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Tuesday 11 January 2022
Meth dealer sent to prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Rio Hondo resident has been ordered to federal prison after selling large amounts of meth from a Corpus Christi residence, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Gustavo Adolfo Garcia pleaded guilty Oct. 21, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered him to serve a 188-month term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Garcia’s repeated criminal conduct.
In late 2020, law enforcement began investigating narcotics sales out of a home in Corpus Christi.
The operation resulted in several arrests outside the home and led to the identification of Garcia and others who were selling various drugs out of the residence.
On Dec. 29, 2020, authorities conducted a search and discovered 3.198 kilograms of pure meth, 518.93 grams of cocaine and other controlled substances.
Garcia took responsibility for the all the meth found in the home. He also admitted he had sold it through the back door of the residence.
Garcia has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Corpus Christi and Robstown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.
Major Collection of Cambodian and Southeast Asian Antiquities Is Subject of Forfeiture Action Filed in Manhattan Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”), announced today the filing of a civil complaint seeking forfeiture of 35 Cambodian and Southeast Asian antiquities from a private American collection for the purpose of returning the antiquities to their countries of origin. Antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford sold the collection to its present owner (the “Collector”) with false statements and fake provenance documents intended to hide the fact that the antiquities were the products of looting, and then imported the antiquities through lies on customs paperwork. The Collector has voluntarily relinquished possession of the antiquities.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This Office continues to trace and recover the many stolen cultural treasures that Douglas Latchford sold and scattered far from their home countries. Through this action, the United States reaffirms its commitment to redressing the wrongs committed by Latchford and other looters who would exploit and profit from the pain and disruption of war.”
Ricky J. Patel, HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge said: “For years, Douglas Latchford operated an illegitimate enterprise by smuggling looted antiquities into the United States with blatant disregard for U.S. Customs laws. Latchford facilitated this by falsifying customs documentation and providing deceptive paperwork to collectors for sale on the international art market. Today, we are pleased to see that 35 pieces of cultural property will be repatriated to their rightful setting. HSI New York will not rest in its efforts to locate all the antiquities related to Latchford’s fraud and see that each piece of history is not just found, but sent home.”
According to the Complaint filed in Manhattan Federal Court on January 7, 2022:
The United States of America seeks the forfeiture of 34 antiquities which Latchford sold to the Collector between in or about 2003 and in or about 2007 (the “Defendants in Rem”). The Defendants in Rem are bronze and sandstone sculptures and artifacts which originate from countries in Southeast Asia, primarily Cambodia, but also India, Myanmar, and Thailand. They include a monumental sandstone sculpture of Ganesha from Koh Ker, an ancient capital of the Khmer empire; and bronze sculptures from the vicinity of Angkor Wat. Latchford sold the Defendants in Rem to the Collector as part of a scheme to sell looted antiquities on the international art market. The Defendants in Rem were either removed illegally from their country of origin; imported into the United States based on false statements to United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), or both.
Over the years, Latchford lied to and withheld information from the Collector in order to conceal that the Defendants in Rem were stolen, and supplied the Collector with false provenance documents and false information about the origin of certain of the Defendants in Rem. After Latchford sold the Defendants in Rem, many of them were then illegally imported into the United States based on false statements Latchford made to CBP and others.
In 2019, Latchford was indicted in the Southern District of New York with wire fraud conspiracy and other crimes related to a many-year scheme to sell looted Cambodian antiquities on the international art market, primarily by creating false provenance documents and falsifying invoices and shipping documents, including misrepresenting the country of origin of artworks. See United States v. Latchford, 19 Cr. 748 (AT) (the “Indictment”). In September 2020, the Indictment was dismissed due to Latchford’s death.
In 2021, an agent of HSI contacted the Collector about the Defendants in Rem. The Collector promptly cooperated with the Government’s inquiries and allowed the Government to inspect the Defendants in Rem. After the Collector learned more about the history of Latchford and the Defendants in Rem, including the evidence that the Defendants in Rem were illegally looted and/or illegally imported into the United States, the Collector voluntarily relinquished possession of the Defendants in Rem so that they can be repatriated to their countries of origin.
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Mr. Williams thanked HSI for its outstanding work on this investigation, which he noted is ongoing, and praised its ongoing efforts to find and repatriate stolen and looted cultural property. Mr. Williams also thanked the Kingdom of Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts for its assistance with this investigation.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U. S. Attorney Jessica Feinstein is in charge of the case.
The allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 108 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Edgar Mendoza, age 29, formerly of Drums, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 108 months’ imprisonment for methamphetamine trafficking.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on July 23, 2021, Mendoza pleaded guilty to conspiring with several other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute between 5 and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Hazleton area between October 2019 and February 2020. Mendoza also pleaded guilty to conspiring with several other individuals to launder drug proceeds. During the scheme, conspirators mailed parcels containing methamphetamine from Arizona to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, for retrieval and distribution. Mendoza was involved in retrieving parcels, selling the methamphetamine and depositing drug proceeds into a bank account in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The methamphetamine trafficking case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts.
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Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jordan Thomas, 24, of Vidalia, Louisiana, pled guilty today to possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court documents, on April 13, 2020, sheriff deputies in Adams County, Mississippi stopped a car for a traffic violation. Due to the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, sheriff’s deputies identified the passenger as Jordan Rashard Thomas who possessed a firearm concealed in his waistband under his sweatshirt. Thomas had previously been twice convicted of burglary in Concordia Parish, Louisiana.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 79 Months for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky.— A Lexington, Ky., man, Fredrick Lester Jr., 40, was sentenced to 79 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and felon in possession of firearms.
According to Lester’s plea agreement, on July 21, 2020, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Lester’s vehicle, where they found Lester in possession of 4.8 grams of fentanyl and a loaded Glock. That same day, law enforcement searched Lester’s residence and found 40 grams of fentanyl and 19 grams of methamphetamine. While Lester was detained, he made a series of jail calls to individuals telling them to clean out a storage unit. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for the storage unit and found three firearms, ammunition, and a ballistics vest. Lester admitted that he knew he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Lester had previously been convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms in 2001 and 2010.
Lester pleaded guilty in September 2021.
Under federal law, Lester must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for ___years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Leader of multimillion-dollar tobacco tax fraud and money laundering conspiracy sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A leader of a scheme to cheat Washington State out of more than $10 million in tobacco excise taxes was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 26 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Hyung Il Kwon, 48, of Henderson, Nevada, was the secret owner of TK Mac, a company that owned and operated two smoke shops in Federal Way and Lynnwood, Washington. Kwon conspired with others to cheat the state out of tobacco excise taxes; he also evaded more than $850,000 in federal income taxes. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart noted that Kwon has a prior state conviction from a similar tobacco fraud scheme, and said, “You [Kwon] have almost no respect for the law whatsoever when it gets in the way of making money.”
“For years, Mr. Kwon repeatedly laundered cash and created false invoices to avoid paying tobacco excise taxes. This didn’t just hurt the state coffers, it gave his business a competitive advantage over other small stores,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “Now Mr. Kwon has a substantial restitution obligation, which will follow him even after he serves his prison term.”
According to records filed in the case, between 2009 and 2017, Kwon engaged in two schemes to defraud the state of tobacco excise taxes. The schemes involved two tribal smoke shops on the Puyallup reservation which sold significant quantities of tobacco products to TK Mac, the non-tribal tobacco distributor. Most of the sales were in cash, and TK Mac failed to report the purchases to the state, thus avoiding millions of dollars in excise taxes. When TK Mac then resold the products for cash, the company had a problem, since large deposits of cash would have triggered state scrutiny of its tobacco business. So, beginning in 2013 and continuing until 2017, Kwon and his coconspirators engaged in a money-laundering scheme: the two tribal smoke shops wrote checks to TK Mac as if the tribal smoke shops had purchased tobacco products from the non-tribal store. In fact, TK Mac simply provided the tribal smoke shops with large amounts of cash equal to the checks. No tobacco products changed hands, but TK Mac received an excise tax credit. As a result of these schemes, Washington State suffered losses of more than $10 million.
The president of the company that owns the tribal smoke shops, Anthony Edwin Paul, was sentenced last month to 14 months in prison, a $5,000 fine, and $1,764,818 in restitution. Paul’s subordinate, Theodore Kai Silva, who operated the scheme on behalf of the tribal smoke shops, was sentenced today to four years of probation with six months of home confinement, plus $25,000 in restitution. Kwon’s coconspirator and business partner Tae Young Kim will be sentenced in February 2022.
