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Thursday 6 January 2022
Meridian Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, James Ricky Stewart, Jr., 44, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Meridian Police Department on June 15, 2020 during a traffic stop. Stewart had a .40 caliber pistol in his car. Stewart has four prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Stewart to possess any firearm.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Kurt H. Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The ATF and the Meridian Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Mercer County Felon Sentenced to More than 8 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Diquan Crowder was sentenced to 100 months in prison for possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Crowder, age 28 of Farrell, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan also sentenced Crowder to three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
On November 20, 2020, Crowder possessed a loaded and stolen AK 47-style Zastava pistol at his residence in Farrell, Pennsylvania. A finding was made during Crowder’s sentencing hearing that he possessed the AK 47-style pistol on that date in connection with the felony crime of drug trafficking. As of that date, Crowder had already been convicted of a felony gun crime as a result of a state prosecution in 2014 and had also been convicted of a felony drug trafficking crime as a result of another state prosecution in 2016.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $120,000 from Bank Customer AccountsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Drummond, 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud for his role in a scheme in which Wells Fargo Bank customers lost $124,000 from their accounts. According to the government’s evidence, the participants in the scheme attempted to steal another $80,000 from the bank’s customers, but the bank detected that fraud and stopped the loss.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
Drummond pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Royce C. Lamberth scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2022. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Drummond faces a likely range of 27 to 33 months in prison, a restitution order, and a fine of up to $60,000. He also has agreed to pay $124,000 in a forfeiture money judgment.
In entering his plea, Drummond admitted to orchestrating a scheme that was carried out in 2017 in which Drummond recruited bank employees who would make unauthorized withdrawals from Wells Fargo customer accounts. The bank employees used the bank's internal systems to check the account balances of customers without the customer’s knowledge. Those employees then told Drummond the customer’s name and account balance.
Drummond then sent another accomplice into the bank to pose as the customer and to withdraw the funds, unbeknownst to the actual customer. The conspirators used this scheme to steal $124,000 in cash and an $80,000 cashier’s check from two of the bank’s customers. Although Wells Fargo was able to detect the theft and stop payment of the $80,000 cashier’s check, Wells Fargo incurred losses on behalf of its customers for the $124,000 in cash that Drummond and others stole.
Another conspirator, Tiara Langston, 30, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, entered a guilty plea in November 2020 to related charges and was sentenced in March 2021 to a 15-month prison term.
In announcing today’s guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the work of those who are handling the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Borchert, who is prosecuting the matter.
Manhattan Man Arrested for Acting as an Unregistered Agent of the Egyptian Government in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging PIERRE GIRGIS, a dual Egyptian and U.S. citizen, with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as an unregistered agent of the Arab Republic of Egypt. GIRGIS was taken into custody earlier today, and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Pierre Girgis failed to meet his requirements to register as a foreign agent in the United States. At the behest of Egyptian officials, Girgis’s alleged prohibited conduct included attempting to covertly gather non-public intelligence about the activities of political opponents of Egypt’s president, and attempting to gain access for foreign officials to attend law enforcement-only trainings in Manhattan. This Office will continue to strictly enforce foreign agent registration laws, which remain critically important to ensuring that our government is not secretly influenced by foreign governments.”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “The Department of Justice will not allow agents of foreign governments to operate in the United States to pursue and collect information about critics of those governments. Working at the direction of the Egyptian government, Girgis agreed to target its perceived critics located in the United States. This indictment begins the process of holding him accountable for his actions in contravention of our laws and values.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Agents of foreign countries are required to register with our government for a good reason - they often act in their home country's interests and against those of the United States. We allege Mr. Girgis sent non-public information back to Egypt for the benefit of the Egyptian government. Mr. Girgis broke our laws, and we must hold him accountable.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court, and statements made during court proceedings[1]:
From at least approximately 2014 to 2019, GIRGIS, a native of Egypt, acted in the United States as an agent of the Egyptian government, without notifying the U.S. Attorney General as required by law. GIRGIS operated at the direction and control of multiple officials of the Egyptian government in an effort to further the interests of the Egyptian government in the United States. Among other things, at the direction of Egyptian government officials, GIRGIS tracked and obtained information regarding political opponents of Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. GIRGIS also leveraged his connections with local U.S. law enforcement officers to collect non-public information at the direction of Egyptian officials, arranged benefits for Egyptian officials who were visiting Manhattan, and coordinated meetings between U.S. and Egyptian law enforcement in the United States, including by attempting to arrange for Egyptian officials to attend police trainings.
On or about May 7, 2018, GIRGIS discussed his status as an agent of the Egyptian government with an Egyptian official (“Egyptian Official-1”) using an encrypted messaging application. During the conversation, Egyptian Official-1 expressed frustration that GIRGIS had communicated with personnel from a different Egyptian government agency, warned GIRGIS that “it is not possible to open with all the agencies,” and stated that Egyptian Official-1 was “letting you [GIRGIS] open with us only.”[2] Later in the encrypted messaging exchange, Egyptian Official-1 advised GIRGIS that other Egyptian government agencies “want sources for themselves, and you [GIRGIS] have become an important source for them to collect information.” GIRGIS responded, “I know and I see and I learn from you,” and then informed Egyptian Official-1, “it will not be repeated again.”
Approximately one year later, on or about March 8, 2019, in the course of GIRGIS’s continuing operations as an Egyptian agent, GIRGIS and Egyptian Official-1 discussed an upcoming trip of certain Egyptian officials to the United States. During that telephone conversation, GIRGIS stated, “Tell me what you want me to do,” and Egyptian Official-1 responded by inquiring about GIRGIS’s relationship with a particular U.S. law enforcement officer. Egyptian Official-1 then instructed GIRGIS “to ask [the U.S. law enforcement officer] for something. We want you to find out if there are any police trainings happening in Manhattan in the coming days, and if so, who are the people in charge of these trainings? We would like to attend.” Later in the conversation, GIRGIS again asked, “What you want me to do?” Egyptian Official-1 directed GIRGIS, “Make follow up, Ok?” and GIRGIS agreed by responding, “Ok.”
* * *
GIRGIS, 39, is a resident of Manhattan. GIRGIS is charged with one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division, and thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elinor L. Tarlow and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
[2] The statements described in the Indictment and herein are set forth in substance and in part.
Man Who Was High on Methamphetamine with a Loaded Handgun in Cell Phone Store Bathroom Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who was found under the influence of methamphetamine in a Dubuque, Iowa, cell phone store bathroom with a loaded handgun pled guilty January 5, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Austin Matthew Oberbroeckling, age 27, from Farley, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user.
In a plea agreement, Oberbroeckling admitted that, in August 2019, the Dubuque Police Department received a call of a suspicious individual at a Dubuque cell phone store. A responding officer arrived and found Oberbroeckling inside the bathroom near the sink. A .40 caliber handgun loaded with 14 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber was located on the tank of the toilet. Oberbroeckling had red, watery eyes, poor balance, and seemed to be lethargic and twitching. His Blood Alcohol Content was only .01, but later testing of his urine determined that Oberbroeckling had methamphetamine and biproducts of heroin and fentanyl in his system.
