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7 February 2022
Berkeley County man sentenced for his role in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Curtis Davis, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 60 months of incarceration for drug distribution, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Davis, age 31, pled guilty in April 2021 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.” Davis admitted to having 28 grams or more of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in June 2019 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Bank CEO Stephen M. Calk Sentenced to One Year and One Day for Corruptly Soliciting A Presidential Administration Position in Exchange for Approving $16 Million in LoansRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that STEPHEN M. CALK was sentenced to one year and one day of imprisonment for corruptly using his position as the head of a federally-insured bank to issue millions of dollars in high-risk loans to Paul Manafort in exchange for personal benefit: CALK’s placement on the Donald J. Trump 2016 presidential campaign and assistance from Manafort in trying to obtain a senior position with the incoming presidential administration. On July 13, 2021, CALK was found guilty of financial institution bribery and conspiracy to commit financial institution bribery following a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield, who also imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Stephen Calk abused his position as the CEO of a federally-insured bank to try to buy himself prestige and power by trading millions of dollars in high-risk loans for influence with a presidential campaign and consideration for positions at the highest levels of the Defense Department. Today’s sentence sends the message that those who corrupt federally regulated financial institutions will be held to account.”
As reflected in the Indictment, documents previously filed in the case, and evidence introduced at trial:
CALK, The Federal Savings Bank, and Paul Manafort
STEPHEN M. CALK was the chairman and chief executive officer of The Federal Savings Bank, a federal savings association headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an office in New York, New York. The Bank was owned in its entirety by National Bancorp Holdings, a Chicago-based bank holding company, and CALK was the chairman, chief executive officer, and owner of approximately 67% of the holding company.
Paul Manafort was a lobbyist and political consultant. Beginning in or about March 2016, Manafort held a senior role with Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential, and from June 2016 through August 2016, he served as chairman of the presidential campaign. After Manafort’s formal role with the presidential campaign concluded in or about August 2016, Manafort continued to be informally involved in the campaign. Beginning in or about November 2016, when Donald J. Trump was elected President of the United States, Manafort provided informal input to the presidential transition team.
The Corrupt Scheme
Between in or about July 2016 and January 2017, CALK engaged in a corrupt scheme to exploit his position as the head of the Bank and the holding company in an effort to secure a valuable personal benefit for himself, namely, Manafort’s assistance in obtaining for CALK a senior position in the presidential administration. During this time period, Manafort sought millions of dollars in loans from the Bank. CALK understood that Manafort urgently needed these loans in order to terminate or avoid foreclosure proceedings on multiple properties owned by Manafort and Manafort’s family. Further, CALK believed that Manafort could use his influence with the presidential transition team to assist CALK in obtaining a senior administration position.
CALK thus sought to leverage his control over the Bank and the loans sought by Manafort to his personal advantage. Specifically, CALK offered to, and did, cause the Bank and holding company to extend $16 million in loans to Manafort in exchange for Manafort’s requested assistance in obtaining a high-level position in the presidential administration. For example, and while Manafort’s loans were pending approval, CALK provided Manafort with a ranked list of the governmental positions he desired, which started with Secretary of the Treasury, and was followed by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary of Defense, as well as 19 ambassadorships similarly ranked and starting with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy.
In approving these loans to Manafort, CALK was aware of significant red flags regarding Manafort’s ability to repay the loans, such as his history of defaulting on prior loans. Moreover, given the size of the loans, Manafort’s debt became the single largest lending relationship at the Bank. In order to enable the Bank to issue these loans without violating the Bank’s legal limit on loans to a single borrower, CALK authorized a maneuver never before performed by the Bank, in which the holding company—which CALK also controlled—acquired a portion of the loans from the Bank.
During the same time period, Manafort provided CALK with valuable personal benefits. First, in or about the summer of 2016, during the presidential campaign—and just days after CALK and the rest of the Bank’s credit committee conditionally approved a proposed $9.5 million loan to Manafort — Manafort appointed CALK to a prestigious economic advisory committee affiliated with the campaign. And second, in or about late November and early December 2016—after Donald J. Trump had been elected President, after Manafort’s first loan from the Bank had been issued, and while a second set of loans worth $6.5 million sought by Manafort was pending approval by the Bank— Manafort used his influence with the presidential transition team to assist Calk, recommending CALK for an administration position. Due to Manafort’s efforts, CALK was formally interviewed for the position of Under Secretary of the Army on January 10, 2017 at the presidential transition team’s principal offices in New York, New York. CALK was not ultimately hired.
To conceal the unlawful nature of his scheme, CALK made false and misleading statements to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regarding the loans to Manafort. For example, CALK falsely stated to the OCC regulators that he had not known that the Manafort’s properties had been in foreclosure prior to issuing the loans. CALK also stated that he had never desired a position in the presidential administration.
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In addition to the prison term, CALK, 56, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and 800 hours of community service. CALK was also ordered to pay a $1 million fine on Count 1 and a $250,000 fine on Count 2.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul M. Monteleoni, Hagan Scotten, Benet Kearney, Alexandra N. Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA -- U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has 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.”
According to the Human Trafficking Institute’s Annual Report for 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa (USAO-SDIA) was sixth in the nation for number of new human trafficking defendants, equal with the number of defendants in United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia. Since 2019, the USAO-SDIA has successfully prosecuted the following human trafficking defendants.
• Kendall Andrew Streb, of Hills, was sentenced to 268 months in prison following a jury trial where he was convicted of three counts of child sex trafficking, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine to children, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful user in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
• Isaiah Patterson, of Cedar Rapids, was sentenced to 144 months in prison for sex trafficking a 15-year-old victim following a plea of guilty.
• Tommy Tate Collins, of Cedar Rapids, was sentenced to 201 months in prison following a guilty plea to one count of child sex trafficking.
• Albert Kelly Price, of Iowa City and North Liberty, was sentenced to 348 months in prison for his guilty plea to two counts of child sex trafficking and admissions he sex trafficked three minors between the ages of 14 and 16.
• Arrion Marcus West, Jr., of Iowa City, was sentenced to 210 months in prison following a guilty plea where he admitted to sex trafficking two minor children, ages 15 and 17.
• Marlin Santana Thomas, of Des Moines, was sentenced to life imprisonment for sex trafficking six adult victims and one 14-year-old victim. Thomas pleaded guilty to the offenses. At the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that Thomas had raped, attempted to sex traffic, and/or physically assaulted 11 additional women.
• Hershel James Ratliff, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 360 months in prison following a jury trial where he was convicted of four counts of sex trafficking minors, two counts of sex trafficking, and distribution of Xanax to a minor.
• Earl Jonell Jackson, of Omaha, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for transportation and sex trafficking of a child following his plea of guilty.
• Darrius Decnan Redd, of Manchester, was convicted by a federal jury of sex trafficking an adult victim, facilitation of prostitution, and distribution of a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21. Redd is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2022.
Local law enforcement partners, as well as state and federal agencies have had a vital role in the investigation of federal human trafficking cases in the Southern District of Iowa. “We are thankful for our partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office and their commitment to investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases,” stated Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston. “Partnerships between local, state and federal agencies are critical in the fight against these crimes.” Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert added, “Although we have collectively achieved significant success, it goes without saying that we will continue to invest our time and resources to combat human trafficking. The nature of these crimes is horrific, and we will continue to leverage our partnerships at the local, state and federal level to provide for the needs of the victims and bring accountability to the perpetrators. Our pursuit is on-going.”