“Taxes, whether state or federal, are levied for the benefit of the public. When individuals like Mr. Silva, Mr. Kwon, Mr. Paul, and Mr. Kim scheme in a flagrant attempt to evade taxes, they are hurting the communities they purport to serve with their businesses,” said Bret Kressin, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Special Agent in Charge, Seattle Field Office. “Today’s sentence is a reminder that those who willfully dodge their duty to pay federal and state taxes will be held accountable for their actions. IRS:CI is committed to investigating those who choose their own greed over paying their fair share of taxes for the good of the public.”
Following the indictment of various coconspirators, the government seized more than $5 million from Kwon and Kim. Today, Judge Robart imposed a $10,000 fine on Kwon and ordered him to pay $5,098,249 in restitution to the Washington State Department of Revenue, plus restitution to the IRS.
The case was investigated by IRS-CI, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James Oesterle and Jonas Lerman.
Leader of Neo-Nazi group sentenced for plot targeting journalists and advocatesRead the Press Release
Seattle - Kaleb Cole, 26, a leader of the Neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, was sentenced today in Seattle to 7 years in prison for his role in a plot to threaten and intimidate journalists and advocates who worked to expose anti-Semitism. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “We cannot tolerate his threats to silence others… To function as a democratic society, we need reliable and truthful journalists.”
In September 2021, a jury in the Western District of Washington convicted Cole of one count of interfering with a federally protected activity because of religion, three counts of mailing threatening communications, and one count of conspiring with other Atomwaffen members to commit three offenses against the United States––interference with federally-protected activities because of religion, mailing threatening communications, and cyberstalking.
“Kaleb Cole helped lead a violent, nationwide neo-Nazi group. He repeatedly promoted violence, stockpiled weapons, and organized ‘hate camps,’” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Today the community and those Mr. Cole and his co-conspirators targeted stand-up to say hate has no place here. He tried to intimidate journalists and advocates with hate-filled and threatening posters, tried to amplify their fear. Instead, they faced him in court and their courage has resulted in the federal prison sentence imposed today.”
Evidence introduced at trial showed that Cole and other members of Atomwaffen plotted to intimidate journalists and others by mailing threatening posters or gluing the posters to victims’ homes. The group focused primarily on those who are Jewish or journalists of color. Cole created the posters, which warned the recipients that “you have been visited by your local Nazis.” The posters contained threatening images, such as a hooded figure preparing to throw a Molotov cocktail at a house. The threatening posters were delivered to homes in late January 2020.
At trial, the victims described how receiving the posters impacted them. Some moved from their homes for a time or installed security systems. One purchased a firearm and took a firearms safety class. Another started opening her mailbox with a stick due to fear of what might be inside. One left her job as a journalist.
“Threats motivated by religious intolerance are antithetical to American values, even more so when they aim to intimidate journalists and others who are working to expose bigotry in our society.” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant led a multi-state plot by a neo-Nazi group to threaten and intimidate journalists and advocates who were doing important work to expose anti-Semitism around the country. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute these hateful acts.”
“The defendant sought to intimidate journalists and advocates working to expose anti-Semitism, but that effort failed,” said Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Cole’s intended victims fought back but not with threats of violence; they fought back in a court of law. The FBI will continue to do our part by aggressively investigating cases involving threats or acts of violence.”
“Mr. Cole displayed through his actions that his beliefs were more than just rhetoric. No doubt, the exemplary work of our investigators and partners prevented Cole’s targets from becoming victims of violence,” said Donald Voiret, Special Agent in Charge FBI- Seattle.
Three other co-conspirators––Cameron Shea, Johnny Roman Garza, and Taylor Ashley Parker-Dipeppe––previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Seattle, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix, with assistance from the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Woods and Seth Wilkinson for the Western District of Washington, and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney David Smith of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, District of Arizona, and Central District of California.
Leader of Neo-Nazi Group Sentenced for Plot to Target Journalists and AdvocatesRead the Press Release
A Washington man was sentenced today to 84 months, or seven years, in prison for his role in a plot to threaten and intimidate journalists and advocates who worked to expose anti-Semitism.
Kaleb Cole, 25, a leader of the Neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, was convicted by a federal jury in the Western District of Washington of one count of interfering with a federally protected activity because of religion, three counts of mailing threatening communications, and one count of conspiring with other Atomwaffen members to commit three offenses against the United States – interference with federally-protected activities because of religion, mailing threatening communications, and cyberstalking.
“Threats motivated by religious intolerance are antithetical to American values, even more so when they aim to intimidate journalists and others who are working to expose bigotry in our society.” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant led a multi-state plot by a neo-Nazi group to threaten and intimidate journalists and advocates who were doing important work to expose anti-Semitism around the country. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute these hateful acts.”
“Kaleb Cole helped lead a violent, nationwide neo-Nazi group,’” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown for the Western District of Washington. “He repeatedly promoted violence, stockpiled weapons, and organized ‘hate camps’. Today the community and those Mr. Cole and his co-conspirators targeted, stand-up to say hate has no place here. He tried to intimidate journalists and advocates with hate-filled and threatening posters, tried to amplify their fear. Instead they faced him in court and their courage has resulted in the federal prison sentence imposed today.”
“The defendant sought to intimidate journalists and advocates working to expose anti-Semitism, but that effort failed,” said Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Cole’s intended victims fought back but not with threats of violence; they fought back in a court of law. The FBI will continue to do our part by aggressively investigating cases involving threats or acts of violence.”
“Mr. Cole displayed through his actions that his beliefs were more than just rhetoric,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Voiret of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “No doubt, the exemplary work of our investigators and partners prevented Cole’s targets from becoming victims of violence.”
Evidence introduced at trial showed that Cole and other members of Atomwaffen plotted to intimidate journalists and others by mailing threatening posters or gluing the posters to victims’ homes. The group focused primarily on those who are Jewish or journalists of color. Cole created the posters, which warned the recipients that “you have been visited by your local Nazis.” The posters contained threatening images, such as a hooded figure preparing to throw a Molotov cocktail at a house. The threatening posters were delivered to homes in late January 2020.
At trial, the victims described how receiving the posters impacted them. Some moved from their homes for a time or installed security systems. One purchased a firearm and took a firearms safety class. Another started opening her mailbox with a stick due to fear of what might be inside. One left her job as a journalist.
Three other co-conspirators – Cameron Shea, Johnny Roman Garza, and Taylor Ashley Parker-Dipeppe – previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Seattle, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix, with assistance from the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Woods and Seth Wilkinson for the Western District of Washington, and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney David Smith of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, District of Arizona, and Central District of California.
Lawrence Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Participating in a Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Santo Benito Lara, 48, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced on Monday to 120 months in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today. Lara was convicted by a federal jury on May 10, 2019.
Evidence presented during the four-day trial showed that beginning at least in May of 2018, the defendant participated in a conspiracy to sell fentanyl to a customer in Salem, New Hampshire. After the DEA received information about the conspiracy, it began an investigation into the Lara's activities. Between May and September of 2018, Lara and another individual sold fentanyl in Lawrence to a cooperating individual on multiple occasions.
Lara will likely face removal from the United States after serving his sentence.
“Drug traffickers who come to New Hampshire to sell fentanyl are endangering the lives of our state’s residents,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “This ten-year sentence demonstrates that those who sell fentanyl in the Granite State will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct. We will continue to work closely with the DEA and all our law enforcement partners to protect public safety by identifying and prosecuting the drug dealers who seek to profit from selling deadly substances in New Hampshire.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police and the Essex County (MA) Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Dronzek and Jarad Hodes.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who was convicted of committing four armed robberies — including two bank robberies and a robbery of the same Starbucks coffeehouse twice — was sentenced today to 29 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
In May 2021, a jury convicted Edwin Arnold Jr., 25, of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of bank robbery, and four counts of brandishing a firearm in a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the five-day jury trial and the sentencing hearing today.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, between December 2016 and January 2017, Arnold and co-conspirator Shamariae Marshon Jones (25), of Pasadena, California, robbed two banks and a Starbucks coffeehouse — stealing a total of $14,280. During each robbery, Arnold brandished a handgun at employees, demanded money, and threatened to shoot if they did not comply. On January 26, 2017, the FBI's Criminal Apprehension Team arrested Arnold and Jones when the two drove back to Arnold's residence immediately after committing their latest robbery.
Jones was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, two counts of bank robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in a crime of violence. Jones faces a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison at his sentencing hearing on January 18, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Reese is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Judge sentences Palmyra, Missouri man for possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Stephen Lawrence, age 70, of Palmyra, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Steven R. Clark on today’s date. Based on a previous plea of guilty, Lawrence was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, on or about March 17, 2020, Microsoft reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual, later identified to be Stephen Lawrence, utilized a Microsoft peer-to-peer account to obtain child pornography.
