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14 February 2022
Two Gang Members Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery and Shooting at Beverly Hills RestaurantRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two South Los Angeles men were each sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for committing an armed robbery last year on the crowded patio of a Beverly Hills restaurant in which one customer had a gun held to his head while the robbers removed his $500,000 wristwatch, and a second restaurant patron was shot and wounded.
Malik Lamont Powell, 21, and Khai McGhee, 18, a.k.a. “Cameron Smith,” were sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who called the crime “outrageous and unacceptable.”
“These types of robberies, which are becoming more and more prevalent in our community, have to stop,” Judge Walter said.
Each defendant pleaded guilty in September 2021 to three felony counts: conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, interference with commerce by robbery, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
A third defendant who participated in the robbery – Marquise Anthony Gardon, 41, also of South Los Angeles – pleaded guilty in September 2021 to two felonies: interference with commerce by robbery, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Gardon is scheduled to be sentenced on February 28 by Judge Walter.
The three defendants – each of whom is a documented member of the Rollin’ 30s Crips street gang – drove to Beverly Hills on the afternoon of March 4 to commit an armed robbery. After scouting Beverly Hills for potential victims, the defendants decided to target a man wearing a Richard Mille wristwatch who was seated in the outdoor dining section of the Il Pastaio restaurant.
During the robbery, the victim was held at gunpoint. A struggle for the gun ensued, and at least two rounds were discharged from the firearm, one of which struck another restaurant patron in the leg. The gun was left at the scene, but the robbers fled with the watch, which was worth approximately $500,000.
“[Powell] and his co-conspirators’ decision to hold a loaded firearm to [a victim’s] head is especially troubling,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “This type of robbery where firearms are brandished, and discharged, leaves severe, lasting trauma that victims carry with them their entire lives.”
The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph D. Axelrad and Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Three Indicted by Federal Grand Jury in Henderson Drug OverdosesRead the Press Release
Henderson, Kentucky – On February 9, 2022, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky returned two indictments charging two men and one woman with distributing fentanyl and other substances that resulted in the death and serious bodily injury of others in the Henderson area.
According to court documents, Destinee Vargason, 25, and Seth Stout, 21, both of Morganfield, Kentucky, are alleged to have conspired to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam between July 31, 2021 and October, 2021. The Indictment also alleges that the distribution of these substances resulted in the death of the victim, “T.F.”
Additionally, in a separate indictment, Coriyahvon Lamont Outlaw, 30, of Evansville, Indiana, is alleged to have distributed fentanyl to another on or about December 6, 2021, and the distribution of the fentanyl resulted in the serious bodily injury of the victim, “J.F.”
Vargason and Stout are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance resulting in Death. Outlaw is charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. If convicted as charged, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and Henderson County Detention Center are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl 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.
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Texas Parolee Sentenced to 10 years in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Isaac Johnson, 52, of Texas, who was on parole for a drug offense in Houston, was sentenced on February 14, 2022, for conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Johnson to 120 months’ imprisonment and an 8-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. On November 4, 2021, Johnson was found guilty by a jury following a trial in his case.
Between October 2017 and February 17, 2019, Johnson would drive from Houston to Omaha to supply cocaine to co-defendants Anthony Moore and Robert Harris-Hearnes, both local cocaine distributors for a drug trafficking organization (DTO). Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation intercepted communications between the conspirators in a court authorized wiretap. Those intercepts revealed a planned meeting in which Johnson would resupply the DTO with additional cocaine. Agents monitored ongoing communication, tracked Johnson’s cell phone and tracked his location. This evidence culminated in the simultaneous execution of three separate search warrants executed on February 17, 2019. Johnson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement as it arrived at Moore’s Omaha home. Hidden within a door panel to Johnson’s vehicle was more than one half pound of powder cocaine. Additional powder cocaine, several thousand dollars in currency, a money counter, drug scales, packaging, and cutting agents were also found within Moore’s home. Narcotics, firearms, and currency from additional searches paired with wiretap evidence of the cocaine conspiracy established a wide-ranging organization responsible for the distribution of kilograms of cocaine.
On December 17, 2020, Harris-Hearnes was sentenced to 7-10 years in the Nebraska Department of Corrections. On June 21, 2021, Anthony Moore was sentenced to 60 months for conspiracy to distribute cocaine to be followed by 4 years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, and Omaha Police Department and was part of an operation by the Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force.
Tampa Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine While Carrying A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Georgi Milenov Solakov (29, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Solakov had pleaded guilty on September 2, 2021.
According to court documents, beginning in approximately April 2020, Solakov and a confidential informant (CI) exchanged text messages in which Solakov offered to sell narcotics to the CI. Solakov also asked if the CI needed any firearms and stated that he had some brand-new AR-15s that he could sell to the CI for a “great deal.” In March 2021, Solakov sold 174 MDMA (ecstasy) pills, a rifle, 379 rounds of ammunition, and approximately one kilogram of cocaine to the CI.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Filing A False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Steven Brickner has pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. Brickner faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2017, Brickner raised money from investors allegedly for use in the creation of a marijuana growing and distribution enterprise. Brickner failed to report to his tax preparer approximately $1.05 million of “income” that he had earned during that tax year. The source of that income was the investment activity that he operated during 2017. Brickner used a significant portion of that income to purchase high-end vehicles for his own use and for other purposes and activities that were not business-related. Had Brickner reported all of those funds as “income,” the inclusion of these funds would have resulted in a substantial amount of an additional tax due and owing by him for that year. Thus, Brickner’s failure to report the income caused a significant loss of tax revenue to the United States.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison and Fifteen Years of Supervised Release for Transporting a Minor Female to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ST. Thomas, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that District Court Judge, Wilma A. Lewis, today sentenced Zayvon Acoy, 31, to 120 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to Transportation of a Minor with the Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity
According to court documents, on or around May to June, 2017, Acoy conspired with his co-defendant to transport the minor by vehicle from the Peter’s Rest area in St. Croix to his co-defendant’s residence in the vicinity of Beeston Hill, for the co-defendant to engage in sexual activity with the minor. The minor entered the residence and engaged in sexual activity as instructed by the defendant. After the sexual activity was concluded, the co-defendant gave the defendant cash as payment for the minor performing the sex act.
Judge Lewis also imposed a fine of $1,000; a special assessment of $100; and an additional special assessment of $5,000. The court will schedule a mandatory restitution proceeding at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter.
St. Croix Man Apprehended in the John F. Kennedy Housing Community Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of a Loaded 9mm HandgunRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that a St. Croix man pleaded guilty on Friday, February 11, 2022 to felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on September 3, 2020, police officers were patrolling in the John F. Kennedy housing community. As they were approaching building 29, a group of male individuals were sitting in the archway of the building. Jahseen Simmonds, 29, ran up the stairs of the building and into an apartment on the second floor. When police knocked on the apartment door, Defendant exited the apartment and when he was asked if he lived in the apartment, he said "no." Police again knocked on the door and a female resident and a male came to the door, who stated that they did not give permission to Defendant to enter the apartment. After receiving consent to search the apartment, the police found a 9mm handgun, with 1 live 9mm round in the chamber and 15 live 9mm rounds in the magazine. There were also 31 live 9mm rounds in the extended magazine. These items were located on the balcony where Defendant had been. The residents stated that the firearm was not on the balcony before the defendant ran into the apartment and that it did not belong to them.
Defendant had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm while under indictment, a crime punishable for a term exceeding one year and the firearm was shipped in interstate commerce.
Simmonds pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
St. Bernard Man Charged with Conspiring to Commit Student Aid FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERT JOHN, age 46, from St. Bernard, Louisiana, was indicted on February 11, 2022 for conspiring to commit student aid fraud.
The indictment charged JOHN with one count of conspiring with others to submit fraudulent applications for student loans and grants to two local community colleges, using the names of seven different applicants. According to the indictment, in total, the Department of Education paid over $74,000 in loan and grant funds in connection with the fraudulent applications. The applications contained false information for all applicants, and a few of the applicants did not even qualify for community college because they had not graduated high school or obtained GEDs.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, JOHN faces up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain to JOHN or the gross loss to any victims, as well as a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
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Romanian National Sentenced for Role in Multi-State ATM Skimming SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Romanian national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston on racketeering conspiracy charges relating to an ATM skimming operation that stretched throughout Massachusetts and other states including Connecticut, New York and South Carolina.
Dragush Nelo Hornea, 26, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 21 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Dragush Hornea will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Judge Young also ordered Hornea to pay restitution in the amount of $90,452 and issued a forfeiture money judgment of $18,090.54. On Oct. 5, 2021, Dragush Hornea pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (more commonly known as RICO conspiracy) and one count of conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices. Dragush Hornea was extradited from Germany to the District of Massachusetts in April 2021 after being indicted in May 2017.
Dragush Hornea was a member of the Hornea Crew, led by co-conspirators Constantin Denis Hornea and Ludemis Hornea. Over a period of 18 months, the Crew engaged in an ATM skimming scheme to steal debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting bank customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina, Georgia and other locations within the United States. Members of the Crew installed skimming devices in the following locations: Amherst, Bellingham, Billerica, Braintree, Chicopee, Quincy, Southwick, Waltham, Weymouth and Whately, Mass.; Enfield, Conn.; Columbia, Greenville, Greenwood, Mauldin, and Saluda, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and Yadkinville, N.C. The stolen information was then used by Hornea and other co-conspirators to clone the victim customers’ debit cards and make unauthorized withdrawals from victim bank accounts at ATMs throughout the United States. In total, the skimming activities resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
Dragush Hornea was indicted with 13 co-defendants in May 2017, along with another co-defendant charged in a superseding indictment. All 15 defendants have pleaded guilty and those sentenced have received sentences ranging from one year and one day to 65 months in prison.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was also provided by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Service; Massachusetts Department of Correction; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Amherst, Billerica, Braintree, Boston, Quincy, Southwick, Waltham, Whately, and Westwood Police Departments in Massachusetts; Greenwich (Conn.), New York City, Houston, Florence and Saluda (S.C.) Police Departments; Connecticut State Police; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; Richland County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department; and the Solicitor’s Offices of Greenville and Saluda Counties. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Dragush Hornea to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran, Chief of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit, prosecuted the case.
Portland Man Charged After Attempting to Open Emergency Exit on Portland-Bound FlightRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man is facing federal charges after attempting to open an emergency exit on a commercial airline flight from Salt Lake City, Utah to Portland.
Michael Brandon Demarre, 32, has been charged by criminal complaint with threatening to interfere and interfering with a flight crew and attendants.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2022, while on a Delta Airlines flight from Salt Lake City to Portland, Demarre attempted to open the aircraft’s emergency exit door while it was in flight. According to witness statements taken by police, Demarre removed the plastic covering over the emergency exit handle and forcefully pulled on the handle. A flight attendant demanded Demarre cease touching the handle and move to the rear of the aircraft. Demarre complied and was physically restrained by the flight crew. Once in Portland, Demarre told officers he created the disturbance so other passengers would video record him sharing his personal views.
Demarre made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Portland Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mira Chernick is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Peruvian Brothers Sentenced to More than Seven Years in Prison for Defrauding Thousands of Spanish-Speaking ImmigrantsRead the Press Release
Two Peruvian nationals responsible for operating a series of call centers in Peru that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. residents were sentenced to serve prison time in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. On Feb. 9, U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. sentenced Josmell Espinoza Huerta (Josmell Espinoza), 32, to serve 88 months in prison. Earlier today, Judge Scola ordered Carlos Alberto Espinoza Huerta (Carlos Espinoza), 40, to be imprisoned for 102 months.