The USAO-SDIA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorneys who prosecute human trafficking cases and a team of victim specialists to assist victims through the criminal justice process, as well as to provide victims of human trafficking with emotional support. USAO-SDIA victim specialists work closely with victim specialists with the FBI, as well as local organizations such as, but not limited to, the Polk County Crisis and Advocacy Center, University of Iowa Rape Victim Advocacy Program, Central Iowa Trauma Recovery Center, Crisis Intervention Services, Family Resources, Inc., and Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program.FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel stated, “Human trafficking is modern day slavery. Its victims lead lives of misery. The FBI is on the front lines of the fight against this heinous crime. The DOJ National Strategy supports our continuing efforts to work closely with our local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to investigate all forms of human trafficking, regardless of a victim’s age or nationality, and bring those perpetrators who exploit victims to justice. The FBI never loses focus on the victims of human trafficking, and our Victim Services Division works tirelessly to assist survivors in navigating the aftermath of the crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.”
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.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Recently, 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.”
“While the threats our fellow citizens face are many and varied, because of the physical and emotional toll human trafficking offenses take on vulnerable victims, these cases deserve our purposeful focus,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to focus our efforts on seeking justice for vulnerable victims and holding traffickers and those who prey on trafficking victims accountable. We will expand our collaboration with victims and the organizations that serve them to help get them the services and support they need. Whether the survivor is a child or an adult, no human being deserves to be coerced into commercial sex for the benefit of another.”
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. U.S. Attorney Myers has appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Hilton to serve as the Human Trafficking Coordinator for the Southern District of Indiana. Hilton will continue to build on the district’s strong foundation of investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases throughout the Southern District.
Working closely with law enforcement, prosecution, and probation partners, as well as victim-service providers and child protection agencies, the Southern District of Indiana has successfully prosecuted multiple sex trafficking cases. This includes work with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Whitestown Police Department, the Indiana State Police, and Homeland Security. Notable results include the following:
- United States v. James Young resulted in a 26-year prison sentence for the primary trafficker of four minors. Raheem Simmons was also prosecuted for his role in the operation, and Wayne Wilson received a three-year federal prison term for obstructing justice during the prosecution.
- United States v. Nahtanha Garcia-Herrera, et. al. resulted in a 20-year prison sentence for the primary offender and a ten-year prison sentence for Tyrece Jones. Two other individuals, Rhonda Badger and Vaughn Isom, were imprisoned for their respective roles in the offenses against 2 minor girls.
- United States v. William Muzzall resulted in an 11-year prison sentence for the primary trafficker of one minor. Ashani Burnett-Cisse was also prosecuted for Attempted Witness/Victim Tampering and sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment.
- United States v. Marvin Rankins, et. al. resulted in a 10-year prison sentence for the primary trafficking of one minor. Two other women were prosecuted for their respective roles in the trafficking enterprise.
- United States v. Breanda Smith resulted in a 78-month prison sentence for a woman who trafficked a minor. Her co-defendant, Cordney Thurman, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in the offense.
- In 2021, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury’s verdict and the 40-year prison sentence in United States v. Elijah Vines. Vines trafficked a minor female in the Indianapolis area in the fall of 2016. He was convicted after a jury trial in 2019. Two other individuals were also convicted for their roles in the trafficking enterprise. That case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristina Korobov, Brad Shepard, and Lawrence Hilton.
On December 23, 2021, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced almost $87 million in funding to combat human trafficking, provide supportive services to trafficking victims throughout the United States and conduct research into the nature and causes of labor and sex trafficking.
OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) continues to manage the largest amount of federal funding dedicated to providing services to victims of human trafficking. OVC strengthens the victim service response to human trafficking through grant funding, training and technical assistance and leadership in the field. For example, OVC-funded human trafficking task forces initiated more than 2,800 new investigations nationwide between June 2019 and July 2020, and its victim service grant programs reached nearly 10,000 clients over a 12-month period. OJP’s investments figure prominently in the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.
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.
- United States v. James Young resulted in a 26-year prison sentence for the primary trafficker of four minors. Raheem Simmons was also prosecuted for his role in the operation, and Wayne Wilson received a three-year federal prison term for obstructing justice during the prosecution.
Atlantic County Company and its Owner Admit Taking Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, construction company and one of its owners entered into a settlement agreement with the United States in which they admitted violating the False Claims Act by taking a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to which the company was not entitled, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
According to admissions and the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement:
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.
Christopher Construction Company Inc. (the “Company”) and one of its owners, Dennis Christopher, applied for and received a PPP loan totaling $255,507. Christopher, on behalf of the Company, falsely certified in the PPP application that neither the Company nor any individual owning 20 percent or more of its equity was subject to an indictment or other criminal charges. When he completed the application, however, Christopher knew that another owner of the Company was subject to a criminal indictment. Christopher’s false certification on the application caused a bank to approve a PPP loan and caused the Small Business Administration (SBA) to pay a loan processing fee to the lender and to guarantee the loan through the PPP.
Prior to entering into the settlement agreement, the Company repaid the PPP loan balance in full, relieving the SBA of any liability to the lender. The Company and Christopher agreed to pay $53,325 in damages and civil penalties. The settlement with the Company and Dennis Christopher resolves 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 resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also credited special agents of the SBA - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Pat L. Christopher v. Christopher Construction Company, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 20-7500 (D.N.J.)
Arizona Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Aggravated Role in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Robert Darnell Beal, 41, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced in federal court on February 7, 2022, by United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 180 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On June 25, 2021, Beal was found guilty of conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl after a five-day jury trial in Honolulu.
Clare E. Connors, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said the evidence presented in court showed that Beal flew to the Dayton International Airport in Ohio from Phoenix, Arizona, on December 10, 2014, and took possession of over four pounds of fentanyl that was transported from the San Francisco Bay Area to Dayton, Ohio by another individual.
Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) monitoring wiretaps authorized by the United States District Court determined that the fentanyl was being transported to Dayton, Ohio on December 10, 2014 by a drug trafficking organization operating on Maui and in Northern California. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration in Ohio, working in conjunction with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, effected a stop of Beal’s taxicab outside the Dayton International Airport and seized 4,007 grams of fentanyl in Beal’s travel bag.
Beal faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 months (15 years) imprisonment after the prosecution filed an enhancement alleging a prior federal felony conviction for possessing cocaine base with intent to distribute in the District of New Mexico.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
The case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maui Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and assisted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Muehleck.
Albuquerque smoke shop owner appears in court on firearm and drug chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Gabriel Monico Guevara, 40, of Albuquerque, made an initial appearance in federal court today, facing charges of possessing firearms during, in relation to or in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Guevara will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 9.
According to a criminal complaint, Albuquerque police executed a search warrant on Guevara’s residence and a smoke shop he owns through a limited liability company (LLC). During the search of Guevara’s residence, investigators allegedly found seven firearms, six of which were loaded and three of which allegedly were stolen. They also allegedly recovered approximately 35.67 pounds of marijuana, 56 oxycodone pills and approximately 3 grams of cocaine. During the search of the smoke shop, investigators found three firearms, two of which were loaded and allegedly stolen. They also allegedly recovered an additional 20.47 pounds of marijuana.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Guevara faces a minimum of five years and up to life in prison.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime and Gangs Task Force (VCGTF) investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division and Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nora Wilson is prosecuting the case.
