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18 February 2022
Iraqi gun smuggler convicted in federal trialRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: An Iraqi national was convicted on charges of attempting to smuggle guns through the Port of Savannah after a three-day trial in federal court.
Nihad Al Jaberi, 42, of Clarkston, Ga., was convicted on charges of Smuggling, Failure to Notify a Common Carrier, and Submitting False or Misleading Export Information, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the smuggling charge subjects Al Jaberi to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and substantial financial penalties.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“As the Port of Savannah has continued to support substantially increased import and export traffic, our law enforcement partners have done an outstanding job of stepping up to intercept illegal shipments and maintain border security,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Stopping Al Jaberi’s smuggling attempt prevents a significant shipment of firearms to an already dangerous area of the world.”
As described at trial, Al Jaberi, an Iraqi citizen and legal permanent resident of the United States, was attempting in August 2020 to ship six .308-caliber long-range rifles and three handguns concealed in a shipment in which the contents were listed as “71 Pieces of Spare Auto Parts with No License Required.” The firearms, which were discovered disassembled along with used automotive parts in a container at the Port of Savannah, had been obtained through straw purchases at various Atlanta-area sporting goods stores.
Al Jaberi was remanded to custody pending sentencing.
“The successful prosecution and conviction of Al Jaberi is yet another example of excellent collaboration at the federal level in the Southern District of Georgia with each organization contributing unique authorities and capabilities to enforce U.S. laws,” said Henry DeBlock III, Area Port Director for CBP Savannah. “CBP officers assigned to the Port of Savannah will continue to vigorously enforce U.S. export control laws as part of our overall border security duties and responsibilities in the maritime environment.”
“In the wrong hands, these export-controlled, high-powered rifles could enable malign actors to harm our warfighters, allies, and innocent civilians overseas,” said Special Agent in Charge Ariel Joshua Leinwand, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement (OEE), Miami Field Office. “This guilty verdict is a testament to OEE’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the illegal export of sensitive, controlled items.”
“Preventing the flow of illegal weapons and the associated violence helps protect communities around the globe,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This criminal will no longer be able to exploit our nation’s logistics systems for his criminal enterprise.”
“This case and ultimate conviction highlights the fact that illegal gun trafficking not only affects our local communities, but has implications far beyond our borders” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “At a time in which our ports are seeing unprecedented traffic, this case highlights the need for ATF and our partners to be vigilant in investigating and prosecuting individuals who supply the illegal arms trade.”
The case was investigated by U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security and by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer G. Solari, and by Northern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Georgia A photo introduced as evidence in USA v. Nihad Al Jaberi includes nine firearms from a shipment interdicted in the Port of Savannah and reassembled, along with other firearms removed during a search of the defendant’s residence.Ipswich Man Arrested for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ipswich man was arrested and charged by criminal complaint today for distribution and possession of child pornography.
Julien Toulotte, 23, was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance this morning before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, Toulotte was detained pending a detention and probable cause hearing which is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2022.
According to the charging document, in January 2021, Toulotte began communicating with an undercover agent purporting to be a 15-year-old girl through social media applications. In February 2021, Toulotte sent videos depicting child pornography to the undercover agent. It is alleged that Toulotte also sent multiple nude photos of himself and encouraged the purported teenager to send photos of herself in return. On March 11, 2021, a search of Toulotte’s residence in Ipswich resulted in the recovery of his electronic devices that contained over 300 images and approximately 300 videos depicting child pornography – including child pornography videos of infants and children approximately two to four years of age. In November 2021, additional search warrants were executed related to this investigation.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ipswich Police Chief Paul Nikas; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Lincoln Police Chief A. Kevin Kennedy made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Feb. 17 was:
James Edward Dempster, 42, of Big Timber, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dempster faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Dempster was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-03.
Raynard Dublunch Porche, 49, of Nampa, Idaho, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Porche faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-08.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Feb. 17 was:
Michael Scott Naron, 33, address unknown, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Naron faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Naron was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-18.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indictment Charges Former State Rep, 3 Others, with Stealing West Haven's COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Christina D. Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging former employee of the City of West Haven and his three alleged co-conspirators for their involvement in schemes that resulted in the theft of more than $1.2 million dollars in COVID relief funds and other funds from the City of West Haven.
The six-count indictment, which was returned yesterday, charges MICHAEL DiMASSA, 31, JOHN TRASACCO, 50, LAUREN KNOX, 37, and JOHN BERNARDO, 65, all of West Haven, with conspiracy and fraud offenses. Trasacco and Knox, who were arrested today, and DiMassa and Bernardo, who were previously arrested, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges. They are released on bond pending trial.
As alleged in the indictment, DiMassa was a Connecticut State Representative who was also employed by the City of West Haven, most recently serving as the Administrative Assistant to the City Council. In April 2020, the State of Connecticut was allocated money by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (“CRF”), which was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) for the purpose of helping local governments pay costs incurred in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. From July 2020 through September 2021, the City of West Haven received approximately $1,150,257 in financial assistance from this fund. DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the designated relief funds for the reimbursement of COVID-related expenditures incurred by West Haven, conspired with Trasacco, Knox and Bernardo to steal these funds and other West Haven funds through the submission of fraudulent invoices, and subsequent payment, for COVID relief goods and services that were never provided.
The indictment alleges that DiMassa conspired with Trasacco through the submission of fraudulent invoices to L & H Company and JIL Sanitation Services, two entities controlled by Trasacco, for goods and services never received by West Haven, including thousands of units of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), HVAC maintenance at multiple municipal locations, COVID supplies for the Board of Education, and cleaning services for various municipal and school buildings, including one school building that had been vacant and abandoned for several years. L & H Company and JIL Sanitation Services received approximately $431,982 through this scheme.
The indictment also alleges that DiMassa and Knox, who are now married, submitted numerous fraudulent invoices to West Haven for services related to a Youth Violence Prevention Program and for Youth Violence COVID-19 Associated Expenses. These invoices listed charges for in-home counseling, cleaning supplies, special needs hourly service, wi-fi assistance for low/moderate income families, counseling services, license fees, a fall youth clinic, meals, support group supplies, equipment rental, and youth clinic support group. West Haven made at least 16 payments totaling approximately $147,776.10 to Knox, who never provided any services to the City of West Haven.
It is further alleged that in January 2021, DiMassa and Bernardo formed Compass Investment Group, LLC. Beginning in February 2021, Compass Investment Group LLC fraudulently billed the City of West Haven and its “COVID-19 Grant Department” for consulting services purportedly provided to the West Haven Health Department that were not performed. From February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70. Bernardo received at least $45,000 of these funds.
As disclosed previously in court documents, it is alleged that DiMassa made several large cash withdrawals from the Compass Investment Group LLC bank account, some of which were made shortly before or after he was recorded as having made a large cash “buy-in” of gaming chips at the Mohegan Sun Casino.
The indictment charges DiMassa with three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Trasacco, Knox and Bernardo are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General for Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Indicted Man Charged with Firearm ‘Lie and Try’Read the Press Release
A Dallas man has been charged with lying during two attempted firearms purchases, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Steven Royal, 29, was indicted this week on two counts of attempted acquisition of firearm from a licensed dealer by false statement, colloquially known as “lie and try.”
According to the indictment, Mr. Royal lied during attempted firearm purchases at pawn shops in Dallas and Waxahachie, Texas.
On ATF Form 4473, he stated that he was not under indictment for any felony. In fact, he was facing charges of aggravated assault of a family member with a deadly weapon and sexual assault of a child in Texas. Those cases are pending trial.
Neither purchase – one a Taurus .22 caliber pistol, the other a Rough Rider .22 caliber revolver – went through.
“Whether or not Mr. Royal physically possessed the firearm was inconsequential here. He knew he wasn’t allowed to possess firearms, however allegedly tried the system anyways. That system worked as designed and prevented the illegal purchase. ATF and its law enforcement partners remain committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of those that should not have them,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Royal is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read is prosecuting the case.
