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Monday 10 January 2022
Philadelphia Felon Federally Indicted for November 2021 Armed Robbery of City Line Avenue PharmacyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Patrick Harrison, 39, of Pottstown, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with Hobbs Act robbery; carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; and being felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a pharmacy robbery in West Philadelphia last year.
The Indictment alleges that in November 2021, the defendant entered a Rite-Aid located at 5040 City Ave, in West Philadelphia. Harrison brandished a firearm and demanded money from store employees. The defendant then allegedly fled the store after stealing approximately $600. The defendant is also charged with illegally possessing a firearm, in this case a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol, as a previously convicted felon.
“As alleged, this defendant waved a loaded gun in the faces of Rite-Aid employees simply doing their jobs and got away with $600,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Law enforcement experts have said that the majority of violent crimes committed in and around Philadelphia are perpetrated by a small number of brazen criminals. The charges in this Indictment demonstrate that assertion and are exactly why our All Hands On Deck initiative is committed to investigating and prosecuting those violent, repeat offenders.”
“As the indictment alleges, Harrison recklessly brandished a firearm during this brazen armed robbery, placing everyone in the community in danger,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “ATF, along with our local, state, and federal partners will continue to work every day to identify and remove violent criminals who threaten the safety of our citizens.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 190 Months in Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Dustin R. Test, 39, of the 1900 block of South Stanley Street, was sentenced on January 6, 2022, to 15 years and 10 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
At Test’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid stated that Test had a troubled upbringing and noted he was in foster care for part of his childhood. The judge also considered Test’s criminal history, which included several convictions for aggravated battery, forgery, and residential burglary.
At the hearing, the government explained that Test’s offense conduct included Test working with other drug associates to purchase and resell large amounts of ice methamphetamine. At the height of his drug trafficking, Test and an associate purchased three pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Test was indicted in September 2020 and pleaded guilty in July 2021.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine for a person with prior felony convictions are not less than ten years and up to forty years of imprisonment, an 8-year to life term of supervised release, and an up to $8 million dollar fine.
The Pekin Police Department and Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)’s National Methamphetamine Strategic Initiative, spearheaded locally out of the Pekin Police Department. The primary goal of this initiative is to address methamphetamine trafficking and its attendant consequences by using a coordinated, multi-agency approach targeting the highest levels of drug trafficking leadership. 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.
North Port Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing in Firearms Without A LicenseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Larry Alan Goldman (63, North Port) has pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Goldman has also agreed to forfeit the 29 firearms that he had possessed or acquired during the commission of the offense, and to pay a fine of $25,000. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the
plea agreement , between February 2020 and August 2021, undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and a confidential informant purchased approximately 14 firearms from Goldman’s vendor booth at a flea market in North Fort Myers. During this time period, Goldman did not have a Federal Firearms License (FFL) authorizing him to lawfully engage in the business of dealing in firearms. In September of 2021, ATF agents visited Goldman at his home in North Port and served him with a Notice of Unlicensed Firearms Dealing Violation, and Goldman agreed to stop selling firearms.Following ATF’s meeting with Goldman, undercover ATF agents purchased two additional firearms from Goldman at the flea market in September and October 2021. On October 19, 2021, ATF agents executed a federal search warrant on Goldman’s residence and a truck and trailer that Goldman used to facilitate the sale of firearms. Agents seized approximately 29 firearms and approximately $36,828 in cash. Authorities determined that, between January 2020 and September 2021, Goldman had purchased approximately 313 firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
North Hampton Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Christopher Pierro, 29, of North Hampton, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2020, postal inspectors and police officers executed a search warrant at Pierro’s North Hampton residence. Investigators located nearly $80,000 in cash, a Rolex watch and other jewelry, body armor, drug packaging materials and an extensive amount of packaging consistent with mailed parcels. Investigators also located over 84 grams of methamphetamine.
Pierro previously pleaded guilty on August 3, 2021. Following his arrest, Pierro forfeited cash, cryptocurrency, and a substantial amount of additional property.
“Methamphetamine traffickers seek to reap profits from selling a very dangerous drug,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these drug dealers and hold them responsible for their unlawful activities.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Rabuck assisted in the forfeiture portion of the case.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges Stemming from His Participation in a Shootout at a Local HotelRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that BLAKE BATISTE, age 19, from New Orleans, pled guilty on January 5, 2022, to various firearm and drug charges. His guilty plea stems from his participation in a December 28, 2020, shootout on the 15th floor of the Jung Hotel on Canal Street.
Earlier this year the federal Grand Jury handed down related indictments, charging a total of nine individuals with various violations of the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts. BATISTE pled guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 4 of the Superseding Indictment pending against him.
Count 1 charges BATISTE with attempting to commit a Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United Stated Code, Sections 1951 and 2. Count 2 charges BATISTE with participating in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute quantities of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(D), and 846. Count 4 charges BATISTE with participating in a conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o).
Counts 1 carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to 3 years supervised release. Count 2 carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and at least 2 years supervised release. Counts 4 carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release. The defendant must pay a total of $300 in mandatory special assessment fees.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu and Elizabeth Privitera are in charge of the prosecution.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TASHUAN MINOR-DAVIS, 24, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on September 25, 2020, members of the West Haven Police Department’s Street Crime Unit conducting surveillance observed Minor-Davis engage in what appeared to be a street-level drug transaction from his vehicle while parked at a gas station in West Haven. Officers attempted to stop on the car that Minor-Davis was operating, but Minor-Davis fled the scene. Officers located the car a short time later, apprehended Minor-Davis after a brief foot chase, and recovered from him approximately 34 grams of cocaine and 19 grams of fentanyl.
Minor-Davis is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on April 5, 2022, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Minor-Davis is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara E. Levens.
Mineral County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Donald Mark Tillotson, of Burlington, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 87 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Tillotson, 24, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm.” Tillotson, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior felony conviction, admitted to having a .40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number in January 2021 in Mineral County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Martinsburg man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Leigh Gable, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 41 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Gable, 33, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Gable, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, admitted to having .380 caliber prison in September 2020 in Berkeley 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 ATF investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Man Arrested for Allegedly Robbing Two Suburban Chicago BanksRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been arrested for allegedly robbing two suburban Chicago banks in recent weeks.
ANTONIO E. COLLINS has been charged with robbing a Chase Bank branch in Bolingbrook, Ill., on Dec. 21, 2021, and a BMO Harris Bank branch in Homewood, Ill., on Jan. 3, 2022. In each robbery, Collins handed the teller a handwritten note demanding money and stating that he would shoot people if the teller did not comply, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Collins made off with approximately $2,868 from the Chase robbery, and approximately $21,836 from the BMO Harris heist, the complaint states.
Collins, 26, of North Riverside, Ill., was arrested on Jan. 6, 2022. The complaint charges him with two counts of bank robbery. A detention hearing in federal court in Chicago is scheduled for Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani.
The arrest and charges were 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. Substantial investigative assistance was provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, and Police Departments in Bolingbrook, Ill., Homewood, Ill., North Riverside, Ill., Evergreen Park, Ill., and Orland Park, Ill. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andréa Campbell.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each bank robbery charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking That Resulted in Police Pursuit, Fatal CollisionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in an armed carjacking that led to a high-speed chase in which he collided with another vehicle and killed another motorist.