Josmell Espinoza and his brother Carlos Espinoza pleaded guilty in late 2021 to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud through several Peruvian call centers that they owned and operated. According to court documents, Josmell Espinoza and Carlos Espinoza co-owned and operated the JFC Peru call center in Peru. In addition, Josmell Espinoza owned and operated the Camino Al Progreso and Latin Shop call centers, and Carlos Espinoza separately owned and operated the Latinos en Accion and Latin Force call centers in Peru.
From April 2011 until July 2019, the Espinoza brothers and their co-conspirators in Peru called victims — many of whom were recent immigrants from Central America, Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries — and fraudulently threatened them with legal consequences if they did not make payments for purportedly delivered products and settlement fees for English-language classes. The defendants and their co-conspirators used false statements and threats to obtain money from victims across the United States by falsely telling the victims that they were required to accept and pay for English-language courses and other educational products and that failure to do so placed them in legal jeopardy. The defendants and their co-conspirators then falsely threatened to have their victims arrested and deported in order to collect payments from them.
In pleading guilty, both defendants admitted that they and their employees falsely claimed to be lawyers, court officials, federal agents and representatives of a so-called “minor crimes court,” which does not exist. The callers falsely threatened victims with court proceedings, negative marks on their credit reports, imprisonment and immigration consequences if they did not immediately pay for the purportedly delivered products and settlement fees. Carlos Espinoza caused victims to lose over $1.3 million, and Josmell Espinoza caused victims to lose over $700,000.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who defraud vulnerable U.S. consumers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “These two sentences demonstrate that defendants who use threats to prey upon our immigrant communities will be brought to justice and held accountable in U.S. courts.”
“This case demonstrates that the long arm of justice has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations,” said U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to bring American justice to transnational criminals who use fear tactics and intimidation to steal money from immigrants, seniors and others who live in this country.”
“For many years, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and their law enforcement partners have investigated and prosecuted international criminal rings targeting U.S. consumers to steal their hard-earned money,” said Inspector in Charge Joseph Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “We will continue to aggressively pursue these criminals to ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
With Carlos Espinoza’s sentencing in Miami today, all seven defendants indicted in this matter have now pleaded guilty and been sentenced to serve terms of incarceration. Five defendants were arrested by Peruvian authorities based on a U.S. extradition request and were extradited to the Southern District of Florida in October 2020. Each of those defendants was sentenced to serve a prison sentence earlier this year. Henrry Milla was sentenced to 110 months in prison, Jerson Renteria was sentenced to 100 months in prison, and Evelyng Milla, Fernan Huerta and Omar Cuzcano were each sentenced to serve 90 months in prison. Carlos Espinoza and Josmell Espinoza evaded arrest at the time of their co-defendants’ arrests. They were subsequently located in Peru and were extradited to the United States on June 25, 2021.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Max Goldman of the Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case. The Federal Trade Commission, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its elder fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
En Español
Penn Hills Cocaine Kingpin Sentenced to 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Penn Hills, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 11 years' imprisonment on his conviction of federal narcotics charges, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Jamie Lightfoot, Jr, 29.
According to information presented to the court, Lightfoot acquired large quantities of cocaine from Florida, New York and California between January of 2015 and November of 2017, and then distributed that cocaine to other drug dealers in Western Pennsylvania. On November 5, 2017, the FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police seized 51 kilos of cocaine from a recreational vehicle which was parked in Lightfoot’s driveway, and which had been driven there by one of Lightfoot’s suppliers earlier that day.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the South Strabane Police Department, the Elizabeth Borough Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department, and the Perryopolis Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lightfoot, Jr.
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.
Old Orchard Beach Man Sentenced in Connection with Fatal OverdosesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Old Orchard Beach man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Corydon Mills, 33, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. Mills pleaded guilty in August 2021.
According to court records, on January 23, 2017, Mills distributed fentanyl at a residence in Old Orchard Beach. Two people used this fentanyl and died as a result.
The Old Orchard Beach Police Department and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
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Ohio man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Anthony Doty, of Steubenville, Ohio, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Doty, 35, pleaded guilty today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Doty, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior convictions, admitted to having a 12-gauge shotgun in December 2019 in Brooke County.
Doty faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250 ,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Narcotics Distribution OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES LEE, 24, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin, cocaine and crack.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 13, 2021, New Haven Police encountered Lee as he was sitting in a car at a gas station. The car had fled from police on March 8. A search of Lee’s person revealed $3,815 and a search of the car revealed $3,443. Officers then found a hidden compartment in the vehicle’s center counsel that contained heroin, crack and cocaine packaged for distribution, and a loaded 9mm handgun.
On the morning of April 5, 2021, a New Haven Police detective traveling in an unmarked police cruiser in the area of Orange Street and Wall Street identified another car that had fled from West Haven Police during an attempted traffic stop on April 1. The detective followed the car to a location of Brown Street, where he observed occupants of the vehicle engage in what appeared to be street-level drug transactions, and then to a location on Elm Street. On Elm Street, James Lee, who had been released on bond, and Darryl Russell exited the car and entered a building. Lee was arrested after he exited the building. Russell ignored commands not to leave the scene but was apprehended a short distance away after he was found hiding in a trash can. A search of their car revealed heroin, crack and cocaine packaged for distribution, and more than $2,000 in cash.
Lee has been detained since his arrest. On September 28, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
Russell, of New Haven, has been detained since May 21, 2021. On that date, he possessed additional narcotics packaged for distribution.
On September 14, 2021, Russell pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base. He awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Mexican man sentenced for importing multiple drugs into the countryRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to prison following his convictions related to the importation of cocaine, meth and fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jairo Esnid Pina-Carrillo pleaded guilty Dec. 2, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced him to a total of 70 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Pina-Carrillo appeared to be a trusted member of the drug trafficking organization based on the number of times he admitted to smuggling narcotics and the amount and type of the narcotics.
On the morning of July 27, 2021, Pina arrived at the Anzaldua Port of Entry from Mexico where he was attempting to gain entry into the United States. He presented his Mexican border crossing card and claimed he intended to cross for a job-related duty in Brownsville.
Upon inspection, a canine alerted to Pina’s vehicle. Authorities found a total of five packages of narcotics in a lunch bag and a backpack located inside the vehicle. He expected to be paid $800 per package for importing the drugs.
The drugs totaled approximately one kilogram each of cocaine and fentanyl and three kilograms of heroin. Pina also admitted to importing narcotics on at least six other occasions.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colton Turner prosecuted the case.
Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to communicate restricted data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships to a person he believed was a representative of a foreign nation.
Jonathan Toebbe, 43, of Annapolis, was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, after he placed an SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at a location in West Virginia. According to court documents, at the time of his arrest, Toebbe was an employee of the Department of the Navy who served as a nuclear engineer and was assigned to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, also known as Naval Reactors. He held an active national security clearance through the Department of Defense, giving him access to “Restricted Data” within the meaning of the Atomic Energy Act. Restricted Data concerns design, manufacture or utilization of atomic weapons, or production of Special Nuclear Material (SNM), or use of SNM in the production of energy – such as naval reactors. Toebbe worked with and had access to information concerning naval nuclear propulsion including information related to military sensitive design elements, operating parameters and performance characteristics of the reactors for nuclear powered warships.
“Among the secrets the U.S. government most zealously protects are those related to the design of its nuclear warship weapons systems,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The defendant was entrusted with some of those secrets and instead of guarding them, he betrayed the trust placed in him and conspired to sell them to another country for personal profit. The Department of Justice will vigilantly protect the American people and our nation’s security by investigating and prosecuting those who violate their Constitutional oath and abuse their positions for personal gain.”
“The agents and prosecutors handling this matter are to be commended for their efforts,” said U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld for the Northern District of West Virginia. “They are talented and tenacious, and their work in this case has helped to make our country safer.”
“There’s a message here for anyone who would sell out America’s secrets,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and its partners will use all our investigative techniques to bring you to justice.”
“The FBI is relentless in its efforts to uncover those who seek to do our nation harm by targeting our most valuable secrets,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. “This case is an example of the hard work and diligence of the FBI and our federal partners to neutralize and hold accountable those people who threaten our national security.”
“Today Jonathan Toebbe admitted that he violated federal law when he conspired with his wife to sell sensitive government information to a foreign power,” said U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who would pursue financial gain at the expense of their solemn duty to protect our country’s closely held secrets.”
“The overarching mission of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is to prevent terrorism, reduce crime and protect secrets, with a very high priority on protecting vital information such as the design and operation of nuclear-powered warships,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “It’s this kind of technology that provides the Department of the Navy with capabilities unmatched by any of America’s adversaries. NCIS remains committed to protecting that information to ensure the readiness of the US Navy and Marine Corps.”
According to his plea, in April 2020, Toebbe sent a package to a foreign government, listing a return address in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, containing a sample of Restricted Data and instructions for establishing a covert relationship to purchase additional Restricted Data. Toebbe began corresponding via encrypted email with an individual whom he believed to be a representative of the foreign government. The individual was really an undercover FBI agent. Toebbe continued this correspondence for several months, which led to an agreement to sell Restricted Data in exchange for thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
On June 8, 2021, the undercover agent sent $10,000 in cryptocurrency to Toebbe as “good faith” payment. Shortly afterwards, on June 26, Toebbe serviced a dead drop by placing an SD card, which was concealed within half a peanut butter sandwich and contained military sensitive design elements relating to submarine nuclear reactors, at a pre-arranged location. After retrieving the SD card, the undercover agent sent Toebbe a $20,000 cryptocurrency payment. In return, Toebbe emailed the undercover agent a decryption key for the SD Card. A review of the SD card revealed that it contained Restricted Data related to submarine nuclear reactors. On Aug. 28, Toebbe made another “dead drop” of an SD card in eastern Virginia, this time concealing the card in a chewing gum package. After making a payment to Toebbe of $70,000 in cryptocurrency, the FBI received a decryption key for the card. It, too, contained Restricted Data related to submarine nuclear reactors. The FBI arrested Toebbe and his wife on Oct. 9, after he placed yet another SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at a second location in West Virginia.
Toebbe pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to communicate Restricted Data which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to life in prison, a fine up to $100,000, and term of supervised release not more than five years. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Toebbe will serve a minimum of 151 months, or 12 and a half years, in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and NCIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew J. McKenzie and S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Lara Omps-Botteicher of the Northern District of West Virginia, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related OffenseRead the Press Release
A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to communicate restricted data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships to a person he believed was a representative of a foreign nation.
Jonathan Toebbe, 43, of Annapolis, was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, after he placed an SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at a location in West Virginia. According to court documents, at the time of his arrest, Toebbe was an employee of the Department of the Navy who served as a nuclear engineer and was assigned to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, also known as Naval Reactors. He held an active national security clearance through the Department of Defense, giving him access to “Restricted Data” within the meaning of the Atomic Energy Act. Restricted Data concerns design, manufacture or utilization of atomic weapons, or production of Special Nuclear Material (SNM), or use of SNM in the production of energy – such as naval reactors. Toebbe worked with and had access to information concerning naval nuclear propulsion including information related to military sensitive design elements, operating parameters and performance characteristics of the reactors for nuclear powered warships.