Oberbroeckling also admitted in the plea agreement that in August 2021, he was present at a hotel in Dubuque where drug paraphernalia was seen by hotel staff. When hotel staff told Oberbroeckling that the police would be called, Oberbroeckling and another occupant took some items and left the hotel. Hotel staff, and then police, found two shotguns in the room and various items of drug paraphernalia. Police found Oberbroeckling’s vehicle still parked outside the hotel the next day and obtained a search warrant for it. Inside the vehicle, officers found a bag containing a shotgun with a shortened (sawed-off) barrel. Oberbroeckling admitted he possessed the sawed-off shotgun found in his vehicle.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Oberbroeckling remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Oberbroeckling faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21‑CR‑1026‑CJW‑MAR.
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Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for producing images of child sexual abuse. As part of the sentence, the defendant will also pay more than $58,000 in restitution to victims.
Jason Paul White, 42, of Lubbock, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to production of child pornography. According to court documents, in 2009, when White was 29 years old, he persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video. Specifically, White produced a video of himself performing oral sex on the minor, masturbating the minor using a sex device, and then having the minor masturbate White using the same sex device. White also produced child pornography videos of the same minor on approximately six other occasions. As part of his guilty plea, White also admitted to enticing six other minor boys to engage in sexual activity between 2004 (when White was 25) and 2020 (when White was 41). The boys ranged in age from 13 to 17 years old at the time White committed crimes against them.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham for the Northern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam of the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Dallas Field Office, the Lubbock Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s High Technology Investigative Unit.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Arrested for Acting in United States as Agent of Egyptian GovernmentRead the Press Release
A New York man was arrested today on criminal charges related to his alleged acting and conspiring to act as a foreign agent in the United States.
According to court documents, Pierre Girgis, 39, of Manhattan, acted in the United States as an agent of the Egyptian government, without notifying the U.S. Attorney General as required by law. Girgis operated at the direction and control of multiple officials of the Egyptian government in an effort to further the interests of the Egyptian government in the United States. Among other things, at the direction of Egyptian government officials, Girgis allegedly tracked and obtained information regarding political opponents of Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. As alleged, Girgis also leveraged his connections with local U.S. law enforcement officers to collect non-public information at the direction of Egyptian officials, arranged benefits for Egyptian officials who were visiting Manhattan, and coordinated meetings between U.S. and Egyptian law enforcement in the United States, including by arranging for Egyptian officials to attend police trainings.
“The Department of Justice will not allow agents of foreign governments to operate in the United States to pursue and collect information about critics of those governments,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “Working at the direction of the Egyptian government, Girgis agreed to target its perceived critics located in the United States. This indictment begins the process of holding him accountable for his actions in contravention of our laws and values.”
“As alleged, Pierre Girgis failed to meet his requirements to register as a foreign agent in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “At the behest of Egyptian officials, Girgis’s alleged prohibited conduct included attempting to covertly gather non-public intelligence about the activities of political opponents of Egypt’s president, and attempting to gain access for foreign officials to attend law enforcement-only trainings in Manhattan. This office will continue to strictly enforce foreign agent registration laws, which remain critically important to ensuring that our government is not secretly influenced by foreign governments.”
“Agents of foreign countries are required to register with our government for a good reason – they often act in their home country's interests and against those of the United States,” said Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “We allege Mr. Girgis sent non-public information back to Egypt for the benefit of the Egyptian government. Mr. Girgis broke our laws, and we must hold him accountable.”
According to the indictment, on or about May 7, 2018, Girgis discussed his status as an agent of the Egyptian government with an Egyptian official (Egyptian Official-1) using an encrypted messaging application. During the conversation, Egyptian Official-1 expressed frustration that Girgis had met with personnel from a different Egyptian government agency during a recent trip by Girgis to Egypt, warned Girgis that “it is not possible to open with all the agencies,” and stated that Egyptian Official-1 was “letting you [Girgis] open with us only.” Later in the encrypted messaging exchange, Egyptian Official-1 advised Girgis that other Egyptian government agencies “want sources for themselves, and you [Girgis] have become an important source for them to collect information.” Girgis responded, “I know and I see and I learn from you,” and then informed Egyptian Official-1, “it will not be repeated again.”
Approximately one year later, on or about March 8, 2019, in the course of Girgis’s continuing operations as an Egyptian agent, Girgis and Egyptian Official-1 discussed an upcoming trip of certain Egyptian officials to the United States. During that telephone conversation, Girgis stated, “Tell me what you want me to do,” and Egyptian Official-1 responded by inquiring about Girgis’s relationship with a particular U.S. law enforcement officer. Egyptian Official-1 then instructed Girgis “to ask [the U.S. law enforcement officer] for something. We want you to find out if there are any police trainings happening in Manhattan in the coming days, and if so, who are the people in charge of these trainings? We would like to attend.” Later in the conversation, Girgis again asked, “What you want me to do?” Egyptian Official-1 directed Girgis, “Make follow up, Ok?” and Girgis agreed by responding, “Ok.”
Girgis is charged with one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and New York Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elinor L. Tarlow and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MS-13 Members and Associates Indicted in Racketeering, Narcotics, and Multiple Murder ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging twelve members and associates of “La Mara Salvatrucha”, or MS-13, with a variety of offenses based on their involvement in racketeering, drug trafficking, and a series of murders.
Those charged in the indictment are:
Name
Age
Gang Moniker(s) / Nickname(s)
Residence
Marvin Menjivar Gutiérrez
29
Astuto
New York
Melvin Canales Saldana
29
Demente
New York
Mario Antonio Guevara Rivera
26
Blue, Azul, Telele
Woodbridge
Cristian Ariel Arevalo Arias
26
Serio
Woodbridge
Carlos Jose Turcios Villatoro
23
Oculto
Woodbridge
Abner Jose Molina Rodriguez
24
Rino, Tecolote
Woodbridge
Manilester Andrade Rivas
32
Mani, Tandori, Conejo, Coqueto
Woodbridge
Jairo Gustavo Aguilera Sagastizado
26
Coy, Maruchan, Psicólogo
New York
Walter Jeovanny Rubio Lemus
27
Caskillo
Woodbridge
Juan Carlos Hernández Landaverde
23
Chele
Annandale
Karen Estefany Figueroa Alfaro
29
N/A
Woodbridge
Juan Manuel Vasquez Reyes
40
Güero
Manassas
According to the indictment, the defendants were members or associates of the Sitios Locos Salvatrucha clique (STLS) of MS-13, which has operated in Northern Virginia and elsewhere for at least the past several years. The indictment alleges that since at least in and around 2017, these MS-13 members and associates regularly travelled to and from Long Island, New York, for the purpose of obtaining cocaine and transporting it to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, where they and other gang members would sell it primarily, though not exclusively, in restaurants and night clubs.
The indictment also charges eight of the defendants with a number of offenses stemming from their alleged involvement in four murders that occurred in Eastern Prince William County between June 22, 2019 and September 24, 2019. Specifically, the indictment charges:
- Guevara, Arevalo, and Turcios with the June 2019 double-murder of M.B.L. and J.G.M., and Vasquez with helping them after they committed the murders;
- Canales and Andrade with the August 2019 murder of E.L.T.; and
- Guevara, Molina, and Aguilera with the September 2019 murder of A.K.S.
