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17 February 2022
Former top employee of workout supplement manufacturer convicted of misleading consumersRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old former leader at Science Production Products LLC (SPP) admitted he committed a felony relating to importing and selling misbranded drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Robert Lance Schuffert, 28, Auburn, Alabama, entered a guilty plea to one count of importing, causing misbranding and distributing misbranded drugs for sale with the intent to mislead and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers.
Schuffert admitted SPP smuggled Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) into the United States, such as Ostarine from China. He also admitted the company caused SARMs to become misbranded drugs and sold them to workout supplement brick-and-mortar retailers throughout the United States. This included a retailer located in McAllen.
The FDA has warned against the use of SARMs like those found in SPP’s products. They issued a public safety alert in 2017, which advised consumers against ingesting workout supplement products containing SARMs. The FDA reported that these products were linked to life-threatening reactions, including liver toxicity and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
As part of his plea, Schuffert also admitted he intended to mislead and defraud the FDA and consumers. He knowingly smuggled mislabeled containers containing SARMs into the United States from China and used false and fraudulent certificates of analysis. He also utilized various consignee names, freight forwarders and private mailboxes to conceal SPP’s true identity and deceived authorities as to the true nature of the smuggled drugs.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing May 3. At that time, Schuffert faces up to three years in prison and a possible $10,000 maximum fine.
Schuffert was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Asha Natarajan and Andrew Swartz are prosecuting the case.
Former football player sentenced in carfentanil overdose death of star athleteRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 27 year-old Katy resident and former football star at both Cinco Ranch High School and Rice University has been ordered to federal prison for distributing a deadly synthetic opioid, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Stuart Mouchantaf pleaded guilty Feb. 20, 2020. At that time, he admitted he distributed carfentanil to a former football star at Rice University with NFL aspirations which resulted in his death.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake ordered Mouchantaf to serve a total of 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard statements from the victim’s mother, sister and father. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the case was one of the more difficult cases he had heard. He added that the sentence was necessary to promote general deterrence from the crime and respect for the law as well as just punishment for the offense.
In March 2018, a Rice University student had failed to report to football practice. Authorities responded to 1900 block of Norfolk where they found the body. They pronounced him dead on the scene. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death resulted from the toxic effects of carfentanil.
The investigation revealed Mouchantaf provided pills containing carfentanil to the victim which ultimately resulted in his death.
Mouchantaf was a former football player and captain on the Rice football team. A Houston-area native, Mouchantaf had played football at Cinco Ranch High School before attending Rice.
Mouchantaf has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department led this part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation as part of “Operation Be That Guy” with the assistance of U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Corley and Robert Stabe prosecuted the case.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Former Portland Marathon President Indicted in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment today charging the former president and event director of the Portland Marathon for defrauding the charitable organization that had backed the event since the early 1980s.
Lester V. Smith, Jr., 80, of Tomball, Texas, has been charged with wire fraud and tax evasion.
According to court documents, for nearly 35 years, Smith served as the president and event director of Portland Marathon Inc. (PMI), the charitable organization formerly responsible for planning and operating the Portland Marathon. In these roles, Smith managed the organization’s day-to-day operations and finances, and had sole authority to approve expenses paid from PMI’s business bank account.
Beginning in January 2012 and continuing until at least April 2018, Smith is alleged to have made or directed others to make unauthorized transfers of funds from PMI’s bank account to his own personal checking account, paid various personal credit cards with PMI funds, and wrote unauthorized checks from PMI payable to himself. On one occasion, Smith used a PMI check to purchase a $60,000 Infiniti sport utility vehicle. Smith also used stolen funds to pay for home remodeling projects, shopping sprees at department stores, home décor, furniture, and other luxury goods and services. While defrauding PMI, Smith is also alleged to have substantially underreported his taxable income to the IRS in at least four different tax years.
In total, Smith is alleged to have stolen more than $1 million from PMI.
Smith will make his first appearance in federal court on March 10, 2022.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Tax evasion is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Philadelphia Man Conspired to Deal a Cocaine and Meth MixtureRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics law, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Terry Suggs, Jr., age 37, currently an inmate at NEOCC, pleaded guilty to two counts before District Judge Joy Flowers Conti. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Suggs conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute a cocaine and methamphetamine mixture.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on February 25, 2019, investigators with the Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team (D.A.N.E.T), conducted a controlled purchase and delivery operation, relating to an ongoing investigation into drug-trafficking activity coming from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Allegheny County. As a result of this investigation, law enforcement apprehended Clark and Suggs with approximately 23 kilograms of a cocaine/methamphetamine mixture, which were located within hidden compartments in the vehicles driven by each of the defendants. Additionally, in the vehicle operated by Suggs, $8,060.00 was seized.
Judge Conti has scheduled sentencing for May 3, 2022, at 11:00 AM. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least three years. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team (D.A.N.E.T), made the initial arrest on February 25, 2019, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Suggs.
Former North Carolina Police Sergeant Resentenced for Using Excessive Force Against an ArresteeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Robert George, 49, was resentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell to three years in prison and one year of supervised release in connection with a 2013 incident that occurred while he was a Sergeant with the Hickory Police Department in North Carolina.
On Jan. 17, 2019, a federal jury convicted George of using excessive force for assaulting a woman whom he had arrested and transported to the Hickory Police station. George was previously sentenced to a term of probation by a different U.S. District Court judge following the trial, but the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the case for resentencing.
The evidence at trial established that on Nov. 11, 2013, George assaulted a woman following her arrest. George forcibly pulled the handcuffed woman out from his police car and slammed her face-down onto the ground in the driveway just outside of the police station’s sally port. The forceful impact with the pavement caused the woman to suffer serious injuries that included a broken nose, severe dental trauma that required multiple surgeries and facial lacerations. Following the assault, George locked the woman in a cell and placed a spit-hood over her head because she was bleeding severely. The assault was captured by the police station’s security camera.
“Police officers who violently and unlawfully assault people in their custody, causing severe physical injuries and trauma, are not above the law and will be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentencing sends a strong message that the Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute officers who abuse their power by using unlawful force on people in their custody.”
“A person’s constitutional rights do not cease to exist during or after an arrest,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King of the Western District of North Carolina. “A federal jury rightfully decided that former police sergeant George used excessive force against an individual in his custody, and today’s resentencing reflects the seriousness of his unlawful conduct. As federal prosecutors, we have a duty to protect everyone’s civil rights and to investigate and prosecute federal law violations involving police misconduct. We owe it to the people living in the Western District and to the thousands of law enforcement officers who serve and protect the public with honor and dedication.”
“The security video of George's actions that day in 2013, is sickening,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert R. Wells of the FBI Charlotte Division. “We are grateful to our partners at the Hickory Police Department who immediately began an internal investigation and requested state and federal assistance. We hope today's resentencing sends a message that no one is above the law, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Criminal Section Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
Former North Carolina Police Sergeant Resentenced for Using Excessive Force Against an ArresteeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Justice Department announced today that Robert George, 49, was resentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell to three years in prison and one year of supervised release in connection with a 2013 incident that occurred while he was a Sergeant with the Hickory Police Department in North Carolina.
On Jan. 17, 2019, a federal jury convicted George of using excessive force for assaulting a woman whom he had arrested and transported to the Hickory Police station. George was previously sentenced to a term of probation by a different U.S. District Court judge following the trial, but the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the case for resentencing.
The evidence at trial established that on Nov. 11, 2013, George assaulted a woman following her arrest. George forcibly pulled the handcuffed woman out from his police car and slammed her face-down onto the ground in the driveway just outside of the police station’s sally port. The forceful impact with the pavement caused the woman to suffer serious injuries that included a broken nose, severe dental trauma that required multiple surgeries and facial lacerations. Following the assault, George locked the woman in a cell and placed a spit-hood over her head because she was bleeding severely. The assault was captured by the police station’s security camera.