“Among the secrets the U.S. government most zealously protects are those related to the design of its nuclear-powered warships. The defendant was entrusted with some of those secrets and instead of guarding them, he betrayed the trust placed in him and conspired to sell them to another country for personal profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Department of Justice will vigilantly protect the American people and our nation’s security by investigating and prosecuting those who violate their Constitutional oath and abuse their positions for personal gain.”
“The agents and prosecutors handling this matter are to be commended for their efforts,” said U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II for the Northern District of West Virginia. “They are talented and tenacious, and their work in this case has helped to make our country safer.”
“There’s a message here for anyone who would sell out America’s secrets,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and its partners will use all our investigative techniques to bring you to justice.”
“The FBI is relentless in its efforts to uncover those who seek to do our nation harm by targeting our most valuable secrets,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. “This case is an example of the hard work and diligence of the FBI and our federal partners to neutralize and hold accountable those people who threaten our national security.”
“Today Jonathan Toebbe admitted that he violated federal law when he conspired with his wife to sell sensitive government information to a foreign power,” said U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who would pursue financial gain at the expense of their solemn duty to protect our country’s closely held secrets.”
“The overarching mission of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is to prevent terrorism, reduce crime and protect secrets, with a very high priority on protecting vital information such as the design and operation of nuclear-powered warships,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “It’s this kind of technology that provides the Department of the Navy with capabilities unmatched by any of America’s adversaries. NCIS remains committed to protecting that information to ensure the readiness of the US Navy and Marine Corps.”
According to his plea, in April 2020, Toebbe sent a package to a foreign government, listing a return address in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, containing a sample of Restricted Data and instructions for establishing a covert relationship to purchase additional Restricted Data. Toebbe began corresponding via encrypted email with an individual whom he believed to be a representative of the foreign government. The individual was really an undercover FBI agent. Toebbe continued this correspondence for several months, which led to an agreement to sell Restricted Data in exchange for thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
On June 8, 2021, the undercover agent sent $10,000 in cryptocurrency to Toebbe as “good faith” payment. Shortly afterwards, on June 26, Toebbe serviced a dead drop by placing an SD card, which was concealed within half a peanut butter sandwich and contained military sensitive design elements relating to submarine nuclear reactors, at a pre-arranged location. After retrieving the SD card, the undercover agent sent Toebbe a $20,000 cryptocurrency payment. In return, Toebbe emailed the undercover agent a decryption key for the SD Card. A review of the SD card revealed that it contained Restricted Data related to submarine nuclear reactors. On Aug. 28, Toebbe made another “dead drop” of an SD card in eastern Virginia, this time concealing the card in a chewing gum package. After making a payment to Toebbe of $70,000 in cryptocurrency, the FBI received a decryption key for the card. It, too, contained Restricted Data related to submarine nuclear reactors. The FBI arrested Toebbe and his wife on Oct. 9, after he placed yet another SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at a second location in West Virginia.
Toebbe pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to communicate Restricted Data which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to life in prison, a fine up to $100,000, and term of supervised release not more than five years. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Toebbe will serve a minimum of 151 months, or 12 and a half years, in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and NCIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew J. McKenzie and S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Lara Omps-Botteicher of the Northern District of West Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to communicate restricted data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships to a person he believed was a representative of a foreign nation.
Jonathan Toebbe, 43, of Annapolis, was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, after he placed an SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at a location in West Virginia. According to court documents, at the time of his arrest, Toebbe was an employee of the Department of the Navy who served as a nuclear engineer and was assigned to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, also known as Naval Reactors. He held an active national security clearance through the Department of Defense, giving him access to “Restricted Data” within the meaning of the Atomic Energy Act. Restricted Data concerns design, manufacture or utilization of atomic weapons, or production of Special Nuclear Material (SNM), or use of SNM in the production of energy – such as naval reactors. Toebbe worked with and had access to information concerning naval nuclear propulsion including information related to military sensitive design elements, operating parameters and performance characteristics of the reactors for nuclear powered warships.
“Among the secrets the U.S. government most zealously protects are those related to the design of its nuclear-powered warships,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The defendant was entrusted with some of those secrets and instead of guarding them, he betrayed the trust placed in him and conspired to sell them to another country for personal profit. The Department of Justice will vigilantly protect the American people and our nation’s security by investigating and prosecuting those who violate their Constitutional oath and abuse their positions for personal gain.”
“The agents and prosecutors handling this matter are to be commended for their efforts,” said U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld for the Northern District of West Virginia. “They are talented and tenacious, and their work in this case has helped to make our country safer.”
“There’s a message here for anyone who would sell out America’s secrets,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and its partners will use all our investigative techniques to bring you to justice.”
“The FBI is relentless in its efforts to uncover those who seek to do our nation harm by targeting our most valuable secrets,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. “This case is an example of the hard work and diligence of the FBI and our federal partners to neutralize and hold accountable those people who threaten our national security.”
“Today Jonathan Toebbe admitted that he violated federal law when he conspired with his wife to sell sensitive government information to a foreign power,” said U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who would pursue financial gain at the expense of their solemn duty to protect our country’s closely held secrets.”
“The overarching mission of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is to prevent terrorism, reduce crime and protect secrets, with a very high priority on protecting vital information such as the design and operation of nuclear-powered warships,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “It’s this kind of technology that provides the Department of the Navy with capabilities unmatched by any of America’s adversaries. NCIS remains committed to protecting that information to ensure the readiness of the US Navy and Marine Corps.”
According to his plea, in April 2020, Toebbe sent a package to a foreign government, listing a return address in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, containing a sample of Restricted Data and instructions for establishing a covert relationship to purchase additional Restricted Data. Toebbe began corresponding via encrypted email with an individual whom he believed to be a representative of the foreign government. The individual was really an undercover FBI agent. Toebbe continued this correspondence for several months, which led to an agreement to sell Restricted Data in exchange for thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
On June 8, 2021, the undercover agent sent $10,000 in cryptocurrency to Toebbe as “good faith” payment. Shortly afterwards, on June 26, Toebbe serviced a dead drop by placing an SD card, which was concealed within half a peanut butter sandwich and contained military sensitive design elements relating to submarine nuclear reactors, at a pre-arranged location. After retrieving the SD card, the undercover agent sent Toebbe a $20,000 cryptocurrency payment. In return, Toebbe emailed the undercover agent a decryption key for the SD Card. A review of the SD card revealed that it contained Restricted Data related to submarine nuclear reactors. On Aug. 28, Toebbe made another “dead drop” of an SD card in eastern Virginia, this time concealing the card in a chewing gum package. After making a payment to Toebbe of $70,000 in cryptocurrency, the FBI received a decryption key for the card. It, too, contained Restricted Data related to submarine nuclear reactors. The FBI arrested Toebbe and his wife on Oct. 9, after he placed yet another SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at a second location in West Virginia.
Toebbe pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to communicate Restricted Data which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to life in prison, a fine up to $100,000, and term of supervised release not more than five years. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Toebbe will serve a minimum of 151 months, or 12 and a half years, in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and NCIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew J. McKenzie and S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Lara Omps-Botteicher of the Northern District of West Virginia, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Accountant Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Maryland woman was sentenced today to three years in prison for preparing false tax returns for District of Columbia residents as part of a nationwide tax fraud scheme.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Charese Johnson, of Aberdeen, prepared 13 false income tax returns that collectively sought more than $6.6 million in refunds from the IRS. Between 2014 and 2016, scheme participants held seminars throughout the country where they promoted the purported ability of taxpayers to utilize their mortgages and other debts to generate tax refunds. Information was then collected from clients and provided to Johnson and others for use in the preparation of false returns. Those returns falsely claimed that banks and other financial institutions had withheld large amounts of income taxes from the clients, which entitled the clients to refunds. In reality, the financial institutions had not paid any income to or withheld any taxes from the clients.
Johnson tried to conceal her role in the scheme by convincing one of her clients to mislead the IRS about Johnson’s involvement in the preparation of the client’s tax returns.
On July 1, 2021, Johnson was convicted at trial of three counts of helping others prepare false tax returns. Thus far, more than a dozen other individuals around the country have been charged or convicted for their involvement in this multimillion-dollar scheme.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Johnson to serve one year of supervised release.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jeffrey McLellan and George Meggali, and former Trial Attorney Abigail Burger Chingos, of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Marshall County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Mitchell R. Arbogast, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Arbogast, 60, pleaded guilty today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Arbogast, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, admitted to having a double-barrel 20-gauge Chinese shotgun, a 12-gauge shotgun, a 6-shot .22 caliber revolver, and a .380 semi-automatic pistol in March 2021 in Marshall County.
Arbogast faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250 ,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Man Indicted for Possessing U.S. Postal Service Key to Steal U.S. Mail from Postal MailboxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that WAYNE C. WALKER, age 24, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on February 11, 2022 for Unlawful Possession and Use of a United States Postal Service “arrow” key used by Postal Service employees to access authorized mail receptacles in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1704 and Unlawful Possession of approximately 80 pieces of stolen United States Mail that had been deposited into authorized mail receptacles in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708.
According to the indictment, on January 26, 2022, WALKER was arrested while in possession of the United States Postal Service “arrow” key and the stolen mail. If convicted, WALKER faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment on the count of unlawful possession of the United States Postal Service mail key and a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment on the count of possession of stolen mail, both counts to be followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri and G. Dall Kammer are in charge of the prosecution.
Major Columbus Area Methamphetamine Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A known methamphetamine trafficker considered a major drug distributor in the Columbus community has pleaded guilty to his crimes in federal court.
Brandon Juwan Jones, 37, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine before U.S. District Clay Land on Feb. 10. Jones faces a maximum 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 10.
“The arrest and conviction of Brandon Jones takes a major supplier of some of the most addictive and deadly illicit drugs to the Columbus community off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the dedicated men and women at the DEA, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for their ceaseless commitment to making Middle Georgia a safer place.”
“This criminal network posed a clear and present danger to the Columbus area,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The removal of their ‘ringleader’ makes these communities much safer. This guilty plea illustrate how success can be achieved through spirited law enforcement efforts.”
“The takedown of this organized criminal drug enterprise and the federal prosecution of the leader of this organization is a prime example of our current strategy to identify, target and remove impact offenders responsible for the violence and the demise of the quality of life within Muscogee County,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “By taking a one neighborhood at a time approach, the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners in the relentless pursuit of every gang member that engages in gang-related violence and organized crime. On behalf of the citizens of Muscogee County, I want to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the deputies from the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and Harris County Sheriff’s Office for their work on such a successful operation.”
“With this guilty plea and sentencing of Brandon Jones by the U.S. Middle District Federal Court, a major drug player is taken off the streets of our Chattahoochee area,” said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley. “This shows how local and federal law enforcement agencies can work together to accomplish the mission of drug enforcement. As Sheriff of Harris County, I know this is just a small step on the ‘old war against drugs’; however, every step counts and we cannot give up the fight.”
