Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
17 February 2022
Scottsbluff Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Dillon Morgan, 24, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chief United States Chief District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Morgan to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Law enforcement, with the WING Task Force (Western Nebraska Intelligence Narcotics Group), utilized a confidential informant (CI) to purchase methamphetamine from Morgan. On February 25, 2020, the CI purchased 29 grams of methamphetamine from Morgan. On March 2, 2020, the CI purchased 30 grams of methamphetamine from Morgan. On March 3, 2020, law enforcement arrested Morgan with two grams of meth. Morgan was distributing methamphetamine to other individuals in the Alliance and Scottsbluff areas.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the WING Task Force.
Sacaton Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Stabbing DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Nina Maria Harrison, 36, of Sacaton, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Harrison previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On February 22, 2020, Harrison stabbed the victim multiple times, killing her. The attack took place on the Gila River Indian Community, where Harrison is an enrolled member.
The Gila River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00186-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-014_Harrison# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Recidivist Defendant Sentenced to 120 Months for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography.
James B. Clawson Sr., 59, was convicted by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession of child pornography on Aug. 26, 2021. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clawson was previously convicted of distribution of child pornography in the Eastern District of Virginia after law enforcement discovered that he was serving as the administrator of an online forum dedicated to child sexual abuse material and distributing such material to members of his forum.
While on a term of federal supervised release in connection with this conviction, a U.S. Probation Officer visited Clawson’s home and found a laptop and thumb drives in a hidden compartment in Clawson’s closet. Though Clawson had denied owning a laptop, law enforcement’s investigation established that Clawson had been using the laptop to search for and download images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which he then stored on one of his thumb drives. Once saved to his thumb drive, Clawson categorized and renamed these files based on the specific sexual conduct they depicted.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s CEOS prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-119.
Recidivist Defendant Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography.
James B. Clawson Sr., 59, of Alexandria, was convicted by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession of child pornography on Aug. 26, 2021. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clawson was previously convicted of distribution of child pornography in the Eastern District of Virginia after law enforcement discovered that he was serving as the administrator of an online forum dedicated to child sexual abuse material and distributing such material to members of his forum.
While on a term of federal supervised release in connection with this conviction, a U.S. probation officer visited Clawson’s home and found a laptop and thumb drives in a hidden compartment in Clawson’s closet. Though Clawson had denied owning a laptop, law enforcement’s investigation established that Clawson had been using the laptop to search for and download images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which he then stored on one of his thumb drives. Once saved to his thumb drive, Clawson categorized and renamed these files based on the specific sexual conduct they depicted.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 14, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Megan Lawrence, age 42, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Lawrence was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on February 19, 2021. She pleaded guilty on October 22, 2021. Lawrence was involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Rapid City area. Methamphetamine was brought to South Dakota from California by Lawrence's co-conspirators, Larre Hayes and Shelby Tripp Lien. Lawrence helped further distribute the methamphetamine upon its arrival. Lawrence also received packages in the mail containing methamphetamine, coordinated by Hayes. Hayes is awaiting sentencing and Lien is pending trial.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Lawrence was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Three Years for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 3, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Michael “Texas” Cole, age 31, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cole was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2020. He pleaded guilty on May 28, 2021. Defendant was stopped for driving a vehicle with a suspended license. During the stop, a drug-detection dog alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics in the vehicle and drug paraphernalia was located. Upon the arrest of the defendant fentanyl was discovered in his shoes, which he intended to distribute to others.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Cole was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 12 1/2 years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 4, 2022 by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Anthony Larson, age 40, was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Larson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on September 17, 2020. He pleaded guilty on September 3, 2021. Larson was part of a conspiracy responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in western South Dakota. Others charged in the conspiracy have trial and sentencing dates pending.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Larson was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 7, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Mark Smith, age 44, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Smith was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2021. He pleaded guilty on September 23, 2021. During his involvement in the conspiracy, the Defendant arranged for methamphetamine to be shipped to South Dakota from California. The methamphetamine was then dispersed to others for use and further distribution.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Smith was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Ammunition by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on February 9, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Jake Williams, age 38, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 22, 2021, and pleaded guilty on July 26, 2021. The conviction stems from Williams, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing ammunition, knowingly possessing 9mm rounds of ammunition which were found after Williams came into contact with law enforcement in April 2021 at Rapid City.
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.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Attempted Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography was sentenced on February 4, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Michael Ray Hudson, age 34, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hudson will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Hudson was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Hudson initiated sexual chats and sought images of child pornography from a person he believed to be a 15-year-old boy, but who was in fact an undercover agent. Hudson then negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Hudson went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was met by law enforcement and placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Hudson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to statements made in court, Lawrence Lee Hart, 61, of Glen Daniel, contacted another user on a dating app on October 1, 2021. Hart was told that the girl was only 13 years old and located in Beckley. After learning the girl’s age and that she was a virgin, Hart offered to teach her about sex. Over the next month, Hart engaged in extensive text and phone conversations with the girl during which he instructed her on masturbation, oral sex, and sexual intercourse. He also asked her to send him a sexually explicit image of herself and sent sexually explicit photographs of himself. On November 5, 2021, Hart was arrested when he went to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity.
Hart faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in June 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00254.
###
Queens Marine Corps Reservist and Long Island Nurse Indicted for COVID-19 Vaccination Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jia Liu, a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, and Steven Rodriguez, a nurse at a clinic in Hempstead, New York, with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States Department of Health and Human Services and one count of conspiring to commit forgery in connection with their scheme to distribute and sell false COVID-19 Vaccination Cards. Liu, a Marine Corps reservist, is additionally charged with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States Department of Defense for providing these cards to United States Marine Corps reservists. The defendants were arrested this morning and will make their initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, by deliberately distributing fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards to the unvaccinated, the defendants put military and other communities at risk of contracting a virus that has already claimed nearly one million lives in this country,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office remains committed to rooting out and prosecuting those individuals who threaten our public health and safety for profit.”
“The COVID-19 vaccination card fraud scheme allegedly perpetrated by Liu and Rodriguez resulted in more than 300 stolen or false vaccination cards circulating throughout the community, and in the destruction of multiple doses of a vaccine intended to protect people from the most severe effects of the virus. Schemers who defraud the government in any way—and profit from pocketing the funds—will continue to be held accountable,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Driscoll.
The indictment alleges that from at least March 2021 to February 2022, the defendants conspired to steal and forge COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to falsely record persons as immunized with vaccines that protect against COVID-19, when in reality, they had not been immunized. In addition to selling stolen and false cards to unvaccinated persons, Liu and Rodriguez also conspired to enter false COVID-19 vaccination records into New York state databases, allowing unvaccinated individuals to receive the Excelsior Pass, which displays a user’s vaccination status in a digital app.