“Police officers who violently and unlawfully assault people in their custody, causing severe physical injuries and trauma, are not above the law and will be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentencing sends a strong message that the Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute officers who abuse their power by using unlawful force on people in their custody.”
“A person’s constitutional rights do not cease to exist during or after an arrest,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King of the Western District of North Carolina. “A federal jury rightfully decided that former police sergeant George used excessive force against an individual in his custody, and today’s resentencing reflects the seriousness of his unlawful conduct. As federal prosecutors, we have a duty to protect everyone’s civil rights and to investigate and prosecute federal law violations involving police misconduct. We owe it to the people living in the Western District and to the thousands of law enforcement officers who serve and protect the public with honor and dedication.”
“The security video of George's actions that day in 2013, is sickening,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert R. Wells of the FBI Charlotte Division. “We are grateful to our partners at the Hickory Police Department who immediately began an internal investigation and requested state and federal assistance. We hope today's resentencing sends a message that no one is above the law, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Criminal Section Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
Former Massachusetts Resident Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
A former Brockton, Massachusetts, resident pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and related charges. Matthew Engram, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, two counts of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution, and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise.
As part of the plea hearing held in federal court, Engram admitted that from January 2009 until August 2015, he and a co-conspirator recruited and trafficked three victims from a residence in Brockton, and elsewhere, and Engram took all or part of the proceeds. Engram advertised the victims on websites, exchanged text messages with his co-conspirator to share advertisements, organized prostitution dates, and reserved hotel rooms. When these victims did not comply with Engram’s demands to prostitute for his profit, he physically assaulted them or directed a co-conspirator to physically assault them. Engram also admitted that he transported, or caused the transport of the victims to other states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Florida and Maine, to perform commercial sex acts.
“Human trafficking is an insidious crime that exploits vulnerable members of our society, causing unimaginable and lasting harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to using every available resource to prosecute human traffickers and to support human trafficking survivors.”
Sentencing in this matter has been set for May 19, 2022. The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion provides for a maximum sentence of life in prison, no fewer than five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of racketeering provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of U.S. Attorney Rollins’s Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Vasantha Rao of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Former Founder and Ceo of Nanotechnology Company Convicted of Multimillion-Dollar Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JAMES JEREMY BARBERA was convicted today following a one-week jury trial before the Honorable John G. Koeltl. As the jury found, between 2013 and 2020, BARBERA, the founder and former chief executive officer of a New York-based nanotechnology company, Nanobeak Biotech, Inc. (“Nanobeak”), lied to investors and misappropriated investors’ funds. The jury convicted BARBERA of three counts: securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As the jury unanimously determined, James Jeremy Barbera lied to investors about his company’s technology and stole millions of dollars of investor funds intended for research and development. Barbera then tried to cover up his misconduct by providing false financial information to investors and the company’s board of directors. Now he awaits sentencing for his crimes.”
According to the Indictment, evidence presented during trial, court documents, and statements in open court:
From in or about 2013 and in or about 2019, BARBERA was the founder and CEO of Nanobeak, a privately held nanotechnology company that represented to investors that the company had developed a breathalyzer sensor technology that could detect cancer and narcotics in human breath.
From at least in or about 2013 through in or about 2020, BARBERA and others perpetrated a scheme to defraud dozens of investors out of at least approximately $8.4 million (i) by soliciting investments through false and misleading statements, (ii) by failing to use investors’ funds as promised, and (iii) by converting investors’ money to his own use. BARBERA and others made false and misleading representations to actual and potential investors, including as set forth below:
BARBERA falsely represented that Nanobeak had developed a breathalyzer sensor that could detect narcotics and cancer in a person’s breath, and that the company was expected to earn millions of dollars in sales revenue through distribution contracts. In truth and in fact, Nanobeak never developed the purported technology, and it was impossible for the company to generate revenue because there was no breathalyzer device to sell and accordingly, no distribution contracts.
BARBERA also falsely represented that Nanobeak would soon have an initial public offering (“IPO”), which would result in large profits to investors. In truth and in fact, the company was not close to an IPO, and BARBERA was permanently barred from serving as the CEO of a public company as a result of a prior, unrelated proceeding brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
BARBERA falsely represented that he had undergraduate and graduate degrees in physics from New York University, and that he had a business degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In truth and in fact BARBERA never finished college and never attended MIT.
BARBERA converted to his own use at least approximately $3.3 million of the approximately $8.4 million in investor funds in the form of cash withdrawals and to pay personal expenses, including private school and college tuition for his children, mortgage payments on his Central Park West apartment, and for his other personal items, such as credit card bills, jewelry, automobiles, and daily living expenses.
* * *
BARBERA, 65, of New York, New York, was convicted at trial of one count of securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. BARBERA faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the securities and wire fraud counts and a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy count. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed upon BARBERA will be determined by the judge. BARBERA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on June 15, 2022.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and NASA’s Office of Inspector General, and also thanked the SEC for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher, Daniel Loss, and Joshua A. Naftalis are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Fort Dix Correctional Officer Sentenced to 26 Months in Prison for Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Delivering Contraband to InmatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former federal correctional officer was sentenced today to 26 months in prison for accepting approximately $50,000 in cash bribes in exchange for delivering contraband to federal inmates, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Paul Anton Wright, 36, of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to Count 1 of a five-count indictment, charging him with accepting cash bribes to take official action and commit acts in violation of his duties as a public official, specifically as an employee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through April 2018, Wright was employed as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix (FCI Fort Dix), a Bureau of Prisons facility located in Burlington County. In 2015, while at FCI Fort Dix, Wright agreed to accept cash bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband, including tobacco, K2 (synthetic marijuana) and suboxone (a narcotic used to treat opioid addiction), to inmates.
Wright received cash bribes from two individuals outside of FCI Fort Dix. From February to September 2015, Wright traveled to Philadelphia on multiple occasions to meet with a relative of an FCI Fort Dix inmate and subsequently delivered contraband, including K2, to the inmate. From October to December of 2015, Wright traveled to New York City on multiple occasions to pick up contraband from a different inmate’s associate from whom he also received bribes in return for smuggling the contraband into FCI Fort Dix.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Wright to three years of supervised release. Wright previously consented to a $50,000 money judgment against, forfeiting monies he accepted as bribes.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, Washington, D.C., Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Russell W. Cunningham, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked special agents of the FBI for their assistance in the prosecution.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. McCarren and Tazneen Shahabuddin of the U.S. Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Former Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to sex trafficking charges.
Matthew Engram, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex; trafficking two counts of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution; and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2022.
From January 2009 until August 2015, Engram and a co-conspirator recruited and trafficked three identified victims, as well as others, from a residence in Brockton and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex acts and took all or part of the proceeds. Engram advertised on websites, exchanged text messages with his co-conspirator to share advertisements, organized prostitution dates and reserved hotel rooms. When the victims did not comply with Engram’s demands to prostitute themselves for his profit, he physically assaulted them or directed his co-conspirator to physically assault them. Engram also transported, or caused to transport, the victims to other states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Florida and Maine, to perform commercial sex acts.
The charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Philadelphia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus, of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Vasantha Rao of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Angels Communications Director Eric Kay Convicted in Tyler Skaggs Overdose CaseRead the Press Release
An ex-employee of the Los Angeles Angels was convicted today in connection with the 2019 overdose death of Angles pitcher Tyler Skaggs, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
After less than an hour and a half of deliberation, a federal jury found former Angels Communications Director Eric Prescott Kay, 47, guilty of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Kay distributed the pills that killed Mr. Skaggs.
The investigation began on July 1, 2019, when the Southlake Police Department received a 911 call stating that Mr. Skaggs, then just 27 years old, had been found dead in his hotel room at the Southlake Town Square Hilton. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office later determined that Mr. Skaggs had a mixture of ethanol, fentanyl, and oxycodone in his system at the time of his death..