According to court documents, Jones was identified by multiple Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sources in 2019 as a major methamphetamine distributor in the Columbus community. In the ensuing months, agents conducted surveillance and other investigative actions, including an undercover controlled buy operation with Jones. Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants on various properties associated with Jones’ drug trafficking network in Jan. 2020. Agents discovered more than four kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as heroin, cash and multiple firearms and ammunition. Jones was taken into custody and admitted to agents that the drugs belonged to him and that he felt that his arrest was imminent after being advised he had been under investigation for several months. Jones has multiple prior felony convictions, including felony convictions for trafficking methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during a crime, theft by receiving stolen property and bribery of a government officer.
This case was investigated by DEA, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case.
MS-13 Leader Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy and Murder of TeenagerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A leader of MS-13 was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for RICO conspiracy and his participation in the July 2018 murder of a teenage boy in Lynn, who suffered at least 32 sharp force trauma wounds consistent with being stabbed repeatedly, along with blunt force injuries to the head.
Erick Lopez Flores, a/k/a “Mayimbu,” 33, of Lynn, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 40 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In July 2020, Lopez Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, also known as RICO conspiracy, on behalf of the MS-13 gang. As part of his plea, Lopez Flores also admitted that he participated in the 2018 murder of a teenager, who was murdered with extreme atrocity and cruelty, and with deliberate premeditation, in violation of Massachusetts law.
MS-13, or La Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. MS-13 gang members often commit acts of extreme violence against suspected rivals, those suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, and others who the gang views as a threat. In recent years, dozens of MS-13 members have been convicted of RICO conspiracy and other serious felonies in the District of Massachusetts.
MS-13 is organized into “cliques” or branches operating in local territories. Lopez Flores belonged to the “Sykos Locos Salvatrucha” clique of MS-13, which operated in the cities of Lynn, Chelsea and other parts of Massachusetts. Lopez Flores was one of the leaders of the Sykos clique and had been an MS-13 member since approximately 2006.
In November 2018, Lopez Flores and five other MS-13 members of the Sykos clique were indicted following an investigation into the murder of a teenage boy, whose body was found in a park in Lynn on Aug. 2, 2018. The six defendants in this case included five participants in the murder, as well as one longstanding member of the Sykos clique. In a related case, the government charged a juvenile co-conspirator who was the sixth person involved in the murder.
The evidence in this case, which included a recording of one of Lopez Flores’ co-defendants describing the murder in graphic detail, revealed that Lopez Flores and five other MS-13 gang members murdered the victim based on their mistaken belief that he may have been assisting law enforcement.
On July 30, 2018, the gang members lured the victim to a playground and at least four of them were armed with knives. The group pretended to be friendly with the unsuspecting victim and took him to a wooded area of the park. At the scene, the gang members surrounded the victim and repeatedly stabbed him to death. At least four of the six assailants stabbed the victim, while Lopez Flores and a juvenile gang member assisted at the scene. Lopez Flores authorized the murder in his capacity as one of the leaders of the clique. After killing the victim, the gang members left his body in the wooded area of the public park. An autopsy revealed that the victim suffered at least 32 sharp force trauma wounds consistent with being stabbed repeatedly, along with blunt force injuries to the head.
All six defendants indicted in this case, along with the juvenile charged in the related case, have pleaded guilty. Lopez Flores is the first defendant to be sentenced. Jonathan Tercero Yanes, a/k/a “Desalmado,” is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 15, 2022 for RICO conspiracy and his participation in the July 2018 murder; Henri Salvador Gutierrez, a/k/a “Perverso,” is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 16, 2022 for RICO conspiracy and his participation in the July 2018 murder, as well as his participation in a December 2016 murder in East Boston; and Djavier Duggins, a/k/a “Haze,” is scheduled to be sentenced for RICO conspiracy on Feb. 17, 2022. Sentencing hearings for the two remaining co-defendants, Marlos Reyes and Eliseo Vaquerano Canas, have not yet been scheduled by the Court.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Acting Boston Police Commissioner Gregory Long; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and Kaitlin O’Donnell of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Local man sent to prison for targeting children via InstagramRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for coercing a child via the internet in order to have sex with her, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Steven Lopez pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered him to serve a total of 151 months in federal prison. Lopez will also serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. In imposing the sentence, the court also heard evidence that Lopez continued to communicate with minors while awaiting further criminal proceedings. He must also register as a sex offender and pay restitution to identified victims.
In July 2019, law enforcement learned Lopez had sexually abused a minor and eventually apprehended him. At that time, they seized his cell phone which revealed that Lopez used social media to target a minor for the purpose of having sex. Lopez had also attempted to hide his criminal conduct by deleting certain messages. However, forensic analysis yielded multiple instances of incriminating content.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Dennis E. Robinson prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Local felon admits to illegally possessing RugerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 40-year-old Corpus Christi resident has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Pat Anthony Lacour admitted that on March 15, 2019, he was in possession of a loaded Ruger 9mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
On that date, law enforcement pulled him over for a traffic violation. As they approached his vehicle, he appeared to be concealing something in the front passenger side. They also smelled burnt marijuana and asked Lacour to step out of the car.
Authorities then searched the vehicle and found a Ruger 9mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol under the passenger seat. It was loaded with seven rounds of ammunition.
Lacour is a convicted felon for robbery, aggravated assault, assault family violence and deadly conduct discharging a firearm. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per under federal law.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing on May 11, 2022. At that time, Lacour faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacoo, Firearms and Explosives conducted investigation with the assistance of Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin prosecuted the case.
L.A. Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for $650 Million Ponzi Scheme that Falsely Claimed to License Foreign Film RightsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison for operating a Ponzi scheme that raised at least $650 million with bogus claims that investor money would be used to acquire licensing rights to films that HBO and Netflix purportedly had agreed to distribute abroad.
Zachary Joseph Horwitz, 35, of the Beverlywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who also ordered Horwitz to pay $230,361,884 in restitution to his victims. Horwitz pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of securities fraud.
“Defendant Zachary Horwitz portrayed himself as a Hollywood success story,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He branded himself as an industry player, who, through his company…leveraged his relationships with online streaming platforms like HBO and Netflix to sell them foreign film distribution rights at a steady premium…But, as his victims came to learn, [Horwitz] was not a successful businessman or Hollywood insider. He just played one in real life.”
For more than five years, Horwitz raised millions of dollars from investors, many of whom were personal friends, based on false claims that their money would be used to acquire film distribution rights, which then would be profitably licensed to online platforms such as Netflix and HBO.
But the whole business was a lie. In reality, Horwitz’s company neither acquired film rights nor entered into any distribution agreements with HBO or Netflix. The purported copies of film licensing agreements and distribution agreements were fake.
Instead of using the funds to acquire films and arrange distribution deals, Horwitz operated 1inMM Capital as a Ponzi scheme, using victims’ money to repay earlier investors and to fund his own lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of his $6 million Beverlywood residence, luxury cars, and travel by private jet, according to the government’s sentencing memorandum.
Horwitz defrauded five major groups of private investors, but he knew these entities derived funds from individual investors. Throughout the scheme, Horwitz raised at least $650 million from more than 250 individuals who invested directly or indirectly in 1inMM Capital. By late 2019, 1inMM Capital began defaulting on all of its outstanding promissory notes. To date, Horwitz, through 1inMM Capital, remains in default to investors on a total outstanding principal of approximately $230 million and his scheme has caused substantial financial hardship to dozens of investors.
Horwitz’s scheme began in 2014 and lasted until the FBI arrested him in April 2021. During that time, Horwitz, through his company, 1inMM Capital, entered into hundreds of six- and 12-month promissory notes with investors. The funds supplied under each note were supposed to provide money for 1inMM Capital to acquire the rights to a specific film, and each note was supposed to be repaid using the profits from licensing those film rights to Netflix or HBO. The promissory notes guaranteed repayment on a specified maturity date, as well as the amount to be paid at maturity, which included investment returns ranging from 25 percent to 45 percent.
To give investors a sense of security, Horwitz furnished them with purported film license agreements between 1inMM Capital and sales agents for production companies, as well as purported distribution agreements with Netflix and HBO.
Investors started to complain after 1inMM Capital began defaulting on notes in 2019. In response, Horwitz falsely reassured investors that any missed payments on promissory notes were caused by the streaming platforms, and that payment on the notes would resume. To support these false excuses, Horwitz sent the investors fabricated emails and text messages using the identities of actual employees of HBO and Netflix.
The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab and David H. Chao of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Kentucky Man Convicted of Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Louisville, Kentucky, man has been convicted of possessing more than two kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a rental vehicle after he was stopped on Interstate 44 in Jasper County, Missouri.
Quennel Young, 31, was found guilty of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool issued the verdict today following a one-day bench trial that was held on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
Young was arrested on July 26, 2020, when he was pulled over by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on Interstate 44 in Jasper County after the trooper observed Young commit multiple traffic violations.
The trooper searched Young’s vehicle. When the trooper searched the trunk, he saw the trunk lid liner was not secured tight against the trunk lid sheet metal. He pulled back the corner of the formed liner and found two duct-taped bundles that contained approximately 2.2 pounds of methamphetamine. In a later search of the vehicle, officers found three additional duct-taped bundles of methamphetamine hidden under the center console gear shift cover. All five bundles of methamphetamine weighed a total of approximately 5.59 pounds (2.539 kilograms).
Under federal statutes, Young is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cameron A. Beaver and Assistant United States Attorney Megan Chalifoux. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Kalispell man sentenced to prison for transporting stolen firearms to Idaho, trafficking methRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted transporting firearms and ammunition stolen from a storage unit to Idaho and to trafficking methamphetamine was sentenced on Feb. 11 to six years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Joseph Vernon Holmstrom 41, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to interstate transportation of stolen firearms and to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. Judge Molloy ordered restitution of $101,900 to be joint and several with the co-defendant.
The government alleged in court documents that in December 2019, Idaho Falls, Idaho, police responded to a report of an abandoned U-Haul vehicle that appeared to have been stolen. An investigation led to a Kalispell man, who then discovered his storage unit in Kalispell had been burglarized and that he was missing firearms and ammunition. Holmstrom, who was with the U-Haul, had the victim’s driver’s license in his pocket.
The investigation further led to co-defendant, Jeremy Anthony O’Canna, and evidence of him entering the victim’s storage unit and removing guns and ammunition. O’Canna sent Facebook messages to people asking if they needed guns and sent photographs of guns and ammunition he had to sell. He claimed he was on his way to Idaho Falls to sell guns to Mexicans. Holmstrom messaged people that they were going to need two U-Hauls, in reference to hauling the guns, sent the same pictures of guns and ammunition that O’Canna was sending and that he was in Idaho Falls. In December, Holmstrom sent messages that they were robbed. The firearms and ammunition have not been recovered.
When arrested in Idaho Falls, Holmstrom had a small amount of meth, and witnesses told law enforcement that they purchased meth from Holmstrom.
O’Canna was sentenced previously to two years in prison and ordered to pay $101,900 restitution for conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Falls Police Department and Idaho Falls Animal Control.
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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Jury Convicts Norfolk Woman on Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk woman last Friday on charges of misuse of a Social Security number, loan fraud, and identity theft.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Shaneca Moseley, 38, engaged in an identity takeover of C.J., a New Jersey resident. Between 2018 and 2020, Moseley impersonated C.J. by possessing and using a forged driver’s license containing C.J.’s personal identifying information, including name, date of birth, home address, and driver’s license number, and a Social Security card containing C.J.’s Social Security number.