According to court documents, Liu purchased blank COVID-19 Vaccination Cards from Rodriguez, and then forged and distributed them to buyers and other co-conspirators for a profit. Liu also directed buyers to meet Rodriguez in person at the healthcare clinic to purchase fraudulent cards. Rodriguez would meet the buyer, but instead of administering the vaccine he destroyed a vial of vaccine intended to be used to vaccinate a patient. He then provided a forged COVID-19 Vaccination Card to the buyer that he completed to make it falsely appear that the buyer had received a dose of vaccine. He further made entries in the Immunization Databases falsely indicating that the buyer had been vaccinated.
After the U.S. Department of Defense imposed a requirement that all active and reserve military service members be vaccinated against COVID-19, from August 2021 to January 2022, Liu created and distributed false COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to United States Marine Corps reservists to help them evade vaccination requirements.
The defendants promoted their scheme through messages on encrypted messaging applications and on social media. They referred to COVID-19 Vaccination Cards using code names, such as “gift cards,” “Cardi Bs,” “Christmas cards” and “Pokemon cards.” The defendants distributed at least 300 stolen or false COVID-19 Vaccination Cards and created more than 70 false entries in the Immunization Databases.
All COVID-19 vaccination providers are required to give individuals who receive a COVID-19 vaccine a COVID-19 Vaccination Card. These COVID-19 Vaccination Cards list the name and date of birth of the patient, name of the manufacturer of the COVID-19 vaccine that the patient received, the date the patient receives it, the lot number of the vaccine dose, and the location where each dose is administered.
Proof of vaccination, as reflected in a COVID-19 Vaccination Card or Excelsior Pass, is required to travel to certain locations and attend certain events where large numbers of people congregate, such as sporting events, concerts, restaurants, and bars. In addition, some employers and government agencies require employees to have received a COVID-19 vaccination. Proof of vaccination requirements are intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 and maximize the safety of the community. In April 2021, the State of New York established the Excelsior Pass. Using patient data recorded in Immunization Databases, an Excelsior Pass stores and displays a user’s vaccination status in a digital app. The pass is intended to be shown at participating businesses and venues as proof of vaccination.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
JIA LIU
Age: 26
Queens, New YorkSTEVEN RODRIGUEZ
Age: 27
Long Beach, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-70 (DG)
Queens Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Payroll Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A New York woman pleaded guilty today to employment tax crimes.
According to court documents, Catherine Manzione, of Queens, co-owned and operated All American Transit Mix Crop (All American), a concrete company, with her father, Rocco Manzione. From the second quarter of 2013 through the third quarter of 2017, Catherine and Rocco Manzione withheld federal employment taxes from the wages of All American’s employees, but they did not timely file All American’s employment tax returns, nor did they pay over the required taxes to the IRS. For the second quarter of 2017 alone, they did not pay more than $38,000 in payroll taxes they had withheld from their employees’ wages. In total, Catherine Manzione caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $311,135.
In addition to All American, Rocco Manzione owned and operated at least two other concrete companies. He previously pleaded guilty to payroll tax fraud and tax evasion related to his operation of all three companies. Rocco Manzione is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26.
Catherine Manzione is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Kathryn Carpenter of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Previously Deported Haitian Citizen Arrested at the Cyril E. King AirportRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a citizen of Haiti was arrested on February 14, 2022, at the Cyril E. King Airport on a criminal charge stemming from his illegal reentry into the United States.
According to court documents, Dunord Joseph, 36, presented himself to Customs and Border Protection officials for inspection at the Cyril E. King Airport in hopes of boarding a flight to Orlando, Florida. Records checks revealed that Dunord Joseph had previously been removed from Miami, Florida, on December 18, 2018, and there is no record of him having obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission prior to being found back in the United States on February 14, 2022.
Dunord Joseph is charged with a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a)(1) for returning to and remaining in the United States after having been removed, denied admission, excluded or deported and doing so without the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 2 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pine Ridge Woman Charged with Discharging a Firearm During an Assault and First Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Discharge and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, First Degree Burglary, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Samantha Red Feather, age 31, was indicted on January 20, 2022. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on February 4, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each charge. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Red Feather entering a residence at Pine Ridge and shooting the owner on October 27, 2021. The charges are merely accusations and Red Feather is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
The investigation is being conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case.
Red Feather was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for April 12, 2022.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Assault and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on February 4, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Timothy George Buckman, age 37, was sentenced to a total of 11 years in federal prison. Buckman was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow imprisonment and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Buckman was arrested and federally indicted following an altercation on December 8, 2020, where Buckman, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, assaulted two individuals with a firearm.
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.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Buckman was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Stealing Fuel TruckRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Vehicle was sentenced on February 11, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Cole Brewer, age 30, was sentenced to time served, equal to approximately nine months in custody, and three years of supervised release. Brewer was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Brewer was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2021. He pleaded guilty on September 23, 2021. The conviction stems from Brewer stealing a Freightliner fuel truck from Hay Springs, Nebraska, in June 2020, and transporting it across the state lines to Pine Ridge where it was discovered by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Pierre Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on February 15, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Michael Lewis, age 39, was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, forefiture of firearms and ammunition, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 9, 2021. He pled guilty on October 29, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on September 14, 2020, in Pierre, when law enforcement entered Lewis’s residence and located a small amount of drugs, drug paraphernalia, multiple stolen firearms, and ammunition. Lewis is an unlawful user of a controlled substance and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms. The firearms had all been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
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
This case was investigated by the Pierre Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Lewis was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oviedo Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving and Possessing Photos and Videos Depicting Children Being Sexually Abused and TorturedRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Richard A. Kirkendall (34, Oviedo) to 24 years in federal prison for using the internet to receive and possess images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and torture of children. Kirkendall was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Kirkendall had pleaded guilty on September 23, 2021.
According to court documents, Kirkendall used a particular peer-to-peer file sharing software to download child sexual abuse materials over the internet. In that process, he distributed child-pornographic videos to an undercover FBI agent. The videos distributed by Kirkendall depicted toddler-aged children being sexually abused and sodomized.
On May 10, 2021, federal agents executed a search warrant at Kirkendall’s residence and seized three cellphones belonging to Kirkendall. Forensic analyses of these devices revealed that they contained approximately 321 images and 103 videos depicting the sadistic sexual abuse of children, including material depicting infants and very young children being raped and sodomized.
The analyses also showed email communications dating back to 2012 through which Kirkendall traded child sexual abuse materials with another person over the internet. In the emails, Kirkendall stated, among other things, that he was interested in extremely violent child sexual abuse images and videos and wanted to see “blood.” Kirkendall also explained in detail how the other user could sexually assault a 3-year-old child that the user had access to through the use of deception.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera.
