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14 February 2022
Albuquerque man sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for cyberstalking, online threats and identity theftRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Mark Christopher Arnold, 39, of Albuquerque, was sentenced in federal court on Feb. 9 to four years and nine months in prison for interstate communication of threats, cyberstalking, unauthorized computer access in furtherance of cyberstalking, and aggravated identity theft. Arnold pleaded guilty to a four-count indictment on July 14, 2020.
According to the indictment and other court records, Arnold and the victim were involved in a relationship from 2016 to 2018, when the victim ended the relationship after an incident in which Arnold pointed a loaded pistol at her. The victim obtained a restraining order against Arnold in 2019. Between April 10, 2019, and June 10, 2019, Arnold sent over 700 messages including numerous threats and harassing statements to the victim.
In May 2019, the victim closed her Facebook account, but created a new account under a different last name around March 2020 and did not share the new account with Arnold. Between May 22, 2020, and May 24, 2020, she received several security warnings from Facebook, including that her password had been reset and that the account had been accessed from a different location. On May 23, 2020, Arnold sent her a message stating that she had left her passwords on his computer and that he had read her messages. He also left a voicemail in which he admitted to accessing her account.
On May 23, 2022, Arnold created a new Facebook account under the same name as the victim’s account and used it to send messages to the victim. Around the same time, Arnold began using his own Facebook account to send messages to the victim’s friends that included links to private videos of the victim. Arnold had posted the videos online under an account name that was very similar to the victim’s Facebook account. The videos were posted without the victim’s consent.
Upon his release from prison, Arnold will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Mysliwiec prosecuted the case.
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Accountant pleads guilty to embezzling $800,000 from elderly clientRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Heidi Royal, who was employed as an accountant at an Atlanta-based wealth management firm, has pleaded guilty to federal charges arising from a scheme to defraud one of the firm’s clients.
“Royal exploited the trust placed in her by an elderly client who was unable to manage her own affairs,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Our office continues to prosecute anyone who targets vulnerable members of the community, especially the elderly.”
“It is very disheartening that Royal manipulated a vulnerable victim and stole much of her hard-earned savings after claiming to be a close friend that was supposed to have her best interests in mind,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will always make it a priority to protect senior citizens from exploitation.”
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Heidi Royal’s employer was registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. The firm provided investment advice and financial services to C.K., an elderly widow suffering from dementia.
As the firm’s Accounting Manager and Bill-Pay Supervisor, Royal had access to C.K.’s Social Security Number and the usernames and passwords for C.K.’s investment accounts and bank accounts. As part of her duties and responsibilities at the firm, Royal provided professional accounting services and bill-pay services to C.K. for more than 10 years. During that time, Royal gained C.K.’s trust and developed a close personal friendship with her. Royal even told a co-worker at the firm that C.K. was like a grandmother to her.
As a person associated with an investment adviser, Royal owed a fiduciary duty to each of the firm’s clients, including C.K., and Royal was required to act in C.K.’s best interests at all times. Royal was not permitted to pay her own debts and expenses with C.K.’s money.
From approximately June 1, 2010, through March 17, 2021, however, Royal misappropriated approximately $800,000 of C.K.’s money and converted it to her own use.
As part of the scheme, Royal stole C.K.’s annuity payments, wrote more than 200 fraudulent checks on C.K.’s bank accounts, forged C.K.’s endorsement on checks, withdrew cash from C.K.’s bank accounts and converted it to her own use, fraudulently used the electronic bill-pay feature associated with C.K.’s bank accounts to divert money to herself, used PayPal to make electronic payments to herself from C.K.’s bank accounts, impersonated C.K. in telephone conversations with financial institutions; and made false and misleading entries in C.K.’s financial records to make the fraud harder to detect.
In addition, Royal fraudulently used C.K.’s name and Social Security Number to open a secret bank account for the purpose of concealing and disguising the fraud proceeds.
In mid-March 2021, when the firm learned that checks drawn on C.K.’s bank accounts had been deposited into Royal’s personal accounts, the firm immediately terminated Royal and reported the matter to law enforcement.
Heidi Royal, 52, of Dallas, Georgia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is scheduled for May 31, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell Phillips and Elizabeth McBath are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is part of the Department of Justice Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
11 February 2022
Woman Arriving at Cyril E. King International Airport Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle 76 Kilograms of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Idesha Patricia Sterrod, age 32, was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release for attempting to smuggle 76 kilograms of marijuana through the Cyril E. King Airport.
According to court documents, on August 5, 2020, Sterrod traveled from California to the Cyril E. King Airport with several suitcases containing marijuana. The Defendant was traveling with three minor females, ages 12, 14, and 15, who are not related to her. While Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were conducting an inspection of the checked luggage, the CBP canine alerted to the scent of a controlled substance on a suitcase. The Defendant was observed retrieving the suitcases containing marijuana from the baggage claim area. Each of the three minor females also had a checked bag that was tagged in the minors’ names which contained marijuana.
Sterrod previously pled guilty in this case on May 17, 2021 to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.
This case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection, the Homeland Security Investigations, and Virgin Islands Police Department.
This effort was 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.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Boyle, 44, Wausau, Wisconsin pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 18 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.
In May 2020, law enforcement agents learned that Boyle was receiving cocaine and THC through the U.S. Mail at his residence at that time in Marshfield, Wisconsin. The investigation revealed that during one week the residence received 27 packages from various addresses in California. Agents intercepted one package and found 26 grams of cocaine and 29 grams of THC wax inside.
Police investigators executed a search warrant at Boyle’s residence. In his bedroom they found two rifles, three handguns, ammunition, approximately 300 grams of marijuana, 14 grams of cocaine, and over $4,000 in cash. Boyle admitted to selling cocaine. He said that he purchased the firearms found in the house and admitted that he had a prior felony conviction from Nebraska.
At sentencing, Boyle said that his drug dealing was motivated by financial gain, but it was a mistake and he never thought he would be in front of a federal judge for it. Judge Peterson had concerns about Boyle’s judgment and reasoning, saying that the felony conviction in Nebraska should have been a wakeup call. Judge Peterson also recognized that cocaine was an addictive and damaging drug and said that Boyle’s drug dealing was aggravated by his possession of firearms. Boyle was also ordered to participate in three years of supervised release.
The charge against Boyle was the result of an investigation conducted by the Marshfield Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan handled the prosecution.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Waianae Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Robbery and Attempted CarjackingRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Senior United States District Judge Helen Gillmor yesterday sentenced Joshua Leiataua, 30, of Waianae, Hawaii, to 137 months imprisonment for robbery and attempted carjacking. He also received 120 months imprisonment, to be served concurrently with the 137 month-sentence, for possessing ammunition as a felon.
U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors stated that, according to court documents and information presented in court, on April 5, 2020, Leiataua entered a mini mart in Waipahu, brandished a firearm at the cashier, and demanded money. When the cashier was unable to open the register, Leiataua stole cartons of cigarettes and other items at gunpoint.
Approximately one month later, on May 13, 2020, Leiataua and Shanice Faalogo attempted to steal a vehicle from two individuals in Waianae at gunpoint. On that date, Leiataua approached the male victim who was standing just outside of the vehicle, brandished a firearm at the victim, and demanded that he give up the vehicle. Faalogo then took the firearm from Leiataua and discharged it in the direction of the male victim up in the air above him. Leiataua threw the female victim out of the vehicle by her hair. When Leiataua and Faalogo attempted to start the vehicle, they discovered the vehicle’s battery was dead and fled the scene.
At sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor commented that Leiataua’s criminal conduct—involving “violence and firearms”—and criminal history show a “lack of respect for the law.” Faalogo previously pleaded guilty to the attempted carjacking and is awaiting sentencing.
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 works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Honolulu Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara D. Ayabe.
United States Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – On February 2, 2022, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Department's National Strategy is expansive in scope. It aims to enhance the department's capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.
“Human trafficking is an insidious crime,” said Attorney General Garland. “Traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm. The Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking will bring the full force of the Department to this fight.”
“Human trafficking is an abomination,” said United States Attorney Jason R. Coody. “With no regard for human dignity, traffickers inflict indescribable physical harm to their victims and often leave emotional scars that cannot be healed. With our law enforcement partners, our office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting those who must be held accountable for their despicable crimes.”
The United States Attorney’s Office joins law enforcement’s combined efforts to inform and protect communities across the district throughout the year. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families and based on the human trafficking intake rate per 100 children in the population, the Panhandle had one of the highest rates of reporting of human trafficking between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. U.S. Attorney Coody highlights efforts by federal, state, and local partners to prevent and combat human trafficking in the Northern District of Florida (NDFL) held during January’s National Slavery and Human Trafficking Month.
Numerous human trafficking trainings and events included the following:
- On January 6, 2022, Perspectives Call in Radio Show on WFSU (88.9 FM): A panel of representatives from the community and beyond, including Sheriff Walt McNeil, Marsha Crowell from Capital City Bank, STAC, and a survivor of human trafficking, discussed the role of the business sector and local governments in recognizing and safely responding to human trafficking issues.
- On January 11, 2022, the 14th Circuit (Panama City area) Human Trafficking Task Force: The Task Force hosted a candlelight vigil lighting at the foot of the Hathaway Bridge in hopes of lighting the way to freedom for many victims. The purpose of the event was to bring awareness to the community, as well as to focus on human trafficking trends in the Florida Panhandle.