Defendants in this case are charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering, witness tampering, using a firearm during a crime of violence causing death, possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and violations of the Controlled Substances Act, among other crimes. The statutory penalties for the charged offenses range from a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison to capital punishment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Roberts, and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
Significant assistance was provided by our partners, including the Northern Virginia Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force, the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, ICE/ERO, DEA, ATF, and the United States Marshal Service. The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Prince William County also provided significant assistance.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, Operation City of Bridges. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-260.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Luzerne County Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Pandemic Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Christina Covey, age 34, formerly of Drums, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 48 months’ imprisonment for methamphetamine trafficking, and 15 months’ imprisonment for committing pandemic unemployment fraud, five months of which is to run consecutive to the methamphetamine trafficking sentence.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on May 20, 2021, Covey pleaded guilty to conspiring with several other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Hazleton area between October 2019 and February 2020. During the scheme, conspirators mailed parcels containing methamphetamine from Arizona to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, for retrieval and distribution. Covey was involved in identifying and providing addresses of vacant houses to receive the parcels. On one occasion, she retrieved a parcel containing methamphetamine from a vacant house located on Sycamore Drive, in Drums, Pennsylvania.
The methamphetamine trafficking case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Covey also pleaded guilty to committing pandemic unemployment fraud while on pretrial release for the federal narcotics charges. In that case, she filed false PUA applications on behalf of two federal inmates—her codefendant in both cases, Fredy Mendoza, and another inmate. The applications sought unemployment benefits for both inmates by claiming that they were laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic and available to work, despite their incarceration on underlying federal drug trafficking charges. The conspirators subsequently filed false weekly certifications required to continue receiving PUA benefits, ultimately securing nearly $30,000 dollars, which were mailed in debit cards to Covey. Covey used the majority of funds on gambling expenses, and was ordered to pay $29,799 in restitution.
“Christina Covey engaged in a scheme with her co-defendant to defraud the PUA program by obtaining personal information from inmates in Lackawanna County Jail and submitting fraudulent claims for PUA benefits on behalf of those inmates even though they were incarcerated and not able and available to work. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is grateful for our partnerships with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and our many law enforcement partners. We also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued efforts to prosecute those who violate public benefit programs and commit fraud,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was created by the March 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.
Fredy Mendoza remains in custody, pleaded guilty in the methamphetamine trafficking case, and awaits sentencing. Mendoza is pending trial in the pandemic unemployment fraud case.
The methamphetamine trafficking case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts. The pandemic case was investigated by the Postal Inspection Service and by the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Lubbock Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Lubbock dentist was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Jason Paul White, 42, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to production of child pornography. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered him to pay more than $58,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, in 2009, Mr. White (then 29) persuaded a 17-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video. He went on to produce child pornography videos of the same child on approximately six other occasions.
As part of his guilty plea, White also admitted to enticing six other minor boys to engage in sexual activity between 2004 (when White was 25) and 2020 (when White was 41). The boys ranged in age from 13 to 17 years old at the time White committed crimes against them.
At Thursday’s hearing, multiple victims testified that White groomed them, plying them with gifts and drugs to make them feel special. The defendant’s perpetual manipulation left victims with shame and trust issues, they said.
The FBI’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Lubbock Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s High Technology Investigative Unit. Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam of the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Resulting in the Death of His PassengerRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who admitted to recklessly driving a vehicle with five times the legal limit of marijuana in his blood — resulting in the death of his passenger — was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, on March 17, 2017, Corey Wylie Brown (26) was speeding and swerving his truck back and forth on a loose gravel road around Nelson’s Landing at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Brown lost control of the truck, causing it to flip onto the passenger side. As a result, his passenger — who was a minor — was partially pinned under the truck. A package labeled “Shaolin Kush” was found at the scene and tested positive for THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Brown pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary vehicular manslaughter, one count of driving under the influence, one count of reckless driving, and one count of unsafe operation of a motor vehicle.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Burton and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Kent prosecuted the case.
Driving under the influence of over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, marijuana or other illicit drugs is referred to as drug-impaired driving. In 2020, 12.6 million people ages 16 and older admitted to driving under the influence of illicit drugs, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. For more information on drug-impaired driving, go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who admitted to sexually exploiting a child and possessing child sexual abuse material was sentenced today to 15 years and 10 months in prison.
According to court documents, on April 9, 2020, Kenneth James Robison (35) recorded a video of himself sexually exploiting a child who was less than 12 years old. That same day, he shared the video with others using Kik, an online messaging platform. Additionally, Robison possessed more than 600 items of child pornography — including a video of the sexual assault of an infant — in online cloud storage.
Robison pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II sentenced Robison to a lifetime term of supervised release and ordered Robison to pay restitution to his victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the North Las Vegas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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La Joya ISD trustee convicted in bribery conspiracyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 42-year-old Penitas resident and La Joya Independent School District (ISD) trustee has admitted to receiving more than $234,000 in bribes, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Armin Garza admitted he participated in a conspiracy to steer lucrative energy savings contracts at various political subdivisions in Hidalgo County, including La Joya ISD.
In exchange, Garza and other co-conspirators received bribes and kickbacks from subcontractors selected to work on the energy savings contracts. As part of his plea, Garza admitted to using his influence over LJISD employees who were elected officials at other political subdivisions in Hidalgo County. The employees subsequently received promotions or pay raises. They also voted to award or attempted to award the same company energy savings contracts at three other political subdivisions in Hidalgo County.
Garza admitted to receiving at least $234,500 in bribes and agreed to forfeit such amounts as part of his plea.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa set sentencing for March 18. Garza was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Insurance and McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. is prosecuting the case.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Steven S. McCurdy, 64, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. McCurdy pleaded guilty to this charge on October 12, 2021.
On November 30, 2020, La Crosse Police Department officers purchased 15.5 grams of methamphetamine from McCurdy through a confidential informant. Months later, on March 1, 2021, officers purchased 15.1 grams of methamphetamine from McCurdy, again through a confidential informant. Later that day, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for McCurdy’s residence in La Crosse and found 138.1 grams of methamphetamine and $8,519 in cash.
When interviewed by officers, McCurdy admitted to selling methamphetamine for profit.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted the quantity of methamphetamine involved, McCurdy’s lengthy criminal history that included prior drug trafficking, his poor performance while previously on supervision, and the dangers his drug dealing posed to the community at large.
The charge against McCurdy was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse and Campbell Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office also assisted in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
Nineteen firearms were seized by federal agents from Rusty Snow's residence.KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in his home pleaded guilty in federal court today to trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.
Rusty W. Snow, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes.
According to today’s plea agreement, investigators were conducting surveillance on co-defendant Dylan Lee Larson, 29, of Overland Park, Kansas, who engaged in a series of controlled drug transactions with a confidential source in October 2020. Officers followed Larson to Snow’s residence, where they executed a search warrant on Nov. 5, 2020. Snow and co-defendant Robin A. Graham, 38, who shared the residence with Snow, were at home during the search and were arrested.
Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the couch, along with a lunchbox that contained approximately 572 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Officers also found approximately 400.8 grams of marijuana in a shoebox on the floor, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia nearby.
Officers found 18 more firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition littered throughout the residence. Six of those firearms – a shotgun, a rifle, and four semi-automatic pistols – had been reported stolen.
Additionally, as they continued the search, officers found another approximately 527.44 grams of marijuana, another approximately 33.39 grams of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 33.39 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, approximately 48.9 grams of THC concentrate/THC wax, and 38 full and 11 half pills of various controlled pharmaceuticals.
Officers also found four stolen motorcycles on the property, two police tasers, police identification and other police items stolen from Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. officers.
Both Larson and Graham have also pleaded guilty.
Under federal statutes, Snow is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Johnston Man Sentenced for Possessing of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Johnston man who admitted to downloading and sharing images of child pornography was sentenced today to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Anthony Lapierre, 29, pled guilty on September 13, 2021, to possession of child pornography.
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) developed information that in January 2019, an IP address later determined to be associated with Lapierre’s residence was used to upload and share child pornography using an online messenger service. HSI agents determined that Lapierre utilized at least two online messenger service accounts. Court-authorized access to the accounts revealed 22 videos and 10 images depicting child sexual abuse.
Lapierre was sentenced today by U. S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 36 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zechariah Chafee and John P. McAdams.
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Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to unlawful use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Colonel Steven Maxwell, Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
According to court documents, Venson K. Mix, 40, used a cellular phone to facilitate a felony drug trafficking crime, specifically possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. A cellular phone meets the legal definition of a communication facility under federal law.
Mix is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19th, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Indiana Man Sentenced for Sexual Offense Onboard Commercial AircraftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Ian Wagner, 39, formerly of New Haven, Indiana, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for abusive sexual contact of an incapacitated person. Wagner was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison and 6 years of supervised release with special conditions. Wagner was additionally ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the victim. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 6, 2017, Wagner was on board a domestic flight from Indianapolis, Indiana to Denver, Colorado. Wagner was seated next to an 18-year-old woman. During the flight, the woman fell asleep and later awoke to Wagner rubbing her inner thigh with his hand. At some point a while later, the victim took a photograph of Wagner. The geolocation data associated with the photograph indicated that the plane was flying over Hastings, Nebraska.
The victim then left her seat, sought refuge in the airplane’s lavatory, but eventually returned because she believed the flight was full and no other seats would be available. After retaking her seat, she observed that Wagner had placed a jacket over his lap and his hand appeared to be moving up and down under the jacket. Wagner made eye contact with the victim and lifted his jacket to reveal his exposed penis. For over five minutes, Wagner masturbated while staring at the victim. Frightened and troubled by the incident, the victim lodged a complaint with the airline two days later and with criminal authorities in the following weeks.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Imperial man sentenced for illegal possession of multiple firearmsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Aaron Jordon of Imperial, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Rodney W. Sippel on today’s date. Jordon was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison. Jordon previously pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of multiple firearms in September 2021.
According to the plea agreement, in December 2019, investigators received information that an individual was distributing narcotics, specifically marijuana, LSD, and “dabs” or butane honey oil (BHO) in the Jefferson County area utilizing a Snapchat account. Investigators subsequently identified the user of the account as Aaron Jordon.
Investigators sought and obtained a lawful search warrant on December 18, 2019. On December 26, 2019, they initiated surveillance on the residence and detained Jordon shortly after he left the residence, conducting a traffic stop of his vehicle. They located a black Taurus .38 special revolver in the center console, as well as suspected narcotics.
Investigators accompanied by Jordon responded back to the residence to complete the search warrant. Additional suspected narcotics and seven firearms were located and seized. Jordon was previously convicted of an offense that prohibited his possession of any firearms.
The above case was investigated by the Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group (JCMEG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ihlenfeld to lead regional drug interdiction effortsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld has been named chairperson of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Executive Board and will now lead efforts in the region to combat the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit substances.
The Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of drug task forces from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and was responsible for nearly 2,400 drug arrests in 2021, along with the seizure of substantial quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as firearms.
“It’s an honor to be asked to serve in this capacity and I’ll use the opportunity to strengthen the region’s response to the alarming increase in drug overdoses, many of which are being caused by fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld.
Appalachia HIDTA Executive Director Vic Brown met with Ihlenfeld today in Wheeling to discuss strategies to combat the drug epidemic in West Virginia.
“United States Attorney Ihlenfeld is a highly respected law enforcement professional, and his leadership and expertise will be of tremendous benefit to the Appalachia HIDTA Executive Board,” said Director Brown.
Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in those aged 18-45 in the United States, according to the CDC. The Northern District of West Virginia has seen fentanyl-related overdose deaths more than double, and the amount seized in the district in the last year was enough to kill nearly half its population.
“The financial and intelligence resources provided by the Appalachia HIDTA allow our task forces to dismantle and disrupt organizations that bring illicit substances to West Virginia and surrounding states,” said Ihlenfeld. “We will leverage those resources in 2022 to target fentanyl traffickers operating in the United States and abroad.”
Ihlenfeld previously served as Vice Chairperson and Budget Chair for the AHIDTA Executive Board.
Huntersville, N.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Benjamin Padua Jr, 56, of Huntersville, N.C., appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer following the company owner’s death.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed plea documents and today’s plea hearing, from September 2019 to February 2021, Padua abused his senior finance position with his employer, identified in court documents as Trucking Company, and used falsified documents and improper accounting entries to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars. As part of the scheme, Padua admitted in court today that, following the Trucking Company owner’s death in October 2019, Padua forged the owner’s signature on a fake employment agreement Padua created and backdated to prior to the owner’s death. The fraudulent employment agreement purported to increase Padua’s compensation significantly through higher wages, bonuses, and life insurance benefits. As Padua admitted in court today, after he created the fake employment agreement, Padua received substantial compensation from the Trucking Company, to which he was not entitled.
Padua pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was released on bond. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date was not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI in Charlotte for their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case.
Hunt Companies to Pay $500,000 to Resolve Fraud Allegations at Dover Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that Hunt Companies, Inc. (“Hunt”), one of the largest providers of privatized military housing to the U.S. Armed Forces, has agreed to a $500,000.00 settlement with the government to resolve allegations of fraud at the Dover Air Force Base arising under the False Claims Act.
Hunt provides privatized military housing at Dover Air Force base. For its services, Hunt is eligible to receive quarterly performance incentive fees if it meets certain performance objectives such as maintaining the residences while they are occupied and preparing the residences for new tenants once they are vacated. Between January 2013 and June 2019, Hunt submitted materially false information to the Air Force in order to receive higher performance incentive payouts from the Government. The settlement agreement resolves these allegations; there has been no admission of fault.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware is committed to fighting for the wellbeing of our servicemembers and their families, especially those stationed at Dover Air Force Base,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “When companies put servicemembers’ welfare at risk to maximize profit, they cheat the government as well as everyone who serves our country. We will not tolerate such disappointing conduct.”