Hazleton Roofing Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay Required Federal Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Charles R. Ehrenberg, age 34, owner of Ehrenberg Roofing and Construction, Inc., located in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 17, 2022, before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to failing to collect and pay over several years’ worth of required federal payroll taxes.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the criminal information to which Ehrenberg pleaded guilty alleges that Ehrenberg, who was responsible, as owner of Ehrenberg Roofing and Construction, Inc., for collecting and paying over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) federal payroll taxes, including Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes, willfully failed to pay over to the IRS these required taxes for the period from 2017 through 2020, in the total amount of $185,681.90.
These charges stem from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty to the federal felony offense of unlawful return of an alien after deportation or removal, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, Jorge Osvani Diaz-Mendez, 21, of Guatemala, was arrested on September 12, 2021, on Interstate 10 in Jackson County. A U.S. Border Patrol Agent, who also is a member of the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle which had a total of 11 occupants, all of whom were illegal aliens to the United States. Homeland Security Investigations agents responded, and the driver of the vehicle is being separately prosecuted for illegal alien smuggling.
A passenger in the vehicle was identified as Jorge Osvani Diaz-Mendez, a citizen and national of Guatemala with no legal right to enter or remain in the United States. At the Gulfport Border Station, Diaz-Mendez’s fingerprints were electronically scanned into Homeland Security databases and were automatically matched by computer to his fingerprints in his prior immigration records. Diaz-Mendez’s identity was positively confirmed, and record checks revealed that he had been lawfully removed from the United States in 2019 and that he had not received consent or permission to apply for readmission or to reenter the United States.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Diaz-Mendez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. After completing any sentence of incarceration, he also is subject to Department of Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Graysville Man Charged for Illegal Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Graysville man has been charged with illegal possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
Shannon Ray Bittle, 46, was charged on Wednesday in a federal criminal complaint with illegal possession of a machinegun. Federal agents arrested Bittle on February 16, 2022, in Hoover, Alabama.
According to the criminal complaint, on January 20, 2022, Bittle met an undercover agent in a Walmart parking lot where he possessed and transferred a machinegun, that is, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, chambered in .300 AAC Blackout. The undercover agent purchased the machinegun from Bittle.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Plyler is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Puerto Rican Resident and Dominican Republic Citizen for Transporting Illegal Aliens on a Maritime VesselRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – On February 17, 2022, a federal Grand Jury returned a seven-count Bill of Indictment against Alejo Ocasio Venerio, 31, of Puerto Rico, and Franklyn Grullon Jorge, 44, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, charging them both with transporting illegal aliens on their vessel, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced.
The Indictment stems from an incident occurring on January 12, 2022, when federal agents observed defendants boarding seven illegal nationals from India onto their vessel for the purpose of transporting them to Puerto Rico. Under federal law, defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Fugitive Extradited from Mexico to Serve Prison Sentence for Filing Fraudulent Federal Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former Chelan Falls, Washington, man was extradited from Mexico to serve a 30-month prison sentence he received in absentia almost five years ago for filing a fraudulent tax return.
According to documents filed with the court, from 2009 through 2012, Jose L. Echeverria owned and operated a produce sales business. Echeverria filed fraudulent individual income tax returns with the IRS for these years, underreporting the income he received from his business by a total of $564,292. During this timeframe, Echeverria wired hundreds of thousands of dollars in unreported income to an account in Mexico that he used to purchase land, vacation homes, and vehicles for his personal use.
Following Echeverria’s guilty plea to filing a false tax return in February 2017, the district court granted him permission to travel to Mexico for two months while he awaited sentencing. Echevarria, however, did not return to the United States for the sentencing hearing. On September 25, 2017, U.S. District Judge Lonny R. Suko sentenced Echeverria in absentia to 30 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and $183,191 in restitution to the IRS.
Court records show that Echeverria resided in Mexico as a fugitive for nearly five years until he was arrested by Mexican authorities pursuant to an extradition warrant. On February 10, 2022, Mexico surrendered Echeverria to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and Mexico. Echeverria has been detained without bond pending the execution of his sentence.
The United States is grateful to the Government of Mexico for its cooperation and support of the extradition request in this matter. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced the most recent developments in this case.
Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, noted that even the delays caused by Mr. Echeverria were not enough to prevent justice from being served: “The only way to ensure a safe and strong community in Eastern Washington is for everyone in society to pay their fair share. Mr. Echeverria defrauded the government and his fellow citizens out of nearly $200,000 in taxes, spent that money on land in Mexico, vacation homes, and personal vehicles, and fled from justice for almost five years. It is sometimes said that justice delayed is justice denied, but this case illustrates a different adage – that the only absolutes in life are death and taxes. Mr. Echeverria learned today that he could run, but he could not hide: he fought the law, and the law won.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington provided significant assistance.
Trial attorney Michael Landman and former trial attorneys Lisa L. Bellamy and Gregory Bernstein of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Ellis, prosecuted the case.
Former Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced to 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Narcotics Offense and Bribery of a Corrections Officer While Detained at the Indiana County JailRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy, and bribery of a public official, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon sentenced Rashon Richardson, 31, to a total of 144 months of imprisonment—including 120 months for the narcotics offense and an additional 24 months for the conspiracy and bribery offenses—followed by 36 months of supervised release.
During his plea and sentencing hearing, Richardson admitted that on Nov. 2, 2015, he possessed distribution-level quantities of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and heroin. Richardson also acknowledged that he unlawfully possessed a loaded 9mm Ruger pistol despite being prohibited from doing so as a result of other prior felony convictions. After the United States brought charges against Richardson for the November 2015 conduct, he was detained and held at the Indiana County Jail (ICJ) pursuant to a contract between ICJ and the United States Marshals Service. Between June and August 2019, while Richardson was being held at ICJ, he paid multiple bribes to Alex Lewis, a then-corrections officer at ICJ, so that Lewis would smuggle contraband cellphones into ICJ. As part of the bribery conspiracy, Richardson admitted that he used an intermediary outside ICJ to meet Lewis and pay bribes on his behalf in the form of cash and, on one occasion, a $400 payment to Lewis’s Cash App account. Richardson admitted that he and other federal detainees used the smuggled cellphones to make unmonitored calls from inside ICJ.
Lewis previously was sentenced on Nov. 10, 2021, to 24 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiracy and bribery charges.
Assistant United States Attorneys Eric G. Olshan and Nicole Vasquez Schmitt prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to Richardson’s original charges. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the bribery-related charges, with valuable assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and Indiana County Jail.
Florida-Based Moving Company Operators Indicted for Moving Fraud Scheme Worth over $12 MillionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Matthew Pardi, 37, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Ashley Lynn Hars, of Plantation, FL, and Pardi’s wholly owned corporation, Proud American Vanlines, LLC, formerly known as Moving Accounting Department, LLC, were charged by Indictment with wire fraud, interstate transportation of property obtained by fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme in which they held customers’ belongings for ransom.
The Indictment alleges that over the course of more than three years, Pardi and Hars created a series of online profiles for moving companies, stealing the identities of legitimate companies to support their fake identities. The defendants falsely claimed that the companies were “family owned,” that they had been in business for over a decade and boasted more than a thousand satisfied customers. The defendants created false 5-Star reviews on their own websites and on legitimate review websites such as the Better Business Bureau and Yelp!, in order to trick customers into booking their moving services and providing deposits. According to the Indictment, once the customer was ensnared, the defendants routinely increased the estimate of their fees, both before the move was begun and after the goods were loaded onto the moving truck, in clear violation of federal regulations. If a customer refused to agree to pay the increased price, the defendants refused to deliver the customer’s household goods. As a result of the scheme, the defendants fraudulently obtained more than $12 million.