During these two years, Moseley used C.J.’s personal identifying information in acquiring an apartment lease; purchasing and obtaining a loan for a Mercedes Benz; purchasing furniture on credit; obtaining an email account, insurance, and other utilities; and masking her true identity during a traffic stop, among various other acts. Moseley’s activity left C.J. to deal with the results of various payment defaults and impacts to their credit.
Moseley was convicted of three counts of false representation of a Social Security number, one count of false statement on a loan application, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years, along with a mandatory consecutive sentence of 2 years in prison when sentenced on July 15. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Moseley plead guilty in 2009 to running another social security fraud scheme and was sentenced to 2 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Greg Torbenson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr., accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee C. Kim are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-54.
Jefferson County District Attorney Receives Award to Create Domestic Violence Unit and Fatality Review BoardRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office (Birmingham Division) $339,574 through BJA’s FY 2021 Innovative Prosecution Solutions grant to increase the response of law enforcement and prosecutors to domestic violence, and to enhance domestic violence prevention efforts in Jefferson County. The District Attorney’s Office will create a specialized domestic violence unit that prioritizes the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence offenses and builds upon its existing victim support and violence prevention partnership with One Place Alabama Metro Family Justice Center, as well as the federal and local collaborative Jefferson County Domestic Violence Firearms Technical Assistance Project.
“Local crime data shows that domestic violence offenders commit most of the homicides in Jefferson County. My office already prioritizes the protection of domestic violence victims, and these new resources will increase our ability to investigate and prosecute domestic violence offenders”, said District Attorney Danny Carr. “Further, the creation of a local domestic violence fatality review board will guide systems improvements by my office, law enforcement, and victim service providers when our best efforts and practices fail to protect victims. Learning and adapting systems of care and protection for victims is essential to innovative public safety practices.”
“Domestic violence is a leading driver of violence in Jefferson County and across Alabama. The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are increasing our collective response to the persistent threat that domestic violence offenders bring to their victims and our community”, said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “The Jefferson County District Attorney is one of our leading partners to improve protections for victims and to aggressively pursue domestic violence offenders. We are pleased that the Bureau of Justice Assistance is providing our partners with additional resources to further our efforts to reduce crime and victimization in Jefferson County.”
Preliminary data for 2021 indicates that fifty-seven percent of homicides in Jefferson County were committed by domestic violence offenders, while 53% and 58% of homicide offenders in 2020 and 2019 respectively were domestic violence offenders. Annually, more than 14,000 calls for service are made to local law enforcement in response to domestic violence. For mass shootings of four or more people between 2014 – 2019, 68% of perpetrators had a prior history of domestic violence.
Houstonian sent to prison for fraud schemes totaling nearly $2MRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 36-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of bank and wire fraud in two separate cases, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Julius Joachim Ohumole pleaded guilty Nov. 12, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Hughes ordered he serve a total of 97 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the time of his plea, Ohumole admitted he defrauded Regions Bank of over $1 million. Specifically, he opened a bank account in the name of Mars Construction using false identification documents identifying himself as Kenneth Davis.
Later, he accompanied another individual to Regions who used false identification documents to represent himself as a Regions accountholder. Ohumole asked for this person to be a co-signer on the Mars account, thereby allowing it to be linked to the real person’s account.
In January 2019, Ohumole caused $274,000 to be transferred from that account to the Mars account without permission or authorization. He then wired $273,000 to a bank account in New York and subsequently out of the United States.
In a separate case, Ohumole also defrauded the Teton School District in Idaho. In December 2018, he sent an email falsely representing to be from a construction contractor. In it, he claimed payments should be made to a new bank account.
Ohumole admitted in his plea that this new bank account had nothing to do with the real construction contractor and was actually his Comerica Bank account in Houston.
As a result of his scheme, the Teton School District sent $784,883.71 to Ohumole via his bank account.
He 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 FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.
Houston Men Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced RAYMOND ZEPEDA, age 49, and ROLANDO CLARK, age 39, both of Houston, Texas, to 120 months imprisonment for violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The sentencing occurred on February 8, 2022.
According to the court records, ZEPEDA and CLARK conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute a kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and five kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. They were both Houston-based sources of supply for drug dealers in New Orleans.
Judge Zainey sentenced both ZEPEDA and CLARK to served ten (10) years in prison to be followed by five (5) years of supervised release and ordered that they each pay a $100 special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
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Hermanos peruanos condenados a más de siete años de cárcel por estafar a miles de inmigrantes de habla hispanaRead the Press Release
Dos ciudadanos peruanos responsables de operar una serie de centros de llamadas en Perú que estafaban y amenazaban a residentes de habla hispana en los Estados Unidos fueron sentenciados en el Tribunal de Distrito de EE.UU. del Distrito Sur de Florida a cumplir condena de cárcel. El 9 de febrero de 2022, el Juez de Distrito de EE.UU., Robert N. Scola Jr., condenó a Josmell Espinoza Huerta (Josmell Espinoza), de 32 años, a cumplir 88 meses en prisión. Hoy mismo, el Juez Scola ordenó que Carlos Alberto Espinoza Huerta (Carlos Espinoza), de 40 años, fuera encarcelado durante 102 meses.
Josmell Espinoza y su hermano Carlos Espinoza se declararon culpables a finales de 2021 de conspirar para cometer fraude postal y fraude electrónico a través de varios centros de llamadas peruanos de los que eran propietarios y operadores. Según los documentos del Tribunal, Josmell Espinoza y Carlos Espinoza eran copropietarios y operaban el centro de llamadas JFC Peru en Perú. Además, Josmell Espinoza era propietario y operador de los centros de llamadas Camino Al Progreso y Latin Shop, y Carlos Espinoza era propietario y operador por separado de los centros de llamadas Latinos en Acción y Latin Force en Perú.
Desde abril de 2011 hasta julio de 2019, los hermanos Espinoza y sus cómplices en Perú llamaban a las víctimas, muchas de las cuales eran inmigrantes recientes de Centroamérica, México y otros países de habla hispana. Amenazaban a las víctimas fraudulentamente con consecuencias legales si no hacían pagos por productos supuestamente entregados y honorarios de liquidación para clases de inglés. Los demandados y sus cómplices usaban declaraciones falsas y amenazas para obtener dinero de las víctimas de todos los Estados Unidos. Les decían falsamente que estaban obligadas a aceptar y pagar cursos de inglés y otros productos educativos, y que no hacerlo las pondría en una situación legal riesgosa. Los demandados y sus cómplices entonces amenazaban falsamente con procurar que sus víctimas fueran arrestadas y deportadas para que les pagaran.
Al declararse culpables, ambos demandados admitieron que ellos y sus empleados afirmaron falsamente ser abogados, funcionarios del tribunal, agentes federales y representantes de un supuesto "tribunal de delitos menores", que no existe. Las personas que llamaban amenazaban falsamente a las víctimas con procedimientos judiciales, calificaciones negativas en sus informes de crédito, encarcelamiento y consecuencias migratorias si no pagaban inmediatamente los productos supuestamente entregados y los honorarios de liquidación. Carlos Espinoza causó a las víctimas una pérdida de más de 1.3 millones de dólares, y Josmell Espinoza causó a las víctimas una pérdida de más de 700 mil dólares.
"La sección de Protección al Consumidor del Departamento de Justicia investigará y procesará a los delincuentes transnacionales que defrauden a los consumidores vulnerables de los Estados Unidos", declaró el fiscal general adjunto interino Brian M. Boynton, de la División Civil del Departamento de Justicia. "Estas dos sentencias demuestran que los demandados que usen amenazas para aprovecharse de nuestras comunidades de inmigrantes serán enjuiciados y rendirán cuentas en los tribunales de los Estados Unidos".
"Este caso demuestra que la justicia no tiene límites cuando se trata de alcanzar a los defraudadores que se aprovechan de las poblaciones más vulnerables de nuestra nación", dijo el Fiscal Federal del Distrito Sur de Florida, Juan Antonio Gonzalez. "Seguiremos trayendo ante la justicia estadounidense a los delincuentes transnacionales que usen tácticas de miedo e intimidación para robar el dinero de los inmigrantes, personas mayores y otras personas que viven en este país".
"Durante muchos años, el Servicio de Inspección Postal de EE. UU. y sus colaboradores en la aplicación de la ley han investigado y procesado a redes delictivas internacionales que tienen como objetivo a los consumidores estadounidenses para robarles el dinero que tanto les ha costado ganar", declaró el inspector encargado Joseph Cronin, de la División de Miami del Servicio de Inspección Postal de EE. UU. "Seguiremos investigando de forma diligente a estos delincuentes para asegurarnos de que sean procesados con todo el peso de la ley".
Al incluir la sentencia de Carlos Espinoza en Miami hoy, los siete acusados en este caso se han declarado culpables y han sido condenados a penas de cárcel. Cinco acusados fueron detenidos por las autoridades peruanas con base en una solicitud de extradición presentada por los Estados Unidos y fueron extraditados al Distrito Sur de Florida en octubre de 2020. Cada uno de estos acusados fue condenado a cumplir una sentencia de prisión a principios de este año. Henrry Milla fue condenado a 110 meses en prisión, Jerson Renteria fue condenado a 100 meses en prisión y Evelyng Milla, Fernan Huerta y Omar Cuzcano fueron sentenciados cada uno a 90 meses en prisión. Carlos Espinoza y Josmell Espinoza evadieron el arresto cuando sus cómplices fueron arrestados. Posteriormente fueron localizados en Perú y extraditados a los Estados Unidos el 25 de junio de 2021.
El Servicio de Inspección Postal de EE.UU. y la sección de Protección al Consumidor de la División Civil investigaron el caso. El fiscal principal Phil Toomajian y el fiscal Max Goldman, de la sección de Protección al Consumidor, estuvieron a cargo del caso penal. La Comisión Federal de Comercio, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia, la Fiscalía de EE.UU. del Distrito Sur de Florida, el Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado y la Policía Nacional del Perú brindaron ayuda esencial.
La información sobre la Iniciativa contra el Fraude a Personas Mayores del Departamento de Justicia está disponible en https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice-espanol. Hay más información sobre la sección de Protección al Consumidor y sus medidas para combatir el fraude contra las personas mayores en www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene 60 años o más y ha sido víctima de un fraude financiero, puede recibir ayuda si llama a la línea telefónica nacional contra el fraude a personas mayores: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
In English
Hermanos peruanos condenados a más de siete años de cárcel por estafar a miles de inmigrantes de habla hispanaRead the Press Release
Dos ciudadanos peruanos responsables de operar una serie de centros de llamadas en Perú que estafaban y amenazaban a residentes de habla hispana en los Estados Unidos fueron sentenciados en el Tribunal de Distrito de EE.UU. del Distrito Sur de Florida a cumplir condena de cárcel. El 9 de febrero de 2022, el Juez de Distrito de EE.UU., Robert N. Scola Jr., condenó a Josmell Espinoza Huerta (Josmell Espinoza), de 32 años, a cumplir 88 meses en prisión. Hoy mismo, el Juez Scola ordenó que Carlos Alberto Espinoza Huerta (Carlos Espinoza), de 40 años, fuera encarcelado durante 102 meses.