This is another case 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.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Images and Videos Depicting His Sexual Abuse of Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced David Milton Kissner, Jr. (34, Orlando) to 80 years in federal prison for two counts of using children to produce child sexual abuse materials and one count of distributing this material over the internet. Kissner was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Kissner had pleaded guilty on October 8, 2021.
According to court documents, in May 2021, Kissner created a number of videos depicting three different young children being sexually abused. In several of these videos, Kissner can be seen molesting two of these children, one of which was toddler-aged. Kissner then distributed images and videos depicting this sexual abuse online, including several to an undercover law enforcement agent.
In one of these videos, Kissner can be heard saying, “I love molesting kids.” In another video, Kissner induced a child to remove the child’s clothing by asking if the child wanted a “toy.” During an online chat with an undercover officer, Kissner stated that he was a pedophile who liked both preteens and toddlers and that he was going to try to molest a child at his place of work, an Orlando area water park. Kissner also suggested that he and the undercover agent should meet to trade child victims.
During a subsequent interview with law enforcement agents at his workplace, Kissner admitted that he had committed hands-on sexual abuse of two children, and further that he had been sexually abusing these children since January 2021. A forensic examination of Kissner’s cellphone revealed that he had 16 videos and 4 images depicting child sexual abuse saved on the phone.
“When you consider the abuse and fear this monster forced upon his young victims, 80 years in prison is still not enough. I commend the dedicated special agents who make it their job to remove the individuals from our society who prey on innocent children,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson.
This is another case 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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Cameron J. Stidd, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 16, 2022, by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to 150 months’ imprisonment for distribution of child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Stidd will begin a 15-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Buescher ordered Stidd to pay restitution in the amount of $24,000 and an additional special assessment in the amount of $5,000.
On January 19, 2020, Kik, an online website with servers located outside the State of Nebraska, identified at least one image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct that was distributed by an account user to other account users on the Kik application. Kik captured the Internet Protocol (IP) address that was used by the account user to distribute the image of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement obtained information related to the IP addresses, which ultimately identified Stidd as the subscriber and that he resided in Omaha.
The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), Special Operations Division, executed a federal search warrant of Stidd’s Omaha residence. The NSP seized numerous digital devices. Stidd gave a voluntary statement to law enforcement in which he admitted to using Kik. A forensic review of Stidd’s Kik account and digital devices revealed at least one thousand (1,000) graphic files of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The forensic review of Stidd’s Kik account and digital devices further revealed that on January 19, 2020, Stidd distributed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man from Ohio who was involved in a conspiracy to distribute drugs was sentenced February 16, 2022, to four years in federal prison.
Dean Warren Wright, age 47, from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, received the prison term after an August 6, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
At the guilty plea, Wright admitted he was part of an agreement to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana in the Northern District of Iowa. Wright was stopped in a vehicle in Iowa and was found to be in possession of more than $74,000 in cash related to drug trafficking.
Wright was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Wright was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Wright 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 Emily K. Nydle and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Waterloo Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-cr-2060.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Ocala Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud in Relation to Resale of Wireless Communications PlansRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA –Justin Michael Lewis, 39, of Ocala, Florida was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison following his conviction for six counts of wire fraud. The sentenced was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Notwithstanding the size of the corporation, fraud schemes harm companies and their customers,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “The deceptive, persistent, and sophisticated acts employed by this defendant demonstrate the danger posed to both corporations and their consumers. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in acts of corporate fraud.”
Evidence introduced at trial revealed that between September 2015, and February 2018, Lewis engaged in a scheme to defraud a wireless carrier by obtaining unlimited cellular data lines through fraudulent means and reselling them to the public for a 1500% mark-up. During most of this time-period, unlimited plans were not widely available to the public. When his actions were discovered, Lewis made false representations to the carrier, created new companies in other people’s names, and submitted altered documentation to conceal his activities. Finally, he used a technique to manipulate the carrier’s customer website portal to obtain unlimited data for free through accounts he had opened in other people’s names.
In addition to the prison term, Lewis’ sentence included 3 years supervised release, the forfeiture of two residences and several bank accounts, a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $1,349,398.98, and restitution to the victim in the same amount.
“This case is an example of the FBI’s relentless effort to protect American companies and their customers,” said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “When individuals defraud corporations, it is ultimately citizens – the corporation’s customers – who pay the price. The FBI remains committed to pursuing investigations into corporate fraud in an effort to protect consumers from bearing the costs associated with criminal activity.”
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Milligan and David P. Byron prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida i/s one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Ocala Convicted Felon Indicted for Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Michael Tyrone Young (32, Ocala) with possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. If convicted, Young faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury had indicted Young on December 7, 2021, he was arrested on February 15, 2022.
According to court documents, officers from the Ocala Police Department encountered Young during a routine patrol of a local public housing complex on the night of August 31, 2021. The officers observed Young dropping a heavy metallic object that resembled a firearm. Young, who was not a resident of the complex, had a strong odor of marijuana about his person. During a subsequent search, a loaded 9mm handgun fell out of Young’s pants. The officers also located MDMA (ecstasy) on his person. A record check showed that Young had prior state felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to sell, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell, and possession of oxycodone with the intent to sell. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
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.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
North Dakota Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Prison for Traveling to Connecticut for Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER J. BRERETON, 35, of Fargo, North Dakota, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for traveling to Connecticut to attempt to engage in sex with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2020, Brereton began chatting online with a minor female who had an online profile stating she was 18 years old. In February 2020, a law enforcement officer received permission to take over the minor’s account and, in an undercover capacity, the officer informed Brereton of the female’s true age of 15 years old. Brereton continued to chat with the “girl,” discussed engaging in sexual activity with her and made plans to drive to Connecticut meet her for sex.
On March 12, 2020, Brereton began driving from North Dakota and he arrived at a hotel in Meriden the next day. At the hotel, Brereton unpacked lingerie and sexual paraphernalia he had purchased for the planned sexual encounter. He was arrested later that day by New Haven Police on state charges after he drove to a location where he had arranged to meet the “girl.”
Brereton has been detained since his arrest. On July 19, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of traveling interstate with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
U.S. Attorney Boyle thanked the New Haven State Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Nigerian Citizen Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Sweepstakes SchemeRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – A Nigerian citizen and resident of Canada was sentenced today to nearly 14 years in prison for his role in a fraudulent “sweepstakes” scheme with a loss in excess of $260 million.