Derrell M. Wade, 20, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Friday, Jan. 7, to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Co-defendants Michael A. Brown, 20, and Curtis R. Daniels, 19, both of Kansas City, Mo., also have pleaded guilty to carjacking. Brown and Daniels both have been sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole.
Wade and his co-defendants participated in a carjacking that occurred at approximately 10:35 p.m. on Aug. 24. Wade pressed the barrel of his gun against the forehead of the victim, identified in court documents as “T.R.,” and demanded the keys to his gold 2007 Prius. Another person took T.R.’s cell phone from his hand. T.R. was repeatedly struck in the back with an unknown object by a third person, and told to stay on his knees. The three men then fled in T.R.’s vehicle.
T.R. immediately contacted law enforcement, and used his wife’s cell phone to track his stolen cell phone, using the Find My Phone app. Police officers saw the stolen Prius driving southbound on Lister Avenue, passing over the main thoroughfare of East 23rd Street, at about 11:09 p.m. the same day. Officers pulled behind the vehicle, which was being driven by Wade, and the vehicle accelerated a high rate of speed away from the officers. Officers activated their emergency equipment and initiated a pursuit of the vehicle.
The stolen vehicle traveled at speeds up to 75 miles per hour and ran several stop signs during the pursuit. After running the stop sign at 23rd Street and Lawn Avenue, the Prius collided with another vehicle. This collision resulted in the fatality of an occupant from that vehicle and injuries to another person.
Wade attempted to run away but fell to the ground. As he was falling, he pulled a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and threw it in the grass.
Brown got out of the passenger side rear door of the Prius and began running toward Elmwood Avenue. He was found hiding near a grill in a residential backyard and arrested.
Daniels, who was sitting in the front passenger seat of the Prius, was arrested without incident.
If the court accepts the binding plea agreement, Wade will be sentenced to 13 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be held on June 2, 2022.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice Department Settles with Frozen Food Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Buddy’s Kitchen Inc., a Minnesota-based company that produces and distributes frozen foods. The settlement resolves claims that the company discriminated against non-U.S. citizens based on their citizenship status when checking their permission to work in the United States.
“Under federal law, employers may not discriminate by asking workers for specific documents to prove their permission to work based on the workers’ citizenship, immigration status or national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Employers must allow all employees — U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens alike — to provide any valid, acceptable document of their choice to prove their permission to work. The Civil Rights Division will continue to investigate and take action to stop unlawful discrimination on the basis of citizenship, immigration status and national origin. We look forward to working with Buddy’s Kitchen to secure compliance with this settlement.”
The department initiated the investigation to determine whether the company was violating the Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision. The department’s investigation revealed that the company routinely discriminated by asking non-U.S. citizens, primarily lawful permanent residents, to present specific, Department of Homeland Security-issued documents to prove their permission to work in the United States, while making no such request of U.S. citizens. All employees have the right to choose the valid documentation they wish to present when demonstrating that they have permission to work in the United States.
The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from asking for unnecessary documents — or specifying the type of documentation a worker should present — to prove their permission to work, because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin.
Under the settlement, Buddy’s Kitchen will pay $40,000 in civil penalties, change their employment policies to comply with the anti-discrimination provision of the INA, and train its employees who are responsible for verifying workers’ permission to work in the United States.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Find more information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination on IER’s website. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
Jefferson County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Aaron Patrick Stamets, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 33 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Stamets, 43, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Stamets, a person prohibited from having a firearm, admitted to having two firearms in August of 2020 in Jefferson County.
This charge is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Charles Town Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Hustlas Don’t Sleep Drug Gang Defendant Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – An incarcerated individual pleaded guilty in federal court a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Curtis Saxton-Smith, age 32, no known address, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl at count one of the Indictment before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Saxton-Smith was a participant along with approximately 20 other individuals in the Hustlas Don’t Sleep (HDS) Drug Trafficking Organization. The HDS Organization operated out of the Penn Hills, Wilkinsburg and Monroeville areas selling drugs including fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. Saxton-Smith was one of the regular sellers on behalf of the organization. Saxton-Smith was otherwise referred to as “Big J”.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five (5) years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded the defendant back into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Houma Man Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JARRETT SCURTO, age 34, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, was charged on January 7, 2022, in a one-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
If convicted, SCURTO faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.
Hartford Man Sentenced for Theft of Government Property and Fentanyl Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE NUNEZ-TORRES, also known as “Jose Nunez” and “J-Money,” 21, of Hartford, was sentenced today via videoconference by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to approximately 16 months of imprisonment, time already served, followed by three years of supervised release, for theft and narcotics offenses. Judge Chatigny ordered Nunez-Torres to serve the first four months of supervised release in home confinement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2019, Nunez-Torres and Dominque Perry stole a 2016 Honda Accord from a residence in Newington. The vehicle was the property of a federal law enforcement agency and contained fully loaded firearm magazines for multiple weapons, ammunition, handcuffs and other restraints, a ballistic vest and its component parts, and raid jackets. After stealing the vehicle, Perry drove the Accord to a location in Bloomfield where he Nunez-Torres removed the vehicle’s tires and rims. Nunez-Torres and Perry subsequently sold the tires and rims, and advertised the sale of loaded firearm magazines, ammunition, ballistic vest and other items.
Nunez-Torres was arrested on March 1, 2019. The vehicle and its tires and rims have been recovered, but some of the law enforcement equipment that was in the car has not been located.
In the afternoon of November 14, 2020, while he was released on bond in his federal case, Nunez-Torres was arrested on state charges after law enforcement officers encountered him sleeping in a stolen car that was parked on an I-91 off ramp in Hartford. A search of the car revealed two stun guns, a black metal collapsible baton, and distribution quantities of fentanyl and marijuana. He has been detained in state custody since that date.
On May 11, 2021, Nunez-Torres pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of theft of government property and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Nunez-Torres subsequently pleaded guilty in state court to risk of injury of a minor related to his intending to impair the morals of a minor under the age of 16, and to larceny offenses related to his earlier theft of two additional vehicles, a 2016 Nissan Maxima valued at $17,000 and a 2012 BMW 528 valued at $22,000. Nunez-Torres is expected to be released from state custody on February 8.
Perry pleaded guilty in federal court to theft of government property and, on February 3, 2020, was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by four months of home confinement.
Judge Chatigny ordered Nunez-Torres and Perry to pay $1,560 in restitution for the missing equipment.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Newington Police Department, the Hartford Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
Harrison County woman admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sandra Lynn Burt, of Wallace, West Virginia, has admitted to firearms and drug charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Burt, 51, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Fifty Grams or more of Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Burt admitted to selling more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in August 2020 in Harrison County. Burt, a person prohibited from having firearms, admitted to having a .380 caliber piston in September 2020 in Harrison County.