- On January 14, 2022, the North Central Florida Human Trafficking Task Force: “HT8” held its annual meeting in Gainesville, Florida. The purpose of the meeting was educate and engage members of the community in the fight against human trafficking. Various members of the community were recognized for their efforts by receiving the RISE (Recognition of Individuals Service with Excellence) Award.
- On January 20, 2022, 5th Annual Gadsden County Anti-Human Trafficking Forum: This program focused on social justice and human trafficking in Gadsden County and a call to action by and for the community and survivors.
- On January 20, 2022, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center: conducted a special human trafficking training session in Gainesville, Florida for area law enforcement officers. The training was designed to provide a better understanding of human trafficking in its various forms. The presentation included a guest speaker who spoke about human trafficking victim trauma and was followed by a panel discussion with local area experts.
- On January 20, 2022, the Circuit 1 (Pensacola area) Human Trafficking Task Force: The Task Force partnered with the University of West Florida and other community leaders to host their Annual Human Trafficking Summit. This year’s theme was “A Survivor-Centered Approach: Bringing Their Voices to the Table.” The summit kicked off with a “Human Trafficking 101” training which tackled the real-life facts and truths of human trafficking while demystifying the common myths and misconceptions about what it is and what it is not. This presentation was followed by a survivor panel discussion which detailed the stories of three human trafficking survivors and their trauma. The summit concluded with discussions on how we can better respond as a community and as service providers.
- On January 21, 2022, Human Trafficking and Businesses: The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC), with funding from Leon County, Florida, developed a training initiative to give the thousands of businesses and others in our area information about what to look for, how to recognize signs and patterns of sex or labor trafficking and what to do if they suspect human trafficking is occurring.
- On January 24, 2022, Whole Child Leon Professional Network Community Conversation – Human Trafficking: Prevention, Intervention and Victim Services: In observance of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month, The Starr Institute and the Open Doors Outreach Network teamed up to share information and provide resources to help us stay informed and make a difference.
- On January 25, 2022, the Impact of Human Trafficking on Campus: This panel discussion focused on how human trafficking can occur in our state’s higher education campuses and how institutions of higher learning can and should respond. Presenters were from Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College, Florida A&M University, Florida International University, the International Rescue Committee, and STAC.
- On January 27, 2022, Human Trafficking, and the Law: Labor Trafficking: Labor Trafficking: This program focused on both the civil and criminal sides of the justice system – and our entire community – are vitally important to recognizing this reality, preventing forced labor, and fully supporting survivors.
In addition to providing education, prevention, and technical and training assistance, the USAO-NDFL also vigorously prosecutes human trafficking crimes. Most recently, NDFL joined its federal, state, and local partners in Operation Stolen Innocence, which resulted in the investigation and federal prosecution of 19 defendants for victimizing a child in the Tallahassee area. In 2021, three defendants were convicted following jury trials. Thirteen defendants pled guilty, and three cases are pending trial. A collective 840 months in federal prison have been imposed for those have been sentenced thus far.
Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human trafficking will:
- Strengthen engagement, coordination, and joint efforts to combat human trafficking by prosecutors in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.
- Establish federally funded, locally led anti-human trafficking task forces that support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.
- Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention, resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
- Enhance initiatives to reduce vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska Natives to violent crime, including human trafficking, and to locate missing children.
- Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important information.
- Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors, including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.
- Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance, and expertise.
- Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.
The department’s strategy will be implemented under the direction of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator designated by the Attorney General in accordance with the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017.
If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.
To read the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking click here.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Two South Bay Executives Charged with Fraud in Obtaining “Specialty Occupation” VisasRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Namrata Patnaik and Kartiki Parekh appeared in federal court today to face an indictment charging them both with visa fraud and conspiracy to commit visa fraud and further charging Patnaik with money laundering, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), San Francisco Field Office, Special Agent in Charge William Chang, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.
According to the indictment, PerfectVIPs, Inc. (PerfectVIPs) is headquartered in San Jose and was incorporated in 2010 as a computer chip design product and services company. Patnaik, 42, a resident of Saratoga, acted as CEO of PerfectVIPs. Parekh, 56, a resident of Santa Clara, acted as the company’s human resources manager. The indictment charges that from 2011 through April 2017 Patnaik and Parekh submitted fraudulent H-1B visa applications for foreign workers sponsored by PerfectVIPs and that Patnaik later laundered the proceeds of the visa fraud.
H-1B visas are issued through the United States government’s H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers program. With an H-1B visa, an employer can employ a foreign worker in a “specialty occupation” in the United States on a temporary, nonimmigrant basis. A specialty occupation requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge and requires the employee in the occupation have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the relevant specialty. Each employer seeking to obtain an H-1B visa to employ a nonimmigrant foreign worker is required to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Labor which attests, among other things, to labor conditions and describes the existence, duration, and wages associated with the temporary job. A subsequent petition requires, among other information, biographical data of the proposed foreign worker and identification of the address where the proposed foreign worker will be working.
The indictment charges that from 2011 through April 2017 Patnaik and Parekh submitted approximately 85 fraudulent H-1B visa applications for temporary nonimmigrant workers sponsored by PerfectVIPs. Each application contained representations under penalty of perjury. During the process, Patnaik and Parekh submitted or caused to be submitted statements that the foreign workers would be employed by PerfectVIPs to work on PerfectVIPs’s in-house contracts and projects at PerfectVIPs’s office locations. Once the applications were approved, Patnaik and Parekh instead created a pool of H-1B workers that were placed at employment positions with other employers, not with PerfectVIPs. This practice provided PerfectVIPs an unfair and illegal advantage over employment-staffing firms. During the period of Patnaik’s and Parekh’s conspiracy, the indictment alleges, the other employers paid fees of nearly $7 million to PerfectVIPs to cover the cost of the H-1B workers’ wages and salaries as well as a profit markup for PerfectVIPs.
Patnaik and Parekh made their initial appearances in San Jose federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins. Both defendants were ordered to appear in United States District Court in San Jose on April 12 at 9 a.m. before United States District Judge Beth L. Freeman.
The federal indictment charges both Patnaik and Parekh with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and two counts of visa fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a). The indictment also charges Patnaik with one count of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. The maximum statutory imprisonment sentence for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 is 5 years in prison. The maximum statutory imprisonment sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1546(a) and for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957 is 10 years. Each of the charged statutes carry a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss amount or, for money laundering, twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The charges contained in the criminal indictment are only allegations. As in any criminal case, these defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Griswold is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon. The prosecution was the result of an investigation led by the DSS representative to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), overseen by Homeland Security Investigations. The DBFTF is a multi-agency task force that coordinates investigations into fraudulent immigration documents. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security also assisted with the investigation.
Two Plead Guilty in Conspiracy to Retaliate Against A WitnessRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. - – A pair of Roanoke men who conspired to retaliate against a witness, to distribute fentanyl, and to possess a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, pleaded guilty recently in federal court.
William Preston Ramey-Woodard, 42, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to threaten bodily harm or cause bodily harm to another person to retaliate against that person for providing information to law enforcement regarding the commission of a federal offense, one count of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Joseph Coquia “Kee” Martin, 42, of Roanoke, Va., pleaded guilty last week to one count of attempting to murder a person who was assisting a law enforcement officer and one count of discharging and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
“These two defendants sought to retaliate against a government witness and for that, they are being held accountable,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Too many times people with information have been scared to come forward due to fear of repercussion. This case should serve as an example that we, as a law enforcement community in Roanoke, have your back. We will protect you and prosecute anyone who threatens you for doing what is right.”
“Actions such as witness intimidation will never be tolerated and it is an act that we at ATF take very seriously,” ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson said today. “We know that it takes immense courage for some of our brave citizens to come forward and speak out against violent crime. We will continue to work with the United States Attorneys’ Office to investigate all matters such as this.”
“All too often, the solving of and successful prosecution regarding incidents of violent crime relies on witness information,” Roanoke Police Chief Sam Roman said. “We know our community is tired of seeing loved ones suffer from the impacts of gun violence and violent crime, and they would do anything to help us stop the ongoing violence in Roanoke. We also know that there are some people who threaten our community members for working with law enforcement agencies on these cases. This is a direct message to our community: do not be afraid to do the right thing. Do not be afraid to work with us on these cases. We will do all we can to protect you from those who threaten you for doing your part to keep your community safe.”
“I appreciate the combined work of the law enforcement community in Roanoke that has led to two violent criminals being removed from our community,” Roanoke County Police Chief Howard Hall said today. “The message should be clear that we will not tolerate this behavior and that we will do everything possible to protect victims and witnesses.”
According to court documents, in March 2020, Ramey-Woodard sold $4,000 worth of fentanyl to a confidential police informant. The transaction was captured on video, during which it is clear the defendant was in possession of a firearm. Following two subsequent controlled purchases from Ramey-Woodard, the defendant was arrested. While in custody, Ramey-Woodard engaged in coded telephone and email conversations with co-conspirator Joseph Martin, which were recorded by the jail. The two discussed the identity of the informant, where he worked, where he lived, and whether the informant should suffer consequences as a result of working with the police.