“In addition to the extensive and dedicated collaborative efforts among DCIS, AFOSI, and the Department of Justice, the Air Force Audit Agency played a crucial role in the case,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards, Air Force Office of Special Investigations. “AFOSI, in concert with our federal law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, stand united in our commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of the Air Force’s most valuable assets, our Airmen and their families. We will continue to combat fraud and hold those accountable that would threaten the Air Force’s ability to defend the United States and our citizens,” added SA Richards.
The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. The government’s claims are based in part on a whistleblower suit filed by a former employee of Hunt. A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the local U.S. Attorney. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides the whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware and the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse Wenger and Shamoor Anis.
Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit are on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cv-107-MN.
Hudson County Man Sentenced to 108 Months for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Jersey City, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Benigno Gonzalez-Mendoza, 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 9, 2019, through July 27, 2019, Gonzalez-Mendoza knowingly received images and videos of child sexual abuse, including videos of adults sexually abusing prepubescent children.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Gonzalez-Mendoza to 10 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $18,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Olta Bejleri of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
Holyoke Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holyoke man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 in federal court in Springfield to distributing heroin and cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Ronny Authier, 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for April 21, 2022. Authier was indicted in November 2019.
On two occasions in September 2019, Authier distributed a total of approximately 12 grams of heroin to an undercover agent. On a third occasion in September 2019, Authier also sold the agent approximately 24 grams of crack cocaine.
The charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Office; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; and Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Great Falls man sentenced to six years in prison for receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to downloading child pornography to his cellular phone was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
John Douglas Woodcock, 41, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to receipt of child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris ordered Woodcock to pay $36,000 restitution to victims.
The government alleged in court documents that Woodcock knowingly received child pornography from April 2019 to December 2019, when officers with the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving a suspect in Cascade County downloading child pornography. An investigation led to Woodcock as the subscriber of the internet provider address associated with the tip. Officers searched Woodcock’s residence and seized his cell phone. Woodcock admitted that he had been downloading child pornography for the past year and had done so the day he was interviewed. Officers located more than 1,000 child pornography images and video files on Woodcock’s cell phone.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Great Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Great Falls man sentenced to more than eight years in prison for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to methamphetamine trafficking in the Great Falls area was sentenced today to eight years and eight months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Louis Jay Remillard, 50, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that in June 2020, law enforcement received reports of Remillard being involved in distributing meth in and around Great Falls. In two instances, law enforcement seized a total of more than 97 grams of pure meth from Remillard.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Great Falls heroin trafficker sentenced to 78 months in prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to traveling outside of Montana to obtain large quantities of heroin for resale throughout the state was sentenced today to 78 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Brocktin James Russo, 31, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that for four years, Russo traveled out of state to acquire large amounts of heroin for resale in Montana. In January 2021, law enforcement seized more than 500 grams, which is a little more than one pound, from Russo’s suitcase in a traffic stop. Russo admitted to selling several kilograms of heroin per month and claimed that more than $2 million in heroin passed had through his hands during the four years. A kilogram is the equivalent of 2.2 pounds. Russo admitted to traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada, and to Chicago, Illinois, to obtain heroin.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force and the Great Falls Police Department.
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Gilmer County man admits to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Thomas Reed Ratliff, of Glenville, West Virginia, has admitted to a child pornography charge, First Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Ratliff, 26, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Ratliff admitted to having child pornography videos from August to November 2020 in Gilmer County.
Ratliff faces up to 10 years of incarceration and 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 David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Geneseo Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Five MinorsRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Geneseo, Illinois, man, Tristan Blank, 24, of the 0-100 block of Tulip Court, pleaded guilty today to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Sentencing for Blank has been scheduled for May 12, 2022, at the U.S. Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa.
In court before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Blank admitted that he pretended to be a female to entice minors to send him sexually explicit photos and videos online. During the hearing, the government stated that Blank was arrested after posing as a female online and arranging to meet a minor to perform oral sex on the minor. Further investigation revealed that Blank used a female persona to entice over 20 victims to send him nude photographs and videos. Blank then threatened to distribute the images if the victims did not continue sending images or perform sexual acts with Blank.
Blank remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Blank faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 150 years’ imprisonment.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service, the Illinois State Police, the Geneseo Police Department, the Colona Police Department, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kewanee Police Department, with assistance of the Braveheart Children’s Advocacy Center. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Raya is representing the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former deputy constable convicted in cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 49-year-old Huffman resident has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Alexsander S. Reyes is a former Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constable.
On or about Dec. 5, 2020, Reyes escorted a tractor-trailer in a marked constable vehicle through Houston. They believed it contained 10 kilograms of cocaine.
For his assistance, Reyes received a total of $6000 in cash.
However, the drug load was actually part of an undercover operation and included “dummy” or fake cocaine.
Sentencing has been set for March 22 before U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge III. At that time, Reyes faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as a $10 million maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
FBI Public Corruption conducted the investigation with assistance of Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.
Former Westlake Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $9.3 Million in Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Tara M. Brunst, 47, of Olmsted Falls, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court today to participating in an investment fraud scheme that stole approximately $9.3 million from clients. Brunst pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Brunst was employed as a licensed investment advisor for co-defendant Raymond A. Erker in Westlake, Ohio. Beginning in January of 2013 and continuing through January of 2018, court records state that Brunst and the alleged co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy that devised a scheme that stole approximately $9,366,976.37 from investors.
As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy sold investments to clients that they misrepresented as annuities and senior secured notes with no risk of loss and with a guaranteed rate of return. Without the approval or consent of investors, investor funds were diverted to other entities they controlled and personal bank accounts.
Court records state that to keep up with promised rates of return, Brunst and the alleged co-conspirators falsely represented that payments to previous investors were rates of return and interest when the payments were actually new investor funds, the trademark of a Ponzi scheme.
Additionally, Brunst and the alleged co-conspirators failed to disclose to investors that they had substantial or limited ownership interests in companies receiving investments from the scheme.
To avoid detection, members of the conspiracy set up office fronts in Delaware and Nevada, contracted with call centers and created false websites and account statements that purported to show investor account balances.
Additionally, charged in this matter are Raymond A. Erker, 50, of Avon, and Kevin Krantz, 56, of Olmsted Falls. These two individual cases remain ongoing.
This investigation was conducted by the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Securities, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Westlake Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McDonough and Kathryn Andrachik.
Former Texas Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for failing to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Antonio Cardenas aka “Tony Vosburg,” 35, to 15 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Cardenas pleaded guilty in June 2021.
According to court records, in 2007, Cardenas was convicted in Texas of aggravated assault of a child under 14 years of age. This felony conviction made Cardenas a lifetime sex offender registrant in Texas. In early August 2020, he moved from Texas and began living in Mars Hill and Caribou, Maine. He did not notify the Texas Sex Offender Registry that he was moving. Further, prior to his arrest on February 10, 2021, he made no attempt to register on the Maine Sex Offender Registry.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case.