As part of this scheme, the defendants and their associates created and did business under the following Pardi Company names and websites: American Eagle Moving (americaneaglemoving.net); Alliance Movers (alliancemoversinc.com); Titan Moving and Storage (titanmovingandstorage.com); First Call Relocations (firstcallrelocations.com); Trans World Van Lines, Inc. (transworldvanlinesinc.com, transworldvanlines.net); Safeway Moving System (safewaymovingsystem.com); Gateway Moving and Storage (gatewaymovingand-storage.com); and Prestige Worldwide Moving (prestigeworldwidemoving.com), among others. They left in their wake victims from all over the country, including many from Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs.
“With spring right around the corner and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering, many Americans will be boxing up their belongings and moving to a new home that better suits their changed lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “During what is typically a very stressful transition, consumers need to be able to rely upon the trustworthiness of the companies they hire to safeguard their valuables and transport them to their destination. We will continue to do everything we can to protect the public from fraudsters who employ illegal, extortionate tactics.”
“Fraudsters can try to use multiple aliases behind which to hide their fraud, and various ways by which to manipulate public reviews, so as to fool even people who were doing their due diligence,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire. “The bottom line is, together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will still find you. And as we do our work to bring the criminals to justice, we remind the public that research and awareness are still the best forms of protection. Before contracting with a moving company, be sure to search reviews, seek recommendations from those you trust, and obtain bids from multiple sources. Don’t let price drive your decision, or it could end up costing you far more than you imagine. If you were victimized by any of the Pardi Companies listed in the indictment, we want to hear from you at [email protected].”
“Today’s indictment demonstrates our commitment to detecting and pursuing fraudulent household goods movers who unscrupulously take advantage of customers by being deceitful about the services they provide,” said Joseph Harris, Regional Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Region.“ As we continue working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, we also encourage the public to review resources and tools available at https://www.oig.dot.gov/investigations/household-goods-moving-fraud.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of more than 300 years in prison, and fines of up to $6.25 million.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Rue.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florida Man Convicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A former Florida resident who moved to Mississippi, pleaded guilty to the federal felony offense of failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and U.S. Marshal Mark Shepherd.
According to court documents, Jason Marvin Kent, 43, was arrested on July 22, 2021, by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department in Moss Point on a failure to register arrest warrant issued out of Walton County, Florida. An investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Kent relocated from Florida to Mississippi in early 2021 to avoid being arrested on the Florida warrant.
In 2002, Kent had been convicted in Walton County, Florida of lewd or lascivious conduct, sentenced to three years of probation, and was classified as a sex offender. Florida is a lifetime registration state and, in 2015, Kent was convicted of failure to register in Florida, for which he was sentenced to three years of probation. In addition to failing to update his registration in Florida before moving to Mississippi, official records showed that Kent had failed to register as a sex offender in the State of Mississippi.
Kent pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender which is a federal felony under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), commonly known as the Adam Walsh Act. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., and he faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Walton County Florida Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Felon Who Possessed a .40 Caliber Ghost Gun and Marijuana Sentenced to Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Jovar Demetrius Jefferson, age 30, of Lanham, Maryland to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, on January 24, 2020, Prince George’s County Police (PGPD) Officers observed a black vehicle parked in front of a Riverdale, Maryland residence. As officers approached the vehicle, one officer detected the odor of marijuana and saw Jefferson sitting in a reclined position with a hand-rolled marijuana cigarette in the center console. After Jefferson was asked to exit the vehicle, a PGPD officer searched the vehicle and located a .40 caliber semi-automatic privately made firearms, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun,” loaded with ten rounds of ammunition.
Once the officer located the firearm, Jefferson attempted to flee on foot and was later apprehended by other officers in the surrounding area. Upon further inspection, officers located additional items in Jefferson’s vehicle including approximately 169 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and several small clear plastic bags.
As stated in his plea agreement, on January 31, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Jefferson’s apartment. As a result of the executed search warrant, officers located an empty large plastic bag that contained marijuana residue and a firearm magazine containing three .40 caliber rounds of ammunition.
Jefferson admits that he possessed the marijuana seized from his vehicle with the intent to distribute a portion of it and use the remaining portion for personal use.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the ATF and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Felon Subject to a No-Contact Order Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a firearm was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.
Donald Hunt, Jr., age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 27, 2021, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
At the guilty plea, Hunt admitted that on April 2, 2021, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, as a prohibited person. Hunt was prohibited from possessing a firearm because (1) he had previously been convicted of a felony: Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon; (2) he was an unlawful user of cocaine and marijuana; (3) he was subject to a state court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner; and (4) he had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence: Assault (Domestic Abuse). On April 2, 2021, police officers observed Hunt park his car on a Cedar Rapids street. After Hunt saw the police drive by, he got out of the car and walked up to a house where he placed plastic bags on the porch. Police Officers then arrived and placed Hunt under arrest on outstanding state charges. When officers retrieved the bags from the porch, they discovered a loaded handgun along with clothing belonging to Hunt. Officers also found a small quantity of marijuana and crack cocaine which Hunt admitted using.
Hunt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hunt was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hunt is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-35.
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Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Multiple Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CEDRIC GOODWIN, also known as “Ceddyo,” 32, last residing in West Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearm and drug offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of September 22, 2019, Goodwin attempted to enter a bar located on Crown Street in downtown New Haven. During a pat-down search of Goodwin by a security worker, a firearm magazine fell from Goodwin’s right ankle area. Goodwin retrieved the magazine and left the establishment. The security worker notified nearby New Haven Police officers who subsequently located Goodwin. As they approached Goodwin, the officers heard the sound of an object hitting the ground. Goodwin was detained, and a search of the area revealed a firearm magazine containing eight rounds of .380 caliber ammunition. Goodwin was arrested on state charges at that time.
Goodwin’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics, weapon, robbery and assault offenses. On March 10, 2020, Goodwin was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Following his arrest, he was released on a $100,000 bond and other conditions, including that he reside at the home of a third-party custodian on Sanford Street in West Haven. Law enforcement subsequently received information that Goodwin was engaged in narcotics trafficking activity and was in possession of a firearm.
On May 14, 2020, Goodwin was arrested after investigators conducted a court-authorized search of his residence and, in the garage, found a Smith and Wesson revolver, several rounds of assorted ammunition, multiple baggies of suspected heroin, a quantity of marijuana, and items used to process and package drugs for street sale.
Goodwin has been detained since his arrest. On July 14, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana, and commission of an offense while on federal pretrial release.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Feds Indict Two Men for Robbery Spree Targeting Latino Businesses in North Philadelphia Late Last YearRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Omar White-Davis, 28, of Philadelphia, PA, and Acia Moore, 20, also of Philadelphia, PA, were charged by Indictment with multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery and related firearms offenses in connection with multiple armed robberies of businesses in the Feltonville and Juniata sections of North Philadelphia, including Café Tinto restaurant on Wyoming Avenue, which was targeted twice in two days.
The Indictment alleges that White-Davis and Moore attempted to rob and did rob a variety of small businesses, both together and separately, stealing approximately $3,100 dollars total between November 21 and December 6, 2021. The incidents alleged are as follows:
- On November 21, 2021: WhiteDavis attempted to rob the Ariel Grocery, 2000 block of E. Pacific Street;
- On December 1, 2021: Moore robbed the AlMolhem Store, 400 block of E. Wyoming Avenue;
- On December 2, 2021: WhiteDavis and Moore robbed Café Tinto, 100 block of E. Wyoming Avenue
- On December 4, 2021: Moore returned to Café Tinto approximately 48 hours later and robbed it again;
- On December 6, 2021: Moore robbed the Leslie Mini Market, 4200 block of Bodine Street; and,
- Also on December 6, 2021: approximately an hour later, Moore and WhiteDavis attempted to rob Hernandez Food and Deli Market, 4500 block of D Street.
White-Davis and Moore were both charged by Criminal Complaint and arrested by the FBI in early February. Both defendants have also made initial appearances on these charges in federal court.
“When I announced the All Hands On Deck initiative in April 2021, I vowed that we would do all we could to stop the violent crime ravaging our city and support the Philadelphia Police Department in its work,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “I also put criminals on notice that we were doubling down on our efforts to identify, arrest and charge them in the federal system for their crimes. The indictments of these defendants show that we have kept our word to focus on getting the worst of the worst off the street and behind bars.”