According to court documents, on September 4, 2018, Harry Cole, aka “Akintomide Ayoola Bolu,” “John King,” “Big Bro,” “Egbon,” 51, was one of eight defendants charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. The fraud is a type of “sweepstakes” scheme that ran from 2012 to 2016. Cole purchased lists of potential elderly victims and their addresses. Cole and other conspirators based in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada metropolitan area sent packages containing fraudulent sweepstakes information to conspirators residing in the U.S. The packages contained thousands of mailers that U.S.-based conspirators then sent to victims notifying them that they had won a sweepstakes. Each mailer included a fraudulent check issued in the name of the victim, usually in the amount of $8,000 and a pre-addressed envelope.
Victims were instructed to deposit the check into their bank account, to immediately withdraw between $5,000 and $7,000 dollars in cash or money orders and to send the money to a “sweepstakes representative” to facilitate the collection of the prize. By the time the bank notified the victim that the deposited check was fraudulent, the victim had sent cash or a money order that was received by the defendants or conspirators. Later, the conspiracy recruited an Austin-based conspirator, Stephen Omowaiye, who printed and sent sweepstakes scam packages to victims and also received victim payments in Austin.
The intended loss from this scheme was over $260 million with an actual loss of more than $900,000.
Today, Cole was sentenced to 166 months of imprisonment as well as three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $850,000 and to pay $111,870.25 in restitution.
“Cole and the other perpetrators of this despicable scam tricked hundreds of elderly victims out of their hard-earned money while the conspirators callously disregarded the consequences to our senior citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “This case demonstrates our office’s commitment to hold accountable those who prey upon vulnerable victims. We will use every tool at our disposal to make sure they cannot hide in other countries and escape justice.”
“Our investigative reach in this case, through international cooperation with Canada, shows that justice can prevail even when criminals are outside of our nation’s borders,” said Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRSCI) Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the Houston Field Office. “Through the teamwork with our law enforcement counterparts in Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Toronto Police Department, we stopped Harry Cole and his co-conspirators and their international sweepstakes and stolen identity tax refund fraud rings that targeted numerous elderly U.S. citizens. While IRSCI will pursue criminals, the best defense is to always protect your personal information and to verify first before sending any money domestically or internationally.”
“This federal investigation uncovered a sophisticated scheme that exploited legitimate financial institutions to defraud businesses and residents of the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, HSI San Antonio. “These types of crimes swindle hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S. victims each year and illicitly finance criminal organizations around the world. HSI and its law enforcement partners will continue to do everything possible to stop this kind of fraud and ensure the financial integrity of the homeland.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has been at the forefront of protecting consumers from fraud schemes for many years,” said Inspector in Charge Scott Fix. “There are a wide variety of financial schemes that target our most vulnerable populations, including the elderly, and the effects of those schemes are devastating to the victim and their families. The Inspection Service is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetrate these fraud schemes and bring them to justice.”
On October 27, 2021, Cole pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud. He has remained in federal custody since his extradition and arrest on August 20, 2020.
Co-defendants include: Nigerian citizen and U.S. resident Akintola Akinmadeyemi; Austin residents Joel Calvin and Clarence Barefield (aka CJ); Mesquite, TX, resident Donna Lundy; Nigerian citizens and Canadian residents Tony Dada Akinbobola (aka Lawrence D Awoniyi, aka Boss Tony, aka Toyin), Emmanuel Olawale Ajayi (aka Wale, aka Walata), and Bolaji Akinwunmi Oyewole (aka BJ, aka Beejay).
On January 24, 2019, Calvin pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud. On February 15, 2019, Lundy pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Both are scheduled for sentencing on March 3, 2022.
On February 19, 2019, Akinmadeyemi pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison and ordered to pay $111,870.25 in restitution.
On April 26, 2019, Barefield pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. He was sentenced to 96 months in prison.
On February 11, 2022, Akinbobola was extradited to the United States from Canada and is awaiting arraignment in Austin.
Ajayi and Oyewole are fugitives.
IRSCI, HSI, and USPIS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Galdo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Attorneys with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition of Cole from Canada.
###
New York Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Jamestown, NY, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 7 years in prison followed by 4 years supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Peter Shawbrougham, 27.
According to information presented to the court, on or about July 2019 through in and around June 2020, Shawbrougham did conspire to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Shawbrougham. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Firearms Offenses and Causing Mailing of Fraudulent Concealed Handgun Permit Training Course CertificatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 16, 2022, TRAVIS WHITE, age 41, of New Orleans, was sentenced by United States District Judge Lance M. Africk after previously pleading guilty to firearms offenses and mail fraud.
Specifically, WHITE previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 1349; one count of conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A), 923(a), 924(a)(1)(D) and 371; and one count of sale of a firearm to a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(d) and 924(a)(2).
According to court records, WHITE operated a Louisiana corporation, Always On Point LLC, based out of New Orleans. Through the business, WHITE sold fraudulent certificates attesting that his customers had completed a training course required to obtain concealed carry firearms licenses, although in most cases, those individuals had completed little to no training. WHITE was not an approved concealed-carry-training instructor with the Louisiana State Police. Additionally, WHITE sold firearms to his customers, although he was not a federally licensed firearms dealer. In some instances, WHITE sold firearms to individuals who were not permitted to possess or purchase firearms due to felony convictions.
Judge Africk sentenced WHITE to a term of imprisonment of 51 months, 3 years of supervised release and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is in charge of the prosecution.
* * *
New London Man Admits Role in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that ABRAHAM ROSADO, 33, of New London, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to a narcotics trafficking offense stemming from his role in a conspiracy in which cocaine was mailed through the U.S. Postal Service from Puerto Rico to southeastern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force in Connecticut intercepted a suspicious package that was destined for a location in Puerto Rico. A court-authorized search of the package revealed $158,900 in cash. Investigators established a connection between Raul Robles, who is Rosado’s cousin, and the seized package, and learned that Robles’ and Rosado’s residence on Blackhall Street in New London had received approximately 25 suspicious parcels from Puerto Rico since September 2019.
Investigators continued to monitor USPS deliveries of parcels mailed from Puerto Rico to the Blackhall Street residence, including multiple parcels addressed to names of individuals who did not reside there. A court-authorized search of one parcel that had been mailed to a fictitious individual at the residence revealed more than a kilogram of cocaine.
Rosado was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 8, 2021.
Rosado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on May 11, 2022. Rosado is detained pending sentencing.
Robles pleaded guilty to the same offense on September 21, 2021, and awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the New London and Town of Groton Police Departments. The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
New Jersey Woman Admits Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey woman today admitted transmitting the proceeds of a fraudulent scheme in which elderly victims were falsely told that they had won large sums of money in a lottery sweepstakes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Shanile Lyle, 28, of Orange, New Jersey pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Julian X. Neals to an information charging her with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2018, Lyle received checks from victims of a lottery scheme in which the victims were told that they had won large sums of money in a lottery sweepstakes and had to pre-pay taxes on their winnings. Lyle then deposited that money into a bank account that she controlled. Lyle kept a fee for herself and then wired the remainder of the funds to other individuals, including individuals overseas.