Inside Mr. Skaggs’s hotel room, investigators discovered a number of pills, including a single blue pill with the markings M/30. An analysis of the pill – which closely resembled a 30-milligram oxycodone tablet – revealed it had been laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opiate.
In an initial interview with law enforcement, Mr. Kay denied knowing whether Mr. Skaggs was a drug user. He claimed the last time he’d seen Mr. Skaggs was at hotel check-in on June 30. However, a search of Mr. Skaggs’s phone revealed text messages from June 30 suggesting that he had asked Mr. Kay to stop by his room with pills late that evening. Investigators later learned that, contrary to what he’d told law enforcement the day Mr. Skaggs’s body was discovered, Mr. Kay had admitted to a colleague that he had, in fact, visited Mr. Skaggs’s room the night of his death.
In the course of their investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration determined that Mr. Kay allegedly regularly dealt the blue M/30 pills – dubbed “blue boys” – to Mr. Skaggs and to others, dolling out the pills at the stadium where they worked.
Several former Angels players, including Matt Harvey, C.J. Cron, Mike Morin, and Cameron Bedrosian testified at trial that Eric Kay distributed blue 30 milligram oxycodone pills to them as well. They further testified that he was the only source of these pills and would conduct transactions in the Angels Stadium.
“This case is a sobering reminder: Fentanyl kills. Anyone who deals fentanyl — whether on the streets or out of a world-famous baseball stadium — puts his or her buyers at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “No one is immune from this deadly drug. A beloved pitcher, Tyler Skaggs was struck down in the midst of an ascendant career. The Justice Department is proud to hold his dealer accountable for his family and friends’ unimaginable loss.”
“Unfortunately, this guilty verdict will not bring Mr. Skaggs back or take away the suffering his family and friends have endured since 2019. What it does do; however, is affirm that justice prevails and drug dealers and enablers, like Mr. Kay, will be held accountable for their reckless actions,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Fort Worth. “DEA will continue to aggressively investigate the distribution of diverted and counterfeit prescription drugs in our communities. The memories of those lives lost to drug overdose must not be in vain.” -
Mr. Kay now faces between 20 years and life in federal prison. His sentencing has been set for June 28, 2022. Following the reading of the verdict, the defendant was immediately remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fort Worth Field Division and the Southlake Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Beran, Errin Martin, and Joe Lo Galbo are prosecuting the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Bradshaw. Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means presided over the trial.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this release put Mr. Kay's age at 45. He was 45 when he was first charged, but was 47 when he was convicted.
Florida Man Sentenced in Multi-Million-Dollar Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday for his role in a multi-million-dollar Medicare fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment.
Nathan LaParl, 34, of Boca Raton, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. to three years of probation, the first year to be served subject to a curfew and forfeiture in the amount of $220,671. On Jan. 21, 2021, LaParl pleaded guilty to one count of receiving kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and one count of violating the HIPAA statute.
LaParl and co-defendant Talia Alexandre sold Medicare patients’ personal and medical data to Juan Camilo Perez Buitrago. LaParl and Alexandre worked with foreign call centers to contact Medicare patients to ask if they were interested in durable medical equipment (DME) such as arm, back, knee and shoulder braces “at little to no cost.” The call centers collected demographic and insurance information from Medicare patients, which LaParl and Alexandre sold to Perez Buitrago. Together, LaParl and Alexandre received more than $1.6 million from Perez Buitrago for the patient data. Perez Buitrago used that patient data to submit more than $109 million in false and fraudulent claims, submitting claims for DME that was not prescribed, not necessary, and, in many instances, never requested or received.
To perpetuate the scheme, LaParl checked Medicare patients’ insurance eligibility by improperly accessing a patient eligibility tool provided by co-defendant Stefanie Hirsch. Hirsch owned EI Medical, Inc., a Medicare-enrolled wheelchair and scooter repair company that qualified for access to a health care clearinghouse that contains Medicare patients’ personal, medical and insurance information. Hirsch improperly gave LaParl access to that clearinghouse and charged him about $0.25 per patient eligibility check. Using Hirsch’s credentials, LaParl accessed the personal and medical data of more than 350,000 patients.
Hirsch pleaded guilty to violating the HIPAA statute and was sentenced on Sept. 21, 2021, to three years of probation. Hirsch was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,500. Alexandre pleaded guilty to one count of receiving kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2021, to three years of probation with the first year spent in home detention. Alexandre was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 and restitution in the amount of $1.47 million
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Johnnie Sharp Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Field Division; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Boston Division; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Q. Wan of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Five Defendants Indicted for Pump-and-Dump Stock Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Aaron P. Arnzen (619) 546-8384 and Andrew J. Galvin (619) 546-9721
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 17, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Five men from California, Nevada and Florida are charged in an indictment unsealed today with conspiring to manipulate the market for the stock of a healthcare company whose products include COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
The defendants are accused of manipulating the market for the stock of Global WholeHealth Partners Corporation (Ticker: GWHP), which advertised itself as a company focused on healthcare-related development and products. The defendants include Brian Volmer of Carson City, Nevada; Joshua Yafa of Boca Raton, Florida, and his brother, Jamie Yafa of Kissimmee, Florida; Charles Strongo of San Clemente, California; and Carl Marciniak of Minden, Nevada. All were arrested or otherwise contacted by law enforcement today in their hometowns.
According to the indictment, the defendants’ crime involved efforts to run a pump-and-dump scheme in Global WholeHealth Partners’ stock. Their scheme included maintaining control over the company’s free-trading shares through secret nominee accounts; artificially inflating the stock’s price and trading volume by promoting the stock through high pressure call rooms and penny stock newsletters; engaging in manipulative stock trading; and selling the stock at inflated prices to unwitting investors. The defendants collectively spoke on dozens of recorded calls about key aspects of their scheme.
“Pump and dump schemes deteriorate the integrity of the securities markets and destroy Main Street investors’ confidence in their ability to invest on a level playing field,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This case should serve as a reminder that individuals who manipulate the United States securities markets are being scrutinized by law enforcement and will be held accountable.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team, the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission for their excellent work on this case.
“These defendants engaged in a conspiracy to inflate stock prices through false and misleading information to enrich themselves and make a quick profit,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “The FBI is proud to work alongside our partners at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to preserve the integrity of the stock market and protect honest investors.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken civil action against several of the defendants in this case.
Case Number 21cr1310-WQH
DEFENDANTS
Brian Volmer Age: 58 Carson City, NV
Joshua Yafa Age: 47 Boca Raton, FL
Jamie Yafa Age: 43 Kissemmee, FL
Charles Strongo Age: 58 San Clemente, CA
Carl Marciniak Age: 57 Minden, NV
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C. § 371
Securities Fraud – Title 15, U.S.C. §§ 78j(b) and 78ff, and Title 17, C.F.R., § 240.10b-5
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $5 million fine
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty
Felons in Possession of Firearms Are Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced today a Hickory, N.C. man to 77 months in prison for a federal firearms violation, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Chaetez Sean Clayton, 31, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
According to filed court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2020, Clayton sold a loaded Springfield .40 caliber pistol with a high capacity magazine and a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol for $1,000 in cash. A jury found Clayton guilty in June 2021 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Clayton was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his 2015 federal conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
In a separate case, earlier this week Judge Bell handed down a 78-month prison sentence to Davion Lee Drayton, 25, of Charlotte, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Court documents filed in this case show that on February 25, 2021, officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle Drayton was driving. Drayton was able to evade the officers after he stopped his vehicle and fled the scene. A CMPD officer inspected Drayton’s vehicle and observed in plain view a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a high capacity magazine. According to court records, the firearm had a round in the chamber and at least 20 rounds in the magazine. Drayton was arrested by law enforcement on the federal indictment on May 19, 2021. At the time he was arrested, Drayton illegally possessed another firearm. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon in September 2021.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their investigation of Clayton’s case, and thanked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Hickory Police Department, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance. ATF and CMPD handled the investigation into Drayton.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Hess and Lambert Guinn were in charge of Clayton’s prosecution, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly prosecuted the case against Drayton.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy while in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Shamar Banks pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances while in prison between 2017 and 2019, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Banks, age 41, formerly of York, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing to occur on June 16, 2022. Banks was serving a federal prison sentence for prior drug trafficking when he committed the additional drug trafficking crime to which he pled guilty.