“The law-abiding taxpayers who love this great city shouldn’t have to live with the violence that moves ever closer to their doorstep,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire. “The FBI will use every resource at its disposal – including critical partnerships – to help get violent criminals off the streets of Philadelphia.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and possible fines of over $1,000,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Judge Sentences Two Methamphetamine Traffickers to 17.5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. handed down 17.5-year prison sentences to Rene Garcia, Jr., 43, of Laredo, Texas, and Jose Luis Ramirez, Jr., 45, of Concord, North Carolina, for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison terms imposed, both defendants were ordered to serve 10 years under court supervision upon completion of their prison terms.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Chief Michael Hudgins of the Pineville Police Department, and Chief Kevin Black of the Cornelius Police Department.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearings, on August 19, 2020, law enforcement learned that Garcia and Ramirez were trafficking narcotics in the Charlotte area. Law enforcement investigating the case recovered from the defendants’ hotel room more than 230 grams of methamphetamine the pair had accidentally left behind after checking out of the hotel. Court records show that law enforcement arrested Garcia and Ramirez when the men returned to the hotel to recover the drugs from the room. At the time of the arrest, law enforcement recovered from Ramirez a loaded firearm and a large amount of cash, and from Garcia more drugs and cash. Law enforcement seized from the defendants’ truck a second loaded firearm, two magazines containing ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and fake identification cards. Law enforcement also determined that the truck Garcia and Ramirez were driving had been reported as stolen.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that, within the previous 30 days, the pair had trafficked approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine in the Charlotte area.
In handing down today’s sentences, the Court took into consideration Garcia’s and Ramirez’s extensive prior drug trafficking and felony convictions. At the time of the offense, Garcia was on supervised release after he previously served more than 10 years in prison on federal racketeering conspiracy and firearms offenses for his affiliation with a cartel assassination squad.
Both Garcia and Ramirez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. They are currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The DEA, the Pineville Police Department, and the Cornelius Police Department handled the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stoutt, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Dover Man Sentenced for Enticing a Minor to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss for the District of Delaware announced today that Scott C. Foster, 42 of Dover, was sentenced yesterday to 240 months in prison followed by 120 months of supervised release. Foster pled guilty to one count of Enticement of a Minor to Produce Child Pornography on May 20, 2021.
According to publicly filed documents and statements made in open court, in the summer of 2016, Foster posed as teenage boys on Facebook and used aggressive and manipulative tactics to coerce and entice three minor females into producing child pornography. Foster attempted to do the same with eight other minor females and made overtures to even more.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Technology and social media are ubiquitous and pervasive aspects of the lives of many U.S. children. And while much good comes from such interconnectedness, there are dangers and pitfalls as well. We are committed to protecting all children from predators like Scott C. Foster, so that children may use and enjoy such modern miracles without fear of becoming prey to the pernicious harm of child pornography.”
“Foster exploited the trust of his minor victims by masquerading as a peer. He manipulated and coerced these young people into creating exploitative material — a malicious tactic that is becoming all too common,” said Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker of the HSI Philadelphia Field Office. “This sentence illustrates the seriousness of this crime. HSI stands with our law enforcement partners in our continuing efforts to keep our children safe online and hold those who would prey on them to account.”
Homeland Security Investigations, the Delaware Child Predator Task Force, and the Caroline County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office investigated, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham L. Robinson of the District of Delaware prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Dominican National Twice Removed from the United States Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Re-entryRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Dominican national who twice re-entered the United States illegally after removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Alinson Santana, 46, who law enforcement determined had, at various times, used ten aliases, five Social Security numbers, and five dates of birth, pleaded guilty on December 16, 2021 to Illegal Reentry.
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, Santana was arrested by Woonsocket Police on October 18, 2021, in an unrelated matter. Santana’s true identity was determined when US Immigration & Customs Enforcement officials received the results of a biometric fingerprint comparison from the FBI, which matched Santana’s fingerprint taken during a previous arrest.
U.S. Immigration records revealed that the defendant had been removed twice from the United States pursuant to Immigration Court orders. The first removal occurred on November 21, 2007, from Alexandria, Louisiana to the Dominican Republic. He was removed from the United States for a second time on September 5, 2017. Before the second removal he pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence to a charge of illegal reentry.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge William E. Smith sentenced Santana to 14 months of incarceration in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chaffee.
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Diagnostic testing company agrees to resolve claims for improperly billed testingRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – American Health Associates, Inc. (AHA) has agreed to pay the United States $142,718 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they knowingly caused the submission of false claims to Medicare for diagnostic testing.
AHA has offices in Cincinnati and in 2014, acquired MedLab, which provided laboratory services to Access Hospital Dayton, LLC.
The government alleged that, between January 2015 and December 2019, AHA knowingly caused the submission of false claims to Medicare for diagnostic laboratory tests that were performed during patients’ inpatient stays at Access Hospital Dayton and already covered by the inpatient admission. Medicare prohibits separate payment for diagnostic testing performed during an inpatient admission.
The government’s settlement in this matter follows the federal government’s earlier settlement with Access Hospital Dayton, bringing the federal government’s total recovery in this matter to approximately $517,498. The False Claims Act permits the United States to recover a multiplier of as much as three times the amount of damages sustained by the Government. The settlements with Access Hospital Dayton and AHA were consistent with the multiple damages recovery allowable under the False Claims Act.
False Claims Act tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The matter was investigated by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Wilson of the Civil Division and Civil Chief Andrew M. Malek of the Southern District of Ohio.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Davenport Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Aaron James Wadden, age 24, of Davenport, was sentenced yesterday to 140 months – approximately 11.5 years – in federal prison for gun and drug charges.
According to court documents, Wadden was sentenced to prison for trafficking methamphetamine and possessing a firearm related to his drug trafficking. This case arose after law enforcement received a 911 call related to a reckless driver in the area of Highway 61. Wadden was observed backing onto the highway into oncoming traffic, driving in the ditch, running multiple stop signs, and driving in the wrong lane of traffic. Wadden ultimately turned down a dead-end street, failed to slow down, crashed into a concrete barrier, and went airborne. Wadden then fled on foot. Officers located Wadden and found a loaded rifle and methamphetamine in the vehicle. Wadden was under supervision for a State of Iowa felony drug offense at the time of this offense.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Crystal Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 5 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – Demarko Hines, 50, of Cahokia Heights, Illinois, was sentenced today to five years federal prison for distributing crystal methamphetamine. Hines will also serve a four-year term of supervised release following his release from federal prison.
On February 23, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Hines and his brother, Laquan Hines, for a drug transaction that occurred in August of 2020. Demarko Hines pled guilty on September
18, 2021. Laquan Hines remains innocent until proven guilty.The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Trippi.Connecticut Man Indicted for Corporate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Connecticut man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges arising from an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $500,000 from his former employer, New England Sports Network (NESN).
Ariel Legassa, 49, was indicted on seven counts of mail fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transactions. Legassa was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 2, 2022.
According to the charging documents, from approximately December 2020 to January 2022, Legassa orchestrated a scheme to defraud NESN. It is alleged that Legassa negotiated a legitimate contract with a New York company to provide web development services for NESN and simultaneously created a fictitious business under a similar name in Connecticut, that he then used to receive fraudulent payments from NESN. During the pendency of the legitimate contract between the New York company and NESN, in addition to approving legitimate invoices from the New York company, Legassa allegedly created and approved several fake invoices from the Connecticut company. In all, it is alleged that NESN paid the Connecticut company, which did not have an actual business purpose, $575,500 into an account controlled by Legassa, who then spent the funds on personal expenses, such as paying off a car loan, and transferred the funds into other accounts under his control.