Burt faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000 for the drug charge and faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Hampshire County man sentenced for role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Michael Bourne, of Shanks, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 24 months of incarceration for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Bourne, age 37, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin. Fentanyl, and Cocaine Base.” Bourne admitted to working with another individual to distribute the controlled substances from January 2020 through October 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office worked closely with the Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office to bring this case forward. In addition, the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crime task Force, a HIDTA funded initiative, investigated. The task force is comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff's Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff's Office, the Hardy County Sheriff's Office, the Keyser Police Department, and the Grant County Sheriff's Office
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Founder of Nationwide Tax Return Preparation Company Sentenced to Prison for Fraud and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for conspiring with others to commit fraud in connection with the operation of a national tax return preparation company he owned and managed, as well as tax crimes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Fessum Ogbazion, of Cincinnati, collected millions of dollars in fees while fraudulently inducing customers to visit ITS Financial LLC, the national franchisor of Instant Tax Service (ITS), a tax preparation business he created in 2004. The ITS advertisements offered tax refund anticipation loans through an independent third-party lender, despite the fact that ITS had no such lender to fund the promised loans. Ogbazion used the false advertising campaigns to entice customers to visit ITS locations for a loan, then used the loan applications to prepare and file income tax returns, often without the customer’s authorization. Between 2006 and 2011, ITS collected more than $70 million in fees.
Ogbazion also failed to pay approximately $1.3 million in payroll taxes due from ITS and another business during four tax quarters in 2009 and 2010. Ogbazion evaded IRS attempts to collect its unpaid payroll taxes by directing business revenue to nominee accounts, placing assets in the names of nominee entities, and making false statements to an IRS revenue officer who attempted to collect ITS’s tax debt.
Ogbazion was convicted by a federal jury on June 6, 2017, of tax evasion, willful failure to withhold and pay over employment taxes, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and bank fraud. After the trial, the court dismissed five counts of wire fraud but left intact the conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other counts of conviction.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black ordered Ogbazion to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $933,708 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Corey Smith and Trial Attorney Mark McDonald of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Paralegal Specialist Laura Strubbe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Former Los Angeles City Attorney’s Official in Charge of Civil Litigation Agrees to Plead Guilty to Extortion ChargeRead the Press Release
INFORMATION
PLEA AGREEMENTLOS ANGELES – A former senior official at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge for threatening to fire a plaintiffs’ attorney from a lucrative special counsel job with the city unless the attorney paid a substantial extortion demand from a former employee who was threatening to expose the city’s collusive litigation over its faulty water-and-power billing system, the Justice Department announced today.
Thomas H. Peters, 55, of Pacific Palisades, agreed to plead guilty to a one-count information charging him with aiding and abetting extortion, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The information and plea agreement were filed today in United States District Court. Peters is expected to make his initial court appearance on February 7.
This is the fourth plea agreement federal prosecutors have filed in relation to the ongoing investigation concerning corruption and collusion involving the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Peters is cooperating with the investigation.
Peters served as the chief of the Civil Litigation Branch of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from February 2014 to March 2019. By December 2014, the city and LADWP were facing multiple class-action lawsuits over the flawed rollout of a new billing system during the previous year.
Also in December 2014, the City Attorney’s Office hired Paul O. Paradis, 58, a New York-based lawyer, and Paul R. Kiesel, a Beverly Hills plaintiffs’ attorney, as special counsel to represent the city in an anticipated lawsuit against PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the vendor the city blamed for the billing system debacle in which thousands of ratepayers were massively overcharged, while others were significantly undercharged, resulting in financial losses to the city and LADWP.
The city’s lawsuit, filed in March 2015, alleged that PwC caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages due to the faulty billing system. The city agreed to pay Paradis and Kiesel 19.9 percent of any recovery in the litigation, meaning the two lawyers stood to gain tens of millions of dollars in attorneys’ fees from the case.
Around this time, Paradis simultaneously was representing Antwon Jones, an LADWP ratepayer suing the city and the department for billing overcharges he incurred from the billing system debacle. By January 2015, members of the City Attorney’s Office were aware that Paradis was simultaneously representing both the city and Jones.
In April 2015, an Ohio attorney whom Paradis had enlisted to purportedly represent Jones filed a Paradis-drafted lawsuit against the city and LADWP. Paradis secretly agreed to accept – and eventually did accept – an illegal kickback of nearly $2.2 million for steering the lawsuit to the Ohio attorney. Paradis has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge for this offense.
By the spring of 2015, Peters was informed by a senior City Attorney’s Office official that Jones v. City was a friendly lawsuit intended as a vehicle for the city to settle globally and on its desired terms all claims related to the LADWP billing debacle, that Paradis had referred the case to the Ohio attorney for that purpose, and that the senior City Attorney official had directed and authorized this strategy before the complaint was filed.
Despite objections in an internal email in August 2015 from the city’s class action counsel that a proposed $13 million attorney fee award was unjustifiably high because, in part, the Ohio attorney had done “little demonstrative work to advance the interests of the class,” the city agreed to the fee proposal.
In July 2017, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a final approval of the $67 million settlement agreed to by the parties in Jones v. City, including approximately $19 million in plaintiffs’ attorney fees.
According to the plea agreement filed today, on November 16, 2017, Peters learned from Paradis that a former long-time employee of Kiesel’s – identified in court documents as “Person A” – had stolen or improperly retained from Kiesel’s law firm certain documents that would show the city’s undisclosed collusion with the Ohio attorney in the Jones v. City lawsuit. Person A had threatened to reveal the documents if Kiesel did not pay her to return them.
Peters, who knew Person A from when they worked together at Kiesel’s law firm, understood that she had demanded payment of more than $1 million. Person A also threatened to appear at the next hearing in the City v. PwC case – scheduled for December 4, 2017 – in which the court was set to hear arguments on PwC’s motion to compel the city to produce the Jones v. PwC draft complaint. Peters knew that this document would lead PwC to discover the undisclosed collusive origins of the Jones v. City case, which would be damaging both to the city’s litigation position and to the reputation of the City Attorney’s Office.
On November 17, 2017, Peters met with Kiesel, Paradis and Paradis’ law partner to discuss Person A’s threats. Kiesel complained that Person A’s threats and demands constituted extortion and expressed reluctance to pay her. During this meeting, Peters ordered Kiesel to pay Person A’s monetary demands – if necessary – or potentially be fired as the city’s special counsel in the PwC litigation. Peters did not have the direct authority to fire Kiesel.
By the time of the November 17, 2017 meeting, Kiesel and his law firm had invested thousands of hours of uncompensated labor into City v. PwC. Additionally, Kiesel had borne more than $30,000 in non-labor costs on behalf of the city for the PwC litigation.
On December 1, 2017, Peters met with other senior members of the City Attorney’s Office and updated them on the status of Person A’s threats. The update included the fact that Kiesel had unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate with Person A at LADWP headquarters, and the fact that Person A had threatened to appear at the City v. PwC hearing the following Monday and reveal the documents showing the city’s collusion. Among other things, Peters conveyed that Kiesel had described Person A’s threats as “extortion.” Peters was directed to take care of the situation, and he agreed to do so.
After the December 1, 2017 meeting, Peters sent a text message to Paradis advising that senior leadership at the City Attorney’s Office was “not firing anyone at this point” – meaning that a decision to seek termination of the special counsel contract had not been made at the meeting – but warning that others were concerned about “the prospect of a sideshow” if Person A made good on her threat to appear in court the following Monday and reveal the documents showing the city’s collusion.