On June 2, 2020, law enforcement contacted Lawrence at his residence in Palmyra, Missouri, where he consented to law enforcement seizing and examining multiple electronic devices. It was determined that on or before June 2, 2020, the defendant possessed over sixty-nine thousand images and over nineteen hundred videos containing child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the St. Charles County Police Department.
Inmate Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison on Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a federal inmate on an assault charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
U.S District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Lemond Lawrence Burns, 22, of Alpine, to 150 months in prison. Burns pleaded guilty to the assault of a Morgan County Corrections Officer resulting in bodily injury in October 2021.
“Corrections officers perform a difficult and sometimes dangerous job to ensure that inmates are housed safely,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “My office will not hesitate to prosecute any inmates who violate the law by attacking and injuring corrections officers.”
“Following his arrest on financial crimes charges, Lemond Burns assaulted a Morgan County Corrections Officer,” SAC Davis said. “We are thankful to our local law enforcement partners and the US Attorney’s Office for their efforts in the prosecution of this case. Law enforcement is a noble calling and any acts of violence against law enforcement cannot be tolerated in a just society.”
“Today, justice was served. I am grateful for U.S. Attorney Escalona and the U.S. Secret Service for their handling of this case,” Morgan County Sheriff Ron Puckett said. “Corrections Officers work tirelessly in a profession that many would never attempt. The senseless, brazen assault on Officer Evans was unacceptable and today's sentence reinforces that sentiment.”
According to the plea agreement, in April 2021, Burns was a federal inmate being held in custody at the Morgan County Jail. Burns was awaiting sentencing on a previous federal conviction. On April 19th, Burns assaulted a female corrections officer who was working at the jail. Burns punched her two times and knocked her to the ground. The corrections officer sustained injuries to her face and teeth and was transported to the hospital.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case along with Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin B. Mark prosecuted the case.
Indiana man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sex trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Matthew “Stacks” Woods, 32, of Indiana, was sentenced in federal court on Jan. 10 to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by means of force, threats, fraud and coercion and aiding and abetting. Woods pleaded guilty on June 8.
Woods and his co-conspirators, Cornelius “Chip” Galloway and Marcus “Taylor Made” Taylor, were charged in a superseding indictment on Dec. 3, 2019, with seven counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and attempted sex trafficking. The charges included two counts of sex trafficking of minors.
In his plea agreement, Woods admitted to his part in the conspiracy to recruit, maintain, advertise and transport victims for the purpose of prostitution. The victims were expected to work when they were told, with no say over their hours, fees or the locations in which they were to perform sex acts. The victims were not allowed to keep any of the money paid for their services.
According to the plea, Galloway was the leader of the organization, Taylor transported the victims and Woods physically punished victims for non-compliance.
Upon his release from prison, Woods will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Additionally, Woods must pay $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Galloway pleaded guilty on March 17, 2020, and was sentenced on Aug. 4, 2020, to 17 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Taylor pleaded guilty on May 21, 2020, and was sentenced on May 21, 2021, to eight years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Both are required to register as sex offenders.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack E. Burkhead and Letitia C. Simms prosecuted the case.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Results in Federal Prison Time for Two South Louisiana MenRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two men from the south Louisiana area were sentenced today by Chief United States Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. for their illegal involvement with firearms.
Lance Lawtell Granger, 49, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced to 56 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On November 18, 2020, law enforcement officers with the Lafayette Police Department executed a search warrant at Granger’s residence and, while searching his bedroom, located a backpack containing a firearm and ammunition. Granger admitted to officers that the firearm and ammunition belonged to him and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition because he was a convicted felon. His prior felony convictions are for possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2009, along with possession with intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids and attempted possession of firearm by a convicted felon in 2018.
This case was investigated by the ATF and Lafayette Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker.
Cristian Eli Alvarez-Alvarez, 25, who was found to be living illegal in the United States, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On February 3, 2021, officers with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of shots being fired at a residence in Duson, Louisiana. During their investigation of these events, law enforcement agents learned that Alvarez-Alvarez was in possession of a firearm and that he was also a citizen of Honduras who was living illegally in the United States. Alvarez-Alvarez was charged in an indictment with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and pleaded guilty to the charge on May 4, 2021.
This case was investigated by agents with the ATF, Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Nickel prosecuted the case.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Nigerian Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- A Huntington woman pleaded guilty today in connection with her role as a money mule in a Nigerian fraud scheme that scammed money from individuals, many of whom were elderly.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Patricia Dudding, 69, acted as a money mule for a Nigerian scammer. In May 2018, Dudding met “Lucas” online and although they never actually met in person, Dudding and Lucas communicated frequently by email and text messages. Dudding set up numerous bank accounts in her name at several different banks that she would use to wire and receive fraudulent funds. Dudding received numerous deposits in those bank accounts from individuals located in the United States and abroad. She, and unnamed co-conspirators, would then transfer these funds to bank accounts located in Nigeria. To further the scheme, Dudding admittedly would make false and fraudulent representations to the financial institutions to make it appear that the wire transfers were being sent for legitimate purposes. On April 26, 2019, Dudding sent a wire transfer of $39,000 from her account to an individual in Montana. Upon questioning by a bank employee, Dudding lied about the wire transfer to aid Lucas in completing the transfer of funds to the designated recipient in Montana.
Over the course of the scheme, Dudding withdrew victim funds for her personal benefit. Dudding used the funds to pay her utility bills, satellite television service, groceries, drug store purchases, gasoline purchases, department store purchases, restaurants and took numerous cash withdrawals.
Dudding pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an unlawful monetary transaction and faces up to 10 years in prison when she is sentenced on April 25, 2022. As part of her plea agreement, Dudding has agreed to pay $1,788,589.24 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) – Office of Inspector General and the South Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting the case.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-00001.
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Helena man admits illegal possession of stolen gunpowder in pawn shop investigationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena man admitted to an ammunitions crime today after he was accused of assisting a Helena pawn shop in the sale of 88 pounds of stolen gunpowder, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Douglas Wayne Sillivan, 70, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with prohibited person in possession of ammunition. Sillivan faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for April 28. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sillivan was released pending sentencing.
In court documents, the government alleged that an undercover investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of Modern Pawn & Consignment, Inc., a federal firearms licensee and located in Helena, led to various charges against multiple defendants. After a July 2021 press release about the case, an East Helena resident contacted the ATF’s Helena Office to tell agents that the resident believed he or she may have purchased stolen gunpowder from Isaiah Morsette, a co-defendant who served as the pawn shop’s firearms and ammunition expert, in late February or early March 2021. The resident turned over about 88 pounds of gunpowder that had been taken from Montana Outdoor Sports, a theft that indirectly began the investigation into Modern Pawn. Sillivan was present for the transaction at Modern Pawn and helped the resident load the gunpowder into the resident’s vehicle. Sillivan has a felony conviction in Montana for sexual assault and was prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Morsette pleaded guilty to firearms charges in the case and is pending sentencing.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 252 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Brendan Collicott, 27 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to multiple counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Collicott was sentenced to 252 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Collicott was also ordered to pay $400.00 restitution.
According to documents in the case, during the evening hours of January 21, 2018, and into the early morning hours of January 22, 2018, Collicott robbed four gas stations in Fort Wayne while armed with a firearm. For at least some of the robberies, Collicott was accompanied by another male. Collicott did not get more than a few hundred dollars at any of the gas stations. At the time of his apprehension, law enforcement recovered the loaded firearm used in the robberies.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Former teacher sentenced to federal prison after admitting to child sexual exploitationRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A former Aiken County, S.C., teacher was sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison after admitting to sexually exploiting a Columbia County, Ga., minor.
Jonathan Eugene Grantham, 45, of Graniteville, S.C., was sentenced to 140 months in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Grantham to pay $50,000 in restitution, and to serve the rest of his life on supervised release and register as a sex offender after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our community rightly holds educators in high regard as it entrusts them with the care of some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Jonathan Grantham’s field of employment made it even more despicable that he participated in the depraved interstate sex trafficking of a child, and he deservedly will serve substantial prison time for his crimes.”
At the time of his arrest in February 2021, Grantham was employed as a teacher at Ridge Spring-Monetta High School in Ridge Spring, S.C. He later was terminated.
Grantham came to the attention of the FBI while agents were conducting the sex trafficking investigation of Michael Peyton Gunn, 36, of Evans, who faces a sentence of up to life in prison after his conviction at trial on nine felony charges including sex trafficking of a child.