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Columbus Man Sentenced to over 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Children in Indiana and CaliforniaRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A Bartholomew County man was sentenced to over 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and attempted sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court documents, Jordan Fields, 21, of Columbus, Indiana, sexually exploited children in Indiana and California, and admitted to other acts of exploitation against unknown minors. Fields first came to the attention of federal authorities in the fall of 2020, when law enforcement in California notified authorities in Indiana that Fields had engaged in sexually explicit Snapchat communications with a 13-year-old boy in California.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation and executed a search warrant at Fields’ home on Nov. 13, 2020. Fields was initially arrested on state charges of child solicitation and possession of child pornography. A team from the Indiana State Police, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI reviewed evidence seized from Fields’ home, and Fields was arrested on federal sexual exploitation charges in March of 2021.
Fields admitted to communication with multiple underage boys online and admitted to receiving child sexual abuse material through Snapchat and Omegle. Fields pled guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child for his victimization of three southern Indiana children.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Bartholomew County Sheriff Matthew A. Myers made the announcement.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff Office investigated the case. The Indiana State Police, the Bartholomew County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation also provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. As part of the sentence, Judge Magnus-Stinson ordered that the defendant be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years following his release from federal prison and ordered Fields to pay $10,000 each to four minor victims.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Chicago Man Sentenced to over 36 Years in Federal Prison After Shooting at Davenport Police OfficersRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Clarence Washington, age 36, of Chicago, was sentenced on Wednesday to 440 months (approximately 36.5 years) in federal prison on several charges related to firearm and drug offenses. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Washington was sentenced for drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms charges. Washington was originally charged in federal court in 2018. In February of 2019, while pending trial, Washington cut off his GPS ankle monitor and absconded from federal supervision. Washington was subsequently arrested on February 18, 2021, after attempting to elude and shooting at police officers in the parking lot of the Walgreens at Kimberly Road and Division Street in Davenport. Washington was then federally indicted on additional charges relating to his failure to appear for trial, and his continued trafficking of drugs and unlawful possession of firearms, to include the discharge of a firearm at police related to his drug trafficking activities. At sentencing, the Court also considered evidence that, prior to the shooting, Washington had threatened another individual while displaying a firearm and stated he was going to shoot it out with the police.
Davenport Police Department Assistant Chief Jeff Bladel stated, “We are thankful our officers were not seriously injured during the arrest of Washington when he opened fire as they attempted to take him into custody. Additionally, we are very proud of the bravery and hard work that our officers do each and every day to keep our community safe. We appreciate the continued partnerships we have with our prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office and our area law enforcement agencies. With these partnerships, we will continue to collaborate to keep violent offenders off the streets in our communities.”
Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane added, “This case sends a clear message that if you wish to do violence in our community, it will not be tolerated.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Davenport Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the Scott County Attorney’s Office. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Charleston Felon Involved in Drive-by Shooting Sentenced to Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A man involved in a drive-by shooting on Charleston’s West Side in February 2020 was sentenced to seven years in prison on a federal firearm charge. Ronald Edward Tinsley, 49, of Charleston, previously pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, on or about February 25, 2020, Tinsley was driving a vehicle on the west end of Charleston when officers with the Charleston Police Department attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. In response, Tinsley fled at a high rate of speed for several blocks until he crashed into a building in the 1200 block of 6th Street. As Tinsley exited the vehicle, he kicked a Makarov 9x18mm semi-automatic pistol underneath the vehicle. This firearm had previously been stolen, and Tinsley knew or had reason to know that it was stolen at the time he possessed it. Tinsley had been the driver of a vehicle during a drive-by shooting on the West Side of Charleston the night before and the firearm he possessed was used in the shooting. Through the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), law enforcement officers were able to confirm that spent shell cases recovered at the scene of the shooting matched the Makarov pistol that Tinsley possessed.
Tinsley has a long criminal history to include prior federal convictions related to controlled substance distribution, as well as prior convictions for burglary and malicious assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Tinsley’s burglary conviction was the result of him forcibly entering a residence and threatening the occupants with a firearm over an unpaid drug debt in 2012. He was released from his prison sentence on the burglary conviction on February 16, 2020, just nine days before he committed the offense involved in today’s sentencing.
“My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to remove the most violent offenders from our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “As the conviction and significant sentence in this case demonstrates, it is through excellent teamwork and the utilization of NIBIN technology that we will accomplish our goal. ATF and the Charleston Police Department are to be commended for bringing this repeat violent offender to justice.”
“ATF has no greater mission than keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “Together, with our partners at the Charleston Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office, we will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who disregard the safety of our communities to justice.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe handled the prosecution.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00133.
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Castle Shannon Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sex Assault Images and VideosRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
David Colaianni, age 62, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on November 1, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Colaianni’s person. A cell phone was seized and submitted for forensic analysis. The analysis conducted of its contents revealed Colaianni’s possession of approximately 73 still images and 120 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, many of whom were younger than 12 years of age. Colaianni was arrested and has been in custody since that time.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for June 22, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Colaianni’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Colaianni.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
California Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Creating Child Sexual Abuse Material of A Number of Young Children and Engaging in a Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to life in prison for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, creating child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of 20 victims whose ages ranged from infancy to nine-years old, obtaining custody of a minor for purposes of producing CSAM, and possessing CSAM.
Arlan Wesley Harrell, 27, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2021, to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, obtaining custody of a minor for purposes of producing child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, from 2016 and 2017, Harrell distributed and advertised CSAM depicting three children on an online bulletin board dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children under the age of five. Harrell, along with co-defendants John Brinson Jr., and Moises Martinez, was an active member of this website, which was hosted on Tor, a computer network on the dark web that is specifically designed to facilitate anonymous communication over the internet. Harrell also secured the custody of a minor and traveled with him to Brinson’s house to create CSAM of that minor and two other children together. In total, Harrell created CSAM depicting himself engaging in sexual acts with or otherwise sexually exploiting 20 children, including nine children four years of age or younger.
Co-defendant Martinez pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and production of child pornography on Sept. 13, 2019, and was sentenced on Sept. 17, 2021 to 55 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release. Co-defendant Brinson Jr., pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and production of child pornography on July 23, 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22. A fourth co-defendant, Keith Lawniczak, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child on Dec. 19, 2019, and was sentenced on Aug. 13, 2020 to 12 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Los Angeles office, along with HSI’s Fresno and Boston offices, investigated the case. The High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorneys Lauren S. Kupersmith and Kyle P. Reynolds of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Myers and Kim Meyer of the Central District of California are prosecuting 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
California Man Alleged to Have Jumped into the Providence River to Flee East Providence Police Now Facing Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A California man arrested after he allegedly attempted to flee from East Providence Police on Wednesday by jumping off a bridge and into the Providence River made an initial appearance today before a federal Magistrate Judge on a charge of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to charging documents, it is alleged that late Wednesday afternoon the East Providence Police Department Special Investigations Unit (SIU) developed information about individuals posting pictures of firearms on Facebook and attempting to sell firearms within the city of East Providence. Members of the SIU determined where the individuals were located and established surveillance of a residence.
Charging documents allege that, about an hour after police established surveillance, a white Honda with heavy aftermarket dark tinting arrived and five individuals exited the building. One of the individuals, later identified through fingerprints as Joseph Darosa, 28, placed a suitcase in the trunk of the Honda, entered the vehicle as a passenger, and the car drove off. The other four individuals entered a second vehicle and left the area. East Providence Police followed the Honda onto Rte. 195 and initiated a traffic stop for a tinted window violation. As officers approached the vehicle, Darosa got out of the rear passenger side and jumped off a bridge and into the Providence River. With the assistance of Providence Police and Rhode Island State Police, Darosa was located along the shoreline and arrested about an hour later.
A court-authorized search of the suitcase seized from the trunk of the Honda was found to contain 14 handguns. The driver of the vehicle told police that he was a Lyft driver and that he was unaware of the contents of the suitcase.