Josmell Espinoza y su hermano Carlos Espinoza se declararon culpables a finales de 2021 de conspirar para cometer fraude postal y fraude electrónico a través de varios centros de llamadas peruanos de los que eran propietarios y operadores. Según los documentos del Tribunal, Josmell Espinoza y Carlos Espinoza eran copropietarios y operaban el centro de llamadas JFC Peru en Perú. Además, Josmell Espinoza era propietario y operador de los centros de llamadas Camino Al Progreso y Latin Shop, y Carlos Espinoza era propietario y operador por separado de los centros de llamadas Latinos en Acción y Latin Force en Perú.
Desde abril de 2011 hasta julio de 2019, los hermanos Espinoza y sus cómplices en Perú llamaban a las víctimas, muchas de las cuales eran inmigrantes recientes de Centroamérica, México y otros países de habla hispana. Amenazaban a las víctimas fraudulentamente con consecuencias legales si no hacían pagos por productos supuestamente entregados y honorarios de liquidación para clases de inglés. Los demandados y sus cómplices usaban declaraciones falsas y amenazas para obtener dinero de las víctimas de todos los Estados Unidos. Les decían falsamente que estaban obligadas a aceptar y pagar cursos de inglés y otros productos educativos, y que no hacerlo las pondría en una situación legal riesgosa. Los demandados y sus cómplices entonces amenazaban falsamente con procurar que sus víctimas fueran arrestadas y deportadas para que les pagaran.
Al declararse culpables, ambos demandados admitieron que ellos y sus empleados afirmaron falsamente ser abogados, funcionarios del tribunal, agentes federales y representantes de un supuesto "tribunal de delitos menores", que no existe. Las personas que llamaban amenazaban falsamente a las víctimas con procedimientos judiciales, calificaciones negativas en sus informes de crédito, encarcelamiento y consecuencias migratorias si no pagaban inmediatamente los productos supuestamente entregados y los honorarios de liquidación. Carlos Espinoza causó a las víctimas una pérdida de más de 1.3 millones de dólares, y Josmell Espinoza causó a las víctimas una pérdida de más de 700 mil dólares.
"La sección de Protección al Consumidor del Departamento de Justicia investigará y procesará a los delincuentes transnacionales que defrauden a los consumidores vulnerables de los Estados Unidos", declaró el fiscal general adjunto interino Brian M. Boynton, de la División Civil del Departamento de Justicia. "Estas dos sentencias demuestran que los demandados que usen amenazas para aprovecharse de nuestras comunidades de inmigrantes serán enjuiciados y rendirán cuentas en los tribunales de los Estados Unidos".
"Este caso demuestra que la justicia no tiene límites cuando se trata de alcanzar a los defraudadores que se aprovechan de las poblaciones más vulnerables de nuestra nación", dijo el Fiscal Federal del Distrito Sur de Florida, Juan Antonio Gonzalez. "Seguiremos trayendo ante la justicia estadounidense a los delincuentes transnacionales que usen tácticas de miedo e intimidación para robar el dinero de los inmigrantes, personas mayores y otras personas que viven en este país".
"Durante muchos años, el Servicio de Inspección Postal de EE. UU. y sus colaboradores en la aplicación de la ley han investigado y procesado a redes delictivas internacionales que tienen como objetivo a los consumidores estadounidenses para robarles el dinero que tanto les ha costado ganar", declaró el inspector encargado Joseph Cronin, de la División de Miami del Servicio de Inspección Postal de EE. UU. "Seguiremos investigando de forma diligente a estos delincuentes para asegurarnos de que sean procesados con todo el peso de la ley".
Al incluir la sentencia de Carlos Espinoza en Miami hoy, los siete acusados en este caso se han declarado culpables y han sido condenados a penas de cárcel. Cinco acusados fueron detenidos por las autoridades peruanas con base en una solicitud de extradición presentada por los Estados Unidos y fueron extraditados al Distrito Sur de Florida en octubre de 2020. Cada uno de estos acusados fue condenado a cumplir una sentencia de prisión a principios de este año. Henrry Milla fue condenado a 110 meses en prisión, Jerson Renteria fue condenado a 100 meses en prisión y Evelyng Milla, Fernan Huerta y Omar Cuzcano fueron sentenciados cada uno a 90 meses en prisión. Carlos Espinoza y Josmell Espinoza evadieron el arresto cuando sus cómplices fueron arrestados. Posteriormente fueron localizados en Perú y extraditados a los Estados Unidos el 25 de junio de 2021.
El Servicio de Inspección Postal de EE.UU. y la sección de Protección al Consumidor de la División Civil investigaron el caso. El fiscal principal Phil Toomajian y el fiscal Max Goldman, de la sección de Protección al Consumidor, estuvieron a cargo del caso penal. La Comisión Federal de Comercio, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia, la Fiscalía de EE.UU. del Distrito Sur de Florida, el Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado y la Policía Nacional del Perú brindaron ayuda esencial.
La información sobre la Iniciativa contra el Fraude a Personas Mayores del Departamento de Justicia está disponible en https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice-espanol. Hay más información sobre la sección de Protección al Consumidor y sus medidas para combatir el fraude contra las personas mayores en www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene 60 años o más y ha sido víctima de un fraude financiero, puede recibir ayuda si llama a la línea telefónica nacional contra el fraude a personas mayores: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
In English
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Donald Jackson, age 36, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on February 11, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on June 19, 2018, Harrisburg Bureau of Police offers stopped a vehicle in which Jackson was a passenger. Jackson exited the vehicle and fled on foot. An officer observed Jackson carrying what he believed to be a firearm and another officer saw Jackson discard the item in a trash can. Officers took Jackson into custody and found inside the trash can a black purse which contained marijuana, plastic baggies, and a digital scale. Underneath the purse, officers recovered a Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. During a search of Jackson and the vehicle, ecstasy, marijuana, and crack were also recovered.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Mobile Street Crimes Unit investigated the case with assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case.
This case was also part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of
this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Gulfport Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Raheem Olajuwon Lane, 28, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, in 2020, the DEA and Gulfport Police Department began investigating a local drug trafficking organization involved in the distribution of oxycodone, marijuana, alprazolam (“Xanax”), methamphetamine, and pressed fentanyl pills. During the investigation, law enforcement learned that various members of the organization, like many drug traffickers, possessed firearms to protect themselves, their drugs, and the proceeds from their drug sales. Through their investigation, officers determined that Raheem Olajuwon Lane was a member of the drug trafficking organization. Officers determined that he was distributing fentanyl, alprazolam, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana. He also transferred firearms to and received firearms from other members of the conspiracy.
On May 12, 2021, officers executed a search warrant at Lane’s residence. They discovered hundreds of alprazolam pills, pressed fentanyl pills, suspected methamphetamine, suspected oxycodone, and marijuana. They also recovered three firearms, a Taurus 9mm handgun, a Smith and Wesson handgun, and an Intratec Model AB-10.
Lane is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and a maximum of life in prison for the possession charge.
The DEA and Gulfport Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Gonic Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Christopher Kelley, 45, of Gonic, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 11, 2020, and October 9, 2020, Kelley committed three bank robberies in Rochester. He attempted to rob another bank in Wolfeboro on October 13, 2020. In each of the incidents, Kelley claimed to have a bomb.
Kelley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2022.
“Bank robberies are violent crimes that endanger innocent people and cause untold emotional damage to bank employees and bystanders,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “By robbing multiple banks while claiming to have a bomb, this defendant left behind victims in each location who may be affected by these incidents for years to come. As this case demonstrates, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to fight back against violent crime and to hold violent criminals accountable for their unlawful and dangerous conduct.”
“Today, Christopher Kelley finally admitted to putting innocent bystanders in fear for their lives when he walked into four different banks in Rochester and Wolfeboro, claiming he had a bomb, and demanding cash from the tellers,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “While no one was physically injured, Mr. Kelley’s actions have had a lasting impact on everyone who was there. That’s why the FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything possible to seek justice for the victims and protect the public from violent criminals like him.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Rochester Police Department and Wolfeboro Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Aaron Gingrande.
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Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Federal Court After Robbing Eugene Marijuana DispensaryRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man affiliated with the Hoover Criminal Gang and Unthank Park Hustlers, two allied Portland street gangs, pleaded guilty today after robbing a Eugene marijuana dispensary.
Timothy Christopher Gaines, 30, pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on December 20, 2019, Gaines and an accomplice robbed Green Therapy, a marijuana dispensary in Eugene, of several jars of marijuana and $912 in cash. Gaines brandished a firearm during the robbery and pointed it at a store employee cowering on the floor.
On June 25, 2020, Gaines was charged by criminal complaint with Hobbs Act robbery. Later, on July 23, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Gaines with the same. A superseding indictment returned on October 20, 2020 added a charge of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Gaines faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a seven-year mandatory minimum, a $250,000 fine, and a five-year term of supervised release. He will be sentenced on April 26, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eugene Police Department and Portland Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Fort Pierce Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A U.S. District Judge in South Florida has sentenced a prior convicted felon from Fort Pierce to 120 months in prison for possessing a firearm last Memorial Day.
On the night of May 31, 2021, 28-year-old Everette Jerome Jackson, Jr. arrived at a Fort Pierce park and exited a vehicle with a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol. The park was filled with people celebrating the holiday. After some fighting and commotion among parkgoers, Jackson brandished the Smith & Wesson and fired at a vehicle 13 times, hitting a bystander -- the owner of the vehicle. After the shooting, Jackson tried to dispose of the firearm by throwing it into the Intracoastal Waterway, but dive-team officers from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office recovered it.
When he possessed the firearm on May 31, 2021, Jackson had a prior felony drug conviction and a prior felony conviction for illegal firearm possession.
Jackson also faces state charges for shooting the victim. The defendant is presumed innocent of the state charges unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, and Ken J. Mascara, Sheriff, Saint Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon.
FBI Miami and Saint Lucie County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana M. Acosta prosecuted it.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-14033.
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Former lab director sentenced to prison for falsifying results of steel testing on parts for Navy subsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The former Director of Metallurgy at Bradken Inc. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 30 months in prison, and a $50,000 fine, for falsifying test results that measure the strength and toughness of steel that Bradken sold for installation in U.S. Navy submarines, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Elaine Thomas, 67, of Auburn, Washington, pleaded guilty November 8, 2021, to major fraud against the United States. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said it was, “a crime of pride and ego, that in some way she knew better than those who set the standards.”
“For 32 years, Elaine Thomas betrayed the trust of the United States Navy, knowingly placing its sailors and military operations at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “She falsely stated that steel Bradken produced met critical specifications– standards developed to keep our military personnel safe– and allowed inferior steel to go to Navy subs in half the orders she reviewed.”
“Our Sailors and Marines depend upon high quality products and services from our contractors to safely and effectively meet the worldwide mission of the Department of the Navy,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “This outcome demonstrates that we will continue to insist that our contractors must meet these high standards and that the actions of Elaine Thomas and others like her will not be tolerated. The efforts seen today are the result of the strong cooperation between the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice to prevent fraud and to ensure that those who do commit fraud against the Government are brought to justice.”
According to records filed in the case, Bradken is the U.S. Navy’s leading supplier of high-yield steel castings for naval submarines. Bradken’s Tacoma foundry produces castings that prime contractors use to fabricate submarine hulls. The Navy requires that the steel meets certain standards for strength and toughness to ensure that it does not fail under certain circumstances, such as a collision. For 30 years, the Tacoma foundry (which was previously known as Atlas, and acquired by Bradken in 2008), produced castings, many of which had failed lab tests and did not meet the Navy’s standards. Elaine Thomas, as Director of Metallurgy, falsified test results to hide the fact that the steel had failed the tests. Thomas falsified results for over 240 productions of steel, which represents about half the castings Bradken produced for the Navy.