On May 31, 2020, Martin went to the informant’s home and shot him, causing a non-lethal injury. Ramey-Woodard claimed he wanted the informant to suffer a threat or perhaps physical assault but did not plan, intend, or anticipate Martin would shoot the informant.
Both Ramey-Woodard and Martin face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Virginia State Police, the Roanoke County Police Department, the City of Roanoke Police Department, the Salem Police Department, the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the County of Roanoke, the Western Virginia Regional Jail, and members of the Roanoke High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Bassford and Jonathan Jones are prosecuting the case.
Tioga County Man Sentenced to 51 Months’ Imprisonment for Marijuana Grow OperationRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 9, 2022, James Burrous, age 47, of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to 51 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a marijuana grow operation.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Burrous possessed more than 100 marijuana plants that he intended to distribute. When a search warrant was executed on Burrous’s home in February of 2017, other controlled substances such as Dimethyltryptamine (“DMT”) and lysergic acid diethylamide (“LSD”) were also recovered.
Co-defendant, Zack Boyer, age 37, of Tioga County, was previously sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for his role in conspiring with Burrous to manufacture and distribute controlled substances.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin 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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Three Time Felon in Possession of Assault Rifle Sentenced to More Than Thirteen Years’ in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed an AR-15 rifle was sentenced today to more than thirteen years in federal prison.
David Wright, Jr., age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 10, 2021 guilty plea to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Evidence in the case showed that Wright and another individual were following an unmarked police car in Waterloo. A marked police car attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Wright’s vehicle, but the driver refused to stop and fled from police at high rates of speed. Once the vehicle stopped, Wright fled on foot. Police located an AR-15 rifle that was fully loaded with a round in the chamber on the seat where Wright was seated. The AR-15 rifle had previously been stolen. The month before, Wright was in possession of a .45 caliber handgun. At the time that Wright possessed these handguns, he was serving a term of federal supervised released, having previously been convicted for illegally possessing firearms as a drug user.
Wright was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Wright was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Judge Williams also imposed an additional twelve-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Wright is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-2008.
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The United States Attorney’s Office, Memphis Police Department, Faith Based Leaders and Community Stakeholders Announce Efforts to Reduce Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., along with stakeholders in the South Memphis Community announced the second "Better Community Summit" effort to reduce violent crime throughout our city. Summit organizers and participants include the Memphis Police Department, represented by Deputy Chief Paul Wright; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) represented by Rev. Dr. Walter Womack; Memphis Baptist Ministerial Alliance (MBMA) Rev. Dr. Rickey Dugger; and program facilitators, Rev. Ricky Floyd, The Pursuit of God Transformation Center; Charles Caswell, Executive Director of Legacy of Legends, CDC; and DeAndre Brown, CEO, Lifeline2Success.
The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to work with law enforcement and other stakeholders to reduce violent crime in Memphis and West Tennessee. To achieve this goal, the Department has directed every U.S. Attorney’s Office to formulate a strategic plan designed to reduce violent crime. To that end, our office convened meetings with over 40 clergy leaders across the greater Memphis area to discuss violent crime and recommend possible solutions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Memphis Police Department, non-profit organizations, clergy leaders, and other community stakeholders are pleased to announce the next "Better Community Summit" will be held on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at the Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 1098 South Wellington Street. The summit is tailored to address the needs of parents and children. Topics covered will include domestic violence prevention, gang talk, community conflict resolution, and de-escalation training.
Beginning in 2022, the remaining workshops will be held quarterly in the areas of North Memphis; Whitehaven/Westwood; and Hickory Hill/East Memphis.
Community Flyer - 26 February 2022Tennessee Man Admits Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mario Lavonta Ward, 46, of Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, Ward admitted that on June 8, 2021 he sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $200. The drug transaction occurred near Beckley. Ward also admitted that on this same date, officers executed a search warrant at the residence where the drug transaction had occurred. During the execution of the search warrant, officers found additional quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, a firearm and $6,500 in cash. The cash recovered included the $200 used by the confidential informant to purchase the fentanyl. As part of the plea, Ward agreed to forfeit the money and the firearm and also admitted that he knew was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to a prior felony conviction.
Ward pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 27, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00229.
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Suspected Ecuadorian Drug Trafficker Extradited to San Diego for Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Mellor (619) 546-9733 and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Bredariol (619) 546-8419
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 11, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Pedro Cornelio Pilligua Iduarte, the owner of multiple Ecuadorian flagged vessels which allegedly provided logistical support to drug laden vessels, was extradited to the United States from Spain yesterday.
On March 19, 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Pilligua Iduarte, and others, with participating in a long-running conspiracy to traffic substantial quantities of cocaine from South America to the United States.
An Ecuadorian national, Pilligua Iduarte was apprehended by Spanish authorities in April 2021 while visiting Madrid. He arrived in San Diego on February 11, 2021, and made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard G. Skomal. He is scheduled for a detention hearing before Judge Skomal on February 17, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.
This case is part of Operation Pangeros Locos, a multi-year investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and United States Coast Guard Investigative Service and has had a significant impact on drug distribution from source countries in South America.
According to court documents, several Ecuadorian fishing vessels, based in Manta, Ecuador, have operated with impunity while providing material support to drug laden vessels to allow them to transport tons of cocaine over thousands of nautical miles of open ocean from Ecuador and Colombia to Mexico, for eventual distribution to the United States. These fishing vessels provide fuel, replacement parts, communication devices, or anything else needed to help the drug laden vessels complete their thousand-mile journey trafficking metric tons of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico. Without the support provided by the fishing vessel captains and owners, these drug laden vessels, typically pangas or low-profile vessels, would not be able to complete this long journey. This investigation has resulted in the seizure of more than 50,000 kilograms of cocaine, the indictment of 27 fishing vessel captains and owners, and the prosecution of 65 cocaine boat crewmembers.
“The Department of Justice appreciates the cooperation of the Spanish authorities in this matter. With the assistance of our law enforcement colleagues at home and around the world, we will aggressively pursue every avenue available in bringing drug traffickers to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. Grossman thanked the prosecution team and San Diego Strike Force agents, led by Homeland Security Investigations as well as representatives from DEA, FBI, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), and Customs and Border Protection for their excellent work on this case.
“This extradition sends a resounding message to drug traffickers around the world that the United States law enforcement community will vehemently pursue those who seek to harm Americans with their deadly drugs and violence,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz, who further praised the efforts of the San Diego Strike Force for their support and contribution to this criminal investigation and extradition.
“This indictment is a testament to the success of our collaborative efforts to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and prevent illicit drugs from making their way to America,” said Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer, the Eleventh Coast Guard District commander. “It is a privilege to work alongside the dedicated women and men of the Department of Justice and the Southern District of California who play such a crucial role in the successful team effort stopping these organizations. The hard work of our Coast Guard ships and crews in the Eastern Pacific Ocean culminates in indictments like this that dismantle smuggling organizations, put smugglers behind bars, and keep drugs off our streets.”
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The specific mission of the San Diego Strike Force is to target the most significant drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, Central and South America.
OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Spain to secure the arrest of Pilligua Iduarte and his extradition to the United States.
The United States is represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Nicole Bredariol.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendant Information
Defendant Criminal Case No: 21-cr-0896-JLS
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
2
Pedro Cornelio Pilligua Iduarte
aka Don Pedro, aka Corne, aka P, aka Patron, aka Jefe
48
Manabi, Ecuador
Summary Of Charges
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel, in violation of Title 46 U.S.C. §§ 70503, and 70506. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Customs and Border Protection
United States Coast Guard Investigative Service
Policia Nacional del Ecuador
Policia Nacional de Colombia
United States Marshals Service
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Superseding Indictment Adds Defendants to $25 Million, Prison-Based Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A total of eight defendants have been charged in a superseding indictment for submitting over $25 million in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the identities of inmates, minor children, and others to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert following the arrest of all the defendants.
The original indictment charged Daryol Richmond, 30, an inmate at Kern Valley State Prison; Telvin Breaux, 29, an inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi; and Holly White, 30, of Los Angeles, with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. The superseding indictment adds Cecelia Allen, 33, of Downey; Fantasia Brown, 33, of Los Angeles; Tonisha Brown, 28, of Los Angeles; Fantesia Davis, 32, of Victorville; and Shanice White, 28, of Hawthorne. They are also charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Richmond and Breaux are inmates at the Kern Valley State Prison and California Correctional Institute, respectively. The remaining defendants reside in the Southern California area.
According to court documents, the underlying applications for the claims falsely stated that the inmates, minor children, and others previously worked as clothing merchants, handymen, and other jobs, and recently became unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants created fictitious email accounts and used different physical addresses throughout Southern California for the fraudulent claims. After the defendants received the debit cards for the claims in the mail, they made cash withdrawals at different locations, on different days and times, and in varying amounts all to avoid detection by government authorities.
The actual loss to the EDD and United States is over $5 million. The defendants spent the money on vehicles, furniture, handbags, jewelry, and other items and services.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, EDD, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
If the defendants are convicted of the conspiracy to commit mail fraud, they each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of the aggravated identity theft, they each face a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after considering any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account several variables. The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk Man Sentenced for Real Estate Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for a wire fraud scheme in which he defrauded real estate investors out of approximately $378,000.