According to court records, Darosa was previously convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California for distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced in May 2016 to a term of incarceration of 60 months and is currently serving a term of federal supervised release.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chaffee.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the ATF for their assistance in the investigation of the firearms and the filing of a federal criminal complaint, as well as the East Providence and Providence Police Departments and the Rhode Island State Police for their work in investigating and apprehending Darosa.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Brooklyn Park Man Sentenced to Prison for Passing Stolen Tax Refund CheckRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Brooklyn Park man has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for his role in passing a stolen tax refund check. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Wesley David Richards, 46, admitted to participating in a fraud scheme that involved depositing counterfeit, stolen, or otherwise illegitimate checks into fraudulent bank accounts and then making cash withdrawals and debit card purchases. In April 2017, Richards arranged for a stolen federal tax refund check in the amount of $27,167.57 to be deposited into a fraudulent U.S. Bank account. After the check was deposited, Richards and others acquired cash from the fraudulent bank account.
On September 23, 2021, Richards pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting passing a treasury check bearing a false endorsement or signature.
“This result demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate and bring to justice those that victimize the American taxpayer,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The success of this investigation is the result of a collaborative effort between TIGTA and the dedicated staff at the United States Attorney’s Office.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Bronx Man Admits Identity Fraud and Laundering over $12 Million in Illegal Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx, New York, man today admitted his role in a large international money laundering conspiracy and to using a stolen identity in furtherance of the scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Roberto Mendoza-Arias, 51, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to a criminal information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of identity fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2019 through March 2020, Mendoza and others laundered over $12.3 million from illegal activity. Mendoza accepted large amounts of cash drug proceeds from conspirators and laundered it by purchasing over 650 cashier’s checks at local bank branches in New Jersey and New York. The checks were made payable to individuals and companies specified by the leaders of the money laundering organization.
In July 2018, Mendoza obtained a fraudulent Pennsylvania driver’s license in someone else’s name. He used the fake ID to open multiple bank accounts and incorporate a business. Mendoza then used the bank accounts and the business to further the money laundering scheme.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of identify fraud carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, the New England Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle, and the Santo Domingo Country Office, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Renita D. Foster; special agents and task force officers of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez; the Morristown, New Jersey, police department, under the direction of Acting Police Chief Darnell Richardson; the New York City Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, under the direction of Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan; and the Direccion Nacional de Control de Drogas (the Dominican Republic National Drug Directorate) with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.
This case 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.
Berkeley County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dandre Trayham, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Trayham, 32, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine Base, and Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Trayham admitted to working with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride from August 20-20 to June 2021 in Berkeley County and elsewhere.
Trayham faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Timothy D. Helman are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/34-indicted-expansive-drug-trafficking-operation
Atlanta man pleads guilty to tax fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Lucious D. Mack, who falsely claimed and received refunds for fraudulently filed corporate income tax returns, has pleaded guilty to presenting false claims to the Internal Revenue Service and to stealing government funds.
“Mack went to great lengths to deceive the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “However, their diligence in this case uncovered his deceit, and he now faces the possibility of time in prison.”
“We continue to see individuals attempt to cheat the tax system,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “This plea should be a guiding light to honest taxpayers and would be tax cheats that the IRS and U.S. Attorney’s office will work diligently to protect the integrity of the U.S. Tax administration system, and to make sure everyone complies with their tax obligations.”
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Lucious Mack filed fraudulent corporate income tax returns that falsely claimed refunds. Specifically, Mack filed a 2015 Form 1120 U.S. Corporate Income Tax Return for his company Carter Industries, Inc. The tax return falsely claimed that the company pre-paid taxes and paid additional long-term capital gains taxes totaling $235,515.
The long-term capital gains tax payment was supposedly from the sale of property located in Dekalb County, Georgia. Property records, however, established that Mack’s company never owned the property that was listed in the tax returns supporting documents.
IRS additionally confirmed that the agency never received tax payments of any kind from or on behalf of Carter Industries, Inc. for 2015 tax year. As a result of the false representations, the tax return fraudulently claimed a refund in the amount of $109,521.
Mack also filed a 2015 Form 1120 U.S. Corporate Income Tax Return for another company, Carter International Holdings, Inc. The tax return likewise falsely claimed the payment of long-term capital gains taxes supposedly from the sale of property, which was located in Bibb County, Georgia.
Bibb County property records similarly confirmed that Mack’s company never owned the property listed in the tax returns supporting documents. IRS further confirmed that the agency never received tax payments of any kind from or on behalf of Carter International Holdings for tax year 2015.
As a result of the false representation, the tax return for Carter International Holdings, Inc. fraudulently claimed a refund of $105,877. IRS issued a treasury check for the amount, which Mack deposited into a local bank account and spent the money for his personal benefit.
Sentencing for Lucious Mack, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for May 10, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracia King and Amy Palumbo are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced an armed career criminal to 15 years in prison for illegal possession a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Donald Conelious Voltz, 48, of Oneonta, for illegal possession of a firearm. Voltz pleaded guilty on July 29, 2021, to unlawfully possessing a Taurus 9mm pistol in January 2020 in St. Clair County. Voltz is prohibited from having a firearm because of multiple prior felony convictions spanning 13 years, and the sentence pronounced today reflected his status as an Armed Career Criminal.
“Armed Career Criminals pose a threat to our communities, and we are grateful for the work of the Springville Police Department in apprehending this criminal.,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to address violent crime in the Northern District of Alabama.”
"The ATF proactively works with other law enforcement agencies to help identify individuals who repeatedly violate the law," SAC French said. "We focus on arresting those individuals who relentlessly continue to disrupt our communities."
According to court records, on January 12, 2020, a Springville Police Officer stopped a silver Cadillac Deville, driven by Voltz, after observing that the tag on the car was registered to a different car. The officer approached the car and asked Voltz if he had been drinking. Voltz denied drinking and gave the officer a name that turned out to be false. Voltz was arrested for driving under the influence.
During a subsequent search of the Cadillac, officers found a Taurus 9mm pistol under the center armrest. The gun was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, and Voltz did not have a permit for the firearm.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Springville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristy Peoples and Melissa Atwood prosecuted the case.
This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to 24 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Eddie Tramel McCloud-Hughes, 31 years old, of Conway, Arkansas, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
McCloud-Hughes was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in August 2017, McCloud-Hughes sold a 9-millimeter firearm to law enforcement. At the time of the sale, McCloud-Hughes had a prior felony conviction for Robbery in Lake County Superior Court, making him ineligible to possess a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indiana HIDTA Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Arizona Prison Inmate Charged with Brokering Sale of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in IllinoisRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An inmate in a state prison in Arizona has been charged with federal drug offenses for allegedly brokering the sale of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Illinois.
A criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges MANUEL GARCIA, also known as “Chuy,” 42, with distribution of controlled substances.
Garcia has been incarcerated since 2010 by the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry. In the summer of 2021, while residing at the Eyman Arizona State Prison Complex, Garcia allegedly coordinated with a buyer outside of the prison to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl for delivery to Illinois. Garcia negotiated the transaction, including sending photos of the methamphetamine via video chat, using a cell phone he had smuggled into the prison, the complaint states. Garcia had approximately a pound of crystal methamphetamine and nearly 1,000 fentanyl pills sent to the buyer at an address in Joliet, Ill., the complaint states. Unbeknownst to Garcia, the buyer was cooperating with law enforcement. On July 8, 2021, law enforcement intercepted the package of narcotics upon arrival at a U.S. Postal facility in Forest Park, Ill.
In the days that followed, Garcia allegedly directed the buyer to meet a third party and pay him on Garcia’s behalf for the fentanyl and methamphetamine. On July 14, 2021, with law enforcement covertly watching, the buyer met with Garcia’s representative in a parking lot at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and provided $11,100 as payment to Garcia for the narcotics, the complaint states.