On December 4, 2017, Peters, Kiesel, Paradis and Paradis’ law partner, along with a friend of Kiesel’s who knew Person A, attended the hearing in City v. PwC. Person A appeared at the December 4 hearing and attempted to give documents to a court employee, who advised Person A that the court would not accept documents from a non-party. Person A approached the lead counsel for PwC with the documents, stating that she had information that could help PwC’s case. PwC’s counsel exchanged business cards with Person A and asked her to call him.
Kiesel’s friend – acting at Kiesel’s direction – then approached Person A and asked to reinitiate negotiations of her monetary demands to Kiesel.
After the hearing, Peters, Kiesel, Paradis and Paradis’ law partner met in Peters’ office, where Peters reiterated that Kiesel needed to pay Person A’s monetary demands to obtain the return of the documents, or he would be fired, which would mean significant financial losses to Kiesel and his law firm.
On the evening of December 4, 2017, Person A, Kiesel and Kiesel’s friend met at a restaurant and further discussed Person A’s demands. At the dinner, Kiesel agreed to pay $800,000 to Person A to prevent her from releasing the documents.
At approximately 9:15 p.m. on December 4, 2017, via text message, Kiesel informed Peters of the terms of the agreement reached with Person A, including that Kiesel would pay Person A $800,000 and that Person A would return the documents to Kiesel. Peters replied to Kiesel later that night, stating, “Good job,” and directing Kiesel to ensure that there was a strong confidentiality agreement with Person A regarding the $800,000 payment and the documents.
In May 2019, after Peters had resigned from the City Attorney’s Office, he received an inquiry from that office asking what he recalled about the 2017 payment to Person A. Understanding that the City Attorney’s Office was probing whether Peters would, if asked by someone outside the city, reveal the extortion or the underlying collusion, Peters falsely replied that the matter had only involved an employment dispute.
According to his plea agreement, Peters conveyed that he would continue to conceal the extortion and collusion by intentionally omitting from his reply that the “settlement” had involved Kiesel paying Person A $800,000 in extortion money to conceal the city’s collusion, that Peters had directed Kiesel to satisfy Person A’s monetary demands or be fired as special counsel, and that Peters had discussed the situation with and received direction from senior members of the City Attorney’s Office.
In addition to Peters and Paradis, prosecutors have secured plea agreements from David H. Wright, 62, of Riverside, LADWP’s former general manager, and David F. Alexander, 54, of Arcadia, a former senior cyber official at LADWP, stemming from corruption at the department.
The FBI is investigating this matter. Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s tip line at tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.
Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa Mills, Jamari Buxton and Susan Har of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.
Former Financial Controller Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Almost Half a Million Dollars from Family-Owned San Diego BusinessRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Rebecca S. Kanter (619) 546-7304
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 10, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Derick Jonathan Cameron of Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced in federal court today to 20 months in prison for embezzling more than $400,000 when he was employed as the Financial Controller for San Diego-based RAL Investment Corporation.
Cameron previously pleaded guilty, admitting that he abused his access to the company’s accounting software by issuing more than 200 unauthorized checks to himself using the electronic signature of the company’s CFO and depositing them into his personal bank account. He then concealed the payments by manipulating the company’s accounting records to make it appear that each check was issued to a legitimate third-party vendor for a business expense. The company discovered Cameron’s fraudulent activity in April 2018, fired Cameron, and reported the conduct to law enforcement when Cameron was unable to make his promised repayments on schedule.
In addition to the 20 months of federal custody, U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson imposed three years’ supervised release, an $8,000 fine and ordered Cameron to pay restitution of $203,857 to the victim, RAL Investment Corporation, which is the difference between the amount Cameron embezzled ($403,857) and the amount he repaid his former employer in 2018 ($200,000) after his theft was detected. The Court specifically ordered Cameron to repay $10,000 by March 12, 2022, suggesting Cameron could sell a recently purchased motorcycle to pay the debt.
“The impact of fraud on small businesses can be devastating,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This defendant abused his position of trust to enrich himself, and he has been held to account for his crime.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the FBI for the excellent work on this case.
“The FBI will continue to vigorously pursue those who use their workplace access for personal and financial gain over professional responsibility,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “Mr. Cameron’s check-writing scheme hurt this small, family-owned business, endangered its livelihood, and impacted its employees. Today, Mr. Cameron faced judgement for those criminal actions.”
Cameron is scheduled to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on or before March 14, 2022.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21cr2128-TWR
Derick Jonathan Cameron Age: 38 Vancouver, Washington
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gain/loss, whichever is greater
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kevan Curry, 49, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curry previously admitted that on November 18, 2020, officers with the Huntington Police Department executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence on 20th Street in Huntington. Officers seized a Comanche III .357 magnum revolver, a Browning .40 caliber handgun, and an American Tactical AR-15 rifle. Curry is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of a 2009 felony conviction in Cabell County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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-00114.
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Fayette County Attorney Charged with Defrauding ClientsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John William “JW” Eddy, age 39, of Fayette County, Pennsylvania was charged by criminal information with one count of wire fraud for misappropriating funds from clients of his law practice between 2016 and 2020.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the information alleges that Eddy was required to maintain a trust account for client funds, also known as an Interest on Lawyer Trust Account or “IOLTA.” This account was to be used for the securing of client funds, such as proceeds from legal settlements, fees advanced for services not yet performed, or money for court fees. The information alleges that Eddy misappropriated $242,975.89 of client funds during this time-period.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment. This charge may also carry a fine and a term of supervised release following imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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East Chicago Man Sentenced to 33 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Ernest Willis, 25, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Willis was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in November 2020, Willis possessed two firearms after having been previously convicted of a felony. Both firearms were loaded, and one of the firearms had a high-capacity magazine. Willis has prior felony convictions for robbery.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the East Chicago Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin F. Wolff.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Downriver Man Arraigned on Delivery of Methamphetamine Causing DeathRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A 52 year-old Downriver man was arraigned today on charges relating to the overdose death of a 28 year-old woman, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent Josh Hauxhurst , Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Scott Christopher Sams was charged by indictment with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and delivery of methamphetamine causing death.
According to filings in the case, Sams has been selling methamphetamine in the Downriver area for at least two years. In May 2021, it is alleged that Sams met the victim at a hotel room in Allen Park, where he gave her a fatal amount of methamphetamine. He is facing up to life in prison.
Law enforcement is currently investigating additional overdose fatalities. Anyone with information regarding Sams is urged to contact FBI at (313)965-2323.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI as part of the Southeast Michigan Region Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maggie Smith.
Doctor Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing More Than $500,000 from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A doctor was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for defrauding his prior employer’s medical practice by stealing and forging the medical practice’s checks to pay personal expenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Walter Sytnik, 35, of Voorhees, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of mail fraud. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence by videoconference today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Before attending medical school, Sytnik worked for a medical practice in southern New Jersey as a bookkeeper. While employed by the practice, Sytnik stole some of its checks and, from May 2013 through April 2018, used them to steal more than $500,000 from the practice. He opened and maintained credit card accounts at the same banks as used by the doctor at the medical practice, and forged the doctor’s signature on the stolen checks, which he sent through the U.S. Mail to pay his own credit card bills. When Sytnik ran out of checks, he reordered new ones so that he could continue the fraud.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Sytnik to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $415,995.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, with assistance from the Voorhees Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Louis Bordi, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Doctor Pleads Guilty to Running Pill MillRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – A Carrizo Springs doctor pleaded guilty today to charges he ran a “pill-mill” by providing patients with unlawful prescriptions.