According to court documents, Kordrick Gibbons, 52, had a reputation with his co-workers and friends as being a savvy investor who was financially successful. From approximately 2015 through in or about 2018, Gibbons utilized this reputation to convince his co-workers to “invest” in his real estate holdings and, in exchange, Gibbons promised them lavish returns on their investments. Gibbons claimed to invest in properties, including businesses and condominiums, and that investors could realize 50% to 100% returns on their investments in as little as four to six months. Gibbons falsified documents to convince his investors that he had ownership interests in these properties. On multiple occasions, Gibbons emailed the victims documents that were inaccurate or false to deceive them into thinking he was wealthy and had multiple income-generating properties, when, in fact, he did not. The victims stated that Gibbons would make excuses as to why they had not yet received their money, all while promising that they would be paid. For instance, Gibbons often falsely suggested a bank had frozen his account in error or falsely asserted he was battling cancer.
In total, Gibbons defrauded at least 13 known victims and caused his investors to lose approximately $378,000.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky prosecuted 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. 2:21-cr-78.
State College Man Indicted for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ronald Hertzog, age 59, of State College, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 10, 2022, by a federal grand jury for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about February 3, 2022, in Centre County, Hertzog possessed multiple rounds of ammunition in various calibers and two rifle receiver lowers as a previously convicted felon.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State College Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel 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.”
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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St. Louis Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft from Metro East Charity, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill – Kenesha Burlison, 40, of St. Louis, Missouri, pled guilty on Thursday, February 10, 2022, to a two-count felony information charging her with theft from an organization receiving federal funds and aggravated identity theft.
Burlison served as the Director of Human Relations for Call for Help, Inc., beginning in 2016. Call for Help is a longstanding charitable organization in East St. Louis, Illinois, that helps people overcome a variety of personal crises, ranging from sexual assault and poverty to homelessness and mental health issues. The organization receives federal funds annually to assist in carrying out its mission.“Federal charges, carrying a mandatory minimum prison sentence, were appropriate here because the
Defendant stole so much money that would have provided needed services to vulnerable victims, including sexual assault survivors and the homeless,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D.
Weinhoeft.“An organization dedicated to assisting victims of trauma and families in crisis holds high expectations for honesty and integrity from its director,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David
Nanz. “Kenesha Burlison demonstrated bold disregard for her co-workers and the people who depend on Call for Help to survive. The FBI is dedicated to investigating those, like Burlison, who choose to deceive and defraud others while stealing taxpayer dollars.”According to court documents, Burlison fraudulently obtained a cashier’s check from Call for Help in the amount of $69,788.62, which she used to pay the down payment for a home she was purchasing.
Burlison told Call for Help that she needed a cashier’s check to provide to the title company and claimed that she couldn’t get one from her bank because it was closed. In exchange for the cashier’s check, Burlison provided Call for Help with a personal check in the amount of $70,000.
That check, as well as two others provided by Burlison in the coming months, bounced for insufficient funds.Following her termination from the organization, Call for Help discovered that Burlison had also fraudulently submitted requests for reimbursements that she was not entitled to from the organization that exceeded $100,000. These reimbursements were paid to Burlison.
In addition to the charge relating to her theft from Call for Help, Burlison also pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. Court documents alleged that, in connection with her mortgage application, Burlison submitted a fraudulent income verification with a forged signature of the
Director of Quality Assurance at Call for Help.Theft from an organization receiving federal funds carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Burlison faces a mandatory sentence of two years’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence imposed on the fraud count.
In addition, Burlison could also be ordered to pay restitution to her victims.Burlison is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Springfield Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Zoe J. Gross is prosecuting the case.South Florida Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Investment Scam Targeting the Elderly, and Spending Investor Money on Gambling, Jewelry, and Luxury VehiclesRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Yesterday, a federal district judge in Fort Lauderdale sentenced Isaac Grossman, 47, of Parkland, Florida, to 87 months in federal prison for directing an elder fraud scheme in which he sold stock in his South Florida-based technology company to elderly investors across the country, and then misappropriated the investors’ funds for his own personal use.
From September 2014 through April 2018, Grossman raised approximately $2.4 million in investor funds for his company, Dragon-Click Corp., by soliciting investments from elderly retirees nationwide. Grossman told potential investors that Dragon-Click was developing an internet application that would revolutionize internet shopping by allowing a user to upload a photograph of any item the user wanted to purchase, identify all retailers offering that item for sale, provide price comparisons for that item across retailers, and provide a link to retailers’ websites where the user could purchase the item. Grossman solicited funds by falsely telling potential investors they would double, triple, or quadruple their investments, and that Dragon-Click was on the verge of being sold to a large technology company, such as Google, Apple, or Amazon, for over $1 billion. He concealed from investors that, prior to raising funds for Dragon-Click, he had been permanently barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) from acting as a broker-dealer or associating with any broker-dealer firm, and that he had been permanently banned from commodities trading by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”).
Grossman falsely told investors that their investment money would be used to complete the technological development of the Dragon-Click internet application, to pay legal fees related to the patent application process, and to close the sale of the application to a large technology company. But rather than using investors’ money for any legitimate business purpose, Grossman misappropriated investors’ funds for his own personal use. Specifically, Grossman spent $1.3 million of investors’ money on gambling, diamond jewelry, luxury cars, home mortgage payments, tuition payments for his children’s private school education, and other personal expenditures. For example, Grossman’s unlawful expenditures included a McLaren MP4-12C, a Chevrolet Corvette, and a 4.81 carat diamond ring.
Grossman previously pled guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering charges. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, made the announcement.
United States Attorney Gonzalez commended the investigative efforts of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and also thanked the SEC’s Miami Regional Office for their assistance, as they had filed a parallel civil enforcement action against Grossman. See SEC v. Isaac Grossman, et al., Case No. 18-61234-CV-BB (S.D. Fla.).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael B. Homer. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
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 19-cr-60300.
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Sioux Falls Man Charged with Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Transfer of Obscene Materials to MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been charged by Criminal Complaint for Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Transfer of Obscene Materials to Minor.
Luke John Schauer, age 28, was charged and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on February 9, 2022. He pled not guilty to the Criminal Complaint.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Criminal Complaint alleges that between January 18, 2022, and February 4, 2022, Schauer attempted to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an OCE undercover agent posing as a 12-year-old female minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct, knowing and having reason to know that such depictions would be transported in interstate or foreign commerce or mailed and such depictions would be producing using materials that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, including by computer.
The Criminal Complaint also alleges that during the same periods of time, Schauer knowingly used his cellular phone to transfer and attempt to transfer obscene materials to the same undercover agent posing as a 12-year-old child.
The charges are merely accusations and Schauer is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, with cooperation from the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Schauer was released pending trial which has not yet been scheduled.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty February 8, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
William Thompson, 62, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Thompson was previously convicted of possession of methamphetamine and unlawful user/felon in possession of a firearm in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, in 2000. Thompson was also convicted of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance as a habitual offender in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County in 2011.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that from about 2019 and continuing to on or about June 8, 2021, Thompson and others who worked at the Madonna Rose Café participated in the distribution of approximately 10 pounds methamphetamine. Thompson was the co-owner of the Café. On four separate occasions between April and May 2021, Thompson distributed methamphetamine out of the Café to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. In June 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Café building and seized approximately one pound methamphetamine from Thompson that he planned to distribute to others.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Thompson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Thompson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 21-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sheyenne, ND, Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child Under the Age of 12Read the Press Release
FARGO – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter D. Welte sentenced Gary Lee Longie Jr., a/k/a Ty, age 39, Sheyenne, ND, to 30 Years in federal prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse. Chief Judge Welte also sentenced Longie to 10 years supervised release.
The investigation was initiated in December 2020, when a child under the age of 12, informed a school counselor that the child had been sexually abused by a male with the first name "Ty" who was a friend of the child’s father. The investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed more than one incident with the child and additional incidents with the child’s siblings. Longie pleaded guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse in September of 2021. Longie’s conduct prompted the parties to agree on a sentencing guidelines enhancement because Longie engaged in a pattern of activity involving prohibited sexual conduct.
"The 30-year sentence assures that this defendant will never abuse another child," said Interim US Attorney Nicholas W. Chase. "The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting children, and we will aggressively prosecute these heinous perpetrators."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Lori H. Conroy and Richard M. Lee assigned to the case.
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Santa Cruz County Resident Pleads Guilty to Murder and Attempted Murder After Drive-By Shooting at Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Steven Carrillo pleaded guilty today to murder and attempted murder in connection with the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Calif., an event that resulted in the death of Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood and the wounding of a second security contractor, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division Special Agent in Charge Patrick T. Gorman. The plea was received by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, United States District Judge.
In connection with today’s proceedings, Carrillo, 33, of Ben Lomond, Calif., signed a written agreement that described many of the facts leading up the shooting. According to the plea agreement, Carrillo admitted that he aligned himself with an anti-government movement and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement officers. Carrillo admitted that in the months before the shooting, he regularly discussed and encouraged violence against law enforcement; further, in the days before the shooting, he posted several messages on Facebook related to his goals. For example, on May 28, he posted on Facebook, “Anyone down to boog?” and on May 29, he posted “I just wanna perpetuate the hate and violence towards the governments attack dogs” and “[t]his is a great time to perpetuate the destruction of the government.” Carrillo also posted photographs and videos to Snapchat depicting anti-government paraphernalia and firearms.