Garcia currently resides at the Florence Arizona State Prison Complex. His initial appearance in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys A.J. Dixon and Megan DeMarco.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
17 February 2022
Wolf Point man who assaulted man in head with bat sentenced to 32 months in prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Wolf Point man who admitted to attacking a man in the head with a bat on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Harry B. Azure, 22, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered $13,505 restitution.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that on Nov. 19, 2019 in Wolf Point, Azure and another individual broke through the door of the residence of the victim, identified as John Doe, struck the victim multiple times in the head with a small baseball bat and left. The victim initially was treated at a local hospital then flown to Billings because of the severity of injuries.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Johnson, prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Fort Peck Tribal Police.
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Whitehall man admits receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Whitehall man suspected of downloading child pornography for approximately six years admitted charges on Feb. 16, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said today.
Tyler D. Pinnt, 35, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with receipt of child pornography. Pinnt faces a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, five years to a lifetime of supervised release and special assessments.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for May 19 and continued Pinnt’s release pending further proceedings. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The government alleged in court documents that Pinnt received child pornography from about March 2015 to July 2021. The Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was investigating Pinnt for online crimes against children and on July 13, 2021, served a search warrant on his residence near Whitehall. Agents seized several computers and cellular phones and conducted a forensic examination of the devices. At the time of the search, Pinnt admitted in an interview that he found child pornography online and that agents would locate child pornography on his laptop and desktop computers. Investigators located child pornography images and videos on Pinnt’s two phones and his computers and determined that Pinnt had downloaded the material between March 2015 and July 2021.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, FBI, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Helena Police Department and Seattle (Washington) Police Department Human Trafficking Unit.
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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West Virginia Man Admits Traveling to PA to Have Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Moundsville, West Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Jason Lynn, age 43, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that beginning on April 4, 2019, Lynn began communicating with an undercover FBI agent purporting to be a minor. From April 4, 2019 through May 3, 2019, Lynn chatted with the undercover Agent. During their conversations, Lynn expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with the minor. The undercover Agent told Lynn that he was under 18 years of age. Lynn told the purported minor to delete the chats so that they would not get in trouble. Lynn made arrangements to travel to Pittsburgh and meet with the minor at a hotel downtown. On May 3, 2019, Lynn traveled in interstate commerce, from West Virginia to the state of Pennsylvania, to meet the purported minor. Agents arrested Lynn in downtown Pittsburgh.
Judge Hornak has not yet set a date for the sentencing hearing. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the defendant remains in custody.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lynn.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Virginia Woman Who Fled to Nicaragua with Her Child for More Than A Decade Pleads Guilty to International Parental KidnappingRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorneys Trini E. Ross, of the Western District of New York, and Nikolas Kerest, of the District of Vermont, announced today that Lisa Miller, 53, formerly of Virginia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to international parental kidnapping, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Defendant Miller was in a civil union with Janet Jenkins under Vermont law. Miller was artificially inseminated during the civil union and had a child, IMJ. In 2003, Miller sought termination of the civil union and disputes arose regarding Miller’s and Jenkins' parental rights of IMJ. Miller disputed those parental rights in both Virginia and Vermont courts. Prior to September 2009, Jenkins had been awarded parental rights in Vermont. In early September 2009, the Vermont family court, which had jurisdiction over the dispute regarding the parental rights of IMJ, ordered that Janet Jenkins was entitled to an unsupervised parental visit with IMJ on the weekend of September 25, 2009. Miller was aware of the court ordered visit but did not want to allow unsupervised visitation for that weekend. In the early morning of September 22, 2009, Miller removed IMJ from the United States to Canada via Buffalo, NY, and eventually to Nicaragua, with the intention to take IMJ out of the country in order to obstruct Jenkins' court ordered parental rights. Miller remained out of the country until she voluntarily returned to the United States in January 2021, after IMJ had reached 18 years of age.
Three other defendants were charged and convicted for their roles in this case. Philip Zodhiates was charged in the Western District of New York and convicted following a jury trial of international parental kidnapping and conspiracy to commit international parental kidnapping and sentenced to serve 36 months in prison. Zodhiates organized the kidnapping of IMJ. He also assisted in the recruitment of Mennonite Pastor Kenneth Miller, who was convicted following a jury trial of international parental kidnapping in the District of Vermont and sentenced to serve 27 months in prison. Timothy Miller was also charged, convicted, and sentenced to time served (eight months) for his role in assisting Lisa Miller. He purchased a one-way plane ticket for Lisa Miller and IMJ to travel from Toronto, Ontario to Nicaragua. Upon their arrival in Nicaragua, Timothy Miller assisted Lisa Miller and IMJ financially including providing them with shelter.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Vermont Office of the U.S. Marshal’s Service, under the direction of Marshal Bradley Larose; and the Vermont Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent-in-Charge. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael DiGiacomo and Paul Van de Graaf are handling the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2022, before Judge Arcara.
Utica Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Frank Hunter, 37, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 121 months in federal prison for his role in a drug conspiracy that trafficked cocaine, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl in Utica from July 2018 through July 2019, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen, and Chief Mark Williams, Utica Police Department.
The multi-agency investigation began in March of 2017 and culminated in the federal arrest of Frank Hunter on July 23, 2019, following the execution of several search warrants in Utica where drugs, cash, and other evidence was seized.
In addition to his prison sentence, Frank Hunter was also sentenced to a post-incarceration term of supervised release of 5-years. The Court also directed the forfeiture of unrecovered assets Hunter acquired through the distribution of drugs consisting of a money judgment in the amount of $518,080.00.
Also forfeited by Frank Hunter were:
$3,241.57 from a credit union account
$5,266.59 from a credit union account
$6,722.07 from a credit union account
$8,226.53 from a credit union account
$4,415.24 from a credit union account
$66,060.00 in U.S. currency
$36,005.00 in U.S. currency
$4,391.00 in U.S. currency
$4,100.00 in money orders
A 2011 Ford Explorer SUV
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by New York State Police-Special Investigations Unit (NYSP-SIU), Investigators from the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, members of the City of Utica Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Beaty, Special Assistant U.S Attorney Grant Garramone, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee Statement on the Honorable D. Brock Hornby Taking Inactive Senior StatusRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby presided over his final proceeding this afternoon in the U.S. District Court in Portland. Following the proceeding, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee issued the following statement on Judge Hornby taking inactive senior status:
“Having served in the state and federal courts of Maine for now forty years, Judge Hornby possesses superior intellect, compassion, and fairness. He always treated the litigants and lawyers who appeared before him with patient consideration and respect. As a long-time leader among federal judges across the nation, he made us proud to call him ours. Judge Hornby’s extraordinary contributions have left a remarkable impression on the practice of law in Maine. My colleagues and I at the United States Attorney’s Office, as well as the many who served in the Office before us, are grateful for his service and example.”
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Tillamook County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Tillamook County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Travis Edmond Samson, 40, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 30, 2020, Tillamook Police Department officers responded to a report of Samson, who had three active arrest warrants, slashing the tires of a minivan parked at a motel in Tillamook. Shortly after the officers arrived on scene, Samson exited the motel’s office and approached the officers. The officers attempted to place Samson under arrest, but he resisted and began reaching for his back pants pocket. The officers managed to subdue Samson and located a loaded .25 caliber handgun in his back pants pocket.
On April 13, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Samson with felon in possession of a firearm. On September 20, 2021, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Tillamook Police Department with assistance from the FBI and ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassady A. Adams.
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.
Three Guatemalans Extradited to the United States on International Cocaine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari (619) 546-8402
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 17, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Three Guatemalan nationals who were extradited to the United States from Guatemala to face international cocaine trafficking charges appeared in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judges Bernard G. Skomal and Jill L. Burkhardt, who ordered that the defendants remain in custody pending trial.
The Guatemalan nationals are charged in three separate indictments stemming from Operation Guerrilla Unit, a long-term investigation spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego.
The Guatemalan nationals include Augusto Jean Carlo Castillo-Hernandez, aka “Metal,” Jorge Alexander Campos-Oliva, aka “Peluda,” and Fabio Josue Campos-Oliva, aka “Black Chivita.” The defendants made their initial court appearances on Friday, February 11, 2022 in San Diego before Judge Skomal.
