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Friday 14 January 2022
East St. Louis Man Sentenced to 10 years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – An East St. Louis, Illinois, man was sentenced to ten years in federal prison today for dealing crack cocaine and illegally possessing firearms. Charles Curren, 51, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment for four counts of distribution of crack cocaine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine. Curren faces an additional 60 months imprisonment for possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Curren will also serve a five-year term of supervised release following his release from federal prison as part of his sentence.
The crimes occurred between November 2019 and February 2020. The Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southern Illinois (MEGSI) arrested Curren and conducted a search warrant at his East St. Louis residence on February 25, 2021. Police found over 300 packages of crack cocaine and five (5) firearms during the search of his home. Curren had been dealing crack cocaine from his home for at least one and a half years prior to his arrest. A federal grand jury indicted Curren in November of 2020, and Curren pled guilty on September 22, 2021.
The investigation was conducted by MEGSI, the Illinois State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Trippi.Drug Dealer Sentenced to Eighty-Seven (87) Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On January 11, 2022, United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced COREY DUNN, age 49, to eighty-seven (87) months in the Bureau of Prisons for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, a schedule II drug-controlled substance, during the commission of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
DUNN was charged on August 29, 2019 and pled guilty on June 15, 2021. He pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, a schedule II drug-controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(B). DUNN’s sentence will be followed by four (4) years of supervised release. He was also sentenced to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U. S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Gretna Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed, André Jones, and Melissa Bücher.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiracy and distribution charges involving large quantities of fentanyl.
Ysrael Nunez, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for March 18, 2022. Nunez was charged along with co-defendant Leisy Baez-Zapata in July 2019 and were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2019.
In October 2018, agents began investigating a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl in the Lawrence area. Between October 2018 and July 2019, a cooperating witness made controlled purchases of fentanyl from the DTO and on July 24, 2019, Nunez sold the cooperating witness approximately 23 grams of fentanyl. During that meeting, they discussed the DTO supplying the cooperating witness with a kilogram of fentanyl. The following day, the cooperating witness made arrangements with Nunez to purchase a kilogram of fentanyl which Leisy Baez-Zapata subsequently delivered to the cooperating witness and an undercover agent.
On Sept. 29, 2021, Baez-Zapata was sentenced by Judge Sorokin to time served (approximately 26 months in prison) and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
DOJ and Federal Way, Washington doctor settle False Claims Act allegations over drug testingRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice and a Federal Way, Washington general-practice doctor have settled allegations that the doctor billed government health programs for urine drug tests that were never performed or performed too late to be useful, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Dr. Vuthy Leng is the sole owner and operator of Family Medicine Clinic of Federal Way LLC. Dr. Leng will pay state and federal health programs $228,000 to resolve allegations that Dr. Leng billed government health programs for useless urine drug tests.
According to the settlement agreement, the Federal Way clinic had a certified lab, capable of performing urine drug tests so that patients could be screened for appropriate prescribing of medications including substance use disorder treatment. Between January 1, 2019 and July 30, 2019, Dr. Leng submitted bills to Medicare and Medicaid for urine drug tests. In fact, for long periods during this timeframe, the medical equipment for testing urine was broken, the samples were simply frozen for testing at a later date. Some were never tested at all.
While not admitting the allegations in the settlement, Leng will pay $76,000 in restitution to the government medical programs. Under the False Claims Act, the government can seek treble damages resulting in an additional $152,000 to be paid by Dr. Leng over the next 12 months. The amount will be split between the state and federal programs based on the share each paid of the false bills.
Under the terms of the settlement each party will pay their own legal fees.
The matter was investigated by the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Washington State Health Care Authority and Washington Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Nickolas Bohl negotiated the settlement for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Convicted Knoxville Gang Leader Sentenced to Life Plus Ten Years for Drugs, Firearm, and Money Laundering CrimesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. On January 12, 2022, Alim J. Turner, 23, of Knoxville, was sentenced to life plus ten years in prison, by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
The sentencing follows Turner’s federal trial last July in which a jury convicted him and six other gang members of conspiring to distribute various controlled substances, including methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, oxycodone, alprazolam, and buprenorphine. Witnesses testified at trial that Turner was the Knoxville leader of a violent street gang known as the Unknown Ghost Vice Lords. The jury also convicted Turner and other defendants of conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Turner and other defendants were convicted of counts charging the possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, the illegal distribution of drugs, and unlawful possession of firearms in East Tennessee. According to court documents, seven other charged members of the conspiracy previously pleaded guilty.
In determining the sentence, Judge Varlan took into account several aggravating factors, including Turner’s role as a leader and organizer of the crimes, his use of minors to commit his crimes, as well as credible threats of violence Turner made against other people in connection with his crimes. The remaining seven defendants who were convicted in July will be sentenced in the coming months.
"Gang violence, coupled with armed trafficking of lethal drugs, has resulted in devastation and death within our community. This sentence sends a powerful message that armed gang leaders who recruit and use minors to flood the community with drugs and who employ credible threats of violence in their crimes will face justice," said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. "This case is an example of the Department of Justice’s comprehensive strategy to target and prosecute the most serious offenders who pose the greatest threats to safety and peace within the community."
"Illegal drug trafficking continues to have a devastating and horrific impact on communities throughout our nation. This life sentence sends a very strong message to those who engage in these unlawful activities. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain dedicated
to identifying, investigating, and apprehending those who terrorize our communities with their reckless and illegal behavior," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph Carrico.
"Without question, the conviction and sentencing of this defendant will have a profound effect on public safety and quality of life, most significantly in the inner-city where Turner committed numerous acts of violence as an influential gang member. I am extremely proud of the work that KPD Investigators Brandon Stryker and Brandon Glover did over an extensive period of time to dismantle a violent inner-city gang, of which Turner was a member. In their capacity as KPD investigators assigned as task force officers to the FBI, they worked collaboratively with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s office, and their colleagues in KPD’s Organized Crime Unit to end this defendant’s contributions to creating fear in the lives of citizens who seek only to raise their families in a safe community," said Captain Tony Willis, KPD Organized Crimes Unit. "We are likewise grateful for the support and collaboration of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting this violent inner-city gang."
This conviction and sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the Knoxville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Cleveland Police Department, Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Department of Corrections, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also assisted in this investigation by conducting drug and firearms analysis on seized evidence in the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys David P. Lewen, Jr. and Brent N. Jones represented the United States.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force ("OCDETF") investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement against criminal networks.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents, Brian Vineyard, 49, sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $450 on September 9, 2020. In imposing the sentence, the Court also found that Vineyard sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on September 14, 2020 and September 16, 2020. Officers then executed a search warrant on Vineyard’s home on September 21, 2020, and found fentanyl in a safe in the home meant for distribution. In all, the Court found Vineyard responsible for 66.73 grams of fentanyl.
“West Virginia is in an overdose crisis. Overdose deaths are increasing in our state and most of them involve fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “We are working vigorously alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold fentanyl traffickers accountable for the harm they inflict upon West Virginia families. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Coleman, the FBI, MDENT and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work in this case and for taking another fentanyl dealer off of our streets.”
This was Vineyard’s third federal felony drug trafficking conviction. As such, he was sentenced as a career offender.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00106.
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Carjacker Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – Today a Houston man was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison for carjacking and discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2020, Darrell Morgan Watts Jr., 24, responded to an ad for a Ford Mustang for sale on Craigslist, expressing his interest in buying the car. The owner of the Mustang met Watts at a convenience store in southwest Austin so Watts could view it. While the owner was driving the car during a test drive, Watts pulled out a loaded pistol, pointed it at the owner and threatened to kill him. Watts was a convicted felon who possessed the gun illegally. Watts forced the owner to hand over his cell phone and wallet and instructed him to pull over in an unlit residential area. Watts told the owner of the Mustang that he was going to take the car.