According to court documents, Dr. Alfonso Luevano, 52, admitted that he conducted appointments with patients that did not meet the accepted standard of care in which he prescribed controlled substances including hydrocodone, alprazolam, and tramadol. Undercover officers conducted multiple visits with the doctor, captured on audio/video recording, in which he prescribed controlled substances with almost no medical evaluation. The defendant also admitted that he pre-signed prescription pads and allowed his staff and employees to use them to create controlled substance prescriptions without him seeing the patient at all.
Luevano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He is set for sentencing on July 27, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-Defendant Ofelia Martinez, 53, also of Carrizo Springs, previously pleaded guilty on November 22, 2021 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The office manager and biller for Luevano’s practice, Martinez admitted to overbilling Texas Medicaid by listing Luevano as the providing practitioner on office visits when he had not seen the patient. Instead, the patients were seen by mid-level practitioners who were instructed to leave the medical record file open. The file was then later closed using Dr. Luevano’s account, resulting in a fraudulent medical record which listed Dr. Luevano as the provider. Martinez faces up to 10 years in prison and her sentencing is currently set for May 25, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux made the announcement.
The DEA Prescription Drug Diversion Task Force, DEA Del Rio, and the Texas Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Joshua Banister are prosecuting the case.
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District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Killing Woman in Burst of Gunfire in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Nequan Carthens, 21, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for opening fire with a handgun on a Southeast Washington street and killing a woman who was walking in the area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Carthens pleaded guilty in October 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 10-year prison term. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly on Jan. 7, 2022. Following his prison term, Carthens will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 20, 2020, at approximately 9:55 p.m., Carthens exited from the rear passenger door of a blue-colored, four door sedan as it turned into an alley alongside the 1900 block of 16th Street SE. He was holding a handgun and shot into the 1900 block of 16th Street approximately nine times in the direction of a group of individuals who were congregating across the street. He then ran back into the waiting vehicle and fled the scene.
An innocent bystander, Lagoria Brinkley, 36, was walking southbound on 16th Street towards U Street SE and was struck in the head by one of the fired bullets. Medical personnel arrived at the scene and were unable to revive her. Carthens was arrested on March 26, 2020 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Detroit man sentenced for his role in a drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Doriawn Eduane-Draphel Rogers, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to time served for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Rogers, 21, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl in Proximity to a Protected Location.” Rogers admitted to distributing heroin and fentanyl near Fairmont Senior High School and Fairmont State University in August 2020.
Rogers faces at least one and up 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Three Rivers Drug Task Force investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty in Macon PSN CaseRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident with prior felony convictions who was found in possession of a firearm during the course of an investigation into a check cashing scheme has pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge.
Jesse Seabolt, 42, of Macon, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Thursday, Jan. 6. Seabolt is facing a maximum ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 6. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Individuals with prior felonies are breaking federal law when they are arrested in possession of a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Convicted felons face the possibility of federal prosecution when they make the choice to illegally carry a weapon.”
According to court documents, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) was investigating Seabolt for an alleged fraudulent check cashing scheme that occurred in June 2020. During the course of the investigation, a search warrant was obtained and officers executed the search warrant at Seabolt’s home on Aug. 28, 2020. In plain view, next to Seabolt’s mobile phone, was a 9mm pistol. Seabolt was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses including escape, forgery, unlawful possession of another’s identification documents, and unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial transaction card in Weber County, Utah. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Citrus County Convicted Felon Arrested for Falsifying Federal Firearm PaperworkRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Darrell Pierre Hopkins (54, Dunnellon) with making a materially false statement in connection with the purchase of firearms and knowingly causing a licensed gun dealer to maintain false information in its official records. If convicted on both counts, Hopkins faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to court documents and evidence introduced in court, on or about November 23, 2021, Hopkins attempted to purchase two handguns from a federally licensed firearm dealer in Crystal River. While completing the mandatory firearm transaction paperwork, Hopkins certified that he had not previously been convicted of a felony. A criminal background check, however, revealed that Hopkins had prior felony convictions under an alias for robbery and conspiracy to deal cocaine. As a convicted felon, Hopkins is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. When subsequently confronted by law enforcement, Hopkins admitted that he was the person who had attempted to purchase the firearms.
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 was investigated by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
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.
Chiropractor Sentenced for Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-like DrugsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A New Jersey chiropractor was sentenced to eight months of imprisonment for distributing steroid-like drugs as purported dietary supplements, the Department of Justice announced today.
Nicholas Andrew Puccio, 41, of Columbus, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in June 2021 to distributing unapproved new drugs with the intent to defraud and mislead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. In connection with his sentence, Puccio paid a forfeiture money judgment of $150,000 related to proceeds from his sales of illicit products. U.S. District Judge James P. Jones of the Western District of Virginia also ordered Puccio to pay a $10,000 fine.
In pleading guilty, Puccio admitted that, from 2016 to 2020, he marketed drugs as “dietary supplements” to the body-building and fitness community. The purported supplements included a product labeled as containing ostarine, a type of synthetic steroid known as a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM). The FDA has warned against the use of SARMs, including stating in a 2017 warning letter to another firm that SARMs have been linked to life-threatening reactions, like liver toxicity, and that they have the potential to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
“The public – and especially athletes – need to know and understand the risks associated with taking drugs labeled as dietary supplements. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will continue to pursue criminal charges and seek to hold accountable those who choose to profit from selling unapproved drugs while recklessly disregarding the health risks to the consumers.”
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.
Business Vice President to Admit to Failing to Account for and Turn over More Than a Million Dollars in Payroll Taxes to the IRSRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – According to an information and plea agreement filed today in U.S. District Court in Providence, the vice president of two Providence businesses, who also acted as the business/finance manager of a trust, will plead guilty to charges that he allegedly failed to turn over to the Internal Revenue Service more than one million dollars in federal payroll taxes, including Medicare, and Social Security taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks.
It is alleged in charging documents that Mark Carlson, as Vice President of American Pride Insulation and of Atlantic Abatement Construction, and a manager of finances for the Leo Byrnes Trust, failed his responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and turn over payroll taxes from the three entities.
Carlson is charged by way of an information with 14 counts of failure to truthfully account for and pay over withholding and FICA taxes and one count of filing a false tax return.
Court documents allege that, throughout calendar years 2015 through 2018, the three entities withheld taxes from their employees’ paychecks, but Carlson failed to file the appropriate IRS documents, failed to truthfully account for, and failed to turn over to the IRS the federal payroll taxes withheld and FICA taxes due to the United States on behalf of the businesses and their employees. In total, Carlson is alleged to have failed to turnover $1,086,816.50.
Court documents also allege that Carlson created 2018 W2s from American Pride and the Leo Byrnes Trust that falsely represented that a total of $8,946 dollars had been withheld in employment taxes on his behalf and paid over to the IRS, when in fact no money had been paid to the IRS. In May 2019, Carlson allegedly filed an individual tax return falsely stating that $8,946 had been paid to the IRS on his behalf.
An information is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
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Berkeley County woman sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tammy Jean Holmes, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 21 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Holmes, 35, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Mixture.” Holmes admitted to working with another to sell heroin and fentanyl in August 2019 in Berkeley County.