The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Lyle’s sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
New Jersey Couple Charged with Forced Labor and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury yesterday returned an eight-count indictment charging a Burlington County, New Jersey, couple with the forced labor and other crimes involving two undocumented individuals, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
Bolaji Bolarinwa, 47, and Isiaka Bolarinwa, 65, both of Moorestown, New Jersey, are both charged with two counts of forced labor. Bolaji Bolarinwa is also charged with two counts of bringing in and harboring certain undocumented individuals and two counts of unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of forced labor. Both defendants appeared today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King.
According to the indictment from 2015 to 2016, Bolaji Bolarinwa unlawfully obtained labor and services from one victim by means of serious harm or threats of serious harm, and from another victim by means of force or threats of force. She abused and threatened abuse of legal process against both victims. Bolarinwa’s spouse, Isiaka Bolarinwa, participated in the scheme and financially benefitted from the victims’ forced labor.
Bolaji Bolarinwa knew that both victims had entered the United States illegally and harbored them from detection for her own financial gain. She confiscated and possessed the passports and visas of both victims.
Both defendants face a maximum penalty on each forced labor count of 20 years in prison. Bolaji Bolarinwa faces a maximum penalty on each undocumented individual harboring count of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty on each unlawful document conduct count of five years in prison. They also each face a fine on each count of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Hutson and Vasantha Rao of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Bern Woman Sentenced to More Than 13 Years for Trafficking over One Kilogram of Methamphetamine, Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A New Bern, North Carolina woman was sentenced today to 166 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Antoinette Charmane Becton, 41, was named in an Indictment filed on February 19, 2020. On January 27, 2021, Becton entered a plea of guilty to a Criminal Information.
In October 2018, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force received information that Alterick Wallisima Boyd was distributing large quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in Pitt County, North Carolina. Over the next several months, agents conducted an investigation into Boyd and his co-conspirators. Boyd is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2022.
From December 2019 through February 2020, a confidential source conducted controlled purchases of cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and more than one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine from Becton.
A search warrant was executed at Becton’s residence on February 20, 2020, and agents seized $2,680 in currency from prior controlled drug purchases; a money counter; a digital scale; two smoking pipes; suspected fake ID cards and bank cards; and suspected cocaine base (crack).
In a separate investigation, agents with the Internal Revenue Service determined that over the course of several years, Becton ran a business called Carolina Tax Service. Through that business, Becton filed large numbers of false tax returns in which she listed fabricated information to fraudulently obtain tax refunds. In total, from 2014 to 2018, Becton and her employees filed false tax returns with intended losses of more than $1,000,000.
“Crystal methamphetamine is a highly addictive and destructive controlled substance. It destroys minds, bodies, and communities,” said United States Attorney Michael Easley. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and prosecute those who would sell these substances for personal profit.”
“When those we trust to prepare our taxes take advantage of their clients for their own greed, everybody is harmed,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge, Charlotte Field Office. “Today's sentencing again emphasizes that the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and U.S. Attorney’s office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who would attempt to defraud America's tax system.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Greenville Regional Drug Task Force, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott A. Lemmon and Susan Menzer prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 4:20-CR-0016-M-3.
New Bern Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Heroin Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Howard Jones, 50, of Craven County was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin, distribution of a quantity of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents, other evidence and information presented in court, on June 15, 2020, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Jones as he travelled back from Chicago. A K-9 alerted on the car and $15,000 was located. On June 24, 2020, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office and New Bern Police Department made a controlled purchase of an ounce of heroin from Jones at the Kensington Park Apartments in New Bern. On June 25, 2020, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, New Bern Police Department, and North Carolina SBI assisted by ATF served a search warrant at the same apartment. Law enforcement found a secret compartment in the kitchen which contained a loaded stolen handgun, digital scales and 7 ounces of heroin. They also found $16,000 and a key to a safe deposit box in Georgia in the apartment. Jones was arrested at the scene. On July 1, 2020, Jones called a family member from jail and advised them to get a key and attempt to retrieve money for him. Law enforcement went to the bank and seized $10,000 before they could arrive.
Jones has prior convictions for Felony Aggravated Battery with a firearm, Armed Home Invasion, Manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance and Burglary.
This is part of operation “Fighting Jelly Fish” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Craven, County Sheriff’s Office and the New Bern, Kinston, Holly Ridge and Goldsboro Police Departments and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-00067-M.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree of Twin Cities BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 262 months in prison for seven violent armed robberies of Twin Cities businesses. 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, on July 28, 2020, Derrick Lee Spillman, 41, robbed three Twin Cities businesses, including a Holiday gas station and two liquor stores. During the robberies, Spillman pointed a handgun at employees and ordered them to the ground. On July 30, 2020, Spillman continued his crime spree by robbing two additional Holiday gas stations, a Speedway gas station, and a Subway restaurant. During these incidents, Spillman pointed a handgun at employees, racked the slide of the gun, and demanded cash from the registers.
On August 10, 2021, Spillman pleaded guilty to seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
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.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Fridley Police Department, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the New Hope Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley prosecuted the case.
Miami Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A South Florida federal district judge has sentenced a 21-year-old man to 156 months in prison for pointing a gun at two people at a Miami gas station and jacking their car on April 6, 2021.
Law enforcement officers located the stolen car the next day. Carlos Junior Senecharles was driving; his girlfriend was in the passenger seat. Officers witnessed Senecharles run a red light, crash into another car, careen into a fence and a tree, and flee from the scene towards an abandoned apartment building. Officers arrested Senecharles and found a loaded firearm inside the stolen car.
Senecharles pled guilty on December 1, 2021, to carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from Miami Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn prosecuted Senecharles. Assistant U.S. Attorney William T. Zloch is handling asset forfeiture.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated 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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-20286.
###
Mexican National Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Illegal Re-entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
PECOS – On Tuesday, a Mexican national was sentenced to a total of 60 months in prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being removed by immigration authorities.
According to court documents, Efrain Gonzalez-Pargas, aka Efrain Gonzalez-Vargas, 39, of Zacatecas, Mexico, was found near Big Bend National Park on August 24, 2021. Gonzalez admitted to Border Patrol Agents that he had entered the United States illegally by wading across the Rio Grande River.
On October 12, 2021, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of illegal re-entry into the United States in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. Gonzalez had previously been sentenced to eight months in prison for the same offense in October 2020. Gonzalez was deported and removed from the United States by immigration authorities after that conviction.