Watts stepped out of the vehicle, still armed with the pistol. The owner of the Mustang held a state-issued license to carry a handgun and retrieved his own pistol from the center console and then stepped out. Although Watts fired multiple shots at him, Watts only grazed him with one round. The owner of the Mustang fired multiple shots at Watts, striking him six times. The owner then fled the area on foot and asked nearby residents to call police. Watts managed to return to the vehicle and drove a short distance before abandoning it. He was apprehended on February 5, 2020 and has remained in custody since his arrest.
On October 22, 2021, Watts pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
“My office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring that perpetrators of violent crime in our communities are held accountable for their actions,” said United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Individuals who would consider victimizing members of the public in the Western District of Texas should take note of today’s sentence and recognize that we will ensure they meet justice.”
“Convicted felons who use firearms to commit violent crimes remains at the core of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) mission,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski. “These felons pose one of the greatest threats to public safety, and we are relentless in our pursuit to hold them accountable.”
The ATF and the Austin Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Career Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Springdale man was sentenced yesterday to 168 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
In February 2020, detectives with the Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) received information that Remberto Alexander Rivera (age 31), was distributing methamphetamine in Northwest Arkansas and that he was on parole with a warrantless search waiver on file. Rivera was released from the Arkansas Department of Correction in October 2019.
On March 3, 2020, detectives were conducting surveillance at a hotel located in Springdale, Arkansas. While on surveillance, detectives observed Rivera arrive in a vehicle, exit it, and then retrieve a backpack from it.
Detectives approached Rivera and requested his identification, which he claimed he did not possess and further refused to identify himself. Rivera was placed under arrest and searched. During the search, detectives located multiple bags of methamphetamine, a digital scale and $3,440.00. Rivera was released on bond on March 11, 2020.
In May of 2020, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department, responding to complaints from citizens that drug activity was occurring in a certain neighborhood in Fayetteville, made contact with Rivera. During the encounter with police, Rivera fought with police and attempted to take one of the officer’s taser and another officer’s firearm. After Rivera was taken into custody his vehicle was searched. The search resulted in officers locating two firearms (one loaded) and drug paraphernalia commonly used in drug trafficking.
Due to the nature of Rivera’s prior felony convictions, he was sentenced as a Career Offender.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Caldwell man was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Dagoberto Leroy Turnbull, 32, of Caldwell, sold another person methamphetamine on two different occasions. On December 22, 2020, Turnbull sold one quarter pound of methamphetamine and on January 12, 2021, he sold an additional quarter pound of methamphetamine. Turnbull was arrested on February 22, 2021 and found with a half-ounce of methamphetamine and over $3,300.
Turnbull has a long and violent criminal history with convictions ranging from grand theft to battery.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Turnbull to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nampa Police Department, and Meridian Police Department, which led to charges against Turnbull.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On January 12, 2022, a Burlington man was sentenced to prison for his involvement in a drug conspiracy dating back to 2001. Alphonso Edmond, Jr., age 43, was sentenced to 180 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal prison system. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Richard D. Westphal made the announcement.
Edmond was among eight individuals from Burlington who were charged federally in November 2019, after the execution of numerous federal search warrants in Burlington, and elsewhere. Edmond was found to have been involved in a conspiracy to distribute ice methamphetamine and cocaine base (a.k.a. crack cocaine). Edmond was also found to have carried a firearm related to his drug trafficking activities.
Others charged as a part of this case include Kendrick Ramon Page, who was found guilty by a jury and was sentenced to 340 months of imprisonment; Breon Raquon Armstrong, who was found guilty by a jury and was sentenced to 210 months of imprisonment; Tristan Kareem Davis, who was found guilty by jury and is awaiting sentencing; Lavelle Harris, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 262 months of imprisonment; Lamar Harris, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 210 months of imprisonment; Frederrick Dewayne Reed, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 160 months imprisonment; and Michael Rees, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 151 months of imprisonment. Other individuals associated with this drug trafficking organization have also been federally charged in the Southern District of Iowa, the Central District of Illinois, and the Northern District of Texas.
These charges stem from an investigation conducted by numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including: the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce; Burlington Police Department; Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation; West Central llinois Taskforce; Quincy, Illinois Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Henry County Sheriff’s Office; Mt. Pleasant Police Department; West Burlington Police Department; Keokuk Police Department; Ft. Madison Police Department; Lee County Sheriff’s Office; Iowa City Police Department; Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; North Liberty Police Department; Coralville Police Department; Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office; Louisa County Sheriff’s Office; Washington County Sheriff’s Office; Bettendorf Police Department; Illinois State Police; Monmouth, Illinois, Police Department; Macomb, Illinois Police Department; Galesburg, Illinois Police Department; Adams County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office; and Fulton County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Buffalo Woman Who Conspired with Local Doctor to Illegally Distribute Controlled Substances SentencedRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Trini E. Ross announced today that Takeya Rainey, 45, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and amphetamine, was sentenced to time served and five years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,304.89 to Medicare Part D; Medicaid; Fidelis Care, and Independent Health.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between September 2017 and February 2018, Rainey conspired with co-defendant Dr. James T. Keefe, a New York State licensed physician and a DEA Registrant, and others, to sell oxycodone, hydrocodone, and amphetamine. During this time, Rainey began to sell Adderall, prescribed by her physician, to Keefe, until her physician stopped prescribing her the drug. In the summer of 2017, Keefe began to write prescriptions in Rainey’s name, which Rainey filled and then split with Keefe. Keefe told Rainey, “Give me half, and you keep half.” Rainey then gave Keefe the names of her relatives and associates so that Keefe could use the information to write more prescriptions for controlled substances for the two to share. Rainey was issued 19 prescriptions in her own name 44 prescriptions in the names of relatives and associates by Keefe. Some of these relatives and associates had knowledge of the scheme, and willingly participated.
Keefe was convicted and sentenced to serve 60 months in prison.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Keith Kruskall, New York Field Division.
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Buffalo Man Previously Convicted on Federal Drug Charge Arrested for Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nikita Burt, 38, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of firearms. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Buffalo Police Department executed a search warrant at a Mortimer Street residence, an address known to be utilized by Burt. During the search, three handguns with defaced serial numbers were recovered. In 2013, Burt was convicted on a federal charge of distributing crack cocaine and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and is being held pending a detention hearing on January 19, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Schroeder.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Timothy Foley, New York Field Division, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Bronx Man Charged with Possession of over 20 Kilos of FentanylRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Tim Foley, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Keechant Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that SUCRE ALMANZAR-ALBA was charged in a criminal complaint today with possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. ALMANZAR-ALBA was arrested yesterday and presented today before the Hon. Barbara Moses, United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant trafficked huge quantities of fentanyl, the major driver of the opioid epidemic plaguing this country. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, nearly 20 kilograms of this deadly drug – which amounts to millions of lethal doses – have been taken off the street.”
DEA Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Tim Foley said: “This seizure and arrest have already saved lives in New York. Allegedly, hidden in Almanzar-Alba’s apartment was the equivalent of nearly 10 million doses of the most dangerous illegal drug to ever hit the streets – FENTANYL. I applaud the New York Strike Force, U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York, and our law enforcement partners for their collaborative and swift efforts in this investigation.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said: “Illicit fentanyl distribution destroys lives and devastates communities. Today’s federal complaint reflects the unrelenting focus by the NYPD and its law enforcement partners, working together, to rid our city of these and other deadly drugs and to build strong cases against those who would deal in them. I want to thank all the investigators and prosecutors who worked on this important investigation.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
On or about January 13, 2022, ALMANZAR-ALBA met with a confidential source to give that confidential source approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. Law enforcement later searched ALMANZAR-ALBA’s house and recovered approximately 19 additional kilograms of fentanyl.