Akron Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron man who participated in a multi-state methamphetamine conspiracy was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison. Dennis Deire Mosely, Jr., 35, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Mosley admitted that he participated in the conspiracy during the month of July 2019. Mosley admitted that he and another individual made arrangements to acquire methamphetamine in the Columbus, Ohio area. On July 24, 2019, Mosley and the other individual traveled from Akron to Columbus and acquired at least three pounds of methamphetamine. The other individual then delivered the methamphetamine to an individual in Sissonville the next day. Mosley admitted that he knew the methamphetamine would be distributed in the Southern District of West Virginia when he helped acquire it.
“Meth is a significant public safety threat in our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “That’s why my office and our law enforcement partners are collectively focused on shutting down meth trafficking organizations and holding meth traffickers accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force conducted the investigation. Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
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. 3:19-cr-00246.
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5 February 2022
Wagner Woman Charged with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Felony Child AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Wagner, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and one count of Felony Child Abuse.
Tina Sully, age 51, was indicted on February 1, 2022. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on February 3, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between November 26, 2017, and May 23, 2021, Sully unlawfully assaulted a minor female victim who had not attained the age of 18, with a belt and a hanger.
The Indictment also alleges that during the same period of time as stated above, Sully abused, exposed, tortured, tormented, and cruelly punished the same victim.
The charges are merely accusations and Sully is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office, and the Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Sully was released on bond pending trial, which has been set for April 12, 2022.
Nebraska Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Newcastle, Nebraska, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Joseph Ross Burks, age 40, was indicted on February 1, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on February 3, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between May 22, 2021, and July 27, 2021, Burks, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under state law, and having traveled in interstate commerce, failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Burks is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Burks was returned to State Custody pending trial, which has been set for April 12, 2022.
4 February 2022
York Man Sentenced to Six Years of Imprisonment for Smuggling Cocaine Through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hector Castro-Padro, age 36, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment on February 3, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for his role in a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into York County from Puerto Rico.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, in November 2019, Castro-Padro tried to receive a box he knew contained a kilogram of cocaine. The box had been shipped from Puerto Rico and was destined for an address in York. However, U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted the box and discovered the cocaine. Law enforcement authorities continued the investigation by having the box delivered and then arrested Castro-Padro when he took custody of it.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio prosecuted the case.
This case was 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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Worcester Man Sentenced on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in connection with brandishing a loaded sawed-off shotgun in December 2019.
Steven Dillon, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 43 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Sept. 27, 2021, Dillon pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.
On Dec. 25, 2019, Dillon went out drinking following a family Christmas dinner. He returned to his apartment intoxicated and approached the teenagers who had stayed home. After arguing with the teenagers, he went to his bedroom and retrieved a sawed-off shot gun, which he cocked while walking down the hall towards the room occupied by the teenagers. The teenagers barricaded themselves in the bedroom and contacted police. When police arrived, they found Dillon in the apartment and the shotgun and ammunition in his bedroom. Dillon was previously convicted of a felony punishable by more than one year in prison and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Winner Woman Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Winner, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on February 3, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Amber Heth, age 34, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Heth was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 8, 2020. She pled guilty on November 1, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy wherein Heth was involved with others, including her sister, to distribute over 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in and around Winner, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Heth was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wilkes Co. Moonshiner Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Clifton Ray Anderson, Jr., 47, of Boomer, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States of excise taxes on distilled liquor and to violate the laws of the United States, including the interstate transportation of untaxed liquor and possession of an unregistered still, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Anderson’s co-conspirators, Roger Nance, 76, of Wilkesboro, N.C., Huie Kenneth Nicholson, 75, of Hamptonville, N.C., and Gary Matthew Ray, 53, of Roaring River, N.C., previously pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge as Anderson. James Patterson, 71, of Dinwiddie, VA, previously pled guilty in a separately filed case in the Western District of North Carolina to distributing untaxed moonshine distilled by Anderson.
According to filed plea documents and today’s plea hearing, from April 2018 to September 2020, Anderson conspired with Nance, Nicholson, and Ray to operate and maintain an illegal still at a barn owned by Ray in Wilkes County. Anderson leased the barn from Ray for $500 per month and used it to illegally produce more than 9,000 gallons of untaxed liquor, commonly known as moonshine. Court records show that, during the relevant time period, Nance, Nicholson and Ray transported the moonshine across state lines to Patterson in Virginia for sale and distribution, which resulted in a total federal and state excise and sales tax loss of over $100,000.
Anderson was released on bond following his guilty plea. The conspiracy charge and the charge of possession of an unregistered still each carry a maximum prison sentence of five years and $250,000 fine.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the work of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and the Triad Municipal ABC Board for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Savage, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is in charge of the prosecution.
West Des Moines Man Sentenced to 97 Months Prison for Tax Fraud and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A West Des Moines man was sentenced today to 97 months in federal prison for multiple federal offenses, including money laundering and making false claims for tax refunds. The court also ordered restitution in the amount of $404,440.85 and a special assessment of $925.
Jeffrey Allan Kock, age 50, was convicted by a jury on September 29, 2021, of a total of 13 counts, including five counts of the willful failure to file individual income tax returns; two counts of making false claims against the United States; wire fraud; mail fraud; three counts of money laundering; and concealment of an asset.
The trial evidence showed that Kock made false claims for tax refunds on two IRS Forms 1041, which is a form used by estates and trusts. Kock fraudulently requested refunds in the amounts of $20,671 and $10,921,192, which were initially paid by the Internal Revenue Service. Kock used some of the proceeds to purchase three luxury automobiles, which were eventually recovered by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to federal seizure warrants. The trial evidence also showed that Kock attempted to purchase a multi-million dollar residence, but that the transaction was not successful. Shortly after the second fraudulent refund was paid, the Internal Revenue Service recovered most of the fraudulently-obtained proceeds.
The trial evidence also showed that Kock worked in the local restaurant and bar industry during the years 2014-2018, earning sufficient income to require the filing of individual income tax returns. However, IRS records showed that Kock did not file individual returns for these years.
“Complying with the nation’s tax laws is a responsibility we all share. Not only did Mr. Kock consistently fail to file his federal tax returns, but he stole from taxpayers by submitting false claims for tax refunds he was not entitled to. Mr. Kock then tried to live a lavish lifestyle by purchasing luxury vehicles and a house with stolen taxpayer funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “This sentence shows the dedication that IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Justice have to recovering ill-gotten assets and putting criminals behind bars for such acts.”
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing over 400 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DIEGO AGUILAR-VALDOVINOS, age 38 of Federal Way, Washington, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl before United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on February 2, 2022. Sentencing has been set for April 25, 2022.
According to the indictment, on or about July 27, 2021, the defendant knowingly and intentionally possessed a controlled substance, a mixture containing fentanyl of at least 400 grams or more, with the intent to distribute it.
Possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment; five years to life supervised release; up to a $10 million fine and a $100 special assessment.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming State Highway Patrol, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen.