Court filings indicate there is no evidence that Bradken’s management was aware of the fraud until May 2017. At that time, a lab employee discovered that test cards had been altered and that other discrepancies existed in Bradken’s records. In April 2020, Bradken entered into a deferred prosecution agreement, accepting responsibility for the offense and agreeing to take remedial measures. Bradken also entered into a civil settlement, paying $10,896,924 to resolve allegations that the foundry produced and sold substandard steel components for installation on U.S. Navy submarines.
The Navy has taken extensive steps to ensure the safe operation of 30 affected submarines. Those measures will result in increased costs and maintenance as some of the substandard parts are monitored. To date, the Navy says it has spent nearly $14 million including 50,000 hours of engineering work to assess the parts and risk to the submarines.
“This sentencing holds Ms. Thomas accountable for her actions, which needlessly jeopardized the safety of countless U.S. Navy personnel and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars,” said the Honorable Sean W. O'Donnell, Acting Inspector General, Department of Defense. “As exemplified in this case, we and our oversight partners will vigorously investigate fraud, especially where substandard materials endanger our military men and women. Protecting the lives of our service members remains a top priority for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General.”
“The announced sentencing demonstrates Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and our law enforcement partners are committed to hold individuals accountable for supplying substandard products that can cause serious harm and negatively impact Department of Navy (DON) readiness and war fighting capabilities. NCIS will continue to work meticulously with our law enforcement partners to safeguard DON major acquisition programs and ensure the safety of our Sailors and Marines,” said Timothy King, Special Agent in Charge, NCIS Northwest Field Office.”
The criminal case against Thomas, deferred prosecution agreement, and civil settlement with Bradken are the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
The criminal prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.
Former Navajo Nation employee sentenced for federal program fraudRead the Press Release
Relda Martinez, 57, of Prewitt, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court on Feb. 10 to five years of probation and 50 hours of community service for federal program fraud. Martinez pleaded guilty on July 14, 2021.
A federal grand jury indicted Martinez on Oct. 16, 2020. According to the indictment and other court records, from 2014 through 2016, Martinez was employed as the Community Service Coordinator at the White Horse Lake Chapter House (WHLCH) on the Navajo Nation, which afforded her access to the WHLCH financial accounting system. Martinez used her access to issue numerous checks to other parties ostensibly as payments for legitimate work, but were issued in amounts greater than the actual cost of the work or for work that was not performed. Martinez admitted that the money went to herself, her family members and her friends.
Among the checks issued by Martinez were 12 checks issued to a person identified in court records as “A.K.” Martinez listed the purpose of the checks as for archeological surveys, which are required for any land development on the Navajo Nation. However, Martinez knew that A.K. was not a licensed archeologist and that A.K. did not perform any surveys.
“IRS Criminal Investigation, along with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously pursue individuals who take advantage of their positions and misappropriate government funds for their own financial gain,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “We remain firm in our commitment to promote honest and ethical financial operations at all levels, and to prosecute those who violate the public’s trust.”
“We hope this prosecution and sentencing will serve as a deterrent to others contemplating stealing federal funds for their own personal gain,” said Jamie DePaepe, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General’s Western Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate individuals who violate the public’s trust and bring them to justice.”
In addition to her probation and community service, Martinez must pay $26,885.55 in restitution, either in full immediately or in monthly installments of $250.00 or 10 percent of her monthly income, whichever is greater.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Durango Office and the Department of the Interior Office of the Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Gerson prosecuted the case.
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Former Marine Sentenced to 210 Years in Federal Prison for Using Drugs and Force to Sexually Abuse Young Girls in CambodiaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A retired Marine Corps captain who traveled to Cambodia in 2005 for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors was sentenced today to 210 years in federal prison.
Michael Joseph Pepe, 68, a former Oxnard resident who has been in federal custody since 2007, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who described Pepe’s actions as “monstrous” and “horrific.”
“What he did to those pre-teen girls…was torture,” Judge Fischer said, noting that there was “no justification for a sentence that would ever allow [Pepe] to be released from prison.”
Judge Fischer has scheduled a restitution hearing in this case for February 28.
During a seven-day trial in August 2021, jurors heard testimony from eight victims who were as young as 9 years old when they were sexually abused. Each of the victims testified that Pepe sexually abused them, and several explained that Pepe drugged, bound, beat and raped them.
Prosecutors also presented evidence corroborating the victims’ testimony, including homemade child pornography.
Pepe initially was arrested in Cambodia 2006. After being brought to the United States and charged in early 2007, he subsequently was tried, convicted and sentenced to prison. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned the conviction in 2018, and prosecutors retried the defendant on new charges.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Cambodian National Police investigated this matter.
First Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Christensen, Assistant United States Attorney Damaris Diaz of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Lynda Lao of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Former Employee of Mechanical Contractor Admits Inflating Change OrdersRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM SACCO, 49, of Pelham, New Hampshire, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a conspiracy charge stemming from his involvement in a construction project fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sacco was a project manager for a Massachusetts-based mechanical contractor. From June 2014 to December 2017, Sacco conspired to defraud his employer and the owners of certain projects he managed by inflating change orders on the projects. As part of the conspiracy, a co-conspirator subcontractor made more than $200,000 in payments to Sacco and also for Sacco’s benefit, including payments for Sacco’s children’s college tuition, a graduation party, a Mac laptop, airline tickets, hotels and Sacco’s rent. Sacco and the co-conspirator submitted inflated change orders to Sacco’s employer to offset some of the costs of the payments the co-conspirator made to Sacco.
Sacco pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Sacco has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $41,195.85.
Sacco was arrested on November 22, 2021. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 9.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, New York Office.
Former D.A.R.E. officer pleads guilty to child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A former longtime Beavercreek police officer pleaded guilty in federal court here today to two federal child pornography crimes.
Kevin A. Kovacs, 60, of Fairborn, was arrested in April 2020 and indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2020.
Kovacs pleaded guilty today to transporting and possessing child pornography.
According to the plea document, between April 2015 and July 2017, Kovacs uploaded more than 300 images and 2,200 videos depicting child pornography to his Dropbox account. Videos featured the sexual abuse of children as young as toddler aged. One video depicted a toddler lying on a diaper whose arms and legs were bound by black tape.
Kovacs also used online messenger, social media, cloud storage and email accounts to transport and possess child pornography.
In total, as of December 2019, Kovacs possessed more than 780 images and 5,100 videos of child pornography.
Kovacs’ plea also includes an agreed upon sentencing range of 60 to 240 months in prison. The Court will ultimately determine the sentence at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney, Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Fairborn Police Chief Terry Bennington and Beavercreek Police Chief Jeff Fiorita announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorneys Dwight K. Keller and DeMarr Moulton are representing the United States in this case.
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Florida’s NCH Healthcare System Agrees to Pay $5.5 Million to Settle Common Law Allegations for Impermissible Medicaid DonationsRead the Press Release
NCH Healthcare System (NCH), which operates two hospitals in Collier County, Florida, has agreed to pay the United States $5.5 million to resolve allegations that it made donations to local units of government to improperly fund the state’s share of Medicaid payments to NCH.
The Florida Medicaid program provides medical assistance to low-income individuals and individuals with disabilities, and is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Under federal law, Florida’s share of Medicaid payments must consist of state or local government funds, and not “non-bona fide donations” from private health care providers, such as hospitals. A non-bona fide donation is a payment — in cash or in kind — from a private provider to a governmental entity that is then returned to the private provider as the state share of Medicaid. The private provider’s donation triggers a corresponding federal expenditure for the federal share of Medicaid, which is also paid to the private provider. This unlawful conduct causes federal expenditures to increase without any corresponding increase in state expenditures, since the state share of the Medicaid payments to the provider comes from and is returned to the provider. The prohibition of this practice ensures that states are in fact paying a share of Medicaid payments and thus have an incentive to curb Medicaid costs and prevent unnecessary services.
The United States alleged that, between October 2014 and September 2015, NCH made improper, non-bona fide donations by: (1) providing free nursing and athletic training services to the Collier County School Board; and (2) assuming and paying certain of Collier County’s financial obligations. Both types of donations were designed to increase Medicaid payments received by NCH, without any actual expenditure of state or local funds. In particular, NCH’s donations freed up funds for the county and school board to make payments to the State as the state share of Medicaid payments to NCH. This state share was “matched” by the federal government before being returned to NCH as Medicaid payments. The Medicaid payments NCH received were thus funded by the federal government and NCH’s own donations, in violation of the prohibition on non-bona fide donations.
“States and local units of government must use their own money when seeking federal Medicaid matching funds to help ensure that Medicaid payments are determined by beneficiaries’ medical needs rather than donations by hospitals or other health care providers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When private parties violate the rules by making improper donations to fund the state share of Medicaid, they endanger the integrity of the Medicaid program.”
“Millions of Floridians depend on the Medicaid Program for medical care and related services,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “This settlement underscores our commitment to protecting the integrity of the Medicaid program by ensuring that government funds are legally obtained and used for their intended purposes.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Alison B. Rousseau and Jonathan T. Thrope and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn B. Tapie.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Florida’s NCH Healthcare System Agrees to Pay $5.5 Million to Settle Common Law Allegations for Impermissible Medicaid DonationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – NCH Healthcare System (NCH), which operates two hospitals in Collier County, Florida, has agreed to pay the United States $5.5 million to resolve allegations that it made donations to local units of government to improperly fund the state’s share of Medicaid payments to NCH.
The Florida Medicaid program provides medical assistance to low-income individuals and individuals with disabilities, and is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Under federal law, Florida’s share of Medicaid payments must consist of state or local government funds, and not “non-bona fide donations” from private health care providers, such as hospitals. A non-bona fide donation is a payment — in cash or in kind — from a private provider to a governmental entity that is then returned to the private provider as the state share of Medicaid. The private provider’s donation triggers a corresponding federal expenditure for the federal share of Medicaid, which is also paid to the private provider. This unlawful conduct causes federal expenditures to increase without any corresponding increase in state expenditures, since the state share of the Medicaid payments to the provider comes from and is returned to the provider. The prohibition of this practice ensures that states are in fact paying a share of Medicaid payments and thus have an incentive to curb Medicaid costs and prevent unnecessary services.
The United States alleged that, between October 2014 and September 2015, NCH made improper, non-bona fide donations by: (1) providing free nursing and athletic training services to the Collier County School Board; and (2) assuming and paying certain of Collier County’s financial obligations. Both types of donations were designed to increase Medicaid payments received by NCH, without any actual expenditure of state or local funds. In particular, NCH’s donations freed up funds for the county and school board to make payments to the State as the state share of Medicaid payments to NCH. This state share was “matched” by the federal government before being returned to NCH as Medicaid payments. The Medicaid payments NCH received were thus funded by the federal government and NCH’s own donations, in violation of the prohibition on non-bona fide donations.
“States and local units of government must use their own money when seeking federal Medicaid matching funds to help ensure that Medicaid payments are determined by beneficiaries’ medical needs rather than donations by hospitals or other health care providers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When private parties violate the rules by making improper donations to fund the state share of Medicaid, they endanger the integrity of the Medicaid program.”