ALMANZAR-ALBA, 43, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force. The OCDETF New York Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, New York National Guard, Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department, and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Mead is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bradenton Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Anthony Wayne Smith (58, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to manufacturing counterfeit currency. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 6, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, Smith manufactured U.S. Federal Reserve notes at his home in Bradenton. During the execution of a search warrant on Smith’s residence, law enforcement officers recovered, among other things, a large quantity of counterfeit notes hidden throughout the residence, texturized printing paper, and printers. Additionally, Smith’s laptop computer contained digital images of U.S. Federal Reserve notes that had been used in the production and manufacture of counterfeit currency.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman pleaded guilty today to a federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Candice Nicole Long, also known as “Candace Long,” at her Beckley residence on February 25, 2020. Long possessed a .380 handgun in her waistband at the time she sold approximately 1.5 grams of methamphetamine. On February 28, 2020, officers executed a search warrant on her residence and recovered the firearm.
Long pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Long faces up to 20 years on the drug charge and a consecutive, mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for the firearm charge when she is sentenced on April 29, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00228.
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Barbour County woman admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Kayla Lynn Jenkins, of Philippi, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Jenkins, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Jenkins admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in August 2020 in Barbour County.
Jenkins faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1 million. 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 Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Barbour County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Nicholas Joseph Buono, of Philippi, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Buono, 34, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Buono admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in August 2020 in Barbour County.
Buono faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1 million. 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 Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Banker sentenced for obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent loansRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former commercial loan officer at a Chatham County bank was sentenced to prison after admitting he obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent commercial loans using another person’s identity without their consent.
Jason McMillan, 46, of Savannah, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $112,430 in restitution after pleading guilty to Bank Fraud, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. also ordered McMillan to serve three years of supervised release and perform 40 hours of community service after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Jason McMillan used his insider access at the bank that employed him to get money that fueled his chosen lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “In addition to being held accountable, as part of his plea agreement McMillan agrees to never again work in the industry whose trust and customers he betrayed.”
McMillan admitted that from July 2009 through April 2019, he knowingly used the identity of another person without their consent in obtaining commercial loans in the amounts of $187,000, $160,000, $157,000 and $250,000 from a Chatham County bank where he worked as its commercial loan officer. McMillan also admitted he obtained these loans under the false pretense that loans would be used for obtaining industrial farm equipment. McMillan admitted he knowingly used approximately $200,271 of these funds for his own personal use. The bank discovered the fraud during an internal investigation.
“McMillan’s sentencing reinforces the importance of protecting people’s personal identifiers,” said Steven Baisel, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service. “We will continue to pursue these criminals and hold them accountable.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Lee and Asset Forfeiture Unit Section Chief Xavier A. Cunningham.
Bakersfield Resident Sentenced to over 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jorge Chavez, 36, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, when Chavez was arrested in Bakersfield on Sept. 12, 2020, he was found to possess approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 23.5 pounds of marijuana, approximately 2 pounds of cocaine, and approximately 66 grams of heroin. On three separate occasions between February and April 2020, Chavez sold to a purchaser a total of five firearms — including four rifles with high-capacity magazines — and approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine. On June 4, 2020, Chavez offered to sell to the same purchaser 1 pound of methamphetamine for $3,400, and 1 ounce of heroin for $750. In his plea agreement, Chavez agreed to forfeit to the United States more than $25,000.
At the time of his arrest, Chavez was serving a term of federal supervised release after serving more than seven in years in prison for his 2016 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Burglarizing 8 Post OfficesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Steven Martin, 39, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for burglarizing U.S. Post Offices, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in December 2018, Martin burglarized eight different post offices in Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties. He stole cash registers, packages containing clothes, and other mail, and caused damage to the post offices. The total loss was $8,800.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Alleged robber arrested after high-speed chase that led to fatal crashRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 27-year-old Houston resident is now in custody following charges he robbed a CVS and an Exxon Mobil, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The criminal complaint, filed today, charges DaVonte Williams with interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is currently in federal custody and set for initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m.
According to the charges, Williams robbed a CVS on Tidwell shortly after doing same at an Exxon Mobil on Eastex Freeway late Jan. 12. Williams allegedly entered the CVS wearing a red ski mask, pointed a handgun at an employee and demanded cash. He then exited the store and entered a Lincoln Town car, according to the charges.
The complaint alleges law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused and began a high-speed chase. Eventually, another vehicle was struck which resulted in injuries and deaths, according to the charges. However, the Lincoln Town Car allegedly continued to flee and escaped.
The investigation led to Williams and the suspect Lincoln Town Car, according to the charges.
Authorities later located him and took him into custody.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the robbery. Upon any conviction relating to the gun charges, he must also serve a minimum of seven years that must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety - all members of the Crime Gun Strike Force - conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts is prosecuting the case.
This is an example of coordination between law enforcement who are part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative which combines personnel and resources from numerous federal, state and local agencies. The goal is to proactively fight and reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts and enhancing training, public awareness and education. It stems from the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. 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.
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Alexandria Couple Convicted of Harboring Undocumented WorkersRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – An Alexandria, Ky., couple was convicted on Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in Covington of harboring undocumented workers.
After four hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Yun Zheng, a.k.a. Wendy, 50, and Yan Qui Wu, a.k.a. Jason, 48, of four counts of concealing, harboring, or shielding a person, whom the defendants knew to be present in the United States illegally, for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
According to testimony at trial, from 2014 to 2017, Zheng and Wu owned and operated the Tokyo Dragon Buffet restaurant, located in Alexandria, as husband and wife. In that capacity, the defendants employed at least four undocumented workers, who were present in the United States illegally. The evidence established that the defendants knew, or recklessly disregarded facts indicating, that these workers were illegally present in the United States. The evidence also established that they housed these workers in their own home and provided virtually all the workers’ transportation, to avoid detection.
One of those workers was badly burned by hot oil, while working at the Tokyo Dragon, but the owners initially refused to take him to the hospital because, in one of the defendant’s own words, he was present illegally and would be deported if the owners transported him to the hospital. When the worker eventually received treatment, several days later, the nurses who treated him were so disturbed, by what the worker described and the defendants’ conduct, that one of them called a law enforcement hotline. This began the investigation and resulted in the indictment.
Zheng and Wu were indicted in September 2021.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations; and Lucas T. Cooper, Chief of the Alexandria Police Department; jointly announced the guilty verdicts.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and the Alexandria Police Department. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Winslow and Zach Dembo.
Zheng and Wu are scheduled for sentencing on May 4, 2022. For each of the four counts, they face up to ten years in prison, up to $250,000 fine, and restitution. However, any sentence following the conviction will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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21-Year-Old Sioux City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
A three-time convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun was sentenced January 12, 2022, to 6 years in federal prison.
Austin Rockwood, age 21, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 8, 2021, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Rockwood was previously convicted of three separate felony convictions.
Evidence in this case revealed Rockwood’s unlawful possession on or about February 11, 2021 was discovered when he was spotted following an unmarked law enforcement unit. Marked law enforcement units attempted a traffic stop, and Rockwood fled in the car with the firearm. Rockwood eluded officers, at first, by recklessly disregarding the rules of the road and the safety of the motoring public. Later he abandoned the vehicle, fled on foot with the loaded firearm in hand, and hid the weapon in the freshly fallen snow.