United States Files False Claims Act Lawsuit Against Tuscaloosa Psychiatrist for Improper Prescribing of Nuedexta to Nursing Home ResidentsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced that the United States has filed suit against Dr. Charles T. Nevels, a psychiatrist who has worked in several nursing homes in Alabama. The complaint alleges that Dr. Nevels caused the submission to Medicare and Medicaid of false and fraudulent claims for the prescription drug Nuedexta, which is indicated only for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a condition characterized by involuntary laughing or crying. Nuedexta has not been shown to be safe and effective in non-PBA types of emotional lability that can commonly occur, for example, in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.
The complaint alleges that from 2015 through 2019, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Nuedexta paid Dr. Nevels more than $400,000 to make speeches, but the speeches had few attendees, little value, and were intended to compensate Dr. Nevels for prescribing Nuedexta. For instance, in November 2016the pharmaceutical company paid Dr. Nevels a $2,000 speaker fee to give a presentation in Decatur, Alabama, that the company’s records show had no attendees.
“The Department of Justice will fight to protect nursing home residents, including by ensuring that prescribing decisions affecting them are free from undue influence, and the medications they receive are medically appropriate for them,” said U.S Attorney Escalona.
The complaint further alleges that the pharmaceutical company also paid Dr. Nevels for the expenses he claimed related to the presentations he gave. For instance, in addition to the speaker fee he received for each presentation, the pharmaceutical company paid Dr. Nevels over $1,500 for claimed expenses associated with a presentation at The Arrogant Butcher in Phoenix, Arizona, and over $1,200 for claimed expenses associated with a presentation at the Gamlin Whiskey House in St. Louis, Missouri.
Additionally, the complaint alleges, with Dr. Nevels’ assent, the pharmaceutical company’s sales representative visited nursing homes where Dr. Nevels worked and sought to convince nurses there to refer patients to Dr. Nevels, to help him “build [his] base of business.” In return, Dr. Nevels prescribed Nuedexta to nursing home residents who did not have pseudobulbar affect. In 2015, Dr. Nevels accounted for more than half of all Medicare claims for Neudexta in Alabama, and between 2015 and 2019, he caused more than $6 million in Medicare claims and $800,000 in Medicaid claims for the drug.
The allegations of the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Attorney’s Office Reminds State and Local Government Agencies to Designate an Americans with Disabilities Act CoordinatorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today that it has issued a
Dear Colleagues Letter reminding state and local government agencies that they are required by law to designate Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) Coordinators and inviting ADA Coordinators to an informational meeting.The Dear Colleagues Letter announces that on March 15 at 2 pm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be holding a virtual meeting for ADA Coordinators in Virginia in order to provide information on the steps that state and local governmental entities can take to comply with the ADA and provide an opportunity for questions and collaboration.
When Congress passed the ADA, it recognized that discrimination against individuals with disabilities persists in critical areas, including access to public services. Through the ADA, Congress explained that it was issuing a national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities by providing strong and enforceable standards. In support of these goals, the ADA regulations require state and local government agencies with 50 or more employees to designate personnel, who are knowledgeable in how the ADA applies to the agency’s programs, services and activities, to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under the ADA, including investigating any ADA complaints. To ensure that the public and the agency’s employees may easily locate the designated employees, the ADA regulations also require public entities to publish contact information for the ADA Coordinators.
The Dear Colleagues Letter explains that the ADA Coordinator “may serve as the point of contact for individuals with disabilities to request auxiliary aids and services, policy modifications, and other accommodations in order to participate in the services, programs, or activities of the public entity.” The Dear Colleagues Letter also includes links to numerous Department of Justice publications that provide detailed discussions of the ADA’s requirements, including publications on ADA.gov: “ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments,” “Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities,” “ADA Requirements: Effective Communication,” “ADA Checklist for Polling Places.”
The United States Attorney’s Office, through its Civil Rights Enforcement (“CRE”) Unit, and in partnership with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. This office vigorously enforces a variety of federal statutes that prohibit discrimination, including the ADA, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974. The CRE Unit also enforces the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, which protect military members as they enter and return from active duty.
For more information on the ADA, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Undocumented Individual Sentenced for Filing Fraudulent Claims in Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – An undocumented individual was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to use over 100 victims’ identities (without their consent) to unlawfully submit fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits claims, totaling at least $934,129.
Alan Ray (33) pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan sentenced Ray to three years of supervised release and ordered Ray to pay restitution.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, from March 2020 to late October 2020, Ray conspired with others to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, California Employment Development Department, and other state workforce agencies. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Ray had the state workforce agencies mail debit cards — not in his name — containing unemployment benefits to addresses he had access to. In total, more than $934,129 in unemployment benefits was approved by the state workforce agencies, and at least $698,655 was withdrawn by Ray and his co-conspirators. The fraud was discovered when Ray attempted to ship fraudulently-obtained debit cards from Las Vegas to his residence in Houston, Texas.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Los Angeles Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.
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.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can 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.
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Two Miami Residents Plead Guilty for Their Role in $9 Million Scheme to Defraud Prescription Drug Coupon ProgramsRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Today, William Clero, 45 and Cesar Armando Perez Amador, 52, residents of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Miami for their participation in a $9 million scheme to defraud prescription drug cost-saving coupon programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers. At sentencing, which will be scheduled before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, Clero and Perez each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, beginning in 2014 through April 2021, Clero and Perez established numerous retail pharmacies in Miami-Dade County that purported to provide prescription drugs to individuals with private health insurance plans or without health insurance coverage. In court, Clero and Perez admitted that they and others conspired to defraud prescription drug cost-saving coupon programs by causing the submission of false and fraudulent claims to those programs resulting in more than $9 million in payments. The government tied 21 pharmacies to the defendants’ scheme, which pharmacies existed only to transmit the false and fraudulent claims. The pharmacies did not have real customers or prescriptions, and did not dispense medications.
To conceal their involvement in the scheme, Clero and Perez recruited nominee or “straw” owners for each pharmacy and listed them on corporate records, bank records, and other business documents. Clero and Perez also admitted that they transferred most of the proceeds of the scheme to shell companies they controlled and diverted large amounts of money for their personal use and benefit.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony Salisbury, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Filed Office, announced the guilty plea.
HSI Miami investigated the case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aimee C. Jimenez and Ana Maria Martinez. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda 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 21-cr-20112.
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Two Men Arrested for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 86 Kilograms of Cocaine Seized in French Town Neighborhood of St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that charges have been filed against two men for conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, following the seizure of 86 kilograms of cocaine and a firearm at a Frenchtown residence on St. Thomas. Yefri Martinez Herrera and Kelly Bruney were arrested Thursday, February 3, 2022, and made their initial appearances in federal court today, February 4, 2022.
According to court documents, Kelly Bruney is the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) which distributes kilogram quantities of cocaine to drug organizations in the Caribbean and owns kilogram quantities of drugs in St. Thomas. Yefri Martinez Herrera is described in court documents as a “broker”, who connects individuals looking to purchase kilogram quantities of cocaine with individuals looking to sell kilogram quantities of cocaine.
On January 18, 2022, Martinez Herrera and Bruney were involved in planning a drug transaction involving 200 kilograms of cocaine, and on February 3, 2022, Martinez Herrera and Bruney prepared to sell 86 kilograms of cocaine. However, the men could not agree on a public meeting location for the drug deal, because Martinez Herrera was fearful of law enforcement, due to the fact that he had a pending arrest warrant for conspiracy to transport aliens and bringing in and harboring aliens issued by the District Court of Puerto Rico.