Agents discovered that Grantham, in July 2019, traveled from South Carolina to Columbia County to engage in sexual activity with a victim who was under age 18. Grantham admitted responding to an online advertisement trafficking the minor victim, then traveling from South Carolina to Evans to transport the victim to a South Carolina motel for a sexual act in return for payment.
The investigation into related crimes in the case continues.
“It is tremendously upsetting that someone in a position entrusted to care for our children was involved in taking advantage of and sexually exploiting a minor,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will spare no resource when it comes to bringing child predators, like Grantham, to justice.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Former Vermont Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Paul Gracey, 57, formerly of Vermont, pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court to theft of government funds, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2014, Gracey was found disabled and eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through the Social Security Administration (SSA). With limited exception, SSI benefits are available only to U.S. residents. Beneficiaries who leave the United States for more than 30 days or more consecutively are not considered to be back in the United States until the individual resides in the United States again for 30 days in a row.
Gracey was required to report certain changes, including whether he moved, within 10 days after the month the change took place. He moved to Mexico by February 2017 and was required to report that change to the SSA by March 2017. However, he never informed SSA of his move. Therefore, he was ineligible for SSI benefits until he reestablished residency in the United States.
Facebook records showed that Gracey admitted to living in Mexico between February 2017 and May 2021 to multiple people. During this timeframe, Gracey also asked several people in the United States to let him report their addresses to SSA as his own to cause the SSA to continue paying him SSI benefits. Due to his improperly reporting false addresses to the SSA, Gracey obtained $37,743 in SSI benefits he was not entitled to receive.
Gracey is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26, 2022.
“Federal benefits provide important financial support to qualified individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “Those who lie to obtain federal benefits are committing a serious federal crime. By moving to Mexico and creating a web of lies to continue to obtain SSI benefits, this defendant stole federal funds. Thanks to the hard work of the Office of the Inspector General, he is now being held accountable for his criminal conduct.”
“Supplemental Security Income is a needs-based safety net for the most vulnerable among us; Mr. Gracey intentionally concealed his living arrangements for several years to fraudulently receive benefits that he was not entitled to receive,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “My office will continue to hold accountable those who improperly obtain Social Security benefits. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen for prosecuting this case.”
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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Five Members of Pinellas County Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Charged and ArrestedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jovante Raschod Thomas, a/k/a “Wood,” a/k/a “Tae” (40, Pinellas Park), Troy Lydell Mctier Jr. (29, St. Petersburg), Adrian Fulton Ashby, (50, St. Petersburg) Marquesha Dequaila Leseon Isaac a/k/a “Auntie,” a/k/a “Angie” (36, St. Peterburg), and Santino Eduardo Jimenez (39, Clearwater) with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. If convicted on all counts, Jovante Thomas faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, and up to, life in federal prison. Troy Mctier and Santino Jimenez each face a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, and a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment. Adrian Ashby and Marquesha Isaac each face up to 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit any assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, from at least October 2020, through January 4, 2022, the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl throughout the Middle District of Florida.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office as part of operation “Clean Up” – an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fentanyl Traffickers Appear in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two fentanyl traffickers appeared before U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers in Huntington this week, announced United States Attorney Will Thompson.
According to court documents, James Lennon Pace, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced to a total of 13 years and eight months in federal prison. On March 16, 2021, Huntington Police Officers executed a search warrant at Pace’s residence on Charleston Avenue in Huntington. Pace was present just prior to the search and arrested on an unrelated warrant. During the search, officers seized a number of items including fentanyl, three firearms, and items used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Pace admitted that he possessed the firearms and that he intended to distribute the fentanyl. Pace was on supervised release for a prior drug conviction at the time of the offense. In August 2021, Pace pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation.
In a separate case, Martez D. Foy, 28, of Detroit, Michigan pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Foy admitted that on March 10, 2021, he sold approximately five grams of fentanyl to an undercover informant. Foy also admitted that he sold an additional five grams of fentanyl to an undercover informant on April 13, 2021. Foy faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 11, 2022. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:21-cr-00104/3:16-cr-00065(Pace) and 3:21-cr-00222(Foy).
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Federal Indictment Charges Chicago Attorney with Insider TradingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago attorney used insider information obtained from a friend to purchase shares of an education-technology company before it publicly announced strong quarterly earnings, according to an indictment returned in federal court.
The indictment accuses attorney DAVID SARGENT of obtaining material, non-public information from CHRISTOPHER KLUNDT, a management-level employee of the company and a friend since college. The information pertained to the company’s 2020 first-quarter earnings, which Klundt knew would be strong based on internal meetings he had attended, the indictment alleges. After receiving the information from Klundt, Sargent purchased numerous shares and call options of the company’s stock ahead of the earnings announcement and then sold them shortly thereafter, the indictment states. In the interim, the company’s stock price increased. Sargent made approximately $110,000 from the trades, the charges allege.
The indictment was returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It charges Sargent, 37, of Chicago, and Klundt, 38, of San Francisco, Calif., with conspiracy, insider trading, and securities fraud. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Getter and Vikas Didwania represent the government.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Augustus Darryl Jones, Jr., 30, arranged to distribute methamphetamine to a confidential informant on November 10, 2021 in Huntington. When Jones was in route to conduct the drug transaction, a West Virginia State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle and seized 460 grams of methamphetamine. Jones admitted he possessed and intended to distribute the methamphetamine to the informant.
Jones pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 25, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00242.
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Defendant Sentenced to Life in Prison for Double Murder on Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Fort McDermitt Shoshone Paiute Tribe member was sentenced today to a term of life in prison as to both counts to run consecutively to each other for murdering two women who were also Tribe members.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, on January 31, 2018, Stoney Prior (43) shot and killed two women on the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, inside the home of one of the victims.
In August 2021, a jury convicted Prior of two counts of second-degree murder in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks presided over the jury trial and the sentencing hearing today.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was a joint investigation by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with assistance from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Penelope Brady and Richard Casper prosecuted the case.
If you have information concerning a missing or murdered person in Indian Country, you are urged to contact your local FBI office or submit a tip online – tips can remain anonymous – at TIPS.FBI.GOV.
The Department of Justice is committed to addressing violent crime in native communities and to improving the federal response to reports of missing or murdered American Indians or Alaska Natives. For more information about the Department’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons initiative, visit: www.justice.gov/tribal.
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Dark Web Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 160 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal district judge in West Palm Beach, Florida sentenced a 26-year- old Arizona man to 160 months in prison for selling crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illegal drugs on the dark web to buyers across the country, including South Florida.
From 2018 to 2020, Jose Rodolfo Barraza Flores advertised and sold crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, M-30 pills (fentanyl-laced Percocet pills), and other narcotics through vendor accounts that he established on darknet marketplaces like White House Market, Empire Market and Yellowbrick Road. Once a buyer placed an on-line order and paid for it with bitcoin, Barraza Flores would mail the illegal drugs to the buyer. To avoid detection, Barraza Flores concealed the narcotics inside wax candles, which he melted, molded, and packaged inside a trailer in Arizona.
In October 2021, Barraza Flores pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and three counts of distribution of a controlled substance. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon imposed the sentence.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Investigation Service (USPIS), Miami Division; and Deanne L. Reuter, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division announced the sentence.
FBI Miami, USPIS Miami, and DEA Miami investigated the case, with assistance from their Phoenix counterparts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aurora Fagan is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Zloch is handling the asset forfeiture aspect of the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-80029.
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Construction Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced that MARIO G. NUNES pled guilty today to tax evasion and filing false federal income tax returns, before United States District Judge Nelson S. Román, in White Plains federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted in court, the defendant engaged in a scheme to evade paying federal income taxes for years, including by concealing business income, making false statements to the IRS, and filing false federal income tax returns. Nunes has now pled guilty to federal crimes and faces time in federal prison, another example that attempting to conceal income and filing false returns are ultimately far costlier than filing accurate returns and paying one’s taxes due.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “Mr. Nunes attempted the cheat the system but the system caught up with him. Thanks to the efforts of our IRS-CI Special Agents, Mr. Nunes will now be held to account for the lies, evasion and false returns he used to shelter more than $1.5 million dollars from taxation.”