In the plea agreement, Carrillo admits his role in the shooting. According to the agreement, on May 29, 2020, Carrillo commented on Facebook, “Its kicking off now and if its not kicking off in your hood then start it. Show them the targets.” He also wrote, in reference to the ongoing protests over the killing of George Floyd, “Go to the riots and support our own cause. Show them the real targets. Use their anger to fuel our fire. Think outside the box. We have mobs of angry people to use to our advantage.” He then agreed to meet another individual at the San Leandro BART station and arrived in a white Ford van. Carrillo brought with him firearms and incendiary devices. Carrillo acknowledged that he got into the van and the other individual drove as they surveilled the protest, the federal building, the courthouse, and the surrounding area. At approximately 9:44 p.m., with the other individual driving the van, Carrillo admitted he opened the rear passenger-side sliding door and shot approximately 19 rounds at the officers.
Prior to entering his guilty pleas, Carrillo appeared before the Hon. Thomas S. Hixson, United States Magistrate Judge, for arraignment on a superseding information which charged Carrillo with one count of use of a firearm causing death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(j), and one count of attempted murder of a person of assisting an officer or employee of the United States Government, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1114(1), 1114(3), and 2. A federal grand jury had previously indicted Carrillo for his role in the Oakland courthouse murder and attempted murder.
On January 31, 2022, the government filed a notice of intent not to seek the death penalty. In addition, Carrillo agreed and recommended to the court that a reasonable and appropriate disposition of this case would be 41 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. Judge Gonzalez Rogers received the plea agreement and scheduled further proceedings to determine whether to accept it.
The United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Strike Force is prosecuting this case with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the FPS, and the U.S. Marshal Service with assistance from the Oakland Police Department and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Santa Clara man sentenced to ten years in prison for firearm and drug crimesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Gabriel Lucero, 33, of Santa Clara, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court on Feb. 10, to ten years in prison for firearm and drug offenses. On July 3, 2019, Lucero pleaded guilty to eight counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, one count of unlawful dealing in firearms, one count of illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, one count of conspiracy, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and aiding and abetting.
A federal grand jury indicted Lucero on June 27, 2019. According to the indictment and other court records, on Aug. 11, 2018, law enforcement responded to a reported domestic dispute involving Lucero and were told that Lucero had fired multiple rounds in the air and possessed two firearms. Silver City police officers located Lucero and sealed and impounded his vehicle.
Investigators located Lucero’s cellphone during a search of the vehicle. Searches of Lucero’s phone revealed evidence that on Aug. 1, 2017, Lucero possessed at least 10 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute it and that he conspired with others to do so. The phone also contained evidence that from Aug. 1, 2017, to July 18, 2018, Lucero possessed numerous firearms, including rifles, pistols and shotguns. The phone contained additional evidence demonstrating that Lucero engaged in dealing firearms without a license on Aug. 1, 2017, and had received a firearm on Jan. 18, 2018, while under indictment for trafficking controlled substances.
Lucero was previously convicted of possession of marijuana in 2008 and voluntary manslaughter in 2012. As a convicted felon, Lucero cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Lucero will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Silver City Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Armijo and Ry Ellison prosecuted the case.
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Penn Hills Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing 14 Kilos of Fentanyl, a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Penn Hills, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Jerome Frank Brown, age 50, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on August 19, 2021 Brown had possessed a total of 14 kilograms of fentanyl and $136,000 in cash, in addition to a firearm and ammunition. The Court was informed that Drug Enforcement Administration agents and task force officers executed search warrants on Brown’s vehicle, his apartment, and a nearby storage unit. DEA personnel recovered one kilogram of fentanyl from Brown’s vehicle, approximately three more kilograms from his apartment, along with the cash and a firearm. When DEA agents searched Brown’s storage unit, they recovered 10 more kilograms of fentanyl.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2022 The law provides for a total sentence of at least 15 years to life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant remain detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jerome Brown.
Orchard Park Gang Associate Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Orchard Park gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for firearm and drug charges arising from his involvement in a Boston-area drug trafficking organization.
Raymond Gaines, 42, of Bridgewater, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In April 2021, an investigation was opened into a drug trafficking organization involving Gaines. The investigation revealed that Gaines was an associate of the Orchard Park gang and that he actively sold cocaine in and around the Boston area. On June 1, 2021, Gaines was found in possession of cocaine intended for sale, as well as a Ruger .380 LCP semiautomatic handgun, loaded with one round of .380 caliber ammunition and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun, along with numerous rounds of additional ammunition. Gaines was on federal supervised release at the time of the offense.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher D. Delmonte made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
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.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Chad Michael Schaefer, age 46, of Omaha, was sentenced December 8, 2022, by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 57 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. His term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Schaefer pleaded guilty to the charge on September 2, 2021.
On October 9, 2020, a police officer reported his vehicle was burglarized and a Smith and Wesson rifle was stolen. A neighbor also reported his vehicle was burglarized and a wallet was taken. A credit card from the stolen wallet was used in the early morning hours shortly after the burglary in Omaha. Detectives obtained surveillance footage from the stores where the stolen credit card was used and were able to identify Schaefer as the suspect. Schaefer also had messages on his cellular phone linking him to the stolen rifle. At the time of the offense, Schaefer was a convicted felon and drug user.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office and Council Bluffs Police Department investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Ja'hvont Payne, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute ten grams or more of an analogue of fentanyl. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Payne to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On March 1, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on an apartment at 25th and Cumming Streets in Omaha after law enforcement was notified of a female who overdosed. Payne was staying with the co-defendant, Robert Rush. Law enforcement located 1,029 pills in nine different bags in the bedroom where they were staying. The pills tested positive for fentanyl. The pills were more than 110 grams of fentanyl. The female died from the overdose, and the autopsy confirmed it was the result of fentanyl. The United States alleges that Rush sold her the pill that caused her overdose.
Robert Rush is currently scheduled for trial in March, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Northumberland County Man Charged with Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joshua Reichenbach, age 39, of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 10, 2022, on one count of illegally possessing a firearm.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on February 2, 2022, Reichenbach possessed a 9mm handgun while prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous criminal conviction.
The investigation was conducted by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin 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.
If convicted, the maximum penalty for the offense is life imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Northern Virginia Company Settles False Claims Act Allegations of Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Zen Solutions Inc., located in Arlington, Virginia, has agreed to pay approximately $31,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining more than one Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2020. Zen Solutions also agreed to repay the duplicative PPP loan in full to its lender, relieving the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $192,000 on the improper loan.
“PPP funds were set aside by Congress to aid Americans in desperate need as a result of the global pandemic,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Abusing these funds prevents them from going to those truly in need and wastes public funding at the expense of the American taxpayers. As a result, pursuing PPP loan fraud is a high priority for our office.”
“PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses so that they could pay employees and maintain operations,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled.”
“The continual commitment of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to shield SBA funds intended to support the nation’s robust small business community,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of SBA OIG. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. Throughout 2020, PPP loan applicants were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. This settlement resolves allegations that Zen Solutions applied for and received a second, duplicative PPP loan in 2020.
Zen Solutions is a Virginia-based company that provides staffing services in the fields of information technology, data analytics, cyber security and litigation support. The settlement with Zen Solutions resolved a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed by J. Bryan Quesenberry. As part of today’s resolution, he will receive a share of the recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Starr and William Hochul of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Northern Virginia Company Settles False Claims Act Allegations of Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
Zen Solutions Inc., a Virginia-based company, has agreed to pay approximately $31,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining more than one Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2020. Zen Solutions also agreed to repay the duplicative PPP loan in full to its lender, relieving the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $192,000 on the improper loan.
“PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses so that they could pay employees and maintain operations,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled.”
“PPP funds were set aside by Congress to aid Americans in desperate need as a result of the global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Abusing these funds prevents them from going to those truly in need and wastes public funding at the expense of the American taxpayers. As a result, pursuing PPP loan fraud is a high priority for our office.”
“The continual commitment of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to shield SBA funds intended to support the nation’s robust small business community,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of SBA OIG. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. Throughout 2020, PPP loan applicants were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. This settlement resolves allegations that Zen Solutions applied for and received a second, duplicative PPP loan in 2020.
Zen Solutions provides staffing services in the fields of information technology, data analytics, cyber security and litigation support. The settlement with Zen Solutions resolved a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed by J. Bryan Quesenberry. As part of this resolution, he will receive a share of the recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Starr and William Hochul of the Eastern District of Virginia.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
New Zealand Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A New Zealand man was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for production of child pornography.
According to court documents, between February and March 2018, Troy George Skinner, 28, interacted with a minor child online and used the child to produce numerous videos and image files of child pornography.
According to the Statement of Facts filed with the plea agreement, on June 20, 2018, Skinner departed from Auckland, New Zealand, en route to Virginia. On June 22, 2018, Skinner traveled to the victim’s home in Goochland, the location of which he learned in his online conversations with the minor victim. Upon arriving at the victim’s home in Goochland, the defendant approached the house and attempted to speak to family members inside. Skinner threw a paving stone through the glass window of the kitchen door to the house and attempted to enter. After several verbal warnings, the victim’s mother fired a handgun to prevent Skinner from entering the home, striking him once in the neck. Skinner fled from the house but collapsed in a neighbor’s yard, where he was apprehended by members of the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.