During today’s detention hearings, and in publicly filed documents, the defendants were described as organizers and leaders in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Guatemala and elsewhere. According to the indictment and other public records, each of the defendants and their co-conspirators are alleged to have coordinated the smuggling of multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America to Guatemala with an ultimate destination of the United States.
Defendants Castillo-Hernandez, Jorge Campos-Oliva, and Fabio Campos-Oliva are each charged separately with participating in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms and more of cocaine in Guatemala and elsewhere, knowing and intending that the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States. In each of these cases, the conspiracy is alleged to have continued up to and including July 28, 2020.
On August 31, 2021, Castillo-Hernandez, Jorge Alexander Campos-Oliva, and Fabio Josue Campos-Oliva were arrested in Guatemala pursuant to extradition requests from the United States. Guatemala subsequently granted their extradition, and on February 10, 2022, they were extradited to the United States.
Operation Guerrilla Unit is a multi-year investigation targeting high-level cocaine traffickers operating in northwest Guatemala and their suppliers. This investigation has offered one of the most comprehensive views to date of the inner workings of cocaine trafficking in Guatemala. High-level cocaine traffickers were targeted in a massive probe involving multiple countries, multiple law enforcement agencies around the United States, and a number of federal districts.
“These extraditions send a message to drug traffickers around the world that the Department of Justice will aggressively pursue drug traffickers who earmark multi-ton quantities of cocaine for the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “Due to the collaborative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and this Office, we will always seek to keep these drug traffickers accountable.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and all the law enforcement agencies for their hard work on this case.
“The extradition of these individuals demonstrates the determination of HSI San Diego special agents and our law enforcement partners to bring down critical transportation cells in the cocaine supply network from South America to the United States,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI will continue to pursue the dismantlement of this organization through further arrests and extraditions in its effort to combat the flow of dangerous drugs into the United States.”
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendants.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
DEFENDANT
Case Number 20cr2242-DMS
Augusto Jean Carlo Castillo-Hernandez Age: 29 Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
aka “Metal,” aka “Joker”
Case Number 20cr2241-DMS
Jorge Alexander Campos-Oliva Age: 44 Guatemala City, Guatemala
aka “Peluda,” aka “Papa,” aka “Magico”
Case Number 20cr2240-DMS
Fabio Josue Campos-Oliva Age: 46 Guatemala City, Guatemala
aka “Black Chivita”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 959, 960, 963
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 853Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
U.S. Coast Guard
HSI Attaché Guatemala City, Guatemala
HSI Attaché Mexico City Mexico
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S)
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Terrebonne Parish Man Indicted for over a Kilo of Fentanyl and Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JON VERDIN, age 25, of Terrebonne Parish, La., was charged February 11, 2022, in a three (3) count indictment by a federal grand jury with narcotics and firearms charges for possessing over a kilogram of fentanyl and four firearms. Specifically, the federal grand jury charged VERDIN with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A)(vi), as well as Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i), 922(g)(1), and 924(e)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
If convicted of the narcotics trafficking charges, VERDIN faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years and up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. VERDIN also faces an additional, consecutive sixty (60) month term of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to five (5) years of supervised release, if convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Finally, if VERDIN is found to be an Armed Career Criminal due to his criminal history, for his felon in possession of firearms charge, he faces a minimum of fifteen (15) years and up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five (5) years of supervised release. For each offense, VERDIN faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the defendants’ guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Houma Police Department, St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Bücher.
Taylorville, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Forty-Eight Months in Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Taylorville, Illinois, man, Daniel S. Ward, 54, of the 1300 block of S. Cardinal Street, was sentenced on February 10, 2022, to 48 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for knowingly possessing 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with intent to distribute.
Ward was indicted in March 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2021.
The statutory penalties for possession of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute are a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment to a maximum of life imprisonment, a minimum five-year to a maximum life term of supervised release, and up to a $10,000,000 fine. Ward was eligible for a lower sentence because he was sentenced pursuant to the “safety-valve” provision of 18 U.S.C. §3553(f).
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police Central Illinois Enforcement Group, Taylorville Police Department, and Christian County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Bass represented the government in the prosecution.
St. Bernard Parish Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Airline Baggage ScamRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DONMONICK MARTIN, age 30, of Chalmette, Louisiana, pled guilty on February 9, 2022 to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
According to court documents, MARTIN conspired to defraud commercial airlines through the submission of false claims for reimbursement for lost baggage. In January 2021, MARTIN’s co-conspirator Pernell Jones, Jr. (“JONES”) took a flight to New Orleans under a fictitious identity. Shortly thereafter, MARTIN went into Louis Armstrong International Airport, assumed the same fictitious identity, and falsely told American Airlines that his bag had been lost on the flight. Court documents also allege that, on four occasions, JONES submitted false claims for lost baggage to airlines under false identities and MARTIN agreed to accept the reimbursement funds from the airlines on JONES’s behalf to help JONES evade detection. In November 2021, JONES pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. JONES is set to be sentenced in February 2022.
MARTIN faces up to a maximum term of five (5) years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for May 4, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Evans would like to acknowledge the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Dallas Police Department. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
Socorro Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
EL PASO – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an indictment yesterday charging a Socorro man with two counts of child pornography.
According to court documents, from October 30, 2020 to January 21, 2022, Hector Anthony Segura, 33, allegedly downloaded numerous visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct onto his electronic devices.
Segura is charged with one count of Receipt and Distribution of a Visual Depiction Involving the Sexual Violation of a Minor and one count of Possession of a Visual Depiction Involving the Sexual Violation of a Minor. The defendant is scheduled for his arraignment on March 11, 2022 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison on the receipt and distribution charge and up to 20 years in prison for the possession charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Valenzuela is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sex Trafficking Trial Ends in Guilty Verdict against Houston ManRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Kevondric Fezia, 26, of Houston, Texas, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Lafayette on sex trafficking charges. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. presided over the trial.
An indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on April 22, 2021, charging Fezia and his co-defendant, Calista Jenee Winfrey, 23, of Orange, Texas. The indictment charged Fezia and Winfrey both with one count of sex trafficking, and Fezia with one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in prostitution. Winfrey entered a guilty plea prior to the trial.
The trial began this week and after deliberating for a short time yesterday afternoon, a federal jury in Lafayette found Fezia guilty on both counts. Testimony at the trial revealed that beginning in November 2020, Fezia was recruiting minor females to engage in prostitution and began communicating with a 14-year-old female in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Fezia was well aware when he began communicating with her that she was a minor, but he still pursued her and tried to convince her that she would make a lot of money by engaging in prostitution for him. The minor victim made a decision to run away with Fezia to Texas and on February 13, 2021, he drove his Mercedes Benz and picked up the minor victim and took her to Texas. Winfrey and Fezia both were well aware that the victim was only 14 years old, but they continued to try and convince her to engage in prostitution.
Both defendants traveled with the minor victim to a hotel in Beaumont, Texas and introduced her to another prostitute that was working for Fezia who was 16 years old. Winfrey engaged in multiple acts of prostitution in the presence of the minor victim at the hotel, continually trying to convince the minor victim that she should also engage in prostitution. Fezia took photographs of both minor girls and the other prostitutes he was employing and posted them on his Instagram account as an advertisement, along with a visible geo tag showing those who saw the advertisement where to go to engage in sexual acts with the girls.
When the minor victim’s grandmother realized that she had run away from home, she began looking at the child’s social media accounts and found the communications between her granddaughter and Fezia. She then contacted law enforcement. Law enforcement officers were able to identify Fezia and found him at his apartment in Houston, Texas, along with other prostitutes and the minor victim. He attempted to hide her in the closet, but she and the other 16-year-old prostitute were found.
Fezia and Winfrey each face a maximum sentence of life in prison, not less than 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Sentencing for Fezia and Winfrey has been scheduled for June 23, 2022, at 9:00.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Lake Charles Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Luke Walker and John W. Nickel.
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