According to the Information to which NUNES pled guilty and statements made in court:
NUNES was an independent contractor who performed construction work, including as a subcontractor for commercial and residential masonry and concrete projects. NUNES filed false federal income tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2017 and, from in or about March 2014 through in or about May 2019, orchestrated a scheme to evade payment of his unpaid assessed federal income taxes, including by falsely informing the IRS, in response to its collection efforts, that he was unemployed and relying on family and friends for living expenses. At the same time, NUNES concealed more than $1.5 million in business income by, among other things, depositing business receipts into personal bank accounts, cashing checks received from customers rather than depositing the funds into a bank account, and instructing customers to pay his suppliers directly.
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NUNES, 59, of Yonkers, New York, pled guilty to one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and six counts of subscribing to false tax returns, each of which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. NUNES has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS, representing the additional tax due and owing as a result of his conduct, in the amount of at least $330,833. Sentencing before Judge Román is scheduled for April 14, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentence imposed on the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI in this case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman is in charge of the prosecution.
Conroe man charged with funneling money to IndiaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 48-year-old local man has been taken into custody on charges of obtaining over $600,000 from elderly victims throughout the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery.
Authorities arrested Anthony Munigety, 48, today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edison at 2 p.m. Also charged is Ravi Kumar of Noida, India. He is believed to be in India and considered a fugitive. A warrant remains outstanding for his arrest.
A federal grand jury returned a 20-count indictment Dec. 15, 2021.
According to the allegations, the fraud ring operated out of the Conroe area and other locations in the United States and India. Munigety, Kumar and others allegedly committed various fraud schemes targeting primarily elderly victims throughout the United States.
The primary objective, according to the indictment, was to deceive victims by telling them a technical support company or other entities were purportedly helping them with their computers. They would allegedly trick victims into believing they had been erroneously refunded or overpaid and needed to return the overpayment.
The indictment alleges they were able to gain access to a victim’s computer. This enabled Munigety, Kumar and others to move funds between or wire transfer monies out of their accounts, according to the charges. Once that occurred, Munigety and others would keep a portion of the money and wire the remainder to Kumar in India, according to the charges.
As a result of their scheme, Munigety and others allegedly received over $600,000 from elderly victims.
Munigety and Kumar are charged conspiracy to commit money laundering, 13 counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years on each count as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
IRS – Criminal Investigation and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Quincy L. Ollison is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas is a member of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative which combats elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Cincinnati residents charged with making straw purchases of firearmsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged two individuals from Cincinnati with crimes related to making straw purchases of firearms.
Jermaine Pulley, 29, and Nylisha Hill, 22, are charged with conspiring to commit a felony against the United States by making false statements during purchases of firearms, including by lying on federal firearms forms.
Hill is scheduled to make her initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.
According to the indictment that was unsealed yesterday, Pulley was prohibited from possessing firearms under the terms of his probation. The indictment alleges that Pulley would provide Hill with cash to purchase firearms on his behalf and that the defendants would then make false representations to federal firearms licensees, to the effect that Hill, not Pulley, was the true purchaser of the firearms.
It is alleged the defendants visited two area federal firearms licensees on Oct. 12, 2021, in an attempt to purchase multiple firearms.
Pulley allegedly attempted to pay for a firearm at Shoot Point Blank – Cincy West, saying that he was paying for the firearm, but that it was for Hill’s use.
That same day, the defendants purchased two firearms at Shoot Point Blank – Blue Ash. Shortly after purchasing the firearms, it is alleged they attempted to buy two more.
Making a false statement on federal firearms forms is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Conspiring to commit a felony crime against the United States carries a potential penalty of five years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for His Role in Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids, Iowa, man who was involved in the distribution of heroin was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Antoine D. Jackson, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a June 21, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in 2017 and 2018, Jackson and one other individual worked together to sell heroin in the Cedar Rapids area. In January 2018, investigators conducted a wiretap investigation of a phone operated by Jackson’s accomplice. Multiple people called the phone daily to arrange for heroin deals. Jackson’s accomplice would set up the deal, but Jackson would show up to deliver the heroin. Jackson generally distributed .2 gram of heroin per transaction. In total, Jackson personally distributed at least 46 grams of heroin.
Jackson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Jackson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration Cedar Rapids Resident
Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-6.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Buffalo Man Arrested Following Months of Surveillance Going to Prison for Five Years on Crack Cocaine ChargeRead 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 James Terrell, 37, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that in the summer of 2019, investigators learned that Terrell was involved in bulk currency money drops. On August 20, 2019, Terrell was observed exchanging a bag and a traffic stop was conducted on Terrell’s vehicle. Investigators seized $80,110 and two cellular telephones from inside the center console of the vehicle. On April 9, 2020, Terrell was observed leaving an Earl Place residence with a package, which contained a kilogram of cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
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Bucks County Man Sentenced to 140 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Eastman, age 32, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 7, 2022, to 140 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Eastman previously pleaded guilty to possessing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine for further distribution in the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Behe prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Boxford Plumbing Company Owner Charged with Tax Evasion and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boxford businessman was charged today and has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding the government of more than $1.45 million by engaging in a multi-year tax evasion scheme and to defrauding a customer by billing him for plumbing services he did not perform.
Jared Derrico, a/k/a “Jay,” 35, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion and two counts of mail fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, for tax years 2015 through 2019, Derrico operated a plumbing business known, variously, as Derrico Services and The Pipe Surgeon. During that time, Derrico allegedly cashed payments from his customers or deposited them into his personal accounts, but did not report this income on this tax returns. It is also alleged that Derrico fraudulently obtained payments for installing air conditioning units at a property in Boston, but in fact, did not install the units.
The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. According to the terms of the plea agreement, Derrico will pay restitution to the IRS and will be required to pay restitution to the victims of the charged scheme to defraud, if accepted by the Court. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The United State Postal Inspection Service and the Ipswich Police Department also provided valuable support in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bowie, Maryland Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Dispense OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Justina Aburime, age 53, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone and one count of distribution and dispensing of oxycodone.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to her guilty plea, from February 2017 to February 2020, Aburime conspired with others, including Thomas Charles Johnson, to distribute and dispense oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose at Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP (PTMS), a Largo, Maryland pain management clinic.
As licensed and registered nurse practitioners under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the state of Maryland, Aburime and Johnson were legally authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes.
During her employment with PTMS, Aburime wrote oxycodone prescriptions without a legitimate medical need and outside the scope of professional practice. Aburime allowed an unauthorized person to write oxycodone prescriptions using her medical credentials. Specifically, Aburime allowed PTMS’s owner—who was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances—to prescribe oxycodone to individuals using pre-signed blank prescriptions bearing Aburime’s name and DEA registration number.
In some instances, Aburime was traveling outside the United States at the time of treatment or did not see the patient who was prescribed oxycodone using her credentials. Further, Aburime agreed that she prescribed oxycodone to patients when there was no legitimate need and without considering alternative treatment options. Aburime also agreed that she increased oxycodone dosage over time without a medical justification.
Co-defendant Thomas Charles Johnson, Jr. pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone on October 28, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.
Aburime faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for each count. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for April 26, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica C. Collins and Elizabeth Wright, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the dangers and effects of opioids, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Boothbay Man Sentenced for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Boothbay man was sentenced today in federal court for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Joseph Pinkham, 35, to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Pinkham pleaded guilty on June 23, 2021.
According to court records, in October 2019, Pinkham sent several text messages to an individual in Texas containing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The individual in Texas reported the conduct to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators identified the sender as Pinkham and obtained a search warrant for his residence in Boothbay. In an interview with investigators, Pinkham acknowledged sending sexually explicit images of minors to the individual in Texas.
Pinkham was subject to an enhanced sentence because he had been previously convicted of child pornography offenses.
“As the defendant in this case himself noted at sentencing, the distribution of images of child sexual abuse revictimizes those children who are depicted in the images,” said U.S. Attorney McElwee. “Individuals who commit these offenses, particularly those like Mr. Pinkham who commit them after being convicted for similar conduct, face significant punishment under federal law.”
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Berkeley County man sentenced for role in firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Detrick Lee Foston, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to four years of probation for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Foston, 25, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of “False Statement During Purchase of Firearms.” Foston admitted to making false statements to a firearms dealer to purchase a .40 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol in March 2020 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Belton Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Belton, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms and for drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.
Maurice L. Sneed, also known as “Sneedy,” 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, to five years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 4, 2021, Sneed pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
When Sneed was arrested on Jan. 9, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence. Officers found a Diamondback 5.56mm short rifle under the bed and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the bedroom dresser. Investigators also found $4,600 under a bathtub. In the basement, investigators found an elaborate marijuana growing operation. The operation contained approximately 106 live marijuana plants and approximately 401 grams of dried marijuana.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Sneed has prior felony convictions for conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance.