Federal agents were able to identify the location and home where Martinez Herrera was staying with the drugs. When agents entered the home, they observed eighty-seven brick-like objects, later identified as cocaine, on the floor of a bedroom on the second floor and a Glock 23 pistol located in the same room.
While conducting a safety sweep of the home, agents located Martinez Herrera hiding inside one of the closets of a bedroom on the first level and arrested him. Moments later agents spotted Bruney in the vicinity driving a silver Tacoma. Bruney was also arrested.
This case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Air Marine Operations (AMO), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Puerto Rico Police Department and Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Lancaster Men Charged with Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Lopez, age 38, and Michael Torres, age 40, both of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, were indicted on February 2, 2022, by a federal grand jury on money laundering charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Lopez is the owner of C&D Motorsports, a car dealership located in Lancaster, where Torres is employed as a salesperson. The indictment alleges that from October 16, 2019, through December 11, 2019, Lopez and Torres conspired to conceal that the funds used to purchase a vehicle were purported to be proceeds of drug trafficking.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for the money laundering offense charged is 20 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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Statement U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Michael Avenatti for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
As an attorney and fiduciary, Michael Avenatti pledged to advise his clients and act in good faith. As evidenced by his second conviction by this Office in just three years, this time for stealing a book advance from his client, he did just the opposite. Rather than advise his clients in their best interests, Avenatti instead used his law degree as a license to steal. Michael Avenatti has once again been convicted by a unanimous jury for blatant abuse of his privilege to practice law and for betraying his solemn responsibility to his clients.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon was sentenced on February 3, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Koty Arcoren, age 30, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Arcoren was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2021. He pled guilty on October 28, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on March 7, 2021, in St. Francis, wherein Arcoren approached a man who was sitting in a parked car and confronted him. Arcoren then produced a large knife and swung it at the man. The man raised his arm to protect himself and Arcoren cut the man’s finger with the knife.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Arcoren was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for the Trafficking of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Aaron Crawford, age 37, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for the sex trafficking of two minors. Crawford was also sentenced to pay $10,350 in restitution to the victims. Judge Chuang also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Crawford must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“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.”
“Not only will our office continue to actively prosecute human traffickers to the fullest extent of the law, but we also remain unified with the Department’s comprehensive strategy to combat this heinous and inhumane crime. The Office’s longstanding history and exemplary work to bring human traffickers to justice is particularly clear in the sentencing of Aaron Crawford.” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “Crawford abused, manipulated, threatened, and trafficked two minor victims to line his own pockets from the sex work that they conducted. Let this 20-year sentence be a deterrent to others who may commit human trafficking crimes in Maryland.”
“FBI Baltimore and our law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to ensure this defendant will never intimidate, coerce or victimize a child again,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Crawford’s sentence of 20 years will hopefully bring some closure and allow the victims and their families to move forward from these heinous crimes.”
According to his plea agreement, from April 2019 to December 2019, Crawford recruited, harbored, and transported two minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts.
Specifically, Crawford posted a juvenile victim (Victim 1) in online advertisements for commercial sex and provided lodging in two locations for Victim 1 where Victim 1 conducted sex “dates.” Victim 1 was 15-years-old and had been reported missing for two months at the time. Crawford instructed Victim 1 to send sexually explicit images to him for the online advertisements; these images constituted child pornography. Upon further investigation, law enforcement located numerous communications on Crawford’s phone between Crawford, Victim 1, and sex procurers between November 5, 2019 and December 6, 2019. Crawford sent “johns” the addresses where Victim 1 was kept on 182 occasions. The majority of the communications were related to facilitating prostitution in various locations in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Further, in January 2020, law enforcement officers were advised that a 16-year-old female (Victim 2) had been trafficked by an individual known as “Fly.” In an interview with law enforcement, Victim 2 positively identified Crawford as the individual she knew as “Fly.” Crawford first met Victim 2 in March 2017 when Victim 2 was 13-years-old. Later, after they met again in April 2019, Crawford introduced Victim 2 to an adult female who encouraged Victim 2 to work as a prostitute. After Victim 2 engaged in commercial sex dates, Crawford refused to share the profits with Victim 2. Victim 2 then left with the adult female. When they met again in August 2019, Victim 2 performed sex acts for customers at Crawford’s direction at an apartment complex and a parking lot. When Victim 2 declined to engage in further commercial sex dates, Crawford raped Victim 2 and threatened to kill her if she did not engage in more sex dates. Victim 2 escaped soon thereafter when Crawford left the apartment complex where he was keeping her. She then deleted the text communication application that Crawford used to contact her so that he could no longer communicate with her.
After his arrest, investigators discovered that Crawford’s cell phone contained communications with numerous women where Crawford attempted to recruit them to work for him as commercial sex workers. In at least two of the conversations, the women identified themselves as minors.
As a founding member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office pledges to continue to combat human trafficking by working with our partners to investigate and prosecute traffickers and rescue victims. The Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force (MHTTF) was formed in 2007 by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Attorney General of Maryland, and the State's Attorney for Baltimore City to serve as the lead investigative, prosecutorial, and victim services coordinating body for anti-human trafficking activity in the State of Maryland. The MHTTF is a multidisciplinary team of agencies and organizations committed to a victim-centered approach in the fight against human trafficking in Maryland. Our record of success in rescuing and serving a range of labor and sex trafficking victims is irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. Our communities, including the vulnerable victims who are the targets of traffickers, benefit greatly from awareness of the types of human trafficking; indicators of human trafficking; and resources available to survivors of human trafficking.
On January 31, 2022, 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, which 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.
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 in 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.
- 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.
To learn more about the Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking, please visit www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-announces-justice-department-strategy-combat-human.
To learn more about human trafficking indicators visit www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/indicators-human-trafficking. 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and (https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/human-trafficking.
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Seattle man who recruited ‘teen’ for prostitution arrested on federal chargesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 23-year-old Seattle man, appeared in federal court this week charged with two felonies related to human trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Issac Shorack, was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport Wednesday evening as he drove to the arrivals area to pickup a person he believed to be a 17-year-old minor. In fact, Shorack had been communicating with an undercover agent out of state about traveling to Seattle to work as a prostitute.
“Just this week, Attorney General Garland highlighted DOJ’s efforts to protect the victims of human trafficking. Those who prey on our youth to enrich themselves must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “This case began with a tip from a concerned citizen. Then law enforcement uncovered how Mr. Shorack used money and promises to lure young women into prostitution so that he could line his own pockets.”
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began with a call to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in November 2021. The caller reported information about minors who were being trafficked in the Seattle area – in the location known as “the track” or “the blade,”on Aurora Avenue North. The FBI began an investigation and was able to trace some of the activities of Shorack and the minors he controlled for sex trafficking. Forensic examination of electronic devices revealed text messages showing Shorack in control of the minors’ activities including pricing, what sex acts they should engage in with sex buyers, the use of condoms and information about whether they were earning enough money for him. Investigators analyzed Shorack’s texts to the minors about how much money they were making, and saw that they correlated with cash deposits made into his bank accounts.
The FBI used an experienced undercover agent based out of state to reach out to Shorack posing as a 17-year-old minor. Shorack communicated with the “minor” via phone and text messages and attempted to entice her to travel to Seattle and work for him as a prostitute. Shorack had some of the minors under his control reach out to the undercover officer as well to try to recruit her to work for him. Shorack used various questions to try to determine whether the undercover was law enforcement. Ultimately, Shorack purchased a ticket for the “minor” to fly to Seattle and told her he would pick her up outside baggage claim. Instead, Shorack was arrested by Port of Seattle Police.