This charge is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Barbour County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Kyle Richard Lantz, II, of Philippi, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Lantz, 38, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun.” Lantz admitted to having a machinegun in August 2019 in Barbour County.
Lantz faces up 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
667 Kilograms of Cocaine Apprehended On-Board a Vessel Near St. Croix; Three British Virgin Islands Citizens and a Citizen of the Dominican Republic ArrestedRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that three British Virgin Islands citizens and one citizen of the Dominican Republic were arrested today, January 9, 2022, on criminal charges related to their alleged possession with intent to distribute 667 kilograms of cocaine on-board a vessel apprehended yesterday near St. Croix.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2022, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) along with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) detected a thirty-two feet vessel headed north towards the vicinity of the British Virgin Islands. When law enforcement approached the vessel, it was dead in the water. Captaining the vessel was British Virgin Islands resident Shannon John. Passengers included Sean John and Emmanuel Tolentino-Lebron, both also from the BVI, and Augusto Rodriquez-Molina, a citizen of the Dominican Republic. Federal authorities located approximately 667 kilograms of cocaine packaged in approximately 20 block-shaped bales onboard.
All four men were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine on a covered vessel, and conspiracy to commit the same offense, in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a)(1) & 46 U.S.C. § 70506(b). If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
"Long Time Coming" Update: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with His Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Carlo Ramsey, 56, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ramsey admitted to assisting Ambera Roberts and Era Dawn Corder in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Parkersburg area by supplying them with methamphetamine on several occasions between June and September 2021. Ramsey further admitted that he knew both Roberts and Corder were engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine during this period of time.
Ramsey faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 14, 2022.
Robert Sanders, Jr., and Floyd Dermonta Ramsey are still facing federal charges as a result of the nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming,” which also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County. Ambera Roberts, Era Dawn Corder, and Matthew Edward Depew, all of Parkersburg, previously entered guilty pleas in this case and await sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, the Boyd County (KY) Sheriff’s Office, the Russell (KY) Police Department and the Raceland (KY) Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00163.
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Friday 7 January 2022
Yarmouth Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Yarmouth man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Isaiah Mokeme, aka “O,” 25, to ten years in prison and four years of supervised release. Mokeme pleaded guilty in March 2021.
According to court records, in January 2019, Mokeme and others agreed to ship cocaine from California to southern Maine for further distribution. On January 10, 2019, Mokeme shipped an overnight package from Los Angeles to Westbrook, Maine. The package was intercepted and found to contain three kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement then recovered a receipt indicating a similar package was shipped on January 9, 2019.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service, and the Portland and Los Angeles police departments investigated the case.
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West Richland Man Extradited from Kazakhstan Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – On January 6, U.S. District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr. sentenced Trent Drexel Howard, 50, of West Richland, Washington, to 23 years in federal prison for attempted production of child pornography. Judge Mendoza also ordered Howard to serve an additional 20 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison. Howard pleaded guilty on September 23, 2021.
According to court documents, from 2008 through 2016, Howard attempted to produce child pornography of at least 14 different minor victims by hiding cameras in the bathrooms and bedrooms of his residence in the Eastern District of Washington. Howard captured video footage of his minor victims in nude and semi-nude states.
The investigation began when Howard distributed 168 files containing suspected child pornography images and videos to an undercover agent using a publicly accessible, Internet-based, file-sharing network. Federal agents obtained and executed a search warrant at Howard’s residence and discovered the hidden camera footage on some of the more than 100 electronic devices they seized.
Howard was working in Kazakhstan when federal agents executed the search warrant at his residence. After learning of the investigation, Howard attempted to remain in Kazakhstan and avoid facing these charges, but Kazakh authorities arrested him on September 12, 2019. A Kazakh judge ordered Howard detained pending an extradition request from the United States, which soon followed. According to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Howard’s removal from Kazakhstan is the first extradition to the United States from Kazakhstan.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington praised the complex international efforts taken to investigate the case, bring the prosecution, and extradite Howard to face these charges in Richland: “Mr. Howard earned every day of his multi-decade sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “This case makes it clear that those who exploit children in our community will be held accountable, even if they try to hide in a foreign country or avoid extradition to the United States. I cannot commend highly enough the agencies and departments that worked together to achieve justice for this serial child predator. The FBI led a collaborative investigation that required the excellent and diligent work of the U.S. State Department, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and detectives from the Kennewick, Richland, and Moses Lake Police Departments. It is simply remarkable how many moving parts were involved in bringing this investigation and prosecution to a just resolution.”
“For more than a decade, Mr. Howard victimized numerous minors and possessed tens of thousands of child exploitation materials,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald M. Voiret of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “This case demonstrates that no matter where in the world our subjects may be, the FBI will stop at nothing to hold child predators accountable.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI Spokane Resident Office, with the Southeast Regional ICAC Task Force, and the Kennewick, Richland, and Moses Lake Police Departments. Invaluable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of State and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The case was prosecuted by Ann T. Wick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
West Haven Man Charged with Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Michael Brillon, 59, of West Haven, Vermont was arrested yesterday for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A criminal complaint was filed today in United States District Court, and Brillon is expected to have his initial appearance this afternoon.
According to court records, a collaborative stolen property investigation of the Winhall, Wilmington, Fair Haven, and Bennington Police Departments and the Vermont State Police resulted in the execution of a search warrant at Brillon’s property in West Haven yesterday morning. During the investigation, local law enforcement learned that Brillon was alleged to possess firearms and had been making threatening statements. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations were asked to assist in the search. The search resulted in the seizure of a SAR Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol, two rifles, and a large quantity of marijuana consistent with an intent to distribute. Brillon has a long criminal history that includes felony convictions for sexual assault on a minor and aggravated domestic assault. Those convictions prohibit Brillon from possessing firearms.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Brillon remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Brillon faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Winhall, Wilmington, Fair Haven, and Bennington Police Departments and the Vermont State Police, and the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. Kerest added, “this case exemplifies the greatest strength of Vermont law enforcement – their willingness and ability to work collaboratively for the good of Vermonters.”
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 https://www.justice.gov/psn
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Brillon is represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq.
United States Marshals Offering up to $10,000 for Information Leading to the Capture of Alleged Spokane FraudsterRead the Press Release
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – The United States Marshals are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the capture of William Oldham Mize, who failed to appear for a pretrial conference before United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice in Spokane. Mize, 60, is alleged to have participated in a multi-million-dollar fraud, and has been a fugitive from justice since approximately July 10, 2019, when he is alleged to have violated his pretrial release conditions by failing to make himself available for pretrial supervision to the U.S. Probation Office and failing to contact his attorney. A United States Magistrate Judge has issued a warrant for Mize’s arrest.
On December 18, 2018, a federal Grand Jury in the Eastern District of Washington found probable cause to indict Mize and others on numerous charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The alleged criminal activity took place for years, between September 2013 and April 2018. Court records indicate that Mize is alleged to have caused fake car accidents, falls, and other accidents in multiple states. To date, insurers have paid more than $6 million on Mize’s allegedly fraudulent claims.