Rockwood’s violent criminal history includes a 2017 conviction for willful injury causing serious injury, a 2019 conviction for domestic abuse assault, and a 2019 conviction for burglary. During the burglary, Rockwood and another forced their way into an occupied structure, and while defendant physically attacked the victim, the other man – defendant’s confederate -- threatened the victim with a gun.
Rockwood was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rockwood was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. Rockwood must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Rockwood is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-4049.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
20-Year-Old Sergeant Bluff Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A Sergeant Bluff man who possessed guns while being an unlawful user of controlled substances was sentenced January 13, 2022 to more than 4 years in federal prison.
Rafael Wellesley Gomez, age 20, also known as “Danger” from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa received the prison term after a September 23, 2021, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a drug user.
Evidence in the case revealed Gomez’s illegally possessed six guns while being an unlawful user of marijuana. The guns were found during a search warrant of Gomez’s residence in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa during a murder investigation. When law enforcement entered the residence, Gomez failed to comply with officers’ orders to put his hands in the air and law enforcement observed him placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans and near his waistband. Gomez continued to disregard law enforcement’s verbal orders and concealed a Walther .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol under the cushion of a nearby couch. Law enforcement later determined that the Walther .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol was loaded with a magazine that contained five rounds of ammunition and had been reported stolen from the area of Sioux City, Iowa, in 2020. Another of the weapons, a rifle, was used in a 2021 New Year’s Eve homicide in Sioux City, Iowa.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Gomez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gomez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4036.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Thursday 13 January 2022
Woodstock Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine and CrackRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANDRE SMITH, also known as “Dre,” 42, of Woodstock, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine and crack.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the FBI, Norwich Police Department and other law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in southeastern Connecticut. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and six controlled purchases of crack from Harold Butler, revealed that Butler and others were distributing narcotics to drug users and other street-level dealers, including Smith, in southeastern Connecticut. Butler also used his Norwich business, Hat Boyz, to store and distribute narcotics.
Smith was arrested on February 20, 2019. On March 5, 2019, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Smith, Butler and 11 other individuals with narcotics trafficking offenses. On October 12, 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
Smith, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on March 23.
Butler pleaded guilty and, on October 9, 2019, was sentenced to 77 months of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Norwich, Town of Groton and Waterford Police Departments, with the assistance of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, Baltimore Police Department and Delaware State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Winner Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Winner, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Arvin Brave Bird, age 52, was indicted on January 11, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on January 13, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Brave Bird was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in April 2017. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. It is alleged that between December 2, 2021, and December 16, 2021, Brave Bird, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Brave Bird is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Brave Bird was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Waltham Man Arrested on Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Waltham man was arrested and charged on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022 in federal court on charges of receipt of child pornography.
Robert Daigle, 45, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. Following an initial appearance yesterday before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler, Daigle was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 14, 2022.
According to the charging document, a search of Daigle’s residence on Jan. 11, 202 resulted in the recovery of electronic devices belonging to the defendant. An on-site forensic examination revealed images and videos depicting child pornography on at least one device.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office; and Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
United States Sues Renovation Firms and Their Principals for Violating Lead-Based Paint Safety RegulationsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Lisa Garcia, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), announced today that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against CISNE NY Construction, Inc., CISNE JE Construction, Inc., CISNE Contracting, Inc., and their principals Jose Pancha and Edison Ruilova (together, the “CISNE Defendants”), alleging that the CISNE Defendants repeatedly violated the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”) and EPA’s Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (“RRP Rule”). TSCA and the RRP Rule impose safety requirements to minimize the risk that young children, tenants, and renovation workers are exposed to toxic lead paint dust during renovations of residential buildings.
Exposure to lead paint dust is the most common cause of lead poisoning. Lead poisoning—particularly in children—can lead to severe, irreversible health problems. Lead exposure can affect children’s brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the CISNE Defendants repeatedly violated rules designed to protect children and others from lead poisoning during renovations of residential buildings. Their actions threatened the most vulnerable with severe lifelong injury. This Office will vigorously enforce the laws designed to protect the health of children against violators who disregard the public health and put children at risk.”
EPA Regional Administrator Garcia stated: “EPA recognizes that all people deserve protection from the hazards of lead-based paint, especially our most vulnerable communities. This case involves allegations of multiple violations in hundreds of NYC apartments. Reducing childhood lead exposure and addressing associated health impacts are one of EPA’s top priorities and we are committed to the robust enforcement of standards that are intended to protect individuals and families.”
The Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court alleges that the CISNE Defendants repeatedly failed to use legally required safety precautions when renovating apartments that are presumed by law to contain lead paint because they were built prior to 1978. EPA and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspectors observed that the CISNE Defendants failed to contain debris and dust during their work, creating exposure hazards. Construction dust was found not just in the units being worked on, but also in the public hallways accessible to other building residents. Testing demonstrated that dust exceeded both local and federal safety standards. The CISNE Defendants also failed to post warning signs at these jobs or take other steps required by law to protect tenants and workers. In all of this, the CISNE Defendants risked exposing tenants and workers to lead paint dust and violated TSCA and the RRP Rule.
The Complaint also alleges that for years, in violation of TSCA and the RRP Rule, the CISNE Defendants performed renovations in New York City apartment buildings without the training and certifications required to perform such work, and that they failed to provide EPA with legally mandated records that would allow EPA to audit their work.
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The Complaint filed by the United States seeks an injunction barring the CISNE Defendants from performing further work governed by the TSCA and the RRP Rule without complying with mandated safety requirements. The Complaint also seeks an order requiring the CISNE Defendants to mitigate the harms caused by their prior illegal renovation work.
This case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant United States Attorney Zack Bannon is in charge of the case.
2022.01.13_cisne_complaint_filed.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $9.3 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2021Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that the District of South Dakota collected $9,315,964.19 in criminal and civil actions in FY 2021. Of this amount, $4,224,092.52 was collected in criminal actions and $5,091,871.67 was collected in civil actions.
The District of South Dakota periodically works with the Civil Division in Washington D.C. In FY 2021, South Dakota shared in the collection of $10,499,321.88 in Health Care Fraud matters, resulting in a shared total amount of $15,591,193.55.
Of the total collections in criminal actions, $3,933,092.26 was recovered for the victims of crime. The remaining amount, $291,000.26, was sent to the Crime Victims Fund. This fund distributes money collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the District of South Dakota, working with partner law enforcement agencies and divisions, collected $44,629 in asset forfeiture in FY 2021. These funds are used, in part, to restore funds to crime victims.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney Highlights 2021 Human Trafficking Cases to Bring Awareness During Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, in recognition of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, highlights some of the significant Human Trafficking cases his office prosecuted in 2021. Links to press releases with more details on these cases are also provided.
USA v. Jonathan Jenkins and Antoine Wallace (No. 5:18-CR-451-D)
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/garner-man-sentenced-156-months-human-trafficking
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/smithfield-man-sentenced-three-life-sentences-human-trafficking
The investigating agencies in this case were Homeland Security Investigations, Raleigh Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. Antoine Lamar Wallace of Garner was sentenced to 156 months in prison, on September 8, 2021, for sex trafficking a minor and aiding and abetting and his co-defendant, Jonathan Lynn Jenkins, of Smithfield, received three consecutive life sentences, on August 4, 2021, after being found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and of a minor; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of a minor; using the internet to promote a prostitution business enterprise (ITAR); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jenkins was also ordered to pay over $1,000,000 in restitution to multiple victims.