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Former Puyallup, Washington, resident pleads guilty to pressuring young girls to send him sexually explicit imagesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 23-year-old Seattle man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Nicholas Marshall, resided in Puyallup, Washington during most of the criminal conduct, pressuring young girls he met via the internet to send him sexually explicit images. Yesterday, Marshall was sentenced to 87 months in prison in Pierce County Superior Court for the exploitation of a Texas 12-year-old. The report from that victim brought the criminal conduct to the attention of law enforcement. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides will recommend 9 years in prison and 15-years of supervised release when Marshall is sentenced on April 1, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, between October 2018 and September 2019, Marshall communicated with various minor girls via the internet apps ‘Discord’ and ‘Snapchat.’ Homeland Security Investigations in Houston, Texas, began an investigation after the mother of a 12-year-old reported her daughter communicating with Marshall via text message and Discord, and the sexual nature of the contact. Puyallup Police investigated the case and Marshall was charged in Pierce County Superior Court for that conduct.
The investigation revealed there were at least four other victims who had been pressured or threatened into sending Marshall sexually explicit images: A 13-year-old girl residing in Washington State; a 16-year-old residing in Wisconsin; a 14-year-old residing in Texas; and a 15-year-old residing in Canada. In some cases, Marshall promised the victims money or gift cards, in others he threatened the girls or their families to get the images he wanted.
On September 10, 2019, investigators searched Marshall’s new residence in Seattle. On his electronic devices they discovered 38 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Marshall was arrested at his job as a security guard in Seattle.
Marshall has been out of custody on the Pierce County charges. He was taken into state custody following the sentencing yesterday. Marshall was turned over to federal custody for today’s court proceeding. Ultimately the state and federal sentences will run concurrently.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Puyallup Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angelica Williams in coordination with the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office.
Former Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and ManufacturingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday on drug charges.
Tanairy Ruiz, a/k/a “Queen Tanairy,” 34, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (approx. 30 days) and three years of supervised release. On Sept. 8, 2021, Ruiz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
Ruiz conspired with other Latin Kings members to manufacture and distribute cocaine base throughout the City of New Bedford. Ruiz resided in one of the many “trap houses” or multi-unit apartment buildings in New Bedford that were controlled by the Latin Kings. Ruiz’s apartment was used as a location where cocaine was “cooked” or manufactured into cocaine base.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Ruiz is the 41st defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
FCI Allenwood Inmate Sentenced for Possessing Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 5, 2022, Jason White, age 27, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution, Allenwood (FCI Allenwood) pleaded guilty to possessing a cellphone in prison. After accepting White’s guilty plea, Magistrate Judge William I. Arbuckle sentenced White to four months’ imprisonment to run consecutively to his current prison sentence.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on November 16, 2020, FCI Allenwood staff found White to be in possession of a bundle containing a L8star mini cellphone and several scraps of paper soaked in a synthetic cannabinoid. Federal law prohibits inmates from possessing cellphones due to the institutional security risks posed by their use.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
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Edgeworth Tax Evader Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay $1.9 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Edgeworth, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and 300 hours of community service on his conviction of tax evasion, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States Senior District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Dean Britton, 57, of Edgeworth, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from September 2013 through February 2017, Britton evaded the payment of at least $1,103,352 of federal income tax due and owing by him to the Internal Revenue Service, for the calendar years 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2009 through 2013. He evaded the payment of his taxes by, among other things, failing to file required income tax returns, placing personal bank accounts in nominee names, disguising personal earnings by depositing them into business accounts, and titling his personal residence in the name of a nominee to place it beyond the reach of the Internal Revenue Service. The Court ordered restitution in the amount of $1,994,483.35, which includes tax loss plus interest accrued on the tax due and owing.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer stated that the case was one of the more egregious tax evasion cases that she had had over her tenure as a district court judge. She noted that Britton had substantial income during the subject years, most significantly more than $1.9 million in 2007 from which he could have paid taxes. The court imposed a below-guideline sentence, highlighting that the defendant agreed to plead guilty prior to being formally charged and thereby exhibited post-conduct rehabilitation warranting a lesser sentence of imprisonment.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch and former trial attorney Kimberley G. Ang of the Department of Justice, Tax Division, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Britton.
Dominican Republic National Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A citizen of the Dominican Republic was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for her role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Yaquelin Altagracia Alberto Guerrero, 45, of the Dominican Republic, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentenced today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2020, Guerrero and two conspirators conducted two sales of fentanyl in New York City to buyers they knew had traveled from New Jersey to New York to make the purchases. On Aug. 10, 2020, Guerrero and two conspirators participated in the sale of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. On Aug. 12, 2021, Guerrero again worked with others to sell fentanyl to individuals whom she knew had traveled from New Jersey to New York for the sale. The aggregate weight of fentanyl involved in the case was approximately three kilograms.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Guerrero to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, and the Asbury Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Kelso, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden M. Brockett of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Demotte Man Sentenced to 72 Months of ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HAMMOND-Raymond Upthegrove, 35, of Demotte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon following his guilty plea to receipt of child pornography and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Upthegrove was sentenced to 72 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
According to documents filed in the case, on various dates prior to January 10, 2018, Upthegrove downloaded and received child pornography from various websites and forums to his computer. In addition, on January 10, 2018, at his Demotte residence, Upthegrove possessed methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to other individuals.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick.
Connecticut and New York Companies Agree to Pay over $900,000 for Providing Chinese-Made Containers to Department of DefenseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that SoNo International LLC (“SoNo”) and Ark Capital Equipment LLC (“Ark”) have agreed to jointly pay $904,000 to the federal government to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by supplying the Department of Defense with shipping containers made in China and/or made from Chinese steel. The Department of Defense contracted for its agencies to purchase American-made materials or materials manufactured in specified allied countries, such as South Korea. Instead, in one contract, SoNo and Ark allegedly had a third-party company change the identifying plates on 100 shipping containers made in China to make them appear to have been manufactured in South Korea. On two other contracts, SoNo’s supplier used Chinese steel, and SoNo and Ark allegedly failed to detect the deception before providing the United States military those containers.
As part of the resolution with the United States, SoNo and Ark have entered into an administrative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency establishing enhanced training and reporting requirements with respect to government procurement. The third-party company that physically switched the plates has reached a separate agreement with the United States under which it will provide training to its employees to enhance their compliance with Customs rules and regulations and improve their awareness of Buy American and other issues.
“Americans have the right to know that their tax dollars are being spent to support American jobs and American policies,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “When the Department of Defense purchased this material for our warfighters, SoNo agreed to acquire material from and support manufacturers in America or our allied nations. The United States Attorney’s Office is ready to investigate and punish contractors who do not follow these clear rules.”
“Protecting the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) procurement process and supply chain is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners and the USAO-EDPA to hold DoD contractors accountable to contract requirements and ensure that quality products and services are provided to the U.S. military.”
“AFOSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to protect the integrity of the Federal procurement process and ensure wrongdoers are held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards, Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
This investigation was conducted as part of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Strike Force with investigators from DCIS, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Regulatory Audit and Agency Advisory Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Kaufman handled the investigation and settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Columbus, Ohio Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Defrauding Employer of over $4 MillionRead the Press Release
David Hudson, 56, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday by Judge Arthur J. Tarnow to sixty-three months in prison for defrauding his employer of over $4 Million, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Hudson was an employee of Cummins Bridgeway, LLC (“CBL”) and Cummins Inc. (“Cummins”), two companies operating in New Hudson, Michigan. Hudson worked for CBL from approximately 2003 through 2014, until it was acquired by Cummins. Post-acquisition, Hudson was employed by Cummins.