Mize originally appeared in federal court on January 9, 2019, to answer a summons issued in connection with his federal indictment. He was released pending trial on conditions that included reporting to the U.S. Probation Office as often as directed, contacting his defense attorney weekly, posting an unsecured $750,000 appearance bond, surrendering his U.S. Passport, limiting his travel to Washington and Nevada, and showing up for all future court dates.
Mize is believed to have used numerous aliases, including Phillip Novak, Phillip Gonzalez, Phillip Boito, Bill Babaian, Bill Park, William Park, William Talento, William Westfall, Phillip Amezcua, Phillip Smith, William Smith, Will Smith, William Frangella, William Tardy, William Sharp, Phillip Tardy and Chad Harris. He has previously frequented cities in Washington, California, Florida, and Mexico, as well as Las Vegas and New Orleans.
Mize is a white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 240 pounds. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
Tips may be submitted directly to the United States Marshals Service by calling 1-877-WANTED2 or using the USMS Tips App.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George J.C. Jacobs, III. The case number is 18-CR-00232-TOR.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Jan. 9Read the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — In honor of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Jan. 9, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina recognizes the hard-working men and women in law enforcement for the sacrifices that they make on a daily basis to protect the citizens of this State and Country.
“Every day, law enforcement officers put on their uniforms and leave the safety of their homes to protect and serve our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. “These officers risk their lives to make South Carolina safer, and indeed many have made the ultimate sacrifice. We appreciate their sacrifices, owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude, and stand with them as they do their important work.”
Although COVID-19 currently hinders our ability to appropriately recognize our law enforcement partners in person, U.S. Attorney Ellis invites the public to follow the Office’s Twitter page at https://twitter.com/USAO_SC, where we will be sharing stories throughout January about the work our law enforcement partners do in their communities. U.S. Attorney Ellis also encourages the public to do what they can to recognize the efforts of their local law enforcement officers.
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CONTACT PERSON: Derek Shoemake, Public Information Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, [email protected], (843) 327-0882
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Law Enforcement Appreciation DayRead the Press Release
Sunday, January 9, 2021, is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, a day dedicated to showing our support for law enforcement on the local, state, and federal levels. Created in 2015, this day allows us to voice our appreciation to law enforcement officers for their service to us all.
Every day our law enforcement colleagues run towards the danger as front-line workers and first responders to ensure public safety, address incidents involving domestic violence, substance misuse disorders, and mental health challenges. In this great state of Vermont, we all depend on law enforcement to protect people from crime and violence. The prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office also rely on our law enforcement colleagues to investigate crime carefully and thoroughly and to uncover and ferret out those that victimize the vulnerable.
Over the past two years we have been frequently reminded of the difficult challenges faced by law enforcement officers, many of which have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 across the country, 491 police officers died in the line of duty. Vermont did not lose an officer in the line of duty in 2021, but the dangers that took the lives of those 491 lives exist every day in our state.
On January 9, take a moment to recognize these challenges and to show support for those who serve and protect. Send them an email, tweet support for them, or just give them a call and say, “thank you.” These small gestures are significant as we show our support for those who dedicate their lives to public safety.
The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the men and women of law enforcement for the dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to the rule of law they display every day. We recognize that you make our cases possible, and we will continue working together to promote justice and public safety in 2022.
Two Manchester Men Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Christopher Yule, 30, and Jacob Brady, 30, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking charges and related charges, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today. Yule pleaded guilty two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Brady pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2020, Manchester police detectives received information that a female would be traveling from Manchester to Lawrence, Massachusetts to obtain a significant amount of drugs for redistribution in New Hampshire. Surveillance officers observed her drive to Lawrence and park in an area known as a distribution “hot spot.” A vehicle registered to Yule parked close by and extinguished its lights. Within a minute, the cars departed. Surveillance units followed both vehicles.
When Yule’s vehicle entered Manchester, it was stopped by the police for a traffic violation and suspicion of drug activity. Brady was the driver of the vehicle. Yule and Brady both engaged in furtive movements within the vehicle as officers approached. Both individuals were instructed to step out of the vehicle. Brady explained that he and Yule traveled to Lawrence so Yule could meet with his source and purchase drugs. He further disclosed the drugs were in the glove compartment.
During the encounter, an officer observed through the window a tied-off glassine baggie protruding from a side compartment area. It contained a powder that appeared to be fentanyl. Yule consented to a search of the vehicle and officers located over 78 grams of fentanyl and over six grams of cocaine base.
On March 27, 2021, Hooksett police officers responded to a call reporting a male “passed out” in a rental van in a hotel parking lot known as a hot spot for drug activity in Hooksett. The caller stated a needle and firearm were visible in the vehicle. Officers found Yule slumped over in the driver’s seat with a needle and tourniquet visible next to him. Officers also saw a firearm in the open driver’s door compartment. After securing the firearm, they woke Yule.
Officers learned that Yule was a convicted felon and he was placed under arrest. During a search incident to arrest, officers located syringes in his pockets, $3,170 in his wallet and two small bags of suspected drugs, which Yule identified as “crack.”
On March 30, 2021, pursuant to a search warrant, officers searched the van and found over 58 grams of methamphetamine and over five grams of fentanyl. They also located holsters, loaded 9mm magazines, and other firearm accessories.
Yule and Brady are both scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2022.
“Drug trafficking continues to endanger the health and welfare of the residents of Manchester and other communities in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “Armed drug dealers are an even greater danger because their illegal behavior increases the risk of violence. By working with the Manchester Police Department to prosecute drug dealers like Yule and Brady, we are improving public safety in Manchester and throughout the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Hooksett Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
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Three Puerto Rican Men Arrested On-Board a Vessel Near St. Thomas for Possessing 75 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – Three Puerto Rican men were arrested on December 29, 2021 in St. Thomas, USVI on criminal charges related to their alleged possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a covered vessel.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2021, Pedro Juan Ramos-Ramirez, Johny Arias Rodriguez, and Gerald Albert Cruz were on-board a vessel in United States customs waters that was traveling at night without navigation lights. Agents from United States Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (“CBP-AMO”) activated their vessel’s blue emergency lights, siren, and navigation lights. Two passengers on the vessel then began throwing bags overboard. Once the passengers finished throwing the bags overboard, the operator of their vessel began to vary his speed and maneuver the vessel wildly, attempting to evade the CBP-AMO agents.
The agents rendered the engine on the individuals’ vessel inoperable. The three individuals on the vessel were then taken into custody. A subsequent search located three black duffel bags containing seventy-five kilogram packages of cocaine.
The three men are charged with possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine on a covered vessel, and conspiracy to commit the same offense, in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a)(1) & 46 U.S.C. § 70506(b). If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Colombian Nationals Arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport for Improper Entry and Visa FraudRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Three Colombian nationals were arrested on December 31, 2021, at the Cyril E. King Airport on criminal charges related to their alleged improper entry into the United States and use of fraudulent visas.
According to court documents, Oscar David Mira Aristizabal, 49, Alexander Lopera Castaneda, 31, and Maria Eugenia Alzate Sosa, 29, arrived in St. Thomas, USVI by boat from St. Martin on December 27, 2021, without presenting themselves at a port of entry. On December 30, 2021, they presented themselves to Customs and Border Protection for inspection at the Cyril E. King Airport. There, they presented visas that showed signs of alteration and that lacked certain security features. A check of automated databases determined that the individuals had no pending applications for entry documents with Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Mira Aristizabal, Lopera Castaneda, and Alzate Sosa are charged with improper entry, under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1), and visa fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a). If convicted, each individual faces a maximum penalty of 126 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Amazon Marketplace Sellers Plead Guilty to Price Fixing DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs in Ongoing InvestigationRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man and two New York men pleaded guilty yesterday to fixing the prices of DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs sold on the Amazon Marketplace.