U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered Gonzalez to serve 46 months in prison for the current case and another 14 months in prison for violating his supervised release for the 2020 case for a total of 60 months in prison.
At the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that Gonzalez had a previous conviction in California for battery with serious bodily injury.
Gonzalez has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 24, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Weber and Scott V. Greenbaum prosecuted the case.
###
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Kevin Lawrence Carter, age 40, of Faulkner Maryland, to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Carter’s plea agreement, on July 30, 2020, law enforcement observed an individual purchase approximately one ounce of methamphetamine from Carter for $700. The transaction occurred in a Clinton, Maryland parking lot. After the transaction, law enforcement continued surveillance of Carter as he left the parking lot, stopped to get gas for the car, and headed into Charles County, Maryland.
A short time later, a Charles County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on Carter’s vehicle in White Plains, Maryland. During the traffic stop, the deputy asked Carter to step out of the vehicle. As Carter exited the vehicle, the deputy saw a clear gallon freezer bag with a white substance protruding from the driver’s seat where Carter was sitting and noticed a digital scale in the driver’s side door.
Carter was placed under arrest and transported to the Charles County Detention Center. As a result of a search of Carter’s vehicle, law enforcement seized the digital scale, 388 grams of pure methamphetamine, and $680 remaining from the $700 Carter was paid during the earlier drug transaction. The remaining $20 had been used when Carter stopped to get gas. Lab results proved that the substance Carter distributed was 28.04 grams of pure methamphetamine.
In total, Carter possessed with intent to distribute at least 416 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and Elizabeth Wright, 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 www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Mercer County Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Possessing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Mercer County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 84 months’ imprisonment and 7 years’ supervised release on his conviction of Distribution and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Alex Rogan-Laird, age 26, of Greenville, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, on March 14, 2020, Rogan-Laird distributed videos and still images over the “LiveMe” interactive software application depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors to an agent of the FBI working in an undercover capacity in Salt Lake City, Utah. The FBI further found Rogan-Laird in possession of thousands of sexually exploitive videos and images depicting children, on July 15, 2020, at the time a federal search warrant was executed at his residence. Rogan-Laird admitted to viewing and distributing child pornography using “LiveMe” and similar software applications.
Restitution to the victims depicted in the sexually exploitive imagery is mandatory and Judge Horan scheduled a hearing on restitution for April 6, 2022. One of the victims, now an adult, spoke at the sentencing hearing about the continuing psychological harm she endures knowing that individuals like Rogan-Laird continue to view and share the images of her childhood abuse.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan stated that the defendant should take advantage of mental health and sex offender treatment while serving his sentence and, like the victim, use his experience to teach others and prevent such exploitation in the future.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rogan-Laird.
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.
Member of Violent Robbery Crew Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for participating in a violent robbery crew that targeted cell phone stores in the suburbs of Chicago.
AARON CLARK was part of a crew that conspired to rob cell phone stores in Calumet City, Ill., and Peotone, Ill., in 2017. The crew conducted takeover-style heists in which the robbers pointed guns at employees and bound their hands and feet with duct tape or rope. The robbers then stole cash and electronic devices and fled the stores. Clark brandished a gun during the heists and threatened to shoot store employees. In the Peotone robbery, Clark violently kicked a store employee in the face and knocked another employee off of a stool to the ground.
Clark, 44, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to federal conspiracy, robbery, and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the prison sentence Wednesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Calumet City Police Department, Peotone Police Department, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“The offenses in this case were violent and dangerous,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Aaron R. Bond argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “No one should have to experience the physical pain and psychological terror defendant imposed upon the employees at these stores who were simply doing their jobs.”
One other member of the crew was convicted of armed robbery offenses in the Circuit Court of Cook County and sentenced to 14 years in state prison.
Marion County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marrin Maurice Baker (49, Williston) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Baker faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Baker had been indicted on November 9, 2021.
According to court documents, Baker is a felon with prior state convictions for battery on a law enforcement officer and sale of cocaine. On or about August 25, 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department attempted to stop a truck being driven by Baker, but he refused to pull over. Once he finally stopped, officers searched the truck and recovered a loaded 9mm firearm by the driver’s seat and approximately 121 grams of marijuana on the floorboard. Baker admitted these items belonged to him and added that he had the firearm because of shootings in the local area and that he didn’t want “anyone to try [him].” As a convicted felon, Baker is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years for Possessing a Handgun as a Felon After Altercation at Grocery StoreRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Tarboro man was sentenced today to 114 months in prison for possessing a handgun as a convicted felon. On September 22, 2021, Bernard Eugene Phillips pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Phillips, 43, pulled a loaded handgun during an argument at Brown’s Grocery Store located in Tarboro, North Carolina. When Tarboro police officers responded and attempted to arrest Phillips, Phillips fought with the officers and spit on them. Even after he was in handcuffs, Phillips continued to physically resist the officers. After they were able to secure Phillips, the officers recovered the handgun which was found in Phillips’s waistband. The handgun was determined to be stolen after officers secured it from Phillips.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Tarboro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parris prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-00007-D.
Man Charged with Illegally Possessing “Ghost” Gun and Multiple Other Guns in Bronx ApartmentRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of a three-count Indictment charging ERIC LESANE with firearms and drug trafficking offenses. LESANE was initially charged by Complaint after his arrest on February 1, 2022. LESANE’s case has been assigned to the Honorable U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant illegally possessed multiple guns, including an untraceable ‘ghost’ gun. Illegally possessed and untraceable guns pose a serious public safety threat. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the defendant’s weapons are now in safe hands.”
Michael J. Driscoll, FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge said: “Mr. Lesane was aware of the conditions attached to his release from prison – he was not allowed to purchase or maintain a firearm. We allege he possessed several, one of which was an untraceable ghost gun - a class of weapon that poses an increasing threat to our communities. Our goal is to work with our law enforcement partners to get criminals and their weapons off our streets.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Convicted previously in a firearms possession case, Eric Lesane now faces federal indictment for allegedly amassing a stockpile of weapons — including an untraceable ghost gun — while on supervised release. Our NYPD investigators, working with our partners and prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office, will never stop pursuing these kinds of cases in our continuing effort to eradicate gun violence in New York.”
Michael Fitzpatrick, Chief U.S. Probation Officer said: “On February 1, Probation Officers from the Southern District of New York performed a search of Eric Lesane’s address. These officers seized several firearms and a large amount of ammunition. This search exemplifies the importance of communication between law enforcement agencies.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and in the Complaint and statements made in open Court:
On February 1, 2022, the United States Marshals Service arrested LESANE, who was previously convicted of a felony related to illegal firearms possession, after an arrest warrant issued for violations of supervised release. Following LESANE’s arrest, Probation Officers from the United States Probation Office for the Southern District of New York conducted a search of LESANE’s apartment. In the course of the search, Probation Officers found:
(1) a Ruger Precision Rifle,
(2) a Mossberg Rifle,
(3) a SWD Model M-11 9mm pistol,
(4) a Typhoon 12 Gauge Semiautomatic Shotgun, and
(5) a black pf940c polymer 80 privately made handgun with no serial number—in other words, a “ghost” gun.