Sneed admitted that, from Aug 2018 to Jan. 7, 2020, he was the leader of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Through the course of the conspiracy, Sneed distributed, or possessed with the intent to distribute, at least 32.25 pounds of marijuana. High-grade marijuana can be sold for a profit of at least $1,000 per pound; Sneed admitted that he obtained at least $32,250 in proceeds as a result of his participation in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Sneed traveled to Texas to meet with co-conspirator Oscar C. Roberson, 29, of Houston, Texas. Roberson also made trips to Missouri to meet with Sneed. They also made trips to and from Colorado and Texas while driving in tandem. During those trips, one of them transported marijuana and the other transported money or worked as a decoy to divert possible law enforcement attention. Roberson also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a term of probation.
Sneed also admitted that, from 2016 to Jan. 1, 2018, he and others caused multiple money transfers and cash deposits into various bank accounts across the United States. Sneed knew the funds used for these transactions were the proceeds of drug trafficking. Sneed admitted that he conducted these transactions in order to conceal and disguise the nature of the proceeds.
When Sneed was arrested in 2016, two of his cell phones were seized by law enforcement. Investigators found evidence on the phones that Sneed was directing the mailing of numerous parcels to the Kansas City area. Investigators interdicted a number of parcels and confirmed they contained marijuana. Another cell phone, which Sneed lost during a traffic stop in January 2019, contained additional evidence of money laundering, including photos of deposit slips.
A review of all the accounts named in the deposit slips located on Sneed’s phones revealed total cash deposits conducted in the Kansas City metropolitan area in the amount of $508,020. Shortly after cash deposits were made, the cash was then withdrawn in California. These accounts are known as funnel accounts, which are used to rapidly move cash from one geographic area to another. The identified funnel accounts utilized by Sneed also received cash deposits in other states around the country, including Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Nevada. The total cash deposits into these funnel accounts from across the country was over $1 million.
On July 2, 2019, Roberson was stopped by the Nebraska State Patrol. Roberson indicated he was travelling from Colorado to Missouri. He also admitted to troopers there was marijuana in the vehicle. In a subsequent search of his vehicle, troopers discovered seven bags of marijuana, weighing approximately four pounds.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Albuquerque man sentenced to two and a half years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunitionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Dan Keith Bobelu, 31, of Albuquerque, was sentenced today in federal court to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Bobelu pleaded guilty on May 18, 2021.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, the offense took place in Albuquerque on Aug. 6, 2020. Bobelu admitted that he was carrying a revolver and ammunition in his pants pocket when he was taken into custody. As a previously convicted felon, Bobelu could not legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Bobelu will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Nayback prosecuted the case.
Monday 10 January 2022
Wolfe County Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Campton, Ky., man, Johnathan E. Garland, 34, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Monday, by Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Hood, after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and distribution of fentanyl.
According to Garland’s plea agreement, between November 3 and November 27, 2020, law enforcement made multiple controlled purchases of drugs from Garland. During four separate transactions, Garland sold various amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. After Garland was arrested, a search warrant was served on his residence. There, law enforcement found additional methamphetamine, tablets marked as “M 30” (containing fentanyl), scales, baggies, more than $4,700 in cash, three shotguns, a rifle, and seven handguns.
Garland pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2021.
Under federal law, Garland must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; Colonel Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Berl Purdue, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, KSP, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos.
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Washington, D.C. Man Facing Federal Charges in Maryland for Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint was filed on January 7, 2022, charging James Albert Borum, age 19, of Washington, D.C., for carjacking and for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department; United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Borum is alleged to have participated in a series of carjackings committed in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in June 2021. As detailed in the affidavit, location monitoring data for an ankle bracelet that Borum was wearing at the time and cellular location information for Borum’s phone allegedly put him in the area of each of the three carjackings and an attempted carjacking. In addition, surveillance images from the locations of the crimes, witness and victim statements, forensic evidence, and items recovered from a search warrant executed at Borum’s residence on July 1, 2021, allegedly indicate that Borum participated in the carjackings. As detailed in the affidavit, at the time of the June carjackings, Borum was on pre-trial supervision with the condition that he be subject to location monitoring with an ankle bracelet in connection with an unrelated carjacking charge pending in D.C. Superior Court.
Specifically, the affidavit alleges that on June 4, 2021, Victim 1 was beaten and carjacked by two males, who also stole his Apple iPhone 8. Victim 1’s wallet, which contained several items, including a bank card, was inside the vehicle at the time of the carjacking. Law enforcement recovered Victim 1’s bank card and a social security card in the name of Victim 1’s spouse from Borum’s bedroom during the search on July 1, 2021.
On June 10, 2021, the affidavit alleges that two individuals committed an armed carjacking in Silver Spring, Maryland. After Victim 2 had parked his car, he began walking into a nearby apartment courtyard. Two individuals followed Victim 2 and approached him as he was in the courtyard. According to the affidavit, one of these individuals pointed a handgun at Victim 2’s forehead and stated, “I’ll kill you. Give me the keys,” while the second individual stood behind Victim 2. Victim 2 gave one of the individuals his keys and the carjackers drove away in Victim 2’s car. At the time of the carjacking, Victim 2 had $950 in his vehicle. The day after the carjacking, an unknown number texted Borum asking him what car he was in. Borum replied that he was in a “2 door Honda.” The vehicle taken from Victim 2 in the carjacking was a two-door Honda Accord.
As detailed in the affidavit, two individuals attempted to carjack Victim 3 in a parking garage in the 8700 block of Cameron Street in Silver Spring. During the attempted carjacking, Victim 3 saw her colleague pulling into the parking lot and told the two males that her colleague was coming and that she would not call the police if they left her alone. Both males fled. As they ran away, Victim 3 got into her colleague’s vehicle and as they left the garage, they saw the males running away and Victim 3 took a photo of them from behind. Victim 3 gave law enforcement a description of her attackers, including that one of the attackers had on an ankle monitor, a distinctive white hooded sweatshirt and a white facemask that was not covering his face.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage obtained from the Rhode Island Avenue, Silver Spring, and Wheaton Metro stations both before and after the attempted carjacking shows Borum and a second individual wearing clothing that matched the descriptions Victim 3 provided and pictured in the photograph taken by Victim 3. The footage also shows Borum wearing an ankle monitor. The Silver Spring Metro station is located approximately 0.4 miles from 8700 Cameron Street.
Finally, on June 23, 2021, Victim 4 was carjacked by two men as he was entering his car. The first man allegedly approached Victim 4 from behind and held a black handgun at the left side of Victim 4’s head and repeated, “Give me the keys!” Victim 4 handed the man his keys and wallet. The man got into the driver’s seat and a second man jumped into the front passenger seat. The carjackers then fled in Victim 4’s vehicle. As alleged in the affidavit, Victim 4’s vehicle was located five days later parked on the same block as Borum’s residence and Borum’s fingerprints were identified on the car.
If convicted, Borum faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for carjacking and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Borum is currently detained in Washington, D.C. and no court appearance in Maryland has been scheduled yet.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is a result of the Regional Carjacking Prosecution Task Force, which was created to ensure the prosecution of individuals who engage in carjacking and robberies in multiple jurisdictions. Federal and state prosecutors and law enforcement are working together to ensure that investigations and prosecutions encompass all of a perpetrator’s crimes, even if they are committed in multiple jurisdictions. Members of the Regional Carjacking Prosecution Task Force are the United States Attorney’s Offices for Maryland and for the District of Columbia; the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office; the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Office; and the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. This cross-border partnership between federal and state prosecutors’ offices mirrors similar collaboration among the police departments in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, Washington, D.C., and among the FBI and ATF.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared C. Engelking and Assistant United States Attorney Dana J. Brusca, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/regional-carjacking-prosecution-task-force.
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Virginia man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Terry William Jimenez Morales, of Strasburg, Virginia, was sentenced today to time served for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Morales, 26, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Morales admitted to having more than 85 grams of cocaine hydrochloride in March 2019 in Jefferson County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Nicholas Aaron Icenhour, 25, of Tazewell, Virginia admitted that in October and November 2020 he directed his then girlfriend, Lacosta Steele, to have a 12-year-old girl engage in sexually explicit conduct, including masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of her genitals, for the purpose of creating videos of this conduct. Icenhour admitted that Steele then sent those videos to him. Icenhour also admitted that during this same time frame he had Steele transport the same 12-year-old girl to R.D. Bailey Lake, where he engaged in sexual intercourse with the child.
Icenhour faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 4, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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. 1:21-cr-00187.