The law provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
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.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Florida Man with Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Steve Anthony Shand, 47, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of human smuggling, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, law enforcement agents with Homeland Security Investigations responded to a request for assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) based out of Pembina, North Dakota. USBP initiated a traffic stop on a white-colored, fifteen passenger van less than one mile south of the U.S./Canadian border in a rural area between the official ports of entry located at Lancaster, Minnesota and Pembina, North Dakota. Shand was identified as the driver of the vehicle. Law enforcement asked for identification of the two passengers in the van and determined them to be undocumented Indian nationals. Shand was taken into custody by USBP agents.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Farmington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Stealing $103K from Bank CustomerRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LEE BLANCHETTE, 59, of Farmington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $100,000 from a customer of the bank where she was employed.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Blanchette was employed by Bank of America as a relationship manager. As a relationship manager, Blanchette had the authority to cause temporary ATM cards to be activated and assigned to a customer’s account. Between August 2014 and March 2016, Blanchette caused multiple temporary ATM cards to be activated for bank accounts of a customer who Blanchette knew was experiencing cognitive decline. Without the customer’s authorization, Blanchette used the temporary ATM cards to withdraw significant funds from the customer’s accounts, keeping a significant portion for her own benefit, and causing a loss of $103,080.
Judge Meyer ordered Blanchette to pay full restitution to Bank of America, which covered the victim’s losses.
On May 25, 2021, Blanchette pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.
Blanchette, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on April 4.
This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
El Paso Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Underreporting Income TaxesRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso man was sentenced today to a total of 12 months of confinement for filing false personal tax returns.
According to court documents, Victor Manuel Gonzalez Estrada, aka Victor Manuel Gonzalez, 60, was the owner of Tax Preparation Services. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) agents discovered that Gonzalez filed fraudulent federal income tax returns for multiple years. Gonzalez claimed his income from his tax preparation business was $17,462; $18,450; and $25,328 for tax years 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. Court records revealed that Gonzalez earned over $350,000 during that period. In addition to underreporting his yearly income, Gonzalez applied for and improperly received refunds through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). EITC is a refundable tax credit for low to moderate income workers.
On August 24, 2021, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to three counts of filing a false personal tax return. In addition to his confinement, Gonzalez was ordered to file his accurate amended taxes for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. He must also file accurate taxes for 2017 and 2018.
“It is appalling that the defendant would go to such lengths over the course of several tax years to falsify his own tax returns while operating as a tax preparer,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Our office is proud to have partnered with IRS CI in holding him accountable for his actions.”
“With today’s sentencing of a tax preparer who was sure he was getting away without paying his fair share of Federal income taxes, the public is again reminded to do their due diligence when selecting their own tax preparer this filing season,” said IRS CI Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the Houston Field Office. “All individuals, regardless of occupation, are required to accurately report all taxable income before they transmit their tax returns to the IRS.”
The IRS CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Osterberg prosecuted the case.
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Eagle Butte Man Charged with Theft from an Indian Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota. man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.
Conroy Clown, age 43, was indicted on February 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 10, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to five years in custody 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 between March 14, 2019, and July 5, 2019, in Eagle Butte, Clown did knowingly embezzle, steal, and convert to his own use, assets belonging to the Cheyenne River Motel, an Indian Tribal organization, in an amount greater than $1,000.
The charge is merely an accusation and Clown is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Clown was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Eagle Butte Man Charged with Theft from an Indian Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.
Robert Chasing Hawk, Jr., age 38, was indicted on February 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 10, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to five years in custody 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 between January 7, 2021, and March 8, 2021, in Eagle Butte, Chasing Hawk did knowingly embezzle, steal, and convert to his own use, assets belonging to the Elderly Nutrition Program, an Indian Tribal organization, in an amount greater than $1,000.
The charge is merely an accusation and Chasing Hawk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Chasing Hawk was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Dupree Man Sentenced for Striking, Beating, or WoundingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Dupree, South Dakota man convicted of Striking, Bearing, or Wounding was sentenced on February 10, 2022, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Bradley Speker, age 30, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Speker was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 12, 2021. He pled guilty on February 10, 2022.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on January 7, 2021, in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, wherein Speker assaulted an individual by striking the victim with his fist.
This case was investigated by Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Speker was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Drug trafficking and brandishing a firearm send Billings man to prison for more than eight yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking cocaine and ecstasy and brandishing a firearm in relation to those crimes after being indicted in a sex and drug trafficking investigation was sentenced today to eight years and nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Djavon Lamont King, 31, pleaded guilty in February 2021 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and ecstasy and to possession of and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution alleged that in 2019, King, a co-defendant, Mario Drake, and others conspired to distribute illegal narcotics, including cocaine and ecstasy. On April 24, 2019, two individuals attempted to distribute some of the ecstasy related to the conspiracy. The transaction, which involved a buyer, was set to occur at a motel in Billings. However, at the meeting a struggle ensued, and the buyer assaulted one of the individuals and left the scene. Following this incident, the individual informed King and Drake about what had occurred at the motel. In response, on April 29, 2019, King, Drake, and others, arranged a meeting with the buyer, during which they assaulted the buyer while holding firearms. King and others later informed the two individuals who had gone to the drug deal that they retaliated against the buyer in response to the failed drug deal.
Drake has pleaded guilty to charges and is awaiting sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Benjamin D. Hargrove, prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Disbarred Lawyer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Stealing Injured Clients’ Settlement Money and Cheating on Federal Income TaxesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A disbarred personal-injury lawyer was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for stealing settlement money from multiple clients, including a multimillion-dollar settlement that should have been paid to a car accident victim, and for cheating on his federal income taxes.
Philip James Layfield, a.k.a. “Philip Samuel Pesin,” 48, formerly of Coto de Caza, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who said in court that Layfield’s actions were “appalling” and his criminal conduct was “sheer evil.”
Judge Fitzgerald found the total loss in this case to be approximately $5,552,756. The exact amount of restitution that Layfield will be ordered to pay to his victims will be determined at a hearing scheduled for May 12.
At the conclusion of a 13-day trial in August 2021, a federal jury found Layfield guilty of 19 counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of tax evasion, one count of failure to collect and pay over payroll taxes, and one misdemeanor charge of failure to file a tax return.
Layfield owned and operated law firms, including Layfield & Barrett (L&B), which, at various times, maintained offices in Los Angeles; Irvine; El Segundo; Park City, Utah; and Scottsdale, Arizona.
After he had misappropriated millions of dollars from clients’ settlements, Layfield relocated to Costa Rica. Just before getting on a flight to Costa Rica, Layfield borrowed $700,000 from a business lender by providing misleading information and failing to disclose material information. He then used substantial portions of the loan proceeds for personal expenses, including buying a horse and shipping horses to Costa Rica.
In one case, Layfield entered into an agreement to represent an individual who was struck by an automobile in Orange County and suffered significant injuries. After negotiating a $3.9 million settlement related to the accident, Layfield misappropriated the money owed to the victim – approximately $2 million – for personal and unrelated business uses, including to pay clients whose settlement proceeds Layfield had earlier misappropriated. Long after Layfield misappropriated the victim’s settlement proceeds, Layfield attempted to placate the victim by paying her $25,000 from other clients’ settlement proceeds.