USA v. Jesse Marks (No. 7:19-CR-127-D)
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/jacksonville-man-sentenced-30-years-human-trafficking
The investigating agencies in this case were the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Police Department. Jesse Gabriel Marks of Jacksonville was sentenced to 360 months in prison, on May 7, 2021, for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and ordered to pay $249,700 in restitution to multiple victims. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Marks, prostituted hundreds of women, including at least one minor, over nearly two decades. He used drugs, including heroin and methamphetamine, to keep them dependent on and prostituting for him. After meeting Marks, many victims either developed addictions or deepened their addictions, ruining their health and, in many cases, their lives. Marks physically and emotionally abused many of the victims. He also gave women drug cocktails without their full knowledge and, once they were unconscious or nearly unconscious, sexually assaulted them. He recorded many of those sexual assaults on video.
USA v. Kevin Rudolph and Marcus Gambrell (No. 5:19-CR-336-FL)
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/raleigh-man-sentenced-17-years-child-pornography-charge-after-sex-trafficking-14-year
The investigating agencies in this case were the Raleigh Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Marcus Antwan Gambrell, 30, of Raleigh, was sentenced to 210 months in prison, on December 21, 2021, for manufacturing child pornography. Gambrell and co-defendant Kevin Rudolph were charged in a four-count superseding indictment on April 7, 2020. The indictment charged both men with sex trafficking of a minor and using the internet to promote prostitution, Gambrell with manufacturing child pornography, and Rudolph with possession of a firearm by a felon. Gambrell pled guilty to the manufacturing charge on January 19, 2021. Rudolph pled not guilty, and he is awaiting trial on May 16, 2022. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
USA v. Marvarlus Snead and Ashanti McLean (No. 7:19-CR-151-D)
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/four-oaks-man-sentenced-35-years-sex-trafficking-minor
The investigating agencies in this case were the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. Marvarlus Cortel Snead, of Four Oaks, was sentenced to 420 months in prison and a life term of supervised release, on June 21, 2021, for sex trafficking of a minor and using the internet to promote a prostitution business enterprise (ITAR). On December 17, 2020, Snead was convicted of the charges after a four-day jury trial. Snead was also ordered to pay more than $200,000 in restitution to the minor victim. McLean pleaded guilty to using the internet to promote a prostitution business enterprise (ITAR) and received a concurrent sentence (serving 8 years on her state charges.)
The above cases are a sampling of the investigations this office prosecuted in 2021 and an example of the serious problem Human Trafficking possess in North Carolina.
For anyone who needs the assistance of the National Human Trafficking Hotline they can be reached at 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” 233733 or by live chat at humantraffickinghotline.org.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan Visits Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian TribesRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereign Indian Nations present in the southwestern part of Colorado this week. United States Attorney Cole Finegan met with leaders and law enforcement of both the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute during a three-day visit to the region.
“Visiting our tribal partners in-person was particularly important to me,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “Our relationships with the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribes are part of an important trust between our governments. I fully intend to honor our responsibilities and apply the rule of law to all equally. I send my thanks to Southern Ute Chairman Melvin Baker and Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart, and their colleagues and staff, for the opportunity to discuss the issues important to your respective tribes.”
U.S. Attorney Finegan and senior staff met with the Tribal Council members for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe in Ignacio, as well as Tribal Council members for the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe in Towaoc. The three-day visit started on January 11, 2022, and concluded January 13, 2022. Topics of conversation included prosecuting domestic violence cases, combating narcotics on the reservations, and efforts to reduce recidivism.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado prosecutes certain offenses that occur on the reservations, primarily through its office in Durango, Colorado. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Graves, Josh Player, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Franceware are primarily responsible for litigating these matters.
Each fall, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado participates in the Four Corners Conference, which focuses on addressing issues facing the Indian Nations that have lands within the states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The conference brings together hundreds of individuals interested and committed to serving the cause of justice in the region.
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Three Long Island Women Indicted for Assaulting a Delta Airlines Security Officer at JFK AirportRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jordan Nixon, Janessa Torres and Johara Zavala with assaulting an airline security officer in a jetway at John F. Kennedy International Airport (“JFK Airport”) on September 22, 2021. The defendants were arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Melinda Katz, Queens County District Attorney, announced the arrests and indictment.
“As alleged, the defendants viciously assaulted an airline security officer by beating him to the floor with his radio and then kicking and punching him in the face and body while he was down,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The extreme and aggressive behavior in connection with our air travel is out of control. This Office has zero tolerance for violent conduct that threatens the safety of airline passengers and employees and will prosecute defendants who allegedly engage in such conduct to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the Port Authority Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
“The FBI is the lead federal agency in charge of arresting those who assault, intimidate, or threaten flight crew, or endanger the safety of other passengers,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “Anyone who thinks they can get away with this type of unruly behavior should be reminded that their actions are criminal and can result in time behind bars as a result of federal criminal charges. We are aggressively addressing this emerging threat and take all cases seriously.”
“The defendants allegedly attacked two airline employees, who were simply doing their jobs,” stated Queens District Attorney Katz. “The friendly skies must not turn into chaos and turmoil because some passengers refuse to abide by the rules. Our airport personnel must be safe in order to keep the flying public safe.”
As alleged in court filings, the defendants refused to leave a jetway at JFK Airport after they were informed that they would be denied boarding for a Delta Airlines scheduled flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The defendants were belligerent, with one appearing to be visibly disoriented and possibly intoxicated, and another who was refusing to properly wear her mask. The flight’s Gate Agent (“Employee 1”) notified the flight crew of the defendants’ belligerent conduct, and the captain of the flight and a member of the flight crew determined that the defendants should not be allowed to board the flight. The defendants refused the request of an airline security officer (“Employee 2”) to leave the jetway and approached him while yelling and cursing. One defendant struck Employee 2 repeatedly with his own radio, and he fell to the floor. When Employee 1 tried to assist Employee 2, one defendant punched Employee 1 in the face. All three defendants then punched and kicked Employee 2 in the face and body while Employee 2 was on the floor. Employees 1 and 2 were later treated at a hospital for their injuries.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Nina Gupta is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
JORDAN NIXON
Age: 21
Bay Shore, New YorkJANESSA TORRES
Age: 21
Central Islip, New YorkJOHARA ZAVALA
Age: 44
Central Islip, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-633 (RJD)
Three Gang Members and One Gang Associate Charged with Federal Racketeering Offense in Robbery and Fatal Shooting of LAPD OfficerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors this evening filed a criminal complaint charging three members and an associate of a Los Angeles street gang with violating a federal racketeering statute for their roles in the robbery and fatal shooting earlier this week of Los Angeles Police Officer Fernando Arroyos.
The criminal complaint alleges that two of the defendants confronted Arroyos and his girlfriend on the night of January 10, stole items from them, and then shot Arroyos, who died soon after suffering a single gunshot wound.
The complaint charges the four defendants with violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR), whereby the defendants, as consideration for the receipt of anything of value of the Florencia 13 (F13) gang, and to increase and maintain position within F13, murdered Arroyos. F13 is a large, multi-generational street gang that previously has been the subject of federal prosecutions, including two large racketeering cases.
The defendants in this case were taken into custody on Wednesday by investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Those defendants are expected to be transferred to federal custody Friday morning and to make their initial court appearances Friday afternoon in United States District Court.
The defendants charged today are:
- Luis Alfredo De La Rosa Rios, 29, an F13 member also known as “Lil J”;
- Ernesto Cisneros, 22, an F13 member also known as “Gonzo”;
- Jesse Contreras, 34, an F13 member who claimed a moniker of “Skinny Jack,” but who also may be known as “Flaco”; and
- Haylee Marie Grisham, 18, who is Rios’ girlfriend.