A photograph of the guns is below:
In the course of the search, Probation Officers also recovered multiple high-capacity magazines each containing more than 15 rounds of ammunition, approximately 75 buckshot shotgun shells, additional ammunition, and a quantity of marijuana.
Probation Officers also found large amounts of paraphernalia that appears to be associated with the “Crips” street gang, including blue clothing and signs, literature that discusses the Crips, and a black and blue baseball bat with a black and blue bandana tied around it, wrapped in barbed wire.
* * *
LESANE, 34, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with: (1) possession of firearms following a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, (2) marijuana trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and (3) possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked the United States Probation Office for the Southern District of New York, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Espinosa is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Macon Firearms Trafficker Convicted in ATF’s Operation United FrontRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Three individuals have pleaded guilty to various federal charges resulting from Operation United Front, an ongoing ATF-led investigation into illegal gun possession and drug distribution centered in the Macon, Georgia, community.
Chadrick Purnell, 43, of Macon, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Feb. 16. Purnell faces a maximum ten years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 3. Co-defendant Jermaine White, 33, of Warner Robins, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts use of a communication facility on Feb. 15. White faces a maximum four years of imprisonment for each count to be followed by one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 3. Co-defendant Jasper Blackshear, 57, of Macon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base on Dec. 16, 2021. Blackshear faces a maximum twenty years of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 6.
“These cases were made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN. The use of this system allows law enforcement to strategically focus their efforts to areas with the greatest density of shootings,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Reducing violent crime is a top priority for the entire Middle Georgia community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to maximize every resource at our disposal to achieve this common goal.”
“NIBIN is proven technology that is an important tool in linking the criminal use of firearms with the actual trigger puller,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jason Stricklin. “In this case, NIBIN allowed us to work with our local partners to identify and take these violent offenders off the street.”
“These arrests and convictions show what technology, teamwork and street level investigations can accomplish. The partnership between ATF agents and Bibb investigators as well as the NIBIN technology has been essential in bringing these gunslingers to justice,” said Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis.
According to court documents, law enforcement used data compiled from NIBIN in order to identify locations where shell casings were collected from shooting events in Macon. These shooting events were then overlayed on a map, and teams of confidential informants and undercover agents investigated criminal activity in the areas with high density shootings. From May to July 2021, Purnell, Blackshear and White were under investigation. During this time, undercover agents and confidential informants purchased nine firearms and crack cocaine from Purnell, who is a convicted felon. The firearms included two semi-automatic rifles and a shotgun with an obliterated serial number. 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.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the Bibb County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the cases.
MS-13 Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for RICO Conspiracy and Brutal Murder of Two TeenagersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent MS-13 gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for RICO conspiracy and for his participation in the murders of two teenagers in Massachusetts—one in 2016 in East Boston and the other in 2018 in Lynn—in each instance playing a critical role in repeatedly stabbing a teenager to death.
Henri Salvador Gutierrez, a/k/a “Perverso,” 23, a Salvadoran national, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to life in prison. In June 2021, Gutierrez pleaded guilty to racketeering, or RICO, conspiracy on behalf of MS-13. As part of his activities in furtherance of MS-13, Gutierrez played a critical role in two horrific murders in which teenagers were repeatedly stabbed to death in public parks in Massachusetts. Each of the victims was murdered with extreme atrocity and cruelty in violation of Massachusetts law.
MS-13, or La Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. MS-13 gang members often commit acts of extreme violence against suspected rivals, those suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, and others who the gang views as a threat. The gang is also known for recruiting young members at local high schools, who are then groomed to commit violence in furtherance of the gang’s mission. In recent years, dozens of MS-13 members have been convicted of RICO conspiracy and other serious felonies in the District of Massachusetts.
MS-13 is organized into “cliques” or branches operating in local territories. Gutierrez was a member of the “Sykos Locos Salvatrucha” (Sykos) and, previously, the “Trece Locos Salvatrucha” (TLS) cliques of MS-13. Achieving promotion in MS-13 generally requires the commission of a significant act of violence, often including murder. The evidence in this case showed that Gutierrez was a “homeboy,” or full member of the MS-13 gang.
On Dec. 24, 2016, in furtherance of MS-13’s racketeering activities, Gutierrez participated in the murder of a teenage boy in East Boston. The evidence showed that Gutierrez lured the victim to a public soccer stadium based on Gutierrez’s belief that the victim may have been associated with a rival gang. Gutierrez personally stabbed the victim numerous times and left the victim’s body at the bottom of a stairwell. An autopsy revealed the victim had at least a dozen sharp force wounds consistent with a stabbing, with significant injuries to the neck, chest and back. His throat appeared to have been slashed, and he had multiple incised wounds to the neck and multiple stab wounds to the chest.
In 2017, while the December 2016 murder remained unsolved, and unrelated to that investigation, immigration authorities arrested Gutierrez as part of ongoing removal proceedings. Gutierrez had entered the United States unlawfully in 2014 and was facing deportation. Authorities sought to remove Gutierrez from the United States and pointed to evidence of his association with MS-13 as part of the reasons to oppose Gutierrez’s petition for asylum and other relief. Gutierrez submitted an affidavit and testified under oath at his removal proceedings. Through his statements, Gutierrez misled the immigration court, telling the court that he was not associated with MS-13, had not committed prior violence, and was committed to living a peaceful life in the United States. Relying in part on Gutierrez’s false testimony, in an order dated June 22, 2018, a United States Immigration Judge ordered Gutierrez released and adjusted his status to that of a person admitted for lawful permanent residence in the United States.
On July 30, 2018, barely a month after being released from immigration custody, Gutierrez committed his second murder, this time with five members of the Sykos clique of MS-13. The six assailants, four of whom were secretly armed with knives, took a 17-year-old boy to a park in Lynn and pretended to be friendly with the unsuspecting victim. At the scene, the six men surrounded the victim and repeatedly stabbed and hacked him to death. After killing the victim, the gang members left his body in the wooded area of the public park where it was discovered days later, on Aug. 2, 2018. An autopsy revealed that the victim suffered at least 32 distinct sharp force trauma wounds consistent with being stabbed repeatedly, along with multiple blunt force injuries. The victim also had small pieces of metal embedded in his head, consistent with parts of the large knives breaking with the force of the strikes to the victim’s skull.