According to court documents filed in Knoxville, Tennessee, Morris Sutton, Emmanuel Hourizadeh and Raymond Nouvahian were charged with conspiring with others to fix prices of DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs sold through the Amazon Marketplace. The price-fixing conspiracy each engaged in was ongoing from at least as early as November 2017 and continued until at least Oct. 29, 2019. Sutton, Hourizadeh and Nouvahian are the second, third and fourth individuals to be charged and to plead guilty in the ongoing investigation.
“As American consumers increasingly turn to e-commerce, it is critically important to deter, detect and prosecute crimes that prevent fair and open competition in online marketplaces,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “These charges demonstrate the Antitrust Division’s continued commitment to prosecuting anticompetitive conduct wherever it may occur.”
According to a one-count information charging Sutton, and another one-count information charging Hourizadeh and Nouvahian, each of the charged individuals and his co-conspirators agreed to raise and maintain the prices of DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs sold in their Amazon Marketplace storefronts. The Amazon Marketplace is an e-commerce platform that enables third-party vendors to sell new or used products alongside Amazon’s own offerings. The Amazon Marketplace is owned and operated by Amazon.com Inc.
“Price-fixing schemes chip away at the benefits afforded to us by a fair market system,” said Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “Artificially inflating prices to avoid giving consumers a choice, for the sole purpose of benefitting those involved in the fraudulent scheme, is a violation of federal law. These guilty pleas should serve as a warning to other like-minded criminals.”
“We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the investigative team for both protecting the individual consumer and the deterrence of activities in violation of the Sherman Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Ken Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). “Along with our law enforcement partners, the USPS OIG will continue to aggressively investigate those who would engage in this type of harmful conduct.”
A criminal violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated with the assistance of the FBI’s New York Field Office and USPS OIG’s Contract Fraud Investigations Division.
Anyone with information concerning price fixing or other anticompetitive conduct related to the sale of DVDs, Blu-Ray Discs, or other products sold through Amazon Marketplace should contact the Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office at 312-984-7200, Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html, or FBI’s New York Field Office at 212-384-1000.
South Florida Man Who Recorded Himself Sexually Abusing Child Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Yesterday, United States District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon sentenced Nicholas Antonio Zamudio-Hernandez, 19, of Vero Beach, Florida, to 360 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production and possession of child pornography.
In May 2021, law enforcement agents learned that someone was using multiple social media accounts to store images of child pornography. After an investigation, agents executed a search warrant at Zamudio-Hernandez’s residence in Vero Beach. They recovered several videos and images that Zamudio-Hernandez created of himself sexually abusing a child under the age of 13. Zamudio-Hernandez later admitted to producing the videos and images, and abusing the child.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI Miami (Fort Pierce office) investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 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 the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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 21-14031-CR-AMC.
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Shiprock man facing federal firearms and drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Jason E. Begay, 40, of Shiprock, New Mexico, made his initial appearance in federal court on Jan. 6 on a two-count indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine and using and carrying a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime. Begay remains in custody pending an arraignment and detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 10.
According to the indictment and other court records, on Nov. 14, 2021, near Morgan Lake on the Navajo Nation, Navajo Police officers responding to a 911 call made contact with Begay who was slumped over his steering wheel. A handgun allegedly was in plain view on the front passenger seat. Begay allegedly led officers in a high-speed pursuit to the south side of Shiprock, where his vehicle became stuck in soft dirt near a fence line. Begay allegedly got out of the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by officers. Officers allegedly found Begay in possession of several firearms, ammunition and approximately 6.8 pounds of methamphetamine.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Begay faces a minimum of five years and up to lifetime in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Nation Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
Shannon Kepler Sentenced to 25 Years for MurderRead the Press Release
Former police officer Shannon Kepler, 61, was sentenced today in federal court for killing Jeremey Lake on Aug. 5, 2014.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Kepler to 25 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Per the family’s request, he further ordered Kepler to pay restitution in an amount to cover the cost of a headstone for the victim. Kepler was sentenced for using a firearm in the commission of second degree murder. A separate assault charge for firing at Lake’s brother was previously dismissed by Judge Frizzell due to the statute of limitations.
During sentencing, Jeremey’s father spoke in court. He described the emotional and physical toll taken by his first-born son’s death and the subsequent trials. He described how difficult it was to think of his son suffering while the defendant drove away from the crime scene.
Jeremey’s father and the family members who submitted letters reminded the Court that Jeremey never had the chance to grow into the man he had hoped to become for his unborn child. They explained that prior to his death, Jeremey found a steady residence and intended to go to welding school. They also spoke about his selflessness and willingness to help others, as evidenced by his volunteer work at the homeless shelter. One family member explained that the only place she could speak to Jeremey now was at his grave.
“Nineteen-year-old Jeremey Lake died almost immediately after Shannon Kepler gunned him down in the street in 2014,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Kepler, at the time, was sworn to uphold the law but instead made a series of decisions that led to the young man’s murder. Today’s 25-year sentence provides a measure of justice to Mr. Lake’s family, though I know their healing continues. It also serves as a reminder that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will hold individuals accountable for acts of violence in our community.”
A federal jury convicted Kepler in April 2021 for killing Lake.
A week prior to Lake’s 2014 murder, Kepler dropped off his 18-year-old daughter at a homeless shelter with no extra clothing, no money, and no cell phone. He later logged into his daughter’s Facebook account while he was at work and saw that she had newly changed her status to being “in a relationship” with Jeremey Lake. Kepler then used police databases to gather information on Lake and printed off police reports about the victim. The day of the crime, Kepler changed into dark clothing, used his wife’s SUV, then travelled after dark to Lake’s last known address with a loaded revolver in the waistband of his pants.
After seeing Lake and Lisa Kepler around 9 pm, Kepler approached Lake and shot him in the street on North Maybelle Avenue, near downtown Tulsa. After shooting the victim twice through the chest, he turned and fired in the direction of his daughter, the victim’s brother, and a third witness to the killing. Lake died at the scene.
At the time of the murder, Kepler was a 24-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department.
Kepler appealed his 2017 State manslaughter conviction for the killing on grounds that his case should have been tried in federal court based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma. Kepler is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the shooting took place on the nation’s Reservation.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department joined forces to lead the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross E. Lenhardt and Sean J. Taylor prosecuted the case. Mr. Lenhardt is a prosecutor from the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Taylor is a prosecutor from the Eastern District of Texas. Both volunteered to assist prosecution efforts in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes that occur on the Muscogee, Cherokee and Quapaw Nations’ Reservations involving Native American victims or defendants.
You can find the trial press release here.
Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 100 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Collazo, age 34, of Frackville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 6, 2022, to 100 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Collazo previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing between 50 and 150 grams of highly-pure crystal methamphetamine for further distribution in the Schuylkill County area between December 2018 and February 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara 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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