The VICAR charge carries a potential death penalty – and minimum sentence of life in federal prison without the possibility of parole – because Officer Arroyos allegedly was murdered during the robbery.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Arroyos – who is identified in the affidavit as “F.A.” – and his girlfriend were looking at a home potentially to purchase on East 87th Street in Los Angeles when a black pickup truck arrived. Rios and Cisneros confronted the victims, pointing guns and removing property from both, including chains from Arroyos’ neck.
“At some point after Cisneros removed victim F.A.’s chains, victim F.A. and the two suspects exchanged gunfire,” the affidavit states. “Victim F.A. ran toward an alley where he collapsed and the two suspects fled.”
Investigators have obtained surveillance video showing the black pickup arriving at a residence near the shooting, where Contreras is seen exiting the vehicle and helping an apparently injured Cisneros out of the truck, the affidavit states. All four defendants were in the vehicle and allegedly were at the scene of the robbery and shooting.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI, is conducting the investigation in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joanna Curtis, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section; Kathy Yu of the Violent and Organized Crime Section; and Christopher Kendall of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Texas Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity Theft Involving Stolen U.S. MailRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Fort Worth, Texas man was sentenced to 68 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Sanwon Demetrius Baldwin, 41, conspired with his co-defendant, Brittany Jannice Chapman, 27, to commit bank fraud and identity theft. The defendants carried out their fraudulent scheme by stealing mail from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes, altering stolen checks and money orders without authorization from their lawful owners, and making unlawful bank deposits and cash withdrawals.
In June 2017, police in Bedford, Texas arrested the defendants in possession of more than 100 stolen checks and money orders, a .45-caliber pistol, and marijuana. Police searched the trunk of Baldwin’s rental car and found a venetian blind blade covered in rat trap glue, which criminals commonly use to “fish” mail out of postal collection boxes. Police also found chemicals typically used to alter information on checks, money orders, and other stolen mail. Agents later searched Baldwin’s house in Mobile, Alabama and recovered more than 600 additional checks and money orders that the defendants had stolen from the mail. Forensic analysis revealed the defendants’ fingerprints on several stolen checks and money orders. The total amount of the stolen financial instruments was more than $278,000.
Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Baldwin to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Granade ordered Baldwin to pay $9,209.10 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.
The court sentenced Chapman to five years’ probation in December 2021, ordering that Chapman serve the first 12 months on home confinement. Chapman is also responsible for victim restitution.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Mobile Police Department, and the Bedford, Texas Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Suburban Chicago Nurse Charged with Tampering with Morphine Prescribed to PatientsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago nurse removed morphine from bottles prescribed to two patients and replaced it with another liquid, knowing the diluted substance would be dispensed to the patients, according to a federal indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
SARAH DIAMOND was employed as the Assistant Director of Nursing at a Chicago-area medical rehabilitation center. The indictment alleges that Diamond tampered with the liquid morphine in August 2021 with reckless disregard and extreme indifference for the risk that the patients would be placed in danger of bodily injury.
Diamond, 29, of Woodstock, Ill., is charged with two counts of tampering with a consumer product. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Lynda M. Burdelik, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Crystal Lake, Ill., Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Greening.
“Patients deserve to have confidence that they are receiving the legitimately prescribed medication and not a diluted substance,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Health care practitioners who illicitly tamper with prescription drugs will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Patients should know they are receiving proper treatment from those entrusted with their medical care,” said FDA SAC Burdelik. “We must hold medical personnel accountable when they take advantage of their unique position and tamper with medications their patients need, potentially exposing them to contaminated medical products.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Springvale Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Springvale man was sentenced in federal court today for fentanyl trafficking, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Richard Martin, 41, to 12 years in prison and four years of supervised release. Martin pleaded guilty in July 2021.
According to court records, in May 2020, Martin was engaged in fentanyl trafficking. On May 25, he was robbed of a substantial quantity of fentanyl that he intended to distribute to others. Following the robbery, Martin sent numerous Facebook messages acknowledging the robbery and threatening violence to the suspected perpetrators. Law enforcement recovered a portion of the stolen fentanyl on May 31, 2020.
The FBI and the Rumford and Buxton police departments investigated the case with assistance from the York and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices, the Maine State Police, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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South Florida Residents Sentenced for Illegally Exporting Controlled Items to LibyaRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida — A federal district judge has sentenced two Florida residents for conspiring to and illegally attempting to export controlled items to Libya.
Peter Sotis, 57, of Delray Beach and Emilie Voissem, 45, of Sunrise were convicted in October 2021, following a one-week jury trial in Miami. Sotis was sentenced to 57 months in prison and Voissem was sentenced to a split sentence of five months in prison and five months of home confinement.
The defendants were involved in a scheme that caused the illegal export of rebreather diving equipment to Libya in August 2016. Rebreathers enable a diver to operate undetected for long periods of time underwater by producing little to no bubbles and by efficiently re-circulating the diver’s own breath after replacing its carbon dioxide with oxygen. Because of these enhanced capabilities, rebreathers have a dual use, with both civilian and military applications, and are specifically included on the Commerce Control List, which is the list of dual use items that are export controlled and licensed by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Such restricted items require a Commerce Department license if the rebreathers are to be exported to any countries with national security concerns, such as Libya.
Sotis was the 80% owner of Add Helium, a diving equipment and training company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Voissem was the Add Helium office manager. The defendants were warned that it was illegal to export the items to Libya without a Commerce Department license and they willfully attempted to export those items after receiving an instruction from a Department of Commerce special agent that such items were detained and not to be exported while a license determination was pending. The exhibits and testimony at trial showed that the defendants lied to and mislead Ramas LLC, a shipping company in Virginia, about what the Commerce agent had told them and about whether the rebreathers had a military use. Testimony at trial also showed that Sotis threatened a government witness not to cooperate with the federal investigation.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Ariel Joshua Leinwand, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement (DOC) Miami Field Office; and Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
DOC-Miami and HSI-Miami investigated the case, with valuable assistance from FBI Miami and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Thakur and Andy Camacho of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Nathan Swinton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-20693.
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South Florida Residents Sentenced for Illegally Exporting Controlled Items to LibyaRead the Press Release
Two Florida residents were sentenced yesterday for conspiring to and illegally attempting to export controlled items to Libya.
Peter Sotis, 57, of Delray Beach, and Emilie Voissem of Sunrise, were convicted in October 2021 following a one-week jury trial in Miami. Sotis was sentenced to 57 months in prison, and Voissem was sentenced to a split sentence of five months in prison and five months of home confinement.
According to court documents, the charges stem from the defendants’ scheme to cause the illegal export of rebreather diving equipment to Libya in August 2016. Rebreathers enable a diver to operate undetected for long periods of time underwater by producing little to no bubbles and by efficiently re-circulating the diver’s own breath after replacing its carbon dioxide with oxygen. Because of these enhanced capabilities, rebreathers have a dual use, with both civilian and military applications, and are specifically included on the Commerce Control List, which is the list of dual use items that are export controlled and licensed by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). Such restricted items require a Commerce Department license if the rebreathers are to be exported to any countries with national security concerns, such as Libya.
Sotis was the 80% owner of Add Helium, a diving equipment and training company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Voissem was the Add Helium office manager. The defendants were warned that it was illegal to export the items to Libya without a DOC license and they willfully attempted to export those items after receiving an instruction from a DOC special agent that such items were detained and not to be exported while a license determination was pending. The exhibits and testimony at trial showed that the defendants lied to and misled Ramas LLC, a shipping company in Virginia, about what the DOC agent had told them and about whether the rebreathers had a military use. Testimony at trial also showed that Sotis threatened a government witness not to cooperate with the federal investigation.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Ariel Joshua Leinwand of the DOC’s Office of Export Enforcement Miami Office; and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Miami Office made the announcement.