“Millions of Floridians depend on the Medicaid Program for medical care and related services,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “This settlement underscores our commitment to protecting the integrity of the Medicaid program by ensuring that government funds are legally obtained and used for their intended purposes.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Alison B. Rousseau and Jonathan T. Thrope and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn B. Tapie.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Florida-Based Medicare Reimbursement Consultant Resolves Litigation for Allegedly Causing False Diabetic Supply Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
Medicare reimbursement consultant Ted Albin and his wholly-owned consulting and billing firm Grapevine Billing and Consulting Services Inc. (Grapevine), both based in Stuart, Florida, have agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. This settlement resolves allegations that Albin and Grapevine caused the submission of false claims to Medicare because of kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries and because patients were ineligible to receive glucometers. This settlement is based on the United States’ analysis of financial disclosures made by Grapevine.
“Consultants must abide by federal requirements when providing Medicare billing advice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to protect the integrity of federal health insurance programs by pursuing individuals or entities responsible for the submission of false or fraudulent claims, including those who cause such claims to be submitted.”
In its complaint, the United States alleged that, from 2008 until 2017, Albin and Grapevine provided consulting services to now-defunct diabetic testing supplier Arriva Medical LLC (Arriva), its parent Alere Inc. (Alere), and starting in January 2018, Abbott Laboratories (Abbott), after Abbott acquired Arriva and Alere in October 2017. From at least 2009 until 2011, Albin, through Grapevine, allegedly served effectively as the Head of Reimbursement at Arriva, overseeing Arriva’s reimbursement department, developing Arriva’s policies for the collection of beneficiary copayment obligations and submitting claims to Medicare on Arriva’s behalf for diabetic testing supplies.
The United States alleged that, as consultants to Arriva, from April 2010 until the end of 2016, Albin and Grapevine knowingly caused the submission of claims to Medicare that were tainted by the payment of kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries in the form of (i) free or “no cost” glucometers, or (ii) the routine waiver of beneficiary copayment obligations. Additionally, the United States alleged that Albin and Grapevine knowingly caused the submission of claims to Medicare for glucometers on behalf of beneficiaries who were not eligible to seek reimbursement because they had received a meter paid for by Medicare within the previous five years.
The United States produced sworn testimony from Albin in the litigation in which he admitted that, as a reimbursement consultant for Arriva, Albin personally (1) would “write off customer co-payments” because “I could tell someone on my team ‘Yes, write this off,’” (2) engaged in such write-offs “probably every week,” (3) engaged in “mass write-offs of denials by Medicare” for ineligible meters, (4) created Arriva’s “routine policy not to send a bill for customers who owed less than $5,” and (5) “came up with the policy” of “courtesy adjustments” in the form of copayment waivers in response to customer complaints about their Medicare coinsurance obligations.
“The resolution of this matter brings about the conclusion of a lengthy and protracted investigation and litigation in which the United States sought and received substantial penalties and damages as a result of allegations of False Claims Act violations,” said U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I commend the legal team and investigators for working diligently to preserve the integrity of our federal healthcare programs.”
“Those who provide advice to health care providers about Medicare billing must do so with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate those who cause fraudulent claims to be submitted to federal health care programs.”
The litigation resolved by this settlement originally included claims against Arriva and Alere that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Gregory Goodman, a former employee in Arriva’s Antioch, Tennessee call center. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The act also permits the United States to intervene and take over the litigation of a qui tam action, as the United States did here. In August 2021, Arriva and Alere agreed to pay $160 million to resolve the claims against them. The United States also previously settled for $1 million claims against Arriva’s founders, David Wallace and Timothy Stocksdale, for their alleged part in the scheme. The litigation, which is concluded by the settlement announced today, is currently captioned United States v. Albin, et al., Case No. 3:13-cv-00760 (M.D. Tenn.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and HHS-OIG, with the assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jake M. Shields of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre of the Middle District of Tennessee.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Florida-Based Consultant Resolves Litigation for Allegedly Causing False Diabetic Supply Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Medicare reimbursement consultant Ted Albin and his wholly-owned consulting and billing firm Grapevine Billing and Consulting Services Inc. (Grapevine), both based in Stuart, Florida, have agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. This settlement resolves allegations that Albin and Grapevine caused the submission of false claims to Medicare because of kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries and because patients were ineligible to receive glucometers. This settlement is based on the United States’ analysis of financial disclosures made by Grapevine.
“The resolution of this matter brings about the conclusion of a lengthy and protracted investigation and litigation in which the United States sought and received substantial penalties and damages as a result of allegations of False Claims Act violations,” said U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I commend the legal team and investigators for working diligently to preserve the integrity of our federal healthcare programs.”
In its complaint, the United States alleged that, from 2008 until 2017, Albin and Grapevine provided consulting services to now-defunct diabetic testing supplier Arriva Medical LLC (Arriva), its parent Alere Inc. (Alere), and starting in January 2018, Abbott Laboratories (Abbott), after Abbott acquired Arriva and Alere in October 2017. From at least 2009 until 2011, Albin, through Grapevine, allegedly served as the Head of Reimbursement at Arriva, overseeing Arriva’s reimbursement department, developing Arriva’s policies for the collection of beneficiary copayment obligations, and submitting claims to Medicare on Arriva’s behalf for diabetic testing supplies.
The United States alleged that, as consultants to Arriva, from April 2010 until the end of 2016, Albin and Grapevine knowingly caused the submission of claims to Medicare that were tainted by the payment of kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries in the form of free or “no cost” glucometers, or the routine waiver of beneficiary copayment obligations. Additionally, the United States alleged that Albin and Grapevine knowingly caused the submission of claims to Medicare for glucometers on behalf of beneficiaries who were not eligible to seek reimbursement because they had received a meter paid for by Medicare within the previous five years.
The United States produced sworn testimony from Albin in the litigation in which he admitted that, as a reimbursement consultant for Arriva, Albin personally (1) would “write off customer co-payments” because “I could tell someone on my team ‘Yes, write this off,’” (2) engaged in such write-offs “probably every week,” (3) engaged in “mass write-offs of denials by Medicare” for ineligible meters, (4) created Arriva’s “routine policy not to send a bill for customers who owed less than $5,” and (5) “came up with the policy” of “courtesy adjustments” in the form of copayment waivers in response to customer complaints about their Medicare coinsurance obligations.
“Consultants must abide by federal requirements when providing Medicare billing advice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to protect the integrity of federal health insurance programs by pursuing individuals or entities responsible for the submission of false or fraudulent claims, including those who cause such claims to be submitted.”
“Those who provide advice to health care providers about Medicare billing must do so with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate those who cause fraudulent claims to be submitted to federal health care programs.”
The litigation resolved by this settlement originally included claims against Arriva and Alere that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Gregory Goodman, a former employee in Arriva’s Antioch, Tennessee call center. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The act also permits the United States to intervene and take over the litigation of a qui tam action, as the United States did here. In August 2021, Arriva and Alere agreed to pay $160 million to resolve the claims against them. The United States also previously settled for $1 million claims against Arriva’s founders, David Wallace and Timothy Stocksdale, for their alleged part in the scheme. The litigation, which is concluded by the settlement announced today, is currently captioned United States v. Albin, et al., Case No. 3:13-cv-00760 (M.D. Tenn.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Jake M. Shields of the Civil Division.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Final Defendant Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Charges Related to a Series of Home BurglariesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Demar A. Brown, age 38, of Paterson, New Jersey and Winston-Salem, North Carolina to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy and for transportation of stolen property, taken during a series of burglaries committed in Maryland and Georgia. Brown was convicted by a federal jury on September 16, 2021, after a 10-day trial for his role in the series of home burglaries.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to the evidence presented at the trial, from November 29, 2017, through January 26, 2018, Brown, and co-defendants Jashon Fields and Kamar Beckles participated in a series of break-ins at residences in Baltimore County, Maryland and Milton, Georgia, in order to steal property, including: cash; foreign currency; safes; jewelry; designer purses, bags, and clothing; personal electronics; collectibles; personal identity documents; and items of sentimental value, such as historical medals, rare coins, and other memorabilia. The defendants intended to sell the stolen property out-of-state for cash.
Witnesses at trial testified that the defendants wore masks and gloves during the break-ins and communicated with each other using two-way radios and mobile phones. One of the conspirators often remained in the getaway car while the other conspirators committed the burglaries. Brown, Fields, and Beckles rented hotel rooms in Maryland where they would store the proceeds of the burglaries they committed (until the property and proceeds were transported out of state). Brown and Beckles transported the stolen property outside Maryland, including to two residences to which Brown had access in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
As detailed during the trial, on January 26, 2018, the defendants were arrested near two residences that had recently been burglarized. Brown was arrested after officers responding to the burglary noticed a dark green Ford Explorer with North Carolina tags traveling slowly down the street. The vehicle was identical to a suspect vehicle seen in surveillance footage from some of the earlier burglaries. An officer pulled in behind the vehicle and, after a short vehicle chase, Brown was eventually arrested after trying to flee from the SUV.
Beckles and Fields were arrested in a nearby wooded area, about a half mile from one of the burglarized homes. At the time of his arrest, Beckles was wearing a distinct jacket with a reflective emblem on the back – identical in appearance to the insignia visible in surveillance footage from some of the earlier burglaries. Additional responding officers were able to view through the vehicle’s windows a safe matching the description of a safe stolen during the robbery, along with what appeared to be bags of other property stolen that evening and over $2500 in loose change – later determined to have been stolen from a home in Milton, Georgia.
A search of each defendant resulted in the discovery of hotel key cards, a breakfast ticket from the same hotel as the key cards, as well as $1,000 that one defendant possessed in his sock.
Search warrants executed on the two hotel rooms resulted in the recovery of jewelry stolen from a residence, property from homes burglarized in Milton, Georgia, as well as property from homes burglarized in Baltimore County on December 29, 2017, January 9, 2018, and January 10, 2018. Law enforcement also recovered a mask, a pair of gloves, a diamond tester, a scale, and a gold testing kit. In the second room, they located, among other things, Fields’ license, mail in the name of Beckles, and various phones.
On January 27, 2018, after obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement searched the Ford Explorer driven by Brown the previous day. They discovered, among other things, various tools and clothing for use in connection with burglaries, including a pry bar, a drill and hole saw, a mallet, three chisels, a reciprocating saw, multiple pairs of gloves, black knit hats, a balaclava style mask, two-way radios, and flashlights.
Law enforcement officers searching the vehicle also discovered many of the pieces of property stolen during two burglaries the previous day, as well as notes concerning a pawn shop and a jewelry shop in North Carolina.
On January 30, 2018, law enforcement obtained search and seizure warrants for Brown’s residences in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. There they located property from three earlier burglaries in Baltimore County—including numerous pieces of fine jewelry. Additionally, evidence on the nine phones seized from the defendants, the SUV, and the defendants’ hotel rooms showed, among other things, Brown and Beckles photographing many pieces of the jewelry and other items taken during some of the burglaries.
In total, 21 homes were burglarized in connection with the conspiracy, and the victims reported that $850,000 worth of property was stolen. Only some of that stolen property has been recovered and returned to its owners; for a few victims, most of their property has yet to be recovered.
Co-defendants Jashon C. Fields, age 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Kamar O. Beckles, age 36, of Teaneck, New Jersey were previously sentenced to five years in federal prison and 76 months in federal prison, respectively.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Christopher M. Rigali, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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