Shorack appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday February 3, 2022. He was detained pending a further hearing on Tuesday February 8, 2022.
Attempted enticement of a minor and attempted transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution are punishable by a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison to life in prison.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888
The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Seattle Police Department and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham. Ms. Crisham is the Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator for the Western District of Washington.
Randolph County woman admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Cheyanne Mary Katherine Winning, of Montrose, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Winning, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine—Aiding and Abetting.” Winning admitted to selling methamphetamine in November 2020 in Randolph County.
Winning faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimes. On October 21, 2021, Romel Lamont Talton pled guilty to charges of distributing a controlled substance (cocaine base) and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Talton, 38, was charged after selling quantities of cocaine base (crack) to undercover officers. A search of Talton’s residence recovered additional quantities of narcotics, an unlawfully-possessed firearm, and drug proceeds. Talton has numerous prior convictions for drug distribution in North Carolina and Connecticut.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Raleigh Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fitzgerald prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00061-D-1.
President of Manpower Agency in the Northern Mariana Islands Sentenced for Visa Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Saipan, MP - SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant ALEJANDRO TUMANDAO NARIO, age 65, a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and a lawful permanent resident in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), was sentenced in the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to 21 months imprisonment for Fraud and Misuse of Visas (Visa Fraud), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release, a $7,000.00 fine, and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
Alejandro T. Nario is the owner, president, and manager of A&A Enterprises, CNMI LLC, a manpower agency business in the CNMI. Since its incorporation in January 2019, A&A Enterprises facilitated an unlawful scheme to acquire CW-1 nonimmigrant visas for foreign citizens to enter and remain in the CNMI.
Nario and his staff submitted petitions to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for at least 99 known foreign citizens. The petitions included contracts of employment, specifying terms, hours, and wages to be paid. A&A Enterprises did not intend to employ these foreign citizens. The scheme was merely a mechanism to get them temporary immigration status. After paying $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 to A&A Enterprises for their CW-1 visas, once in the CNMI, these foreign workers would gain nondocumented jobs such as in construction, groundskeeping, and housekeeping, and then pay A&A Enterprises a fee of $194.00 every two weeks to keep their status.
The CW-1 visa program requires businesses petitioning for foreign workers to prove there is a demand for certain jobs and that those jobs for some reason cannot be filled by available United States citizens. The petitioning business must also pay the administrative fees and travel expenses for the foreign workers. But in this case, foreign workers were required to pay for these expenses and acquire their own jobs, while A&A Enterprises profited.
At the same hearing, a second defendant, ROSALEE BANGOT ABEJO, age 47, a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines residing in the CNMI, was sentenced to six months of home confinement and 36 months of probation for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. The Court also ordered 72 months of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
During its investigation of A&A Enterprises, Homeland Security Investigations discovered Abejo was assisting the company by providing documents and other templates included with fraudulent visa petitions by A&A Enterprises. Abejo also relied upon staff at A&A Enterprises to electronically modify documents, which Abejo used to fraudulently submit CW-1 and CW-2 petitions for two friends, and her own husband.
“The CW-1 program continues to be abused by certain employers in the CNMI,” stated U.S. Attorney Anderson. “The public and the workers deserve a visa system that is free from fraud and waste. We will prosecute this unlawful conduct to hold employers accountable and to promote fairness among those seeking employment in the CNMI.”
"These business owners defrauded many people who believed they were coming to the CNMI for legitimate jobs," said John F. Tobon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu. "HSI will continue to investigate these crimes vigorously to protect the integrity of our immigration system and those who are victimized by these con-artists.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Albert S. Flores Jr., Assistant United States Attorney for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Porterville Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Renato Aguilera, 30, of Porterville, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 3, 2020, Aguilera conspired with Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 42, a native and citizen of Mexico, and James Cox, 58, of Porterville, to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Aguilera, acting at the direction of Delgado-Montenegro, delivered 800 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl during two separate undercover transactions. Aguilera also delivered approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to Cox, following negotiations between Delgado-Montenegro and Cox.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Aguilera is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on April 29, 2022. Aguilera faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Charges are pending against Cox and Delgado-Montenegro. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Pistolero de Barrio Azteca que cometió los homicidios del Consulado en Ciudad Juárez es encontrado culpable de todos los cargosRead the Press Release
Ayer un jurado federal en Texas condenó a dos miembros de la violenta pandilla callejera y carcelaria Barrio Azteca por todos los cargos relacionados con los asesinatos de una empleada del Consulado de los Estados Unidos, su esposo y el esposo de otra empleada del Consulado de los Estados Unidos.
José Guadalupe Díaz Díaz, alias Zorro, de 43 años, de Chihuahua, México, y Martín Artín Pérez Marrufo, alias Popeye, de 54 años, de Chihuahua, México, fueron declarados culpables al final de un juicio con jurado de 13 días ante la jueza federal de distrito Kathleen Cardone en el Distrito Oeste de Texas, División El Paso. El jurado encontró a Díaz y Marrufo culpables de cargos de conspiración por extorsión, tráfico de narcóticos, importación de narcóticos, lavado de dinero y asesinato en un país extranjero; tres cargos de asesinato en ayuda al crimen organizado y tres cargos de asesinato resultantes del uso y portación de un arma de fuego durante y en relación con delitos de violencia y tráfico de drogas.
La evidencia presentada en el juicio demostró que el 13 de marzo de 2010, Díaz y Marrufo servían como pistoleros en los equipos de sicarios que asesinaron a la empleada del Consulado de los Estados Unidos, Leslie Enríquez, su esposo, Arthur Redelfs, y Jorge Salcido Ceniceros, el esposo de otra empleada del Consulado de los Estados Unidos. Las víctimas fueron atacadas por los equipos de sicarios después de partir de la fiesta de cumpleaños de un niño en Juárez porque inicialmente los confundieron con pandilleros rivales. Díaz disparó y mató a Enríquez y Redelfs. Marrufo disparó y mató a Ceniceros.
“Los asesinatos de Leslie Enríquez, Arthur Redelfs y Jorge Salcido Ceniceros son una tragedia”, dijo el Fiscal General Auxiliar Kenneth A. Polite Jr. de la División Criminal del Departamento de Justicia. “Estas condenas demuestran el compromiso del Departamento de combatir a las organizaciones criminales transnacionales violentas. Quiero agradecer al gobierno mexicano por su cooperación, incluida la extradición de ambos acusados a los Estados Unidos para enfrentar cargos penales”.
“Aunque han pasado 12 años desde estos asesinatos sin sentido, nuestra oficina solo ha fortalecido su determinación de buscar justicia para las víctimas de la violencia de los cárteles”, dijo la fiscal federal Ashley C. Hoff para el Distrito Oeste de Texas. “Estos veredictos de culpabilidad demuestran la búsqueda diligente de nuestros fiscales y nuestro compromiso de proteger a las comunidades de la brutalidad despiadada”.
“Estas condenas representan el compromiso del FBI para tomar medidas agresivas contra cualquier persona que quite la vida de ciudadanos estadounidenses inocentes”, dijo el subdirector Luis Quesada de la División de Investigación Criminal del FBI. “Incluso los criminales más despiadados, ya sea aquí o lejos, no pueden evadir la justicia, y continuaremos responsabilizando a aquellos que cometen actos brutales de violencia”.