DOC and HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Miami Field Office and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Thakur and Andy Camacho of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Nathan Swinton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Shreveport Man Headed to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Drugs and a FirearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Antonio Lamont Ware, 44, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced by Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 170 months (14 years, 2 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Ware was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2021 and pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to information presented in court, on November 6, 2020, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a surveillance operation on Ware at his residence in Shreveport. Agents observed Ware get in his vehicle and drive down I-49. Deputies with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop Ware for a traffic violation, and he refused to stop. While deputies were following him, they observed Ware throw a handgun out of the passenger window. The handgun struck the hood of the deputy’s vehicle and landed on the shoulder of the roadway. Ware finally pulled over and was interviewed by law enforcement agents. He admitted to possessing illegal narcotics and agents located 1,037.8 grams of methamphetamine, 176.7 grams of cocaine, and approximately 600 ecstasy pills. Agents also found three handguns in the same location where the drugs were located.
Ware has prior felony convictions, including a state conviction for accessory after the fact of simple burglary in 2000, and a federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine in 2006.
The case was investigated by DEA and the ATF and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford. This is part of an 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.
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Rock Island Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Robbery of a Credit Union Followed by High-Speed Chase in Illinois and IowaRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Roman Thomas Lloyd, 34, of the 400 block of 19th Avenue, was sentenced on January 11, 2021, to a total of 72 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for credit union robbery and interstate transportation of stolen money.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Lloyd had fled from the police following the robbery, driving at speeds approaching 100 mph on both highways and residential streets. The government further highlighted that the chase had gone through four school zones and that law enforcement attempted to use “stop sticks” on five occasions before they were ultimately successful on their sixth attempt. The government noted that even after the stop sticks deflated Lloyd’s tires, law enforcement still had to use a “PIT maneuver” to force Lloyd’s car into a ditch before he was apprehended.
Based on this evidence, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow found that an upward variance from the sentencing guidelines was appropriate because Lloyd had shown reckless disregard for the health and safety of others during the more than 20-minute high-speed chase. Judge Darrow noted that the fact there were no injuries or accidents during the chase was miraculous.
"The defendant's apprehension is a prime example of the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies from multiple jurisdictions working together," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer. "We are thankful for the skill, dedication, and professionalism they demonstrated in the face of his dangerous flight."
“Mr. Lloyd’s actions are an example of bold disregard for the law, public safety, and the safety of law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public while apprehending a dangerous criminal,” said David Nanz, the Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Office. “This sentence is the result of teamwork among our partners to hold Lloyd accountable and prevent future violence.”
Lloyd received concurrent sentences of 72 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on the credit union robbery count and the interstate transportation of stolen money count. Judge Darrow further ordered that his sentence run consecutively to any sentence that is imposed in Henry County, Illinois, Case No. 2018CF216, in which he is charged with burglary of a pharmacy, theft, and aggravated fleeing or eluding a peace officer, and Clinton County, Iowa, Case No. FECR077034, in which he is charged with second-degree burglary; second-degree theft; and possession of a controlled substance, first offense.
The statutory penalties for credit union robbery are up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The statutory penalties for interstate transportation of stolen money are up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
Lloyd was indicted in July 2021 and pleaded guilty September 2021.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Moline Police Department investigated the case and were assisted by law enforcement officers from Rock Island and Davenport, Iowa. Assistant U.S. Attorney McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.
Richmond Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex Trafficking A Minor and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Kealeon Shakur Dyer-Hogan was sentenced today in federal court to 120 months following his convictions for sex trafficking of a minor and for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Maxine M. Chesney.
On July 13, 2021, a federal jury convicted Dyer-Hogan, 23, of Richmond, California, for the possession of child pornography. Trial evidence revealed that Dyer-Hogan befriended a 16 year old high school sophomore and began to pick her up after her school day in his SUV. One day the 16 year old girl entered Dyer-Hogan’s vehicle after school and saw a minor boy who she did not know sitting in the back. Dyer-Hogan instructed her to get in the back, and once in the back, the boy pulled down his pants. Dyer-Hogan filmed the incident on his cell phone, ignoring the 16 year old girl’s request to stop recording. Later that day Dyer-Hogan asked the 16 year old girl to work for him as a prostitute, which she rejected. The 16 year old eventually found one of the videos, which Dyer-Hogan had assured her were deleted, posted on social media. After Dyer-Hogan’s arrest, police found on his phone five of his video clips depicting sexual activity involving minors.
The jury convicted Dyer-Hogan of possessing child pornography. After his conviction, he was allowed to remain out of custody while awaiting further court proceedings.
On July 22, 2021 – nine days after the jury convicted Dyer-Hogan and while he was awaiting further court proceedings – Dyer-Hogan was arrested again. This time police found a 15 year old girl in his car. The government charged Dyer-Hogan with sex trafficking of the 15 year old minor, and he pleaded guilty to the charge on October 20, 2021. Among other admissions in his plea agreement, Dyer-Hogan admitted that for the three weeks prior to his July 22nd arrest – a time when he was in court during the day on trial for the above child pornography charges – he transported the 15 year old girl to and from an Oakland location where prostitution is commonplace.
In a memorandum filed for sentencing, the government described that the investigation of Dyer-Hogan revealed he had three females working for him as commercial sex workers. At least two of the females were minors. Dyer-Hogan was a controlling, violent, and manipulative pimp, according to the sentencing memo.
In addition to imposing a 120 month prison term, United States District Judge Maxine M. Chesney sentenced Dyer-Hogan to a five year term of supervision upon his release from prison, ordered him to pay $5,000 in restitution, and ordered Dyer-Hogan to stay away from and have no contact with the victims of his crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leif Dautch and Mari Overbeck prosecuted the cases with the assistance of Mark DiCenzo. The prosecution is the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richmond Police Department, and the Oakland Police Department.
This federal case was brought in U.S. District Court as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Randolph County woman sentenced for meth distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Janice May White, of Kerens, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 41 months of incarceration for selling methamphetamine, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
White, age 40, pleaded guilty in January 2020 to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine – Aiding and Abetting.” White admitted to selling methamphetamine in April 2019 in Randolph County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Queens Man Charged with Transporting 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in SexRead the Press Release
A six-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Manuel Moretti with Mann Act crimes stemming from the coercion of a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity with him on at least four occasions. Moretti was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, for several months last year, Moretti used different social media platforms to lure a 13-year-old child across state lines for the purpose of repeatedly engaging in sexual activity. These allegations serve as a reminder of the dangers to our children from online predators and the importance of being aware of whom our children are communicating with online,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is deeply committed to protecting vulnerable victims from sexual exploitation and will vigorously prosecute offenders like Moretti, who allegedly prey on children.”
“Cyber space may not seem real to some children, or even parents, but it poses a real danger as we allege in this investigation,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “Unfortunately, we can’t stop these crimes from happening because the internet allows sexual predators direct access to victims. We’re asking parents to start a conversation with their children about being safe online. The FBI New York Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force believes Mr. Moretti may have victimized others and we’re asking anyone with information to call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
As set forth in the indictment and court filings, Moretti met a 13-year-old child on a social networking site in January of last year. He then arranged for the child to travel across state lines to Moretti’s residence in Queens on several occasions over a four-month period between January and April 2021 for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Moretti also provided the child a fraudulent identification document to facilitate future sexual encounters with the child. In December 2021, after Moretti was interviewed by the FBI, he contacted the child, this time via Snapchat, a different social networking site, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of all counts, Moretti faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Assistant United States Attorney Margaret Schierberl is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MANUEL MORETTI
Age: 39
Forest Hills, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-17 (SJ)
Putnam Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that NICHOLAS SCHNEIDER, 32, of Putnam, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 5, 2020, ATF agents searched a residence in Canterbury where Schneider was living. In Schneider’s bedroom, investigators located numerous rounds of ammunition, various firearm parts, a firearm kit, and firearm magazines.