Layfield also failed to file a federal income tax return for the tax year 2016, despite receiving more than $3 million, including embezzled client settlement money. Layfield also caused his law firm to not pay approximately $120,000 in payroll taxes to the United States government for the second quarter of 2017.
“The evidence, including [Layfield’s] own testimony, showed that [Layfield] repeatedly stole money from his trust account that he should have paid to his clients who had suffered horrible personal injuries,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “They had hired [Layfield] to bring them closure and some sense of relief. Their faith in the legal system shaken, [Layfield] compounded his clients’ stress and anxiety by forcing them to hire other counsel to try to recover money from [Layfield], only to find little or nothing.”
The State Bar of California disbarred Layfield in October 2018. Layfield also was a certified public accountant, but his CPA license expired in July 2019, according to the California Board of Accountancy.
Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Aveis and Carolyn S. Small of the Major Frauds Section and Ian V. Yanniello of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case.
Department of Justice Announces Initiative to Protect Americans from Collusive Schemes Amid Supply Chain DisruptionsRead the Press Release
In the wake of persistent price increases initially stemming from supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Antitrust Division and the FBI announced an initiative today to deter, detect and prosecute those who would exploit supply chain disruptions to engage in collusive conduct.
“Temporary supply chain disruptions should not be allowed to conceal illegal conduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will not allow companies to collude in order to overcharge consumers under the guise of supply chain disruptions.”
“The lingering challenge of supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for criminals to fix prices and overcharge customers,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate and investigate schemes that violate our antitrust laws and stifle our economic recovery.”
As part of the initiative, the Antitrust Division is prioritizing any existing investigations where competitors may be exploiting supply chain disruptions for illicit profit and is undertaking measures to proactively investigate collusion in industries particularly affected by supply disruptions. The Antitrust Division has also formed a working group focusing on global supply chain collusion with its global partners, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Canadian Competition Bureau, the New Zealand Commerce Commission and the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority. The working group is developing and sharing intelligence, utilizing existing international cooperation tools, to detect and combat collusive schemes.
Economies across the globe have faced significant challenges caused by supply chain disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic. Transportation constraints, disruptions to routine business operations and difficulty in obtaining raw materials have all led to increased costs of production and shipment, which in turn have resulted in higher prices for consumers. Supply chain disruptions have been broad in scope, affecting a variety of industries ranging from agriculture to health care.
While many individuals and businesses across various sectors in the economy have responded and will continue to respond to supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic with laudable ingenuity — bringing goods to communities in need, expanding existing capacity and developing products and services to meet new needs — others may seek to use supply chain disruptions as a cover for collusive schemes. For those who seek to exploit supply chain disruptions for their own illicit gain, the Antitrust Division, along with the FBI, will investigate and prosecute criminal violations of the antitrust laws, including agreements between individuals and businesses to fix prices or wages, rig bids or allocate markets. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging, market-allocation agreements or other anticompetitive conduct should call the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
The Department of Justice is committed to working closely with the public, the business community and other federal agencies to enforce the antitrust laws for the protection and welfare of the American people.
Defendant Charged with Making False Statements to Obtain Firearms Allegedly Used in Shooting of Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that a federal Grand Jury has returned a seven-count indictment charging Defendant Kenneth Rankin Gazzaway II, 47, of Newport, Washington, with making False Statements Connected to the Purchase of Firearms, making False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee, and Possessing a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number. Gazzaway is alleged to have illegally obtained firearms that were used in the shooting of an undercover officer on November 5, 2021.
According to court documents, on November 5, 2021, Defendant Randy Holmes is alleged to have attempted to rob an undercover ATF Special Agent at gunpoint. Holmes and the ATF agent were both wounded by gunfire during the incident. The FBI’s investigation revealed that the gun Holmes is alleged to have used to shoot the undercover ATF officer was a Glock Model 17 9mm pistol recovered at the scene.
An ATF Firearms Trace Report identifies Gazzaway as the purchaser of that particular Glock Model 17, and indicates that he purchased that firearm, along with several others, in August 2021. Another of the guns Gazzaway purchased is alleged to have been recovered in Kennewick, Washington, in connection with a different robbery in which shots were fired in November 2021. Gazzaway is alleged to have engaged in other multiple-firearm purchases as well. In fact, between June and August 2021, Gazzaway is alleged to have purchased at least eleven handguns in two bulk purchases. At least three of those eleven firearms are alleged to have been recovered in criminal investigations less than 100 days after Gazzaway purchased them. The basis of Gazzaway’s federal charges is that he knowingly failed to state that he was a user of methamphetamine when he purchased these firearms. Gazzaway is detained pending trial.
“Part of making Eastern Washington a safe and strong community is ensuring that guns are only in the hands of people who should have them. There is a reason that firearm purchase forms require potential buyers to state whether they abuse illegal narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref. “The United States Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue illegal firearm conduct wherever it occurs in Eastern Washington, and no matter how many links there may be in a chain of ownership.” If he is convicted on all charges, Gazzaway faces potential sentencing exposure of 45 years in federal custody.
“Mr. Gazzaway is alleged to have made false statements when purchasing firearms, including firearms that are alleged to have been used shortly thereafter in connection with the commission of crimes – including the shooting of one of our agents. This case demonstrates the dangers of illegal narcotic users purchasing and possessing firearms,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “We will vigorously investigate anyone who illegally purchases or possesses firearms, particularly when those firearms fall into the hands of those who commit other crimes.”
This case is being investigated by ATF, and prosecuted by Caitlin A. Baunsgard, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Damianville Man Sentenced for Attempting to Entice and Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – Paul L. Jansen, 26, of Damiansville, Illinois, was sentenced on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, to 188 months imprisonment for attempted enticement of a minor and enticement of a minor. The sentence will run concurrently for both counts. Jansen was also sentenced to 15 years supervised release, fined $400 ($200 per count), and ordered to pay a
$200 special assessment fee.
According to the stipulation of facts agreed to by the parties, Jansen attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two victims he knew to be under the age of 18, to engage in sexual activity. Jansen contacted the victims using a cellular phone and the internet. The acts occurred between October 27, 2017, and November 25, 2018.Evidence adduced at sentencing was that Jansen would often initiate contact with females, the majority of whom were minors, and within a short time, ask to set up a meeting. The investigation revealed instances of this behavior in several cities in the Metro East area.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May
2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child
Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the O’Fallon, Illinois, Police Department and the United States Secret
Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott prosecuted the case.Court of Appeals Upholds 300-Month Sentence for Former Resident of PlainfieldRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has rejected Edward Brown’s appeal of his 300-month prison sentence.
Brown, 79, formerly of Plainfield, was convicted in 2009 of a series of offenses arising from his role in leading an armed standoff with the United Marshals Service after his conviction and sentencing for tax-related charges. Brown was initially sentenced to 444 months of imprisonment for his role in the standoff. Because of new legal precedent from the United States Supreme Court, one of Brown's convictions was no longer valid and he was entitled to be resentenced. At his resentencing, the court imposed a 300-month prison sentence.
In a 45-page opinion issued on Wednesday, the Court of Appeals rejected Brown’s argument that the district judge erred by imposing a 300-month sentence.
“Thanks to this decision, Edward Brown will remain in federal prison, which is exactly where he belongs,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “Brown’s dangerous and reckless actions could have led to an extensive loss of life. This lengthy sentence holds him accountable for his criminal conduct and ensures that he cannot endanger lives in the Granite State again.”
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with substantial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, the New Hampshire State Police, the Plainfield Police Department, the Lebanon Police Department, and the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office. The appeal was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth R. Aframe.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Jason Henry Miller, age 45, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced February 14, 2022, to 30 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. His term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Miller pleaded guilty to the charge on September 2, 2021.
