided.
• Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if your e-filed return is rejected because of a duplicate filing under your SSN. Attach the competed form to your return and mail according to instructions.
• Continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper.
• If you previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, you may contact them for specialized assistance at 1-800-908-4490.
Link: The link to IRS Form 14039 is https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14039.pdf
DEFENDANTS Criminal Case No. 20CR2944-GPC
Mimi Bozzo Age: 60 Trinity, Texas
Vincent Bozzo Age: 60 Trinity, Texas
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 371 B Conspiracy to Defraud the United States
Maximum penalties: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation
Foreign citizen imprisoned on weapon chargeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of illegal re-entry and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Gabriel Rangel-Castro pleaded guilty Nov. 22, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Rangel-Castro to serve 57 seven months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court noted he had prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance, assault causing bodily injury on a family member and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos cited his multiple convictions, each involving the use of a firearm while unlawfully present in the United States. Judge Ramos also referenced the extensive number of times Rangel-Castro has been removed from the United States.
On Sep. 20, 2021, law enforcement observed Rangel-Castro wearing a tactical fanny pack and carrying a knife while walking through a bush near Falfurrias. Authorities approached Rangel-Castro, at which time they found an HS Produkt Springfield Armory USA Pistol and nine rounds of .40 caliber ammunition in a magazine.
Rangel-Castro was twice previously removed from the United States as recently as June 2021. Due to his citizenship status and criminal record, Rangel-Castro is prohibited by federal law of possessing any firearm or ammunition.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Parker Gochenour prosecuted the case.
Florida Woman Sentenced to 14 Years for Role in International Cocaine Trafficking Ring and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A former resident of Plantation, Florida, has been sentenced in federal court to a total term of 178 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release on her convictions for violating money laundering and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Marcia Cunningham, age 54.
According to information presented to the court, Cunningham was part of an international drug trafficking organization that arranged for the importation of multiple kilograms of cocaine from Mexico that were then distributed, through the United States mails, to various customers throughout the United States, including several customers in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Cunningham set up a post office box using a fake name and fake identification documents that was used in the conspiracy.
Cunningham was particularly instrumental in the money laundering activities of the conspiracy. She used dozens of bank accounts to launder the drug trafficking proceeds that were then used to purchase luxury vehicles, real estate, jewelry, and other items that supported her exorbitant lifestyle. She also arranged to use drug trafficking proceeds to purchase assets in Jamacia, where she hoped to live eventually and from where she immigrated to the United States. As she was not a citizen of the United States, the expectation is that she will be deported once she completes her sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway and Maureen Sheehan Balcon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Florida Man Known as “the Monkey Whisperer” Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Trafficking Protected PrimatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jimmy Wayne Hammonds, also known as “the Monkey Whisperer” (57, Parrish), today pleaded guilty to having violated the Endangered Species Act and Lacy Act in connection with a conspiracy to sell a protected primate to a celebrity client in California. Hammonds faces a maximum penalty of eight years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Hammonds owned and operated The Monkey Whisperer, LLC, a business engaged in the breeding and selling of wildlife. From September 2017 until February 2018, Hammonds conspired to sell a capuchin monkey to an individual in California, even though that buyer could not lawfully possess a capuchin monkey in California. Hammonds facilitated the transportation of the capuchin monkey from Florida to California through individuals who were not permitted to possess that species of monkey in either state. The client had paid more than $12,000 for the animal. Law enforcement later seized the monkey from the client’s California residence.
In addition, Hammonds illegally sold cotton-top tamarins, which are primates listed as an endangered species, to buyers in Alabama, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. To conceal his unlawful wildlife trafficking, Hammonds submitted false records to a law enforcement officer and attempted to persuade a witness to lie to a law enforcement officer by saying that they had purchased the cotton-top tamarins at a flea market.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.