According to additional court filings submitted by the government, a search at the scene of Skinner’s belongings revealed duct tape, pepper spray, and a folding pocketknife. Officials also seized two mobile phones from Skinner, which investigators later determined contained images of child pornography depicting the minor victim. U.S. authorities also made a mutual legal assistance request to officials with the government of New Zealand. New Zealand investigators executed a search warrant on the defendant’s apartment in New Zealand and conducted a forensic examination of the defendant’s laptop, and later provided to U.S. investigators a thumb drive containing 120 video and 56 image files depicting the minor victim.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
The Goochland County Sherriff’s Office and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Lee Martin prosecuted 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. 3:19-cr-19.
Navajo man in court for charges related to shooting in CoolidgeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On February 10, 2022, Peter Oka, 30, of Coolidge, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared for his preliminary and detention hearing for charges of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm. The court ordered Oka detained pending trial.
According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 26, Oka allegedly got into an argument with the occupants of a house located on the Navajo Nation Reservation. Oka allegedly retrieved a firearm and fired multiple rounds into the ceiling. Oka allegedly pointed the firearm at John Doe, shooting him multiple times. Oka allegedly then shot Jane Doe and himself. John Doe sustained several gunshot wounds to the chest. Oka had a gunshot wound that entered his neck and exited around his ear.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Oka faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Elisa Dimas is prosecuting the case.
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Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on May 21, 2020, law enforcement arrested Deshawn Tyrone Braziel, 37, who had an outstanding warrant and was suspected in connection with a shooting that occurred in Minneapolis on April 16, 2020. At the time of his arrest, Braziel was wearing a backpack containing a loaded Springfield XD 9mm pistol, 94 ecstasy pills, and a digital scale. Because Braziel has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, including convictions of drive-by shooting, drug possession, and terroristic threats, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison K. Ethen prosecuted the case.
Methuen Woman Arrested for Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Methuen woman was arrested yesterday in connection with stealing Social Security benefits intended for her child.
Karen Silva-Brown, 56, was indicted on one count of theft of public funds. Silva-Brown was released on conditions following an initial appearance yesterday afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein.
According to the indictment, from November 2014 through October 2018, Silva-Brown embezzled approximately $60,810 in Social Security benefits that were intended for her minor child.
The charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Merced Man Arrested for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Johnathan Eldon Moss Jr., 35, of Merced, was detained Thursday on a two‑count federal indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Moss’s home and on his vehicle. Those searches yielded multiple unmarked, privately made firearms known as “ghost guns,” several hundred rounds of unexpended ammunition, high-capacity rifle and pistol magazines, a high-capacity speed loader for rifle magazines, a ledger showing weapons and ammunition sold, a body armor vest, cocaine, psilocybin, and a total of $10,990 in cash. Moss has felony convictions for firearms and drug offenses, domestic violence and stalking and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Tactical and Reconnaissance (STAR) Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Massey is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the felon in possession of ammunition charge, Moss faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the drug possession offense, he faces not more than 30 years in prison (due to his prior felony drug convictions) and a fine of up to $2 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Memphis Man Receives over 7 Years’ Incarceration for Possession a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Bobby Bridgeforth, 37, has been sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 17, 2020, a security guard at the Pendleton West Apartments advised Memphis Police officers of a man walking in front of the apartments with a handgun with a drum magazine. When the suspect saw officers, he fled but was caught moments later. While being detained, a loaded Glock 19 with 37 rounds of ammunition fell out of defendant’s pocket. Law enforcement later identified the individual as Bobby Bridgeforth.
Further investigation revealed he had felony convictions as well as misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence. As a result of his prior felony conviction history, Bridgeforth is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On August 26, 2021, Bridgeforth pled guilty to being a felon in possession of the firearm and possessing the firearm after a misdemeanor conviction of domestic violence.
On February 8, 2022, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Bridgeforth to 92 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. The (PSN) initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our communities 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Medical Director Convicted in $110 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal jury convicted a Florida doctor yesterday in the Southern District of Florida for a health care fraud scheme that billed private health insurance companies approximately $110 million for addiction treatment services that were not medically necessary. This is the second trial conviction to arise out of the Justice Department’s Sober Homes Initiative.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mark Agresti, M.D., 59, of Palm Beach, unlawfully billed approximately $110 million of urinalysis (UA) drug testing services that were medically unnecessary for patients at a sober living facility, Good Decisions Sober Living (GDSL). GDSL was paid kickbacks for providing patients to addiction treatment facilities in the West Palm Beach area, in violation of Florida state law.
“This defendant used his medical license to facilitate an egregious, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable substance abusers,” said U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida. “This office and its law enforcement partners are committed to holding accountable the unscrupulous sober homeowners, doctors and others who carry out these fraudulent and abusive practices to satisfy their personal greed.”
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that after Agresti became the Medical Director for GDSL, he agreed to provide standing orders for UA drug tests for GDSL patients in exchange for a monthly fee. Agresti also had GDSL patients sent to his medical office so he could fraudulently bill for services for these patients from his own medical practice. Patients at GDSL were required to submit to excessive, medically unnecessary urine drug tests as a condition of residency approximately three or four times per week. This added up to hundreds of UA drug tests per week and thousands per month. These UA drug tests cost as much as $6,000 to $9,000 per test. Agresti did not review the UA drug test results and did not use the UA drug tests to treat the GDSL patients. The evidence at trial showed that Agresti did the same thing at other addiction treatment facilities in the West Palm Beach area throughout the time of the charged conspiracy, resulting in hundreds of additional patients and thousands of additional fraudulent UA drug tests.
“This defendant, a medical doctor, was trusted to provide care to vulnerable patients,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he abused his position of trust in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme. He took advantage of people seeking addiction treatment. His conviction further illustrates our commitment to protecting patients and prosecuting the owners, directors and operators of facilities that seek to exploit them, and underscores the importance of the work of the Department of Justice’s Sober Homes Initiative.”
“The defendant in this case exploited patients seeking treatment for addiction and pocketed the profits for years,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This conviction is a warning that fraudulent practices like billing for medically unnecessary services come at a high cost. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting the integrity of America’s health care system and the people who rely on it.”
“Patients place their faith and trust on industry professionals to care for their wellbeing,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office. “Instead, in this case, they were taking advantage of, and submitted to unnecessary procedures to defraud insurance companies. IRS-CI is committed to combatting health care and other financial fraud, and we will hold criminals accountable for their unlawful actions.”
“The defendant exploited people in treatment for substance use disorders,” said Atlanta Regional Director Isabel Culver of the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). “The U.S. Department of Labor is working to end unconscionable schemes like this and hold those who commit health care fraud against employee benefit plan participants and their beneficiaries accountable.”
Three other defendants, including GDSL’s owner, were previously indicted and pleaded guilty to related charges in connection with this scheme.
Agresti was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as 11 counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy count, and 10 years for each count of health care fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, IRS-CI and the EBSA investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Perwin for the Southern District of Florida, and Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice’s Sober Homes Initiative, which was announced in the 2020 National Health Care Fraud Takedown to prosecute defendants who exploit vulnerable patients seeking treatment for drug and/or alcohol addiction.
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 18-cr-80124.
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Medical Director Convicted in $110 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Florida doctor yesterday in the Southern District of Florida for a health care fraud scheme that billed private health insurance companies approximately $110 million for addiction treatment services that were not medically necessary. This is the second trial conviction to arise out of the Justice Department’s Sober Homes Initiative.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mark Agresti, M.D., 59, of Palm Beach, unlawfully billed approximately $110 million of urinalysis (UA) drug testing services that were medically unnecessary for patients at a sober living facility, Good Decisions Sober Living (GDSL). GDSL was paid kickbacks for providing patients to addiction treatment facilities in the West Palm Beach area, in violation of Florida state law.
“This defendant, a medical doctor, was trusted to provide care to vulnerable patients,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he abused his position of trust in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme. He took advantage of people seeking addiction treatment. His conviction further illustrates our commitment to protecting patients and prosecuting the owners, directors and operators of facilities that seek to exploit them, and underscores the importance of the work of the Department of Justice’s Sober Homes Initiative.”
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that after Agresti became the Medical Director for GDSL, he agreed to provide standing orders for UA drug tests for GDSL patients in exchange for a monthly fee. Agresti also had GDSL patients sent to his medical office so he could fraudulently bill for services for these patients from his own medical practice. Patients at GDSL were required to submit to excessive, medically unnecessary urine drug tests as a condition of residency approximately three or four times per week. This added up to hundreds of UA drug tests per week and thousands per month. These UA drug tests cost as much as $6,000 to $9,000 per test. Agresti did not review the UA drug test results and did not use the UA drug tests to treat the GDSL patients. The evidence at trial showed that Agresti did the same thing at other addiction treatment facilities in the West Palm Beach area throughout the time of the charged conspiracy, resulting in hundreds of additional patients and thousands of additional fraudulent UA drug tests.
“This defendant used his medical license to facilitate an egregious, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable substance abusers,” said U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida. “This office and its law enforcement partners are committed to holding accountable the unscrupulous sober homeowners, doctors and others who carry out these fraudulent and abusive practices to satisfy their personal greed.”
“The defendant in this case exploited patients seeking treatment for addiction and pocketed the profits for years,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This conviction is a warning that fraudulent practices like billing for medically unnecessary services come at a high cost. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting the integrity of America’s health care system and the people who rely on it.”