The owners of CBL established two entities to which CBL profits were paid for the purpose of sharing profits with CBL management and employees. While working at CBL, Hudson’s job involved transferring funds to these profit-sharing entities in the normal course of business. As part of his job, Hudson had authority to write checks from the profit-sharing entities. As part of the scheme to defraud, Hudson would, under false pretenses, direct an employee under his supervision to transfer CBL funds—and later Cummins funds—into one or more of the profit-sharing entities. Hudson would then, without authorization, write checks from the profit-sharing entities to himself. It was the goal of this scheme that Hudson would take advantage of his authority and position to enrich himself at the expense of his employers.
Between approximately 2008 and 2017, Hudson’s scheme resulted in the fraudulent transfer of over $4.5 million dollars. This money was spent by Hudson to support a lavish lifestyle. For example, Hudson used stolen funds to purchase a Cadillac, designer clothing, luxury watches, cigars, and rare wines.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Wyse.
Columbus man sentenced to more than 18 years in prison for robbing auto parts stores at gunpointRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in federal court here today to 225 months in prison for armed robbery.
Craishon Russell, 32, robbed two auto parts stores at gunpoint in June 2019.
According to court documents, on June 5, 2019, Russell brandished a firearm at the AutoZone store on East Main St. in Reynoldsburg. Russell had employees empty the safe and registers, totaling in $1,400 in cash.
On June 15, 2019, Russell robbed at gunpoint the O’Reilly Auto Parts store on Gender Road in Canal Winchester.
Employees at each store described the assailant’s tattoos, including those on his neck and under his right eye.
“Russell’s crimes are very serious – in particular because a firearm was involved in the commission of the offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Several employees and customers were present in both businesses at the time of the robberies making them even more brazen.”
On June 19, 2019, Russell was stopped by Columbus Division of Police officers on a complaint of a man waving a gun around. He was arrested after officers discovered a pistol in his vehicle.
Russell, also known as “Diablo,” was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2020 and pleaded guilty in July 2021 to robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and Kevin W. Kelley are representing the United States in this case.
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Clinic owner sentenced in illegal kickback and money laundering schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Houston clinic owner has have been ordered to federal prison following her convictions in an illegal kickback and money laundering scheme at a Harwin Drive business, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Anurag Dass aka Anna Dass, 49, Houston, pleaded guilty to illegal kickbacks and money laundering for her role in the scheme in August 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett ordered her to serve 24 months in prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay $2,242,899 in restitution.
Anna Dass operated A&A Pain and Wellness Center Inc. on Harwin Drive in Southwest Houston along with her brother Ankul Dass. Anna Dass admitted she submitted or caused others to file false claims with the Office of Worker Compensation Programs (OWCP) for patients Stephen Hunt directed to the clinic. Hunt was a former injured employee with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) who filed his own injury claim with OWCP.
The Dass siblings conspired with Hunt for him to direct injured federal workers to the center for medical treatment and health care services. All three admitted Hunt would receive a fee as payment from the center for each claim OWCP paid. Hunt also charged a fee to injured federal workers he had referred for his representation and services through a company he controlled under the name “Zentec.”
Anna Dass was the manager of Clinical Operations at the clinic, while Anukul Dass was the clinic director. Anna Dass filed false claims for services which were not authorized and not performed by a licensed physical therapist. Anna Dass admitted she received $2,242,899 in reimbursements from the unlawful activity.
Hunt, 70, Waxahachie, and Anukul Dass aka Andy Dass, 44, Houston, were also convicted for their roles in the scheme – each pleading guilty to illegal kickbacks
Previously released on bond, Anna Dass was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The USPS - Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Department of Labor - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Day and Kristine Rollinson are prosecuting this case.
Citrus Heights Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley sentenced David John Alcock, 48, of Citrus Heights, today to 24 years and four months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Alcock sexually abused a 13-year-old victim for months, producing multiple visual depictions of those acts. Alcock sent at least one video recording of the victim engaging in sexual acts to another person over the internet in exchange for different files depicting children engaged in sexual acts. On the date of his arrest, over 200 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, some as young as toddlers, were found on Alcock’s iPhone.
“Today’s sentence reflects the extremely serious and disturbing nature of Alcock’s criminal conduct, which targeted children,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The defendant engaged in repeated sexual abuse of the victim over the course of many months, while simultaneously trafficking in videos and images of children being sexually abused and exploited. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating, prosecuting and stopping those who prey upon the most vulnerable members of our society.”
“Sexual abuse against children is a pervasive and unfathomable crime that impacts innocent victims and threatens the safety of our youth, who are the future of our communities,” Citrus Heights Police Chief Alexander A. Turcotte said. “The Citrus Heights Police Department is committed to bringing the defendants in these cases to justice. We are especially grateful for the collaborative efforts with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the US Attorney's Office, who assisted with ensuring that Mr. Alcock was held accountable for his actions and that justice was sought for the involved victims.”
“This is one of many cases where our office worked jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to successfully hold sex offenders accountable for the horrific crimes committed against children,” states Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. “Our office’s Cybercrimes Unit and the Citrus Heights Police Department worked together to investigate a cyber tip, which resulted in child molestation charges. Given the additional resources and increased sentencing potential in federal court, we are grateful the U.S. Attorney’s Office took the lead on the prosecution of this case.”
“This case exemplifies the work the FBI and our law enforcement partners at the Citrus Heights Police Department do to identify and investigate child predators who exploit innocence and trust in our community,” said Special Agent in charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “David Alcock used his position as a trusted neighbor in his community to prey upon the innocence of a child who lived nearby. Not only did Alcock sexually abuse this child, he distributed videos of his abuse to others on the internet. Additionally, Alcock admitted to collecting child pornography for two decades. His actions revictimized the minors featured in these images and videos all over again. The FBI is committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure anyone who sexually abuses children and/or produces, obtains or shares images of such abuse faces justice.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Citrus Heights Police Department, the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Economic Espionage ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Xiang Haitao, 44, a Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit economic espionage.
According to court documents, Xiang conspired to steal a trade secret from Monsanto, an international company based in St. Louis, for the purpose of benefitting a foreign government, namely the People’s Republic of China.
“Despite Xiang’s agreements to protect Monsanto’s intellectual property and repeated training on his obligations to do so, Xiang has now admitted that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto, transferred it to a memory card and attempted to take it to the People’s Republic of China for the benefit of Chinese government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With his guilty plea, Xiang is now being held accountable for this unlawful conduct.”
“Mr. Xiang used his insider status at a major international company to steal valuable trade secrets for use in his native China,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “We cannot allow U.S. citizens or foreign nationals to hand sensitive business information over to competitors in other countries, and we will continue our vigorous criminal enforcement of economic espionage and trade secret laws. These crimes present a danger to the U.S. economy and jeopardize our nation’s leadership in innovation and our national security.”
“The American worker suffers when adversaries, like the Government of China, steal technology to grow their economies,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “It’s not just military technology developed in secret labs that adversaries want; in this case, it was agricultural technology used by American farmers to improve crop yields. The FBI will continue investigating the theft of technology from American companies because economic security is national security.”