In June of 2020, a while investigating a drug case, law enforcement officers located a firearm that had been modified to be an automatic weapon. Officers were able to obtain information that Miller was the one who modified the weapon. The weapon had been fired on his property while in his possession. At the time of the offense, Miller was a drug user and had convictions for domestic violence and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Omaha Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Cocaine Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeffrey Walt Boston (45, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Boston faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Boston had been indicted on July 20, 2021.
According to the plea agreement, Boston is a felon who previously had been convicted in state court of resisting arrest with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, delivery of cocaine, and possession of cocaine. On June 4, 2021, while in Lake County, Boston tossed a cigarette box containing cocaine from the window of the car he was driving. A nearby deputy retrieved the box, recognized the contents, then pursued and stopped Boston. During the pursuit, Boston discarded a bag of marijuana that hit the deputy’s windshield. A subsequent search of the car revealed a matching cigarette box with cocaine, a stolen, loaded pistol under the driver’s seat, 13 bags of cocaine, 5 Alprazolam pills, and marijuana. Boston admitted that all the drugs and the loaded firearm belonged to him. He also confirmed that his fingerprints would be on the firearm. As a convicted felon, Boston is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, 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.
Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Sexually Exploiting Three Children in His CustodyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Edward Alan Hardin (35, Clay County) has pleaded guilty to one count of attempted production of child sex abuse material and one count of possession of such material. Hardin faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, at various times in 2018, 2019, and 2020, Hardin had access to three female children who were in his custody. One of those children – referred to as Minor Victim 1 – had known Hardin since she was a toddler and considered Hardin to be a father figure. Beginning when Minor Victim 1 was about 12 or 13 years old, Hardin provided money and gifts to Minor Victim 1 in exchange for the sexual abuse of Minor Victim 1.
On May 8, 2020, a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office observed Hardin’s truck parked at a shopping center in Orange Park. As the deputy approached Hardin’s truck on foot, he observed Hardin in the driver’s seat of the truck, and then observed Minor Victim 1 sit up in the passenger seat of the truck. The deputy smelled the aroma of marijuana emanating from the truck. As the deputy approached the passenger door of the truck, he could see that Hardin’s pants were unzipped and that Hardin and Minor Victim 1 appeared nervous. Minor Victim 1 agreed to speak with a detective and disclosed text messages between she and Hardin that showed that Hardin, on multiple occasions, had made arrangements to pay Minor Victim 1 for sex. Minor Victim 1 stated that Hardin had been sexually abusing her in the truck prior to the deputy approaching. Hardin was arrested and admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with Minor Victim 1 earlier that day, but he claimed it was the first time and that it had been consensual.
Minor Victim 1 also identified two other child victims who had been sexually abused by Hardin.
Minor Victim 2 was interviewed and disclosed that Hardin had transported her to Valdosta, Georgia to visit a particular theme park in July 2018, when she was 15 years old. Minor Victim 2 informed detectives that Hardin had sexually abused her during the trip, and continued to maintain a sexual relationship with her until around March 2020, during all of which time Minor Victim 2 was underage.
Minor Victim 3 was interviewed and disclosed that when she was 13 years old she had attended a sleepover with Minor Victim 1. During the sleepover, Hardin provided Minor Victim 3 and Minor Victim 1 with marijuana, and Minor Victim 3 was encouraged to allow Hardin to sexually assault her, and he did so. Hardin then gave Minor Victim 3 and Minor Victim 1 $20 as payment for the sex act.
Hardin’s phone was searched and contained photos of Minor Victim 2 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, Hardin’s phone contained text messages to Minor Victim 1 in which Hardin repeatedly requested that Minor Victim 1 produce pornographic images of herself and provide them to Hardin.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
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.
Claremore Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse and Child Neglect in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
A Claremore woman who injured one child and put a second at risk when she drove while under the influence of illegal substances pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Ashley Nicole Blizzard, 33, pleaded guilty to child abuse in Indian Country and child neglect in Indian Country. If the plea agreement is accepted by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan, Blizzard will spend four years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Eagan will sentence Blizzard on June 14, 2022.
“Ashley Blizzard acted recklessly when she placed two children in harm’s way while driving under the influence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thankfully the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office answered the call for assistance and quickly located and stopped Blizzard. They are to be commended for their swift action to protect the young child inside the vehicle.”
Blizzard admitted that on Feb. 28, 2020, she harmed the health, safety and welfare of an 11-year-old child by striking him with a vehicle and hitting his arm while in front of a Claremore home. The child was trying to stop Blizzard from driving under the influence with a 2-year-old in her vehicle. Blizzard further stated that she failed to protect the 2-year-old child from exposure to the use or possession of illegal drugs or illegal activities, admitting that she drove the vehicle while under the influence of illegal substances and while the toddler sat on top of a broken meth pipe in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. The child was also unrestrained.
Deputies from the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office located the defendant, stopped her, then took her into custody after finding her license was revoked and locating drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. The children are citizens of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation reservation.
The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty to producing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Brian Wayne Shaffer, 51, admitted that he used his cell phone to photograph the female genitalia of a prepubescent minor who he was living with in August 2021. Shaffer further admitted that he used his cell phone to upload the photo of the nude minor and sent it to another individual who Shaffer had been communicating with on YouTube. Shaffer admitted he uploaded the photograph using his Gmail address on or about August 24, 2021. At the time Shaffer produced child pornography of the prepubescent minor, he previously had been convicted of first degree sexual assault of another prepubescent female in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Shaffer faces a sentence of at least 25 years and up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 16, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the West Virginia State Police - Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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. 2:21-cr-00195.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Charleston, South Carolina man pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Kendrell O’Mars Sheppard, 31, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, on May 11, 2020, an officer with the Biloxi Police Department conducted a traffic stop on an F-150 pickup truck traveling eastbound on I-10 in Harrison County. Kendrell O’Mars Sheppard was a passenger in the truck. During the stop, officers obtained consent to search the truck. They discovered two Smith and Wesson firearms and approximately $7,000.00 in cash. While interacting with Sheppard, officers noticed a bulge in one of Sheppard’s socks. Sheppard admitted the bulge was cocaine.
Sheppard was taken into custody. Post Miranda, he admitted that the guns belonged to him, that he was a felon, and that the cocaine belonged to him.
Sheppard is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. However, if he is determined to be an armed career criminal, he faces from 15 years to life imprisonment.
The FBI and Biloxi Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.
Carter Lake Man Sentenced for Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Zachery McCuen, age 29, of Carter Lake, was sentenced on February 14, 2022, to 96 months in prison for Accessing Child Pornography. McCuen’s term of imprisonment will be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, McCuen pleaded guilty to the charge on October 1, 2021.
On January 18, 2019, Homeland Security received information that child pornography was being traded in a chat group on Kik messenger. One of the Kik users was identified as McCuen and in October 2018, he was communicating with, exchanging, and receiving images and videos of child pornography with another Kik user from California.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations investigated and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.
Career Offender Sentenced to 200 Months Imprisonment in SWGA Illegal Drug Market CaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The final defendant involved in a high-volume drug trafficking operation was sentenced to federal prison for his crime.
Eddie Houston, 43, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced as a career offender to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Nov. 15, 2021. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Career criminal offenders will face the possibility of federal prosecution and lengthy prison sentences for choosing to repeatedly break the law and diminish the well-being and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will hold repeat offenders accountable for their crimes.”
“This case demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to end an epidemic that is killing our citizens and making our communities more dangerous,” said Phillip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The fact that Houston received such a lengthy sentence is an example of how serious this crime is and serves as a warning to anyone who is involved in drug trafficking that they will be brought to justice for their crimes.”
“These sentences are a direct result of the dedicated efforts of the DEA and its law enforcement partners,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The distribution of methamphetamine continues to ravage many communities across the country. Southwest Georgia and elsewhere are much safer because these drug traffickers have been removed from the streets.”