The evidence in this case, which included a recording of Gutierrez describing the murder in graphic detail and boasting about it, revealed that the gang members murdered the victim based on their mistaken belief that he may have been assisting law enforcement. In the recordings, Gutierrez seemingly took pleasure in recounting the horrific act and expressed laughter while saying the murder was like “chopping wood,” as he and fellow gang members “were stabbing the knife right through him, bringing it down like [...] Bang, bang, bang, bang!”
Following an investigation in November 2018 Gutierrez was indicted along with the five other MS-13 members who participated in the July 2018 murder in Lynn. The six defendants in this case included five participants in the 2018 murder, as well as one longstanding member of the Sykos clique. In a related case, the government charged a juvenile co-conspirator who was the sixth person involved in the murder.
All six defendants indicted in this case, along with the juvenile charged in the related case, have pleaded guilty. Gutierrez is the third defendant to be sentenced in the case. On Feb. 14, 2022, Erick Lopez Flores, a/k/a “Mayimbu,” was sentenced to 40 years in prison. On Feb. 15, 2022, Jonathan Tercero Yanes, a/k/a “Desalmado,” was sentenced to 33 years in prison. Djavier Duggins, a/k/a “Haze,” is scheduled to be sentenced for RICO conspiracy today, Feb. 17, 2022, at 1 p.m. Sentencing hearings for the two remaining co-defendants, Eliseo Vaquerano Canas, a/k/a “Peligroso” and Marlos Reyes, a/k/a “Silencio,” have not yet been scheduled by the Court.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Acting Boston Police Commissioner Gregory Long; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha, Kaitlin O’Donnell, and Philip Mallard of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact was sentenced on February 14, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Benjamin Joseph Grassrope, age 33, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Grassrope was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 14, 2021. He pled guilty on November 18, 2021.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred between May 9, 2008, and May 9, 2009, in Lower Brule, wherein an 11-year-old victim awoke to Grassrope inappropriately touching her on her breasts and groin. Further, between May 1, 2012, and August 31, 2012, in Lower Brule, Grassrope inappropriately touched a 12-year-old girl on the breasts and groin.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Grassrope was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lower Brule Man Indicted for Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation.
William Thigh, a/k/a, William Fire Cloud, age 36, was indicted on February 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 11, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to ten years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on August 2, 2021, in Lower Brule, Thigh assaulted a woman with shod feet, a space heater, an electric fan, an air purifier, a metal bar, and electrical cords, with intent to do bodily harm to her. In addition, the Indictment charges that between November 28, 2021, and November 30, 2021, in Lower Brule, Thigh assaulted a woman with a rifle and shod feet, with intent to do bodily harm to her. On both occasions, Thigh is alleged to have unlawfully assaulted a spouse, intimate partner, and dating partner by strangulating and suffocating her, and attempting to do so.
The charges are merely accusations and Thigh is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Thigh was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Leader of Bronx Violent Drug Crew Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Agreeing to Commit Murder for Hire, Gun Crimes, and Drug SellingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SYDNEY SCALES was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for his role as the leader of a violent drug distribution organization that operated in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx, including his use of guns and participation in a murder-for-hire conspiracy in June 2017. SCLAES was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, after being convicted at trial in August 2021 of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to commit murder for hire, and related firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Sydney Scales was the leader of a violent drug crew. He caused at least one drug-related shooting, and he hired a hitman in an attempt to murder rival drug dealers who were having a barbecue in front of a neighborhood barbershop in the Bronx. Today’s sentence sends a powerful message that people who would commit violent crimes will be arrested, prosecuted, and face serious consequences.”
According to the Superseding Indictment and the evidence at trial:
Between in or about 2016 and in or about 2019, SCALES participated in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana in the Bronx and elsewhere. SCALES also used, carried, and possessed firearms, which were brandished and discharged, in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, and aided and abetted such firearms offenses. For example, the Government offered evidence that on December 1, 2016, SCALES caused a shooting at rival drug dealers standing in front of a convenience store located next to the entrance of the West Farms subway station.
In addition, in or about June 2017, SCALES conspired to commit murder for hire, agreeing to pay another person for locating and killing at least one rival drug dealer.
* * *
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Mathew Andrews, and Andrew K. Chan are in charge of the prosecution.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Distributing Counterfeit Prescription Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
Ruben Mejia, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 45 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On Sept. 9, 2021, Mejia pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and heroin; two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin.
Mejia distributed fentanyl pressed into pills designed to resemble actual pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone. End users of Mejia’s product could reasonably believe they were ingesting legitimate oxycodone pills, unaware that they were in fact consuming street fentanyl of uncertain dosage.
Mejia personally delivered or attempted to deliver approximately 6,000 pills, in total containing over 980 grams of fentanyl, to an undercover agent. On Aug. 13, 2020, Mejia sold an estimated 500 fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone pills for $4,000 ($8 per pill). Mejia sold the pills, which he stored in a baby diaper, in five bags containing approximately 100 pills each. On Aug. 26, 2020, Mejia sold another estimated 500 fentanyl pills for $4,000. Mejia was arrested on Sept. 11, 2020, after he was found in possession of an estimated 5,000 fentanyl pills, which he planned to sell for $40,000.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy P. Vasque made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Rollins’ Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Lame Deer man admits manslaughter charge in stabbing at Crow AgencyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man accused of fatally stabbing another man during an argument at a Crow Agency convenience store on the Crow Indian Reservation admitted to a manslaughter charge today, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
James Posey Fisher Sr., 35, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Fisher faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 8. Fisher was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 28, 2020, at the Teepee Station convenience store in Crow Agency, Fisher stabbed the victim, identified as John Doe, once in the chest. The victim died of a single stab wound before reaching the hospital. Fisher and victim were with other individuals and were drinking heavily. At some point, John Doe started teasing Fisher about a fight the previous evening, saying he had to finish what Fisher had started. Fisher and John Doe began arguing in a car that Fisher was driving and continued the argument when they got out at the convenience store. The argument turned physical. Witnesses thought it was only a fist fight until John Doe backed up suddenly, ran a short distance and collapsed. Witnesses realized John Doe had been stabbed because he was bleeding. Fisher jumped back into the car and drove away.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Harper Suek and Jeanne R. Torske and student intern, Alex Butler, are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
XXX
Kyle Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on February 11, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Ramone McBride, age 24, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
McBride was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 17, 2021, and pleaded guilty on October 22, 2021. The conviction stems from McBride, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing an Armi Jager, model Dakota SAA, .357 Mangum caliber, single-action revolver, which was found after McBride came into contact with law enforcement in March 2021 at Rapid City.
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.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
McBride was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.