Schneider’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony narcotics offenses. 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.
Schneider was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 14, 2020.
Judge Merriam scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2022, at which time Schneider faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Schneider is released on bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.
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.
Providence Man Admits to Fraudulently Seeking Federally Funded COVID Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man today admitted in federal court that he submitted fraudulent online applications seeking pandemic related unemployment benefits from eight states while collecting benefits from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Vallah Brown 30, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, admitting that he filed fraudulent online applications seeking Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funded unemployment benefits from Massachusetts, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, California, Texas, New York, and Louisiana. Brown claimed on each state’s benefit application that he was a resident of that state, was unemployed, and was entitled to benefits in that state.
An investigation determined that Brown fraudulently collected $48,902 dollars in FFCRA and CARES Act funding from those eight states.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on April 22, 2022.
Wire fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years in federal prison and three years federal supervised release.
These matters and other cases of alleged criminal activity related to fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits due to the pandemic are being investigated jointly by the FBI and Rhode Island State Police, and U.S. Department of Labor, with the assistance of other federal agencies. Cases are jointly reviewed, charged and prosecuted by a team including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton, Stacey P. Veroni, 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 Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID- 19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Pharmacy Manager Indicted for Tampering with a Consumer Product and Obtaining Opiates by FraudRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Brian Thomas Badgley, 37, of Waterbury, Vermont appeared yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington for an arraignment on a two-count indictment charging him with tampering with a consumer product, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1365(a), and obtaining controlled substances by fraud in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(a)(3). Badgley entered a plea of not guilty and was released on conditions.
According to the indictment, Badgley is alleged to have tampered with a bottle of Hydromorphone oral solution by removing a quantity for his own use, and then diluting the remaining contents of the bottle with liquid Benadryl and distilled water. Badgley is alleged to have reattached the tamper seal on the bottle with clear tape and returned the diluted Hydromorphone oral solution to the inventory of the pharmacy, from which it could have been administered to pharmacy patients. Badgley is also alleged to have obtained Hydromorphone tablets and Hydromorphone solution through misrepresentations and fraud, specifically by entering false entries into the pharmacy ordering system, entering false pill counts into the inventory system, and diluting the oral solution. At the time of the alleged criminal conduct, Badgley was the pharmacy manager of the CVS located in Berlin, Vermont.
According to public records of the State of Vermont’s Board of Pharmacy, in 2016, Badgley had strict conditions placed on his pharmacist license after he was suspected of having diverted narcotics while employed as a pharmacy manager at Northwestern Medical Center. During those proceedings, Badgley admitted to stealing Hydromorphone from the hospital after his employment had been terminated. In 2020, the Board of Pharmacy removed the conditions from Badgley’s pharmacist license. On September 24, 2021, after the conduct alleged in the indictment came to its attention, the Board of Pharmacy summarily suspended Badgley’s pharmacist license.
The charges against Badgley are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. Badgley faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for the tampering charge, and a maximum sentence of 4 years for obtaining controlled substances by fraud.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation, and the Berlin Police Department.
Badgley is represented by Robert Backus, Esq. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt represents the United States.
Pee Dee Man, Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — United States Attorney Corey F. Ellis announced today that co-defendants Michael Anthony Dudley, 43, of Hartsville, and Lindsey Munn Butler, 36, of Lamar, were sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to drug-related charges. Dudley pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Butler pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 28, 2020, the Darlington County Drug Enforcement Unit used a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of heroin from Dudley at a location in Hartsville. On August 7, 2020, the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant during which law enforcement located a firearm, a baggie containing 3.947 grams of heroin, and ten baggies, three of which were confirmed to contain heroin. The firearm and narcotics were found in Dudley’s bedroom.
Additional evidence presented to the court showed that on August 6, 2020, the Darlington County Drug Enforcement Unit used a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of heroin from Butler also at a location in Hartsville.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Dudley to 81 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision, and sentenced Butler to 10 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Darlington County Drug Enforcement Unit.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel prosecuted the case.
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Parker Man Sentenced to 51 Months for RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Justin Ray Mike, 30, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Mike previously pleaded guilty to robbery.
On May 28, 2020, Mike broke into the residence of one of the victims, threatened her with a knife while demanding money, and punched her in the face, causing her to sustain bodily injury. Mike also demanded money from the other victim who was present at the residence. This robbery occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) Indian Reservation. Mike and both of the victims are members of the CRIT Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2020-00782-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 003_Mike# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Palladio Mall Rolex Robber Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — London Webb, 34, of Oakland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $691,973 in restitution for his participation in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies of jewelry stores for the specific purpose of stealing Rolex watches, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Webb’s participation in the robbery crew was first identified after an Oct. 14, 2014, robbery of Grebitus Jewelers in the Palladio Mall in Folsom. Webb and another man entered the jewelry store dressed in black and with their faces masked. Webb walked to a glass display case and smashed it using a sledgehammer. The other man pointed a gun at employees and ordered them to lie face down on the floor. In the process of removing Rolex watches from the smashed display case, Webb cut himself and left blood on the display case. Webb and the other man ran out of the jewelry store with $310,800 worth of watches. Law enforcement officers later found their abandoned getaway car. Webb’s blood was also found in the getaway car.
On Oct. 14, 2021, Webb pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. He also admitted to participating in similar smash and grab robberies of Kirk’s Jewelry in Chico (Nov. 21, 2014); Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Arizona (Jan. 16, 2015); and Churchill Jewelers in Santa Barbara (Jan. 30, 2015).
On Oct. 7, 2021, co-defendant Dion Johnson II, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty on April 14, 2021 to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and bank robbery.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the California State Threat Assessment Center, the Folsom Police Department, the Chico Police Department, the Scottsdale Police Department, and the Santa Barbara Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.
Operation False Haven: Former U.S. Army Sergeant and Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Naturalization Fraud, Judicially Denaturalized and Ordered Removed from the United StatesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley announced that today in federal court, Edgar Daniel Cruz-Magallanes, age 31, a naturalized citizen of the United States, born in Mexico and residing in Wake County, and former U.S. Army Sergeant, was sentenced by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan to one year of probation following a guilty plea to naturalization fraud. Moreover, Cruz-Magallanes was judicially denaturalized as a United States citizen and ordered removed from the United States.
According to court records, on March 19, 2015, Cruz-Magallanes fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under oath regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question “Were you ever involved in any way with any of the following: . . . Forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” he answered “No.”
On June 10, 2020, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Wake County, Cruz-Magallanes was convicted of three counts of indecent liberties with a child. Cruz-Magallanes was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the indictment to which he pled guilty, Cruz-Magallanes committed the offenses between December 20, 2010 and December 18, 2012. The victim was 8 years old. Cruz-Magallanes was not arrested until after he naturalized, thus immigration officials were unaware of his crime before he was approved for naturalization.
“Cruz-Magallanes is another in a growing number of criminals that thought their heinous acts of the past would not catch up to them, and thankfully he was wrong,” said Special Agent In Charge Ronnie Martinez, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in North Carolina and South Carolina. “Cases like this not only protect the integrity of our immigration system, but it also allows us to remove known predators from our communities.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and HSI, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven (OFH), an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively identify and prosecute child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00368-1FL(3). Previous media coverage on this case is located here: Click here.