“Las condenas de hoy sirven como una clara advertencia a todos los narcotraficantes de que perseguiremos y enjuiciaremos a todos y cada uno de los que comprometan la seguridad y la salud de los estadounidenses y aquellos que apoyan a nuestras misiones estadounidenses en el extranjero”, dijo la administradora de la DEA, Anne Milgram. “Las mujeres y los hombres trabajadores de la DEA continuarán trabajando con nuestros socios nacionales y globales para librar a nuestras comunidades de la intimidación, la violencia y el abuso de drogas que infligen estas redes criminales de drogas”.
En el juicio, los fiscales presentaron evidencia de que Barrio Azteca es una organización criminal transnacional dedicada al lavado de dinero, el crimen organizado y actividades relacionadas con las drogas en El Paso, Texas. La pandilla se alió con otras bandas de narcotraficantes para luchar contra el Cartel de Sinaloa, en ese momento encabezado por el Chapo Guzmán, y sus aliados por el control de las rutas del narcotráfico a través de Juárez, Chihuahua, México. Las rutas de la droga a través de Juárez, conocidas como la Plaza Juárez, son importantes para las organizaciones narcotraficantes porque es una ruta principal de tráfico de drogas ilícitas hacia los Estados Unidos.
Un total de 35 acusados fueron inculpados en la tercera acusación formal y se alega que cometieron varios actos delictivos, incluidos los asesinatos del Consulado de Juárez en 2010 en Juárez, México, así como extorsión, distribución e importación de narcóticos, represalias contra personas que brindan información a cuerpos policiales de Estados Unidos, extorsión, lavado de dinero, asesinato y obstrucción de la justicia. De los 35 acusados, todos han sido detenidos y 28 se han declarado culpables. Uno fue condenado por juicio, uno se suicidó antes de que concluyera su juicio y tres están esperando la extradición de México.
Diaz fue extraditado de México el 13 de noviembre de 2019 y Marrufo fue extraditado de México el 18 de enero de 2020. Las extradiciones fueron el resultado de una estrecha coordinación entre autoridades policiales de Estados Unidos y México, quienes también cooperaron en la investigación y enjuiciamiento de este caso.
La sentencia está programada para el 9 de mayo. Díaz y Marrufo enfrentan una sentencia mínima obligatoria de cadena perpetua.
El abogado litigante Jay Bauer de la Sección de Derechos Humanos y Procesamientos Especiales de la División Criminal, la abogada litigante Christina Taylor de la Sección de Crimen Organizado y Pandillas de la División Criminal y el fiscal federal adjunto Steven Spitzer del Distrito Oeste de Texas están procesando el caso. La Oficina del Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de Nuevo México y las Oficinas de Asuntos Internacionales y Operaciones de Cumplimiento de la División Criminal brindaron una asistencia significativa en este caso.
El Grupo de Trabajo de Calles Seguras del FBI ubicado en el Centro Antipandillas de Texas en El Paso, la Oficina de Campo de Albuquerque del FBI, la DEA Juárez y la DEA El Paso investigaron el caso. La Agencia de Alcohol, Tabaco, Armas de Fuego y Explosivos; Inmigración y Control de Aduanas; el Servicio de Alguaciles de EE. UU.; Aduanas y Protección de Fronteras de EE.UU; la Oficina Federal de Prisiones; el Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado de EE. UU.; el Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas; el Departamento de Justicia Criminal de Texas; el Departamento de Policía de El Paso; la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de El Paso; el Departamento de Policía del Distrito Escolar Independiente de El Paso; la Comisión de Bebidas y Alcohol de Texas; la Policía Estatal de Nuevo México; la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Doña Ana, Nuevo México; el Departamento de Policía de Las Cruces, Nuevo México; El Centro Correccional del Sur de Nuevo México y el Centro Penitenciario del Condado de Otero, Nuevo México, brindaron una valiosa asistencia.
En Inglés
Pair Plead Guilty to Felony Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Wytheville, Virginia residents pleaded guilty today to possessing stolen mail, including letters from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Joseph Arthur Manning, 35, and Caitlyn Page Turner, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count each of possession of stolen mail.
According to court documents, on December 28, 2021, the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a person who had witnessed mail being stolen from their mailbox by a pair of individuals driving a Kia Optima. Shortly after the call, Wythe County Sheriff’s deputies located a Kia Optima and conducted a traffic stop. Manning and Turner were the occupants of the vehicle.
During the traffic stop, deputies obtained a search warrant for the car and located and recovered numerous pieces of mail from various addresses in the Barren Springs area.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.
Owasso Man Sentenced for Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
An Owasso man who killed his stepfather in March 2020 was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
“Jordan Kuykendall violently assaulted his mother, and Charles Botts was forced to intervene. Kuykendall then fought Mr. Botts and during the struggle, stabbed him to death,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Those who commit violent criminal acts within the Northern District of Oklahoma will be brought to justice. Kuykendall will serve 78 months in federal prison for his crime.”
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jordan Taylor Kuykendall, 25, to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution.
On Oct. 8, 2021, Kuykendall pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country. In his plea agreement, Kuykendall admitted that on May 17, 2020, he got into an argument with his stepfather, Charles Botts, and stabbed him, resulting in the victim’s death.
At approximately 1 am on May 17, 2020, Botts intervened when Kuykendall, who was intoxicated, assaulted his mother. Botts pulled the defendant off the mother and pinned him down on the floor. According to a witness, the victim then told Kuykendall that he loved him and released him. When he released Kuykendall and walked away to his bedroom, the defendant followed him with a knife. Inside the bedroom, a struggle ensued between the defendant and victim. Kuykendall stabbed the victim and repeatedly struck the victim in the head while he was laying against a closet door.
Medics transported Botts to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa where he was later pronounced dead just after 4 am. According to the medical examiner’s report, Botts “died as a result of a stab wound of the left lateral chest,” that penetrated his heart.
At sentencing, Botts’ sister described how her brother had grown in the last five years since he found Christ. She called him the brother she remembered as a child. She described his selflessness and explained that when Kuykendall needed help, her brother was there for him. She then said Kuykendall acted recklessly the night he took her brother’s life.
In a sentencing memorandum, the United States requested an upward departure from the federal sentencing guidelines. They argued that due to the brutal nature of the crime, a term of 15 years imprisonment was appropriate. The United States noted that multiple individuals had gone out of their way to help the defendant the night of the crime, and in return, he committed an assault and killing. They also noted that while Kuykendall did not have a criminal history, victim witness statements indicated that Kuykendall had a history of violence and lashing out at family and dating partners.
The defense asked for a sentence of 63 months due, in part, to the long term psychological effects of Kuykendall’s exposure to violence in the home as a young child.
The FBI and Owasso Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan H. Heatherman iproseucted the case.
One-Time EDD Employee Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Nearly $4.3 Million in COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A former California Employment Development Department (EDD) employee was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for causing nearly 200 fraudulent COVID-related unemployment relief claims to be filed in other people’s names, resulting in nearly $4.3 million in ill-gotten gains.
Gabriela Llerenas, a.k.a. “Maria G. Sandoval,” 44, of Perris, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb, who also ordered her to pay $4,298,093 in restitution.