According to court documents, Xiang was employed by Monsanto and its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017, where he worked as an imaging scientist. Monsanto and The Climate Corporation developed a digital, online farming software platform that was used by farmers to collect, store and visualize critical agricultural field data and increase and improve agricultural productivity for farmers. A critical component to the platform was a proprietary predictive algorithm referred to as the Nutrient Optimizer. Monsanto and The Climate Corporation considered the Nutrient Optimizer a valuable trade secret and their intellectual property.
In June 2017, the day after leaving employment with Monsanto and The Climate Corporation, Xiang attempted to travel to China on a one-way airplane ticket. While he was waiting to board his flight, Federal officials conducted a search of Xiang’s person and baggage. Investigators later determined that one of Xiang’s electronic devices contained copies of the Nutrient Optimizer. Xiang continued on to China where he worked for the Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Soil Science. Xiang was arrested when he returned to the United States.
Xiang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit economic espionage and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a potential fine of $5 million and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake for the Eastern District of Missouri, Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Senior Counsel Jeff Pearlman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 37 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Clarence Brown, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, 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.
Brown was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in June 2021, Brown possessed two firearms - a Taurus firearm and a Polymer 80/20 - after having been previously convicted of a felony (armed robbery). The latter firearm is commonly referred to as a “ghost gun” since it lacked a make, model, or serial number. Both firearms, which were loaded, had travelled in interstate commerce: the Taurus firearm had traveled in interstate commerce because it was not manufactured in the State of Indiana and the ghost gun had traveled in interstate commerce because Brown it had brought into Indiana from Illinois.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Hammond Police Department, and the Whiting 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.
Career Coach Is Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing More Than $68,000 from Workforce Development ProgramRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jessica Anne Miller, 39, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 24 months in prison today on a wire fraud charge, for stealing more than $68,000 from a federally funded workforce development program, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell also ordered Miller to serve two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making this announcement by Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Atlanta Region of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from July 2016 to November 2019, Miller was employed as a career coach by an entity contracted by a nonprofit association of local governments to provide training to job seekers, using federal funds made available by the U.S. Department of Labor under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WOIA was signed into law in 2014, and it is designed to provide qualified individuals with access to training, education, and support services, and assistance with obtaining employment. As part of WOIA, qualified individuals can also be reimbursed for certain eligible expenditures such as mileage, costs and fees, and tools of the trade, among others.
As a career coach, Miller was responsible for providing career guidance, case management and follow up to participants in the youth program. Miller previously admitted in court that, while serving as a career coach, she engaged in a scheme to divert government funds for her own benefit, by creating fraudulent documents, falsifying signatures, and making false and misleading statements to qualified individuals who were supposed to be the recipients of the WOIA funds.
In some instances, Miller created fraudulent documents for mileage reimbursement on behalf of students enrolled in the program, and then cashed the checks and kept the proceeds for herself. In other instances, Miller created fraudulent documents that falsely indicated that qualified individuals had made reimbursable purchases, such as tools of the trade, and were seeking reimbursement for those costs. Miller then submitted the fraudulent documents and cashed the reimbursement checks. Miller also created and submitted fraudulent documents, that included students’ forged signatures, indicating that students had successfully completed certain milestones that would have entitled them to gift cards. Instead of providing those gift cards to qualifying students, Miller kept them for herself.
To further perpetuate the scheme, court documents show that Miller opened bank accounts and American Express accounts in the names of students without their knowledge and consent and used those accounts to cash the fraudulent reimbursement checks. In total, Miller defrauded at least 40 individuals and diverted more than $68,000 in government funds for her own personal enrichment.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended DOL-OIG for their investigation of the case and thanked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Conover Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Maria Vento, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
California man pleads guilty and is sentenced for his role in methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea of guilty from Hector Soto on today’s date. Judge Autrey then sentenced Soto to 10 years in federal prison. Soto pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess, with the intent to distribute, actual methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, between September 2018 and the date of the indictment, Hector Soto reached an agreement with co-defendants and at least one unindicted co-conspirator
to distribute and possess, with the intent to distribute, actual methamphetamine.
On or about November 8, 2018, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted a suspicious package being shipped from California to a local residence. USPIS obtained a search warrant for the package, conducted a search, and determined that the package contained approximately six (6) kilograms of actual methamphetamine. USPIS arranged for a controlled delivery of the package to the residence and obtained an anticipatory search warrant for the residence.
A co-defendant of Soto accepted delivery of the package into the residence. Upon the package being accepted a search of the residence was conducted, during which time nothing further was located. The palm print of a co defendant was located on the outside of the package. Hector Soto’s fingerprints were located on the inside of the packaging material that contained the methamphetamine.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
California Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm, Driving Stolen CarRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A San Bernardino, California man, who stole a car in Kentucky and was stopped for speeding the following day in Marion, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
Christian Joseph Laxson McCool, 29, pleaded guilty in September 2021.
“We must be diligent in our efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of those who have lost the right to possess a weapon,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Safe, responsible gun ownership is paramount to reducing gun crime in our neighborhoods.”
“This is a positive result of a job well done by ATF and our partners who work tirelessly to combat violent gun crime within our communities. We will continue to use all of our resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics and other acts of violence within our community,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson.
According to court documents, McCool was stopped for speeding in Marion on December 27, 2020. At the time of the traffic stop, McCool was the only occupant and informed officers he did not have a license. However, he did admit to having a gun with him.
Following the officers’ commands, McCool exited the vehicle but fled before being taken into custody after a short pursuit on foot. The vehicle McCool was driving had been reported stolen out of Kentucky the day before, and officers located a loaded, 9mm pistol under the front seat. In addition, officers found a loaded 9mm magazine, two syringes, and a small baggie containing what appeared to be methamphetamine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Williamson, West Virginia Police Department, and the Marion Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Boston Woman Sentenced on Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Bianca Blanchard, 34, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya Zobel to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2021, Blanchard pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Blanchard was arrested in May 2019 after law enforcement determined that she had fired a bullet in the direction of a moving vehicle on a residential street in Dorchester, which led to a retaliatory shooting in which six bullets were fired into the apartment of a neighbor uninvolved in the dispute. A search of Blanchard’s residence resulted in the recovery of a Ruger .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and an extended magazine containing 12 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition. Due to prior convictions of possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card and possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance, Blanchard is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
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. PSN is 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.
Billings meth trafficker sentenced to five years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS —A Billings woman who admitted to receiving packages of methamphetamine in the mail for distribution was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Holly Michele Hedberg, 38, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that in July 2020, an investigation of Hedberg began after the U.S. Postal Service located a suspicious package that was destined for Hedberg’s address. Law enforcement also had learned that Hedberg was receiving packages of meth from Washington through the mail. Agents served a search warrant on the suspicious package and determined it contained meth. Agents made a controlled delivery of the package and Hedberg accepted it. In a search of Hedberg’s residence, law enforcement found drug paraphernalia, a drug ledger and packaging from previous packages from the Washington address. Hedberg admitted to receiving about 10 packages of meth from Washington, with each package containing from two to four ounces of meth.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie R. Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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