“Patients place their faith and trust on industry professionals to care for their wellbeing,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office. “Instead, in this case, they were taking advantage of, and submitted to unnecessary procedures to defraud insurance companies. IRS-CI is committed to combatting health care and other financial fraud, and we will hold criminals accountable for their unlawful actions.”
“The defendant exploited people in treatment for substance use disorders,” said Atlanta Regional Director Isabel Culver of the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). “The U.S. Department of Labor is working to end unconscionable schemes like this and hold those who commit health care fraud against employee benefit plan participants and their beneficiaries accountable.”
Three other defendants, including GDSL’s owner, were previously indicted and pleaded guilty to related charges in connection with this scheme.
Agresti was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as 11 counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy count, and 10 years for each count of health care fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, IRS-CI and the EBSA investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Perwin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice’s Sober Homes Initiative, which was announced in the 2020 National Health Care Fraud Takedown to prosecute defendants who exploit vulnerable patients seeking treatment for drug and/or alcohol addiction.
Mayor of Stonecrest and bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID-19 relief fundsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest, and Lania Boone, a bookkeeper for the entity that administered COVID-19 relief funds awarded to Stonecrest, have pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft of pandemic relief funds.
“Lary’s guilty plea was the first in righting the wrongs committed against the people of Stonecrest, who were wrongfully deprived of hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to provide COVID-19 relief,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Boone’s guilty plea further demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to exploit COVID relief programs for their own gain.”
“CARES Act funds were intended to help people and businesses harmed by the pandemic, not to line the pockets of public officials entrusted to lead a community”, said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will do everything in our power to make sure stolen funds are returned to the public, and individuals involved in this type of criminal behavior are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges, and other information presented in court: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was passed in March 2020 to respond to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the CARES Act, the federal government distributed $125 million in COVID-19 relief funds to DeKalb County. The federal government permitted DeKalb County to further disburse these relief funds to its municipalities. In July 2020, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted to disburse some of the relief funds to its municipalities, including a $6.2 million grant to Stonecrest.
Stonecrest was required to spend the relief funds in accordance with the CARES Act. In general, according to the Department of the Treasury, relief funds could “only be used to cover costs that – [were] necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency . . . . and were incurred during the period that [began] on March 1, 2020, and [ended] on December 30, 2020.” Eligible expenditures included medical expenses, public health expenses, and grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures.
In September 2020, Lary, as Mayor, signed a resolution acknowledging the CARES Act requirements and adopting a funding plan for Stonecrest’s relief funds. The plan provided $1 million to the Stonecrest Cares Program for mask distribution, COVID-19 education and testing, and other purposes. In practice, the Stonecrest Cares Program directed relief funds to churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. The plan also provided $5 million to the COVID-19 CARES Act Small Business Program (“Small Business Program”).
Stonecrest did not disburse the $6 million allocated to the Stonecrest Cares Program and Small Business Program. Instead, the city contracted with Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, Inc. (“MRPC”) to provide accounting services and to disburse the relief funds as directed by Stonecrest. Before the contract was signed, Lary worked behind the scenes to form MRPC, recruit its CEO, open its bank accounts, and ensure that Lania Boone would be hired as MRPC’s bookkeeper.
In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. The application included the question, “are you willing to allocate 25% of your grant to marketing your business?” Hundreds of businesses applied for relief funds, but most of the applicants were rejected. From about November 2020, until in or about February 2021, Boone signed dozens of checks on behalf of MRPC, directing millions of dollars of relief funds to individuals, businesses, churches, and non-profit organizations. Lary helped decide where the relief funds were directed.
Abusing the authority conferred on him as mayor, Lary devised and executed a scheme to steal relief funds after they were distributed by MRPC. First, Lary told churches that received relief funds under the Stonecrest Cares Program that they were required to contribute a portion of those funds for purposes identified by Lary.
For example, Lary presented a check for $150,000 in relief funds to “Church 1,” on the condition that $50,000 be given to a company called Real Estate Management Consultants, LLC (“REMC”). Lary did not tell Church 1 at this time that he actually controlled REMC. Lary falsely stated that the $50,000 would be used to assist with home repairs for people who could not afford them due to COVID-19. In reality, Lary used the money for his own purposes, including to pay off his outstanding federal, state and local tax liabilities.
As another example, Lary presented a check from MRPC for $50,000 to “Church 2.” Later, a person acting on Lary’s behalf told Church 2 to contribute $4,500 of the relief funds to REMC, purportedly for rent assistance. Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee.
In addition, Lary solicited relief funds from businesses that received grants under the Small Business Program. Lary falsely claimed that the money would be each business’s “contribution” to Stonecrest-related marketing and advertising. But Lary and others asked that these “contributions” be given not to Stonecrest, but to entities called Visit Us, Inc. and Battleground Media, LLC. Lary did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities.
In total, businesses were defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief funds. Lary used the relief funds deposited into the Visit Us and Battleground Media accounts to benefit himself and others. For example, Lary used relief funds held by Visit Us to pay for an associate’s political advertising.
Finally, Lary conspired with Boone, MRPC’s bookkeeper, to steal relief funds before they were disbursed by MRPC. In January 2021, Boone used her access to one of MRPC’s bank accounts to wire transfer approximately $108,000 of relief funds to a mortgage servicing company. Lary and Boone knew the purpose of the transfer was to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront home owned by Lary. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be paid by Visit Us for Boone’s son’s college tuition and rent.
Jason Lary, 59, of Stonecrest, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2022, at 10 a.m. Lania Boone, 60, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit federal program theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Man Who Threatened to Kill a United States Magistrate Judge Gets Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A St. Lucie County man who made death threats to a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Florida was sentenced today in Tampa, Florida to five years’ imprisonment.
The sentence of 73-year-old Lawrence F. Curtin follows his conviction after a two-day trial in November 2021. In that trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandra L. López and Will Rosenzweig of the Southern District of Florida presented evidence that in August 2020, Curtin filed written objections to a U.S. Magistrate Judge’s report recommending dismissal of Curtin’s civil lawsuit. In the written objections that he filed in court, Curtin listed a link to a video he had posted on YouTube, “Road to Glory,” which showed a younger Curtin at a church service, shaking the hand of a pastor, who was a member of a minority group. Curtin stated in the written objections that the video made clear that he was threatening the Judge with “death and bodily harm” and that shaking the hand of the pastor further emphasized his threat to the Judge, a member of the same minority group.
The evidence also showed that the inclusion of personal details about the Judge in the written objections and other court filings were meant to threaten the Judge since Curtin had never had an in-person hearing with the Judge and had to have researched the Judge to obtain the information. Moreover, the evidence showed that Curtin’s anger at the Judge was compounded by the Judge’s previous recommendations to dismiss four of his earlier-filed civil lawsuits. At sentencing, it was also shown that Curtin had engaged in a pattern of threatening federal and state judges with seriously bodily injury or death since 2005.
United States District Court Judge William F. Jung of the Middle District of Florida imposed the sentence, which also includes a supervised release term of three years following incarceration.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Gadyaces S. Serralta, the United States Marshal for the Southern District of Florida announced the sentence.
The Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Marshal’s Office investigated the case. St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office assisted. The Victim Witness Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida also assisted.
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 no. 21-cr-20102.
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Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded Gun on Chicago StreetRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun on a Chicago street.
TERRANCE WEATHERSBY illegally possessed the gun on the afternoon of Oct. 6, 2018, in the 5800 block of West Fulton Street in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Shortly after 1:00 p.m., Chicago Police officers responding to the sound of gunfire approached the area and observed a man subsequently identified as Weathersby firing a gun multiple times at unidentified individuals down the street, in the presence of bystanders. Weathersby ran from the police and tossed the gun into a backyard before fleeing in a vehicle. Other officers pulled over the vehicle a few blocks away and apprehended Weathersby. Police then searched the area where Weathersby ran and discovered the gun, which was equipped with a high-capacity magazine.
Weathersby, 32, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm. He had previously been convicted of felonies in state court, including a firearm offense, and was prohibited by federal law from possessing the gun.
U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin imposed an 87-month prison sentence Thursday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“A felon carrying a gun fitted with a large capacity magazine, walking down our residential streets and shooting, strikes fear into the hearts of ordinary people,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant’s offense conduct was brazen, dangerous, and adversely affected public safety.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Christopher R Ross, a/k/a Chris R. Ross, 41, of Waterboro, Maine pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of fentanyl, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 2, 2020, and July 8, 2020, at the direction of agents, a cooperating individual arranged through text and phone conversations to purchase fentanyl from Ross at two separate locations in Rochester.
Ross is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2022.
“To protect our community from harm, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify the criminals who are distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “By prosecuting the drug traffickers who are seeking to profit from drug sales, we are helping to improve the quality of life in the Granite State.”
“Fentanyl is a deadly drug that continues to cause significant harm in communities throughout New Hampshire,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “In identifying and disrupting dealers like Mr. Ross, the FBI and our law enforcement partners are able to prevent traffickers like him from continuing to endanger public health and safety.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
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Lincoln Repeat Offender Sentenced for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Gabriel S. Goss, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and a mixture or substance containing cocaine. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Goss to 180 months in prison followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Goss faced a 15-year mandatory-minimum sentence in this case because he had a prior conviction for sale of a controlled substance in violation of Minnesota state law.