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United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha Announces Leadership TeamRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha today announced the appointment of Sara Miron Bloom, a veteran federal prosecutor who amassed a diverse and exceedingly distinguished record of accomplishment while serving in the United States Attorney’s Office for District of Massachusetts for over two decades, to lead his team of supervisors in the District of Rhode Island.
As an Assistant United States Attorney and supervisor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston, Ms. Bloom investigated and litigated complex financial crime cases in the Securities, Financial, & Cyber Fraud Unit, and served as Chief of the Civil Division’s Affirmative Litigation Unit and as Senior Litigation Counsel to the Criminal Division. In those roles, she led and prosecuted groundbreaking civil and criminal pharmaceutical marketing fraud cases against Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and other companies that resulted in approximately $6 billion in total criminal and civil recoveries; she also served with distinction an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division, litigating defensive and affirmative matters on behalf of the United States.
Ms. Bloom succeeds Assistant United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus as First Assistant, following Mr. Myrus’ term as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from February 2021 to December 2021. AUSA Myrus continues in his role as a prosecutor in the office’s Criminal Division, as well as in a newly created position as Counsel to the United States Attorney.
“I consider myself, and more importantly, this Office, to be extremely fortunate to have a prosecutor of Sara Bloom’s talent and hard-earned reputation join our team,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “Her work leading and handling large and complex investigations and holding the powerful to account is second to none. That background, and her experience handling and supervising virtually every category of case prosecuted or litigated by the United States perfectly complements the talented and dedicated staff of public servants in this Office who serve the people of Rhode Island every day. I would also like to thank Richard Myrus for his exceptional service as Acting United States Attorney, and distinguished work as a prosecutor in this Office for fifteen years. I value his experience and judgment and am pleased that he will be taking on this new role on my leadership team.”
Mr. Cunha today also announced the appointment of Assistant United States Attorney Bethany N. Wong to serve as Chief of the Civil Division. Ms. Wong was appointed an Assistant United States Attorney in the office’s Civil Division in August 2014. In addition to representing the United States in a wide range of civil affirmative and defensive matters, Ms. Wong has also served as the office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement coordinator since October 2018. Ms. Wong succeeds United States Attorney Cunha as Civil Chief.
“Bethany Wong is a superlative civil litigator, whose talents as an attorney are equaled only by her sound judgment and dedication to the public interest,” U.S. Attorney Cunha remarked. “I am confident that she will continue and expand the critical and impactful work of the Civil Division, particularly in the vital area of affirmative litigation.”
Additionally, Mr. Cunha today announced that the remainder of current leadership team will continue in their respective capacities:
Sandra R. Hebert has led the Criminal Division since December 2020. In addition to prosecuting a wide variety of criminal matters, including several significant drug and white-collar crime cases, Ms. Hebert previously served as OCEDTF Chief and Criminal Division Deputy Chief. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island, Ms. Hebert served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Texas - Midland Division beginning in 2004. Prior to her appointments as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ms. Hebert served as an officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps.
Lee H. Vilker, who has served as Deputy Criminal Chief since December 2020, joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island in June 2002, after serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey for nearly three years. In his more than two decades as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Vilker has specialized in investigating and prosecuting complex white-collar fraud cases. Mr. Vilker has prosecuted a wide variety of criminal conduct, including Ponzi schemes, investment fraud and corporate embezzlement, as well as narcotics offenses and crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.
Lauren S. Zurier will continue to serve in her role as Chief of Appeals, a position she has held since December 2019. Ms. Zurier litigates the District’s criminal cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Prior to being named an Assistant United States Attorney, Ms. Zurier served as an appellate prosecutor for over two decades in the office of the Rhode Island Attorney General.
“We are fortunate to have such a deep bench of talented and dedicated attorneys in positions of leadership in this Office,” said Cunha. “I have every confidence that this team has the experience, judgment, and skill that will enable us to continue and expand on our mission to protect the public safety, to serve all Rhode Islanders, and to maximize the impact and effectiveness of our enforcement efforts in every area.”
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Tulsa Woman Sentenced for Enabling the Abuse of a 3-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
A Tulsa woman who enabled the abuse of a young child was sentenced Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Amanda Lyn Walker, 42, to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.
On June 23, 2021, a federal jury found Walker guilty of two counts of enabling acts of child abuse in Indian Country and her boyfriend, Craig Allan Morrison, 37, guilty of two counts of child abuse in Indian Country. Morrison is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14.
On June 23, 2021, a federal jury found Walker guilty of two counts of enabling acts of child abuse in Indian Country and her boyfriend, Craig Allan Morrison, 37, guilty of two counts of child abuse in Indian Country. Morrison is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14.
“Amanda Walker lied to family and law enforcement about abuse inflicted on a young child by Craig Morrison,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Saint Francis Hospital’s pediatric staff, who reported the abuse to authorities, is to be commended for their thorough examination of the victim and dedication to protecting children.”
During the trial, the jury received evidence describing two separate instances of child abuse involving a then three-year-old child. Prosecutors contended that Walker had ignored the abuse, allowed it to continue, and chose to protect her boyfriend instead of the child.
The first incident took place on or about Dec. 20, 2019, when other family members observed and photographed a hand-shaped bruise on the child’s face. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Walker told a relative that Morrison had hit the child in the face while sleeping due to a “night terror” and that the child’s other bruises were from falls. The relative also reported several other examples where Walker allowed Morrison to mistreat the child, including shoving food into the child’s mouth, causing him to choke.
Walker was further warned by one of Morrison’s family members in text messages to distance herself from Morrison because he was dangerous. The family member also reported that Morrison said the child cried for no reason, so Morrison gave the child reason to cry.
The second incident took place on or about Feb. 18, 2020, when the victim was taken to the Saint Francis Hospital Pediatric Emergency Room with injuries and extensive bruising to the child’s head, back, shoulder, abdomen, buttocks, and leg. Laboratory testing showed elevated liver enzymes and elevated amylase. A pediatrician who treated the victim testified these laboratory tests indicated liver and pancreatic injuries and that the child’s injuries showed the child had suffered blunt force trauma and were the result of child abuse. The hospital contacted authorities.
When interviewed by Tulsa police officers, Walker claimed the child sometimes jumped off his bed and injured himself on the concrete floor, so she assumed that may have been what occurred. She decided to take the child to the hospital when she felt a contusion on the child’s head.
The crimes took place within the Muskogee Nation Reservation and the minor is a citizen of the Comanche Nation.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Noble Nelson and Chantelle D. Dial prosecuted the case.
Temple Terrace Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Involving COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Bridgitte Keim (52, Temple Terrace) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud. Keim faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the
plea agreement , between April and May 2021, Keim executed a scheme to defraud a federally insured financial institution (“Bank 1”) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications and supporting documentation for federally guaranteed Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) loans that were designed to assist businesses suffering adverse economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic. In furtherance of her bank fraud scheme, Keim recruited family members to provide their personal information in exchange for free “COVID money.” Keim prepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to Bank 1 on behalf of her relatives in the names of fictitious businesses, knowing that her relatives did not have existing businesses, did not have employees, had no business income, and no payroll expenses as required by the SBA to qualify for PPP loans. To further deceive Bank 1, Keim created email addresses in the names of her relatives and communicated with bank employees by impersonating her relatives to convince loan officers that they were communicating with the actual prospective borrowers. Additionally, Keim sent text messages, which contained the fictitious business names, false financial information, and the email addresses she created, to her relatives so that her relatives could answer questions from loan officers about the loan applications.Specifically, on March 21, 2021, Keim submitted to Bank 1 a PPP loan application in the name of a relative she had recruited. The application contained a fictitious business name, fictitious number of employees, falsified business income, and fraudulently represented that the PPP loan funds would be used for payroll. Based on these false statements, Bank 1 approved and funded a $20,833 PPP loan in the name of Keim’s relative. Keim subsequently diverted $7,500 in loan proceeds to her personal bank account.
The intended losses associated with Keim’s bank fraud scheme are at least $588,693.14.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Taney County Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Woods Village, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of children.
Mark Nicholas Cobb, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, Jan. 7, to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 23, 2021, Cobb pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Cobb admitted that he received and distributed child pornography.
Investigators received several CyberTips regarding Cobb from different sources. On Sept. 16, 2017, a private citizen contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to report that his 9-year-old daughter had been contacted by Cobb through Secretchattalktostrangers, a communication and social media application. On March 5, 2019, Facebook reported a Facebook Messenger chat session that contained possible images of child pornography. On Dec. 17, 2019, Google reported a file of possible child pornography stored in Cobb’s Google Photos account. Investigators confirmed the images were child pornography.