“This investigation illustrates that drug trafficking at any level will not be tolerated in the state of Georgia. It is paramount that violators of drug laws be held accountable. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is fully committed to working with our local and federal partners in drug enforcement to address these types of crimes,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
“The efforts of the local, state and federal agencies involved are evident of the commitment to addressing crime in our neighborhoods. We will continue to use all resources available to remove
those persons and groups intent on enabling the drug culture to exist and flourish within our community,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley.
According to court documents, Houston’s convicted co-defendants Sherrod Winchester and James Malone, 52, both of Albany, regularly obtained and distributed large quantities of a variety of controlled substances for distribution in Albany and Panama City, Florida, since May 2018. Under surveillance, GBI agents observed Houston and convicted co-defendant Shannon Mason, 41, of Leesburg, Georgia, who regularly acted as an illegal drug courier for Winchester and Malone, conducting an exchange with a man at a drug store parking lot in Stone Mountain, Georgia, in February 2020. Officers stopped and arrested Houston and Mason in possession of 1,106 grams of cocaine and 990 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
Winchester, Malone, and Mason—along with other co-defendants—were convicted and sentenced earlier this year for their roles in operating a high-volume drug trafficking operation in Albany. Winchester was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances; Malone was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine; and, Mason was sentenced to serve 75 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. To learn more about this case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/southwest-georgian-sentenced-25-years-prison-operating-high-volume-open-air-illegal
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, GBI and the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case.
Burlington County Couple Charged with Forced Labor and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, couple was charged today with forced labor and other crimes involving two undocumented individuals, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke announced.
Bolaji Bolarinwa, 47, and Isiaka Bolarinwa, 65, both of Moorestown, New Jersey, are both charged in an eight-count indictment 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 are scheduled to appear today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio.
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.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Clarke credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., with the investigation leading to the indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden 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.
Bronx Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute More than One Kilo of Heroin in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx man was sentenced yesterday in connection with his role in a large-scale drug conspiracy that trafficked dozens of kilos of heroin and fentanyl into Springfield, Mass. from Bronx, N.Y. and the Dominican Republic.
Richard Rosario, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 26 months in prison and five years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 102 months in prison. In February 2020, Rosario was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
Rosario routinely travelled to a heroin mill in Springfield where he and others packaged kilos of heroin for retail distribution for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) which was run by Alberto Marte. The Marte DTO had direct contact with heroin supply sources in the Dominican Republic. On a monthly basis, members of the organization transported between eight and 20 kilos of heroin to the Springfield area. Marte and 11 others have pleaded guilty to crimes resulting from their roles in the organization. In March 2020, Marte was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
On Sept. 22, 2016, a search at the heroin mill resulted in the seizure of 1.7 kilograms of heroin, some of which was mixed with fentanyl, that had been packaged or was about to be packaged. Rosario and others had packaged 1.5 kilograms of heroin in addition to what was discovered when they searched the premises. Evidence showed that Rosario regularly packaged more than three kilograms of heroin at a time, an amount that could yield more than 200,000 dosage units of heroin.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; Chicopee Interim Police Chief Jeff Gawron; Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt; and West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil L. Desroches, of Rollins’s Springfield Branch Office, and Stephen W. Hassink, of Rollins’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, prosecuted the case.
Bridger Man Sentenced on Multiple Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Bridger, South Dakota, man convicted of three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child involving two different victims, was sentenced on February 14, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Bennett Belt, age 48, was sentenced to 32 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $500.
Belt was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020. He was found guilty by a jury on November 5, 2021.
Between July 2003 and September 2017, in Bridger, Belt engaged in multiple sexual acts with children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Pennington County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay Miller and Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Belt was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Boston-Area Real Estate Developer Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Tewksbury real estate developer was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding the government of more than $480,000 by engaging in a multi-year tax evasion scheme.
Arnold Martel, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to two years of probation. The government recommended a sentence of 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Martel was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $482,489 to the IRS and a fine of $25,000. On May 13, 2021, Martel pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
Martel deliberately evaded his responsibility to pay a significant portion of his tax obligations on income from a large condominium development that he built and marketed. From approximately 2014 through 2017, buyers paid Martel’s business the sales price for condos sold. For extras and upgrades to the condos, however, Martel directed buyers to pay him personally. Martel then failed to report this additional income to his tax preparer or report it as income on his tax returns. In total, Martel personally received more than $1.2 million in payments for condo upgrades. For tax years 2014 through 2017, Martel did not report this income on this tax returns resulting in a tax loss of over $482,000.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Blackstone Labs Founder Sentenced for Conspiracy to Sell Anabolic Steroids and Unlawful Dietary SupplementsRead the Press Release
A Florida man who co-founded a sports and dietary supplements retailer was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for conspiring to sell illegal anabolic steroids and other products marketed as dietary supplements that were unlawful under federal law. A second Florida man was sentenced to 13 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
According to court documents, Phillip Braun, 41, of Boca Raton, founded and operated Blackstone Labs LLC, a Boca Raton-based sports and dietary supplements retailer. Braun, who pleaded guilty in November 2021 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and to selling unapproved new drugs, is also the CEO of Blackstone. U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas of the Southern District of Florida sentenced Braun to 54 months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $3 million. The court also ordered Blackstone Labs to pay $1.2 million in forfeiture.
Anthony Ventrella, 43, of Delray Beach, Florida, operated a series of companies that manufactured many of the illegal products marketed and sold by Blackstone. Ventrella, who pleaded guilty in September 2021 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as part of the scheme, was sentenced to 13 months in prison. The court also ordered Ventrella’s company, Ventech Labs, to forfeit equipment used to make the illegal products.
“Selling controlled substances and unapproved drugs falsely labelled as dietary supplements is illegal and potentially dangerous,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will work with law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies who disregard public safety to make a profit.”
“Drug products that are disguised as supplements can pose a serious risk to the health of U.S. consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder of the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI) Miami Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who jeopardize public health.”
On Jan. 27, Aaron Singerman, who co-founded and operated Blackstone Labs with Braun, was sentenced to 54 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $2.9 million.
In total, eight individuals and three companies were convicted in connection with the activities of Blackstone Labs. James Boccuzzi, who was convicted by a jury on Dec. 9, 2021 of one count of conspiracy to defraud the FDA and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11.
FDA OCI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Alistair Reader and Stephen Gripkey, Senior Litigation Counsel David A. Frank and Assistant Director John W. Burke of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the cases with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Laura Akowuah, Brian Furlong and Sarah Hawkins from the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel provided assistance with the investigation and prosecution.
Black Hawk Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Black Hawk, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on February 11, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Eric Yockey, age 36, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yockey was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2020. He pleaded guilty on September 22, 2021. During his involvement in the conspiracy, the defendant traveled to California with a co-conspirator and received heroin in payment for assisting in the trip. He also obtained more heroin on other occasions, which was then distributed to people in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, 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.
Yockey was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Big Lake Gas Ordered to Pay $3 Million FineRead the Press Release
A west Texas gas plant has been ordered to pay a $3 million criminal fine, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Big Lake Gas Plant L.P., a subsidiary of West Texas Gas, Inc., pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of negligent endangerment and one count of violating the Clean Air Act. The company, represented by counsel, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
In plea papers, the company admitted that in April 2018, the plant negligently released approximately 525 pounds of hydrogen sulfide into the ambient air. (Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic gas that can compromise the human nervous system and respiratory tract and can cause life-threatening health effects if not handled properly.)
One employee, identified in court documents by the initials C.T., died as a result of exposure sustained while working at the plant. Another employee, identified by the initials G.T., was injured while trying to assist C.T.
The company further admitted that it knowingly failed to properly update its risk management plan following the incident, an update required by law.
“Big Lake’s flagrant disregard of federal clean air regulations had calamitous consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Our prayers are with the family of the employee killed in the 2018 hydrogen sulfide incident. We hope today’s sentencing brings them a measure of peace.”