On September 4, 2020, law enforcement searched a vehicle following a traffic stop in Lincoln. Goss was in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Officers found inside a bag at Goss’s feet about 1.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, three baggies containing suspected marijuana, drug paraphernalia, $1,500 in currency, and numerous unused baggies. Law enforcement also found two bags of suspected methamphetamine and one bag of suspected cocaine in the glove box of the vehicle. Those items were seized by law enforcement and sent to a lab for testing. The lab determined that a total of 113.28 grams of confirmed methamphetamine, of which at least 100 grams was actual methamphetamine, and 41.88 grams of cocaine were seized from the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Knoxville Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE-Tenn.– On February 10, 2022, Eugene Charles McGrath, 55, of Knoxville, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 300 months for producing child pornography by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, McGrath pled guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of using a minor to produce depictions of sexually explicit conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e). Upon his release from prison McGrath will be on supervised release for life. McGrath will also be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
According to documents filed in Court, from 2006 through 2020, defendant produced child pornography of at least two minors under 10 years of age. One of the videos that McGrath produced has been distributed internationally. In addition to the child pornography images he produced, McGrath was also in possession of 103 images and 11 videos of other child pornography.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Unit.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Kentucky Businessman Pleads Guilty to Decade-Long Scheme to DefraudRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Charles A. "Chuck" Jones, 51, a Kentucky businessman, has pleaded guilty to a decade-long scheme and conspiracy to defraud the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-Rate Program. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court and the indictment, the E-Rate Program is an FCC program that provides money to needy schools, often in rural areas of America, for internet access and telecommunications services. The program has specific rules that forbid service providers to the schools, such as Jones, from paying kickbacks to school officials and consultants. The E-Rate Program also requires participating service providers to charge participating schools at least a 10% co-pay.
For approximately 10 years, Jones paid kickbacks to an E-Rate consultant working with the Missouri and Tennessee schools involved in this case. During this 10-year conspiracy, Jones, one of his employees, and the school E-Rate consultant, made false statements and submitted fabricated documents to the E-Rate Program regarding the required co-pays and the program’s fair and open bidding process. In essence, Jones and his co-conspirators used the victim schools as vehicles to fraudulently obtain money from the E-Rate Program for Jones. The loss to the E-Rate Program was approximately $6.9 million dollars.
"The E-Rate Program was designed to assist the children in our nation’s neediest schools, and we are committed to pursuing investigations into those who would corrupt this program for personal gain." stated FCC-IG David Hunt. "The result in this case demonstrates the outstanding working relationship between the FCC Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. We remain dedicated to our mandate to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse in FCC subsidy programs. The OIG will actively continue to support the investigation and prosecution of individuals who defraud this, and all other FCC programs established to ensure that students, school staff and library patrons have necessary access to the internet and the telecommunications tools and services they need."
"The FBI is committed to investigating allegations of fraud related to federally funded programs, especially when those egregious schemes impact programs designed to help rural schools in need," said Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Korneski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Memphis Field Office. "This guilty plea is the result of the focus and coordinated effort of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors involved."
Jones has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud which carries a maximum possible term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2022, before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris in Memphis.
The FCC-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Murre Foster and Tony Arvin are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
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Kalispell felon who confronted two strangers, displayed a gun was sentenced to more than six years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to confronting two strangers in a parking lot and displaying a firearm he was prohibited from having was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
John Lee Barlow, 42, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 23, 2021, the victim called 911 to report that a man, later identified as Barlow, had pulled a gun on him and his girlfriend in a parking lot in Kalispell. The victim reported that he had parked his vehicle and started walking to a restaurant when a Dodge pickup drove toward him and stopped abruptly. Barlow, the driver and sole occupant, got out and started screaming at the victim for walking in front of him. Barlow then pulled up his shirt, placed his hand on a holstered pistol and shouted, “I’m the police!” before returning to his truck and driving away. The victim’s girlfriend witnessed the altercation and told officers that Barlow was “acting like he was gonna shoot us.” The girlfriend took photographs of Barlow and his truck. Surveillance video from a nearby casino recorded the interaction. Officers ultimately identified and arrested Barlow and obtained a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol from his residence. Barlow had prior felony convictions for aggravated assault in Georgia and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kalispell Police Department.
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 Gang Member on All Counts in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident and gang member with an extensive criminal history was found guilty on all counts by a federal jury following a four-day trial in Valdosta federal court.
Quinton Jarod Simmons, 30, of Adel, Georgia, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking offense on Thursday, Feb. 10, following a trial that began on Monday, Feb. 7, before U.S. District Judge Louis Sands. Simmons faces a maximum term of life imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
“A gang member with a lengthy criminal history, Simmons must now pay the price for continually breaking the law and harming the community,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as our community partners, to make Middle Georgia a safer place.”
“With twelve prior convictions, Simmons was a continuous threat to the safety of the citizens in our community,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our partners in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program to help convict repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face steeper penalties and no opportunity for parole.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Simmons, a member of the Crips street gang, fled Remerton Police Department Officers who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop for a traffic violation on June 15, 2018. Simmons ran through a red light during the pursuit and crashed his vehicle into a tree on Georgia Avenue in Valdosta. Simmons attempted to escape his car, but responding officers took him into custody. Simmons was in possession of a Glock 22 firearm that had been reported stolen by an Adel resident in April 2018, as well as two clear bags of pink and blue pills that tested positive for methamphetamine. Simmons has a lengthy criminal history, with 12 prior convictions, including burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing a police officer and theft by taking.
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.
The case was investigated by FBI, GBI, Remerton Police Department, Valdosta State University Police Department, Valdosta Police Department, Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, Valdosta-Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory and Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonja Profit and Mike Morrison prosecuted the case.
Jennings Man Sentenced for Wildlife Hunting ViolationsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Trevor Istre, 22, of Jennings, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to 5 years of unsupervised probation and a $3,000 fine for taking migratory birds with the aid of a motor vehicle, taking migratory birds during a closed season, and taking migratory birds in violation of state law. As part of his probation, Istre’s hunting, and fishing privileges were suspended for 3 years. Three other individuals involved in the illegal activity were previously fined a total of $2,470.
The trial for Istre on the aforementioned wildlife violations was set to begin February 10, 2022, but Istre pleaded guilty to those violations on the day of his trial. The charges stemmed from an investigation into illegal hunting activity on Mardi Gras day, February 16, 2021 when a Wildlife Officer from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s K9 team encountered a group of individuals shooting geese from a state highway on private property. The subjects fled from the area and avoided apprehension that day. Agents began an investigation into their illegal hunting activities and located spent shotgun shell casings and apprehended one crippled goose that day. Their investigation continued and the violators were identified, four of which were repeat offenders with histories of wildlife violations in state and federal courts on Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge. In total, 29 geese that were illegally taken were seized.
Istre previously pleaded guilty to federal wildlife violations at the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge in December 2019 and had state wildlife violations in November and December 2019 and had already paid $3,904 in fines to multiple jurisdictions for hunting violations since he had become an adult.
“Hunting violations are cases that our office takes very seriously,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “The hunting laws were created for the protection of our wildlife, and we will continue to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to hold those who break those laws accountable for their actions.”
“Our Federal Wildlife Officers, and Canines, take Migratory Bird enforcement seriously in the Mississippi Flyway. Restricting hunting and fishing privileges has proven to be the most effective deterrent for the protection of wild game species and public lands in Sportsman’s Paradise. Courts in the Western District of Louisiana have echoed that message, and the public wins when these types of sentences are imposed,” said Steven Strader, Patrol Captain for the USFWS Division of Refuge Law Enforcement, Louisiana District.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Canine Team, investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Feb. 10 was:
Shawndra Marie Pietz, 35, of Billings, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pietz faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one years of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime. Pietz was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-7.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Feb. 8 was:
Hunter Dylan Bell, 28, of Great Falls, on charges of possession of an unregistered firearm, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute heroin. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Bell was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-1.
Jesus Zamora-Cuevas, 23, of Mexico, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearm and ammunition and illegal re-entry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Zamora-Cuevas faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Zamora-Cuevas was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-11.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national residing in Fall River was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry. The defendant was previously convicted on state charges of three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child as well as assault and disorderly conduct.
Rudy Osorto Bonilla, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (approximately eight months in prison) and three years of supervised release. Osorto will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Oct. 14, 2021, Osorto Bonilla pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
In 2003 Osorto Bonilla, who was illegally present in the United States, was convicted in the Fall River District Court with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child. Osorto Bonilla was subsequently placed into removal proceedings and in March 2004, was deported to Honduras.
Sometime after this 2004 removal, Osorto Bonilla illegally returned to the United States. In June 2010, Osorto Bonilla arrested and later convicted in Maryland state court of assault and disorderly conduct. Following this conviction, Osorto Bonilla was charged and convicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland of illegal reentry and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Following completion of his sentence, Osorto Bonilla was placed into removal proceedings and was deported to his native country of Honduras in July 2011.
Sometime after this second removal, Osorto Bonilla again illegally returned to the United States and in June 2021 was arrested in Fall River by federal agents. His previous Order of Removal was reinstated, and his case was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston for prosecution.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.