On Feb. 25, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cobb’s residence. Investigators found a video and images of child pornography on Cobb’s cell phone. Some of the images and the video were pornographic images and video that depicted Cobb and included children.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Storm Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm and ammunition pled guilty January 6, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
Leonard Weimer, 47, from Storm Lake, Iowa, was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Weimer was previously convicted of felony offenses including Terrorism, Burglary, and controlled substance offenses. Each of these convictions prohibited Weimer from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on April 2, 2021, Storm Lake law enforcement stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. Weimer was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. It was determined Weimer was barred from driving, therefore was placed under arrest. During a search of Weimer at arrest, law enforcement discovered a small amount of methamphetamine and several rounds of .22 ammunition in Weimer’s pocket. Weimer admitted to being a felon. A drug detection K-9 was then deployed on the vehicle and indicated to the presence of controlled substances. A search of the vehicle uncovered a .22 Marlin Rifle and additional .22 ammunition.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Weimer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Weimer faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Storm Lake Police Department, Sac County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4058.
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Serial Tax Fraudster Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Michael Dexter Little to 19 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Little to forfeit at least $12.3 million, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.
Little had pleaded guilty on October 20, 2021.
According to court documents, from 2019 to 2021, Little filed a series of false tax returns claiming massive, bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and in the names of co-conspirators and identity theft victims. As a result of this scheme, Little and his co-conspirators obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators also conspired to launder their ill-gotten gains and used significant portions of the fraudulent tax refunds to purchase real estate and other assets.
Little was previously convicted of tax fraud twice, in 1999 and 2003.
“Identity theft schemes often leave their victim’s financial lives in ruin,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne. “These crimes are a high priority for IRS-CI, especially when the stolen identities are used to file false tax returns. Today’s sentencing makes it clear that we will vigorously pursue those who steal personally identifiable information and use it to undermine the integrity of the U.S. tax system.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
Second Former Inmate Admits Role in Scheme to Use Drones to Smuggle Contraband into Fort Dix Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to use drones to smuggle contraband, including cell phones and tobacco, into the federal correctional facility at Fort Dix, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Johansel Moronta, 29, of Linden, New Jersey, a former inmate at Fort Dix, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of possessing and obtaining contraband while in prison. Moronta, who had been released from custody several months after the offense occurred and was on federal supervised release thereafter, also pleaded guilty to violating the terms of his supervised release.
Another former federal inmate, Jason Arteaga-Loayza, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the scheme as well as to distributing narcotics and was sentenced in September 2021 to 43 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton. Two other men, Adrian Goolcharran, aka “Adrian Ahoda,” aka “Adrian Ajoda,” aka “Adrian Ajodha,” and Nicolo Denichilo, also have been charged with participating in the scheme to use drones to smuggle contraband into Fort Dix prison.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Moronta, an inmate at Fort Dix from April 2018 to March 2019, participated in multiple drone deliveries of contraband into Fort Dix while incarcerated. Between October 2018 and June 2019, Arteaga-Loayza arranged for Goolcharran, with Denichilo’s assistance, to fly drones over Fort Dix and drop packages of contraband into the prison, where Moronta took possession of the contraband and helped sell it to inmates for a profit. The packages that Moronta helped to smuggle in to FCI Fort Dix included cell phones, cell phone accessories, tobacco, weight loss supplements, eyeglasses, and various other items. Moronta, from inside the prison, helped coordinate inmate requests for specific items of contraband and assisted in the collection of payments.
Moronta’s conspirators took various steps to prevent BOP officials from detecting and intercepting the contraband. They planned drone drops during the late evening hours or overnight when it was dark and the drones were less likely to be seen. Goolcharran, the drone pilot, with Denichilo’s assistance, flew the drones from concealed positions in the woods surrounding the prison. The lights on the drones were covered with tape to make it more difficult for prison officials to spot the drones against the dark evening sky.
Moronta and his conspirators used cell phones, including contraband phones concealed within the prison, to coordinate the drone drops. A contraband cell phone used by Moronta while an inmate at Fort Dix contained text messages with Arteaga-Loayza about the collection of profits from the sale of the contraband inside of the prison. In one exchange, for instance, Moronta messaged Arteaga-Loayza about an inmate, “Ok so I am tell him 10 phones and 100 baco [i.e. tobacco] he has to pay 10 bands and 500 on each phone?” Arteaga-Loayza responded, “And well (sic) even give him an ounce of weed tell him.”
Moronta admitted in court that, on Oct. 30, 2018, he received a bag dropped by a drone onto the roof of a housing unit at FCI Fort Dix which contained contraband tobacco, cellphone chargers and charging cables. Prison officials recovered that bag which contained 127 bags of Bugler tobacco, 10 cell phone chargers and 10 USB charging cables. Moronta also admitted to possessing a contraband cell phone on that date, which he had used to coordinate the drone drop.
During a search of Arteaga-Loayza’s residence on June 27, 2019, agents found a kitchen closet containing packages of empty cell phone boxes, including a package with empty cell phone boxes that had been shipped to Arteaga-Loayza the day before the drone drop of Oct. 30, 2018, cell phone chargers, empty boxes of SIM cards, and several cell phones.
Moronta also admitted to physically assaulting his girlfriend in June of 2021 while at a gas station in Fort Lee, after his release from federal prison.
Moronta faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and maximum fine of $100,000 for the plea to possession of contraband while being a federal inmate. Moronta also agreed to a term of imprisonment of 14 months for violating the terms of his supervised release by assaulting his girlfriend, a term which will be served consecutively to whatever term of imprisonment he receives for the contraband charge. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Cyber Investigations Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Keith A. Bonanno; the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 307, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Kaplan; and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
He also thanked Federal Bureau of Prisons personnel at Fort Dix; special agents of the FBI; special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office; and officers with the Pemberton Borough Police Department; the Pemberton Township Police Department; and Chesterfield Township Police Department, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaints issued against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Rachael S. Rollins Sworn in as United States Attorney for the District of MassachusettsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Rachael Splaine Rollins was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV administered the oath of office in federal court in Boston during a private ceremony. A formal investiture will be planned for a later date.
U.S. Attorney Rollins was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on July 26, 2021 and was confirmed by the United States Senate on Dec. 8, 2021 in a tie-breaking vote cast in favor by Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Today’s swearing was a proud and humbling moment for both myself and my family. It was particularly special for me to have my parents with me, on my father’s 74th birthday. Their support has been unwavering, and I owe so much of this moment to them. As I reflect upon the path that led me here, I cannot help but think about the many colleagues and mentors who have supported me along the way. I want to acknowledge my friends, colleagues and law enforcement partners at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office whose steadfast commitment and dedication to keeping our neighborhoods healthy and safe has truly made a difference in the lives of so many. I am enormously proud of what we accomplished together,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins.
“As I begin this next chapter as the United States Attorney, I look forward to the challenges ahead. There is much to be done and I am blessed to be walking into an office with highly skilled attorneys and staff who have the same commitment to public safety and community wellbeing and health.”
U.S. Attorney Rollins, 50, of Boston, is now the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the District of Massachusetts, which is comprised of 14 counties. With over 20 years of legal experience, U.S. Attorney Rollins will lead a team of more than 250 federal prosecutors and staff with three offices located in Boston, Worcester and Springfield.
U.S. Attorney Rollins has been the Suffolk County District Attorney (DA) for the last three years. In 2019, the people of Suffolk County elected her as the first woman to serve as their DA and the first woman of color to serve as DA in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Rollins is now the first Black woman to ever serve as U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts, one of the two first U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the nation, established in 1789.
U.S. Attorney Rollins previously served as Chief Legal Counsel to the Massachusetts Port Authority. Prior to that she served as General Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. From 2007 to 2011, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts serving in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions.
Earlier in her career, U.S. Attorney Rollins was an attorney at Bingham McCutchen LLP and from 1999 to 2002 she was a field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board. U.S. Attorney Rollins began her legal career as a clerk for Associate Judge Frederick L. Brown of the Massachusetts Appeals Court.
U.S. Attorney Rollins earned a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law and a Masters in Law from Georgetown University Law Center. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education and African-American Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Princeton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Charles Boyett Mitchell, Jr., 35, of Princeton, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Mitchell sold a quantity of cocaine to a confidential informant in Princeton on May 7, 2018. As part of the plea, Mitchell also admitted to distributing cocaine and methamphetamine on three other occasions, and to possessing a quantity of methamphetamine that he intended to distribute. Law enforcement officers also recovered a small amount of U.S. currency and a firearm during the investigation.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is composed of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Bluefield Police Department and the Princeton Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess 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. 1:21-cr-00089.
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