“The defendant’s willful and knowing disregard for federal safety regulations and industry practices placed both workers and the public at grave risk, resulting in a tragic and preventable fatality and release of dangerous gasses.” said Todd “Tony” Adams, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the EPA’s Southwest Office criminal enforcement program. “EPA and its state partners continue to hold accountable companies that place workers, local communities, and the environment at risk.”
In a related civil case, five subsidiaries of Big Lake’s parent company, West Texas Gas, agreed to pay more than $3 million in civil penalties and to spend up to $5 million on compliance measures in order to resolve claims that it violated federal Clean Air Act chemical accident prevention requirements at plants in Texas and New Mexico.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Taylor prosecuted the criminal case against Big Lake. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Haag handled the civil case against West Texas Gas in partnership with the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal enforcement program investigated with the assistance of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Environmental Crimes Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Artie Ray Warwick, Jr., 53, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, Warwick admitted that on March 2, 2020 law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence in Beckley. During the search, officers found in excess of 300 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of heroin, cocaine, and an assortment of prescription pills. Warwick admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine in and around Raleigh County. The officers also recovered 104 marijuana plants which Warwick was growing inside his house. As part of the plea, defendant also admitted to being in possession of over 800 grams of methamphetamine on October 25, 2021, that he admitted he intended to distribute in and around Beckley, and to selling small quantities of marijuana.
Warwick pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine and faces not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 10, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00230.
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Bakersfield Man Indicted for Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Betancourt, 28, of Bakersfield, was charged today by a federal grand jury with two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 9, 2021, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Betancourt for traffic infractions as he drove in Bakersfield. Betancourt sped off and discarded a bag from his moving vehicle that contained an unmarked privately made AR-style rifle known as a “ghost gun,” two armor plate carriers, black gloves, a mask, high-capacity magazines and over 100 rounds of rifle ammunition. The officers recovered Betancourt’s bag in the middle of the street approximately 1,000 feet from Garces High School. Betancourt ultimately crashed his vehicle, exited and ran from pursuing police officers. Immediately prior to surrendering, Betancourt threw a .40 caliber ghost gun with a loaded magazine towards a nearby apartment building. Betancourt cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he was convicted in 2015 for reckless evasion, and in 2020 for possessing controlled substances for sale and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Betancourt faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Sell Narcotics on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Lee White, 52, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 11 years and three months in prison, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, White and co-defendants Jason Keith Arnold, and Alicia McCoy, both also of Chandler, Arizona, operated the vendor accounts SICKNESSVERSION2 and 23MIGHTYMOUSE23 on the dark web marketplace known as Dream. These vendor accounts distributed heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other federally controlled substances on the dark web.
Law enforcement agents working undercover purchased heroin and other controlled substances from these vendor accounts on various dates in 2018, and had them sent to an address in the Eastern District of California. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at a motel room in which White and McCoy were staying and seized at least 315 grams of heroin, 45 grams of cocaine, 593 grams of methamphetamine, and 30 grams of marijuana. Agents also seized a loaded and unregistered Kel-tec 9 mm handgun from a nightstand in the motel room.
Arnold pleaded guilty on March 5, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2022. Charges are pending against McCoy, and a status conference is scheduled for April 4, 2022. The charges against her are allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Hemesath and Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque man arraigned on federal firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Shane Alderete, 46, of Albuquerque, was arraigned in federal court today on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Alderete will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Alderete on Feb. 8. According to the indictment and other court records, on Dec. 2, 2021, a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy, who is an officer for the FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime Gang Task Force, performed a traffic stop on Alderete’s vehicle. After the deputy activated the lights on his marked patrol vehicle, Alderete allegedly continued at a low rate of speed for approximately two blocks before stopping.
After the deputy asked Alderete to get out of the vehicle, the deputy observed a firearm in the vehicle. The vehicle was sealed, towed and later searched. During the search, a loaded firearm and additional ammunition were recovered from the vehicle.
Alderete was previously convicted of two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of trafficking of a controlled substance. As a previously convicted felon, Alderete cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Alderete faces up to ten years in prison.
The Violent Crime Gang Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito is prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque man accused of robbing postal carrierRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rayshawn Boyce, 26, of Albuquerque, made an initial appearance in federal court today facing charges of robbery of a postal employee, theft or receipt of stolen or reproduced keys or locks, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Boyce will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 22.
According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 18 a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier was gathering mail from his vehicle on Domingo Road NE in Albuquerque when Boyce and another person allegedly grabbed the carrier by the back of the shirt, pulled him from the vehicle and threw him onto the ground. Boyce and his accomplice allegedly pointed handguns at the carrier’s head and demanded his postal keys. The carrier complied and Boyce and his accomplice allegedly fled the area.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Boyce faces up to 10 years in prison for stolen keys, up to 10 years in prison for robbing a postal employee and a minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Letitia Simms is prosecuting the case.
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Alabama Man Sentenced for EscapeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Alabama man was sentenced today to one year in prison for escape to run consecutively to the federal sentence he is currently serving.
According to court documents, Jonathan Felts, 32, admitted he left Dismas Charities, Inc., a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry facility in St. Albans, without permission and did not return. Felts had been confined at Dismas because of a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshal Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00179.
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Alabama Man Federally Indicted for Arson in Connersville, IndianaRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on January 19, 2022, charging an Alabama man with interstate travel for the purpose of committing a crime of violence. The indictment was unsealed today following the defendant’s arrest in Birmingham, Alabama.
According to court documents, on or about October 28 and 29, 2021, Tommy Lee Harrison, Sr., 37, of Birmingham, Alabama, traveled from Alabama to Fayette County, Indiana, to commit arson.
Harrison is charged with one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises. The defendant will make his initial court appearance in the Northern District of Alabama before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Harrison will make his initial court appearance in the Southern District of Indiana at a later date. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Interstate travel to commit arson is a very serious offense that poses a significant danger to the community,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Anyone involved in committing such crimes must be held accountable. I commend the FBI and the prosecution team for their hard work to uncover the facts in this continuing investigation.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bradley P. Shepard, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ahoskie Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Knifepoint Robbery of Clothing StoreRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Rashad Jerrod Taylor, 34, of Ahoskie, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for interference of commerce by robbery. The October 2020 indictment charged Taylor with three robbery offenses: the February 26, 2019, robbery of Food Mart in Aulander, Bertie County; the November 14, 2019, robbery of Speedway and the November 30, 2019, robbery of Citi Trends both located in Ahoskie, Hertford County. On November 19, 2021, he entered a guilty plea to robbing Citi Trends.
According to court records and statements made during hearings, on November 30, 2019, at around 6:30 p.m., Taylor entered the Citi Trends clothing store in Ahoskie with a hunting knife. The manager was present with one employee and four customers. Taylor told the manager to give him everything and led her behind the counter to the register. He told her to hurry up and thrust the knife at her in a stabbing motion before holding it near her neck. Taylor took $475 and walked calmly out of the store.
Hertford County Sheriff’s Office responded and gathered written statements and video surveillance of the robbery. A short time later, an officer detained Taylor a fifth of a mile from Citi Trends. His clothing matched the description from the robbery. A pat down for weapons revealed $454 in Taylor’s pockets.
Taylor was transported to the City Trends parking lot, and the manager identified him as the robber. After Taylor became upset and began speaking, the manager also noted that she recognized his voice. During processing, officers seized from Taylor a small baggie containing cocaine. Officers estimated that the cocaine would have cost $20 on the street, accounting for all but $1 of the difference in recovered and stolen money.
Taylor’s federal prosecution followed nine prior state felony convictions. His criminal record includes common law robbery, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, two convictions for being a felon in possession of firearms, and multiple drug-related felonies.
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 Aulander Police Department, Ahoskie Police Department, Bertie County Sheriff’s Office, Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh 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. 2:20-cr-0042-D.