Llerenas took advantage of the expanded eligibility for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits made possible by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law in March 2020. The CARES Act provided additional UI benefits to qualified individuals and helped provide UI benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic to people who did not otherwise qualify, including business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, and those with a limited work history.
From April to October 2020, Llerenas filed and caused the filing with EDD of fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits that falsely asserted the named claimants were self-employed independent contractors – often identifying them as cake decorators or event attendants – who were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Llerenas obtained some of the names, Social Security numbers and other identifying information she used to submit the fraudulent claims through her prior work as a tax preparer.
Llerenas also falsely stated on some of the applications that the claimants were residents of California entitled to unemployment insurance benefits administered by EDD when in fact they lived elsewhere. On some applications, she inflated the amounts of income she reported for the claimant to maximize the benefit amount. She also filed a dozen or more fraudulent EDD claims in a day.
As a result of the fraudulent unemployment benefits applications that Llerenas filed and caused to be filed, EDD authorized Bank of America to mail debit cards in the names of the claimants to addresses she provided, including her residence, her husband’s business location, her mother’s apartment and the addresses of friends and other family members.
Llerenas charged the named claimants a fee for filling the applications, which was often paid out of the fraudulently obtained benefits. In at least one case, she told the named claimant that she was still employed at EDD and could control the distribution of the unemployment insurance benefits, and then demanded an additional payment for “releasing” the benefits.
In total, 197 debit cards were fraudulently issued because of this scheme. Judge Holcomb found that the resulting losses to EDD and the United States Treasury that Llerenas caused totaled $4,298,093.
As part of the investigation, $621,124 in cash was seized from Llerenas and has been forfeited.
Llerenas previously worked at EDD as a disability insurance program representative. She resigned in March 2002 after admitting to fraudulently authorizing and paying disability benefits administered by EDD. She was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison in connection with that scheme.
The Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, EDD-Investigations Division, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI and Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein, Chief of the Major Frauds Section, prosecuted this case.
In May 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.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Kevin Jacoway, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Jacoway to 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Jacoway will serve 15 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
In August 2020, members of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducting undercover investigations into peer-to-peer file sharing of child exploitation materials identified an IP address associated with a residence in Omaha as sharing files of child pornography. In December 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence of Jacoway and co-defendant Timothy Fox and seized several electronic devices. More than 90,000 images and 1,000 videos depicting child pornography were located on devices that Jacoway claimed as his own. Co-defendant Fox is currently serving a sentence of 128 months’ imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force
Oldham County Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Laundering Son's Drug MoneyRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – An Oldham County woman was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court by United States District Judge Benjamin J. Beaton to 15 months in prison, followed by an additional 15 months home incarceration, and three years’ supervised release, for charges of conspiracy to launder drug trafficking proceeds and for structuring bank transactions to evade federal cash transaction reporting requirements.
Cara Leann Naber, 57, was indicted by a Louisville Grand Jury in April 2019 with her codefendant and son, John Frank Naber III, 22. Cara Naber pleaded guilty on October 4, 2021, and was sentenced Wednesday, February 2, 2022, in Louisville. Her son, John Frank Naber, III, pleaded guilty to drug, firearms, and money laundering charges in 2020 and was sentenced to eleven years in prison in January 2021.
As part of a multi-agency narcotics and money laundering investigation targeting Cara Naber’s son, federal authorities executed multiple search warrants in February 2019. Investigators found and seized narcotics and pill pressing equipment which John Frank Naber, III used to manufacture homemade counterfeit Adderall on his family’s property in Oldham County. Naber made his counterfeit pills using methamphetamine and then sold them in bulk to his customers as a vendor on the Dark Web. Authorities also seized drug proceeds, including over $325,000.00 in cash and Bitcoin valued at over $200,000.00.
Cara Naber was charged for her role in laundering proceeds for her son’s drug trafficking operation, including by moving the proceeds through traditional bank accounts and cryptocurrency accounts in her name and by holding cash drug proceeds for her son in her safe deposit boxes. As part of a plea agreement, Cara Naber will pay an additional $420,000.00 towards an asset forfeiture money judgment and a $100,000.00 fine.
“This case highlights the exceptional work of the IRS Criminal Investigation agents assigned to the case as well as the agencies who supported the investigation - HSI, CBP, USPIS, and KSP,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “It also serves notice to those in the drug trade that we will leave no stone unturned in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those who seek to profit by peddling poison in our communities.”
“This case should be a warning to those using the Dark Web and cryptocurrency to commit drug crimes and launder the proceeds,” said Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “IRS CI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate drug traffickers using our financial expertise.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne E. Keel and Robert Bonar. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation led the financial investigation into Cara Naber and worked in collaboration with several other agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Kentucky State Police (KSP).
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North Versailles Man Charged with Federal Drug and Gun Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of North Versailles, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The three-count Indictment returned on February 1, 2022, named Jerome Sidney Whitley, age 23, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about July 10, 2021, Whitley possessed with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and possessed an Anderson Manufacturing .223 caliber rifle in furtherance of drug trafficking and as a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $1,500,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Doug Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Versailles Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
National Institute of Justice Funded Research Amasses Details of a Half Century of United States Mass ShootingsRead the Press Release
The Office of Justice Programs’ National Institute of Justice (NIJ) today published an article discussing the NIJ-supported and publicly available Violence Project Database that identifies common traits of persons who engaged in mass shootings between 1966 and 2019.
During that time, mass shootings in the United States notably increased, with more than half occurring after 2000, and 20% occurring during the last five years of the study period. The death toll in mass shootings in the last decade has grown dramatically. In the 1970s, mass shootings claimed an average of eight lives per year. From 2010 to 2019, the average was 51 deaths per year.
“This study — one of the most extensive assessments of mass violence to date—reveals a deeply unsettling trend: more Americans are dying at the hands of mass shooters than at any point in recent history,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “This analysis paints a portrait of shooters, giving us a better idea of who commits these crimes and helping us detect the warning signals for these appalling acts of violence.”
The database draws information exclusively from open sources, such as social media sites and online newspapers, in order to build a broader understanding on the part of the public, the justice system and the research community of who mass shooters are and what motivates them. Funded by NIJ, it covers 172 mass public shooters and more than 150 psychosocial history variables, such as those individuals’ mental health history, past trauma, interest in past shootings and situational triggers.
Analysis of the database shows that persons who committed public mass shootings in the U.S. over the last half century were commonly troubled by personal trauma before the shooting, nearly always in a state of crisis at the time and, in most cases, engaged in leaking their plans before opening fire. Most were insiders of a targeted institution, such as an employee or student. Except for young school shooters who stole the guns from family members, most used legally obtained handguns in those shootings.
The study includes a discussion of demographics, motivations, warning signs and other key findings. The article is available at “Public Mass Shootings: Database Amasses Details of a Half Century of U.S. Mass Shootings with Firearms, Generating Psychosocial Histories.” The research described in this article is based on the grantee report, A Multi-Level, Multi-Method Investigation of the Psychosocial Life Histories of Mass Shooters, September 2021, by Co-Principal Investigators Jillian Peterson and James Densley.
To receive notifications of new NIJ publications, register here.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Murrysville Doctor Sentenced for Illegal Drug Distribution and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Murrysville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court following his convictions for unlawful dispensing and distributing Schedule II controlled substances and health care fraud, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer sentenced Yee Chung Ho, age 72, a physician, to three years of probation, including 180 days of home detention. Ho also was ordered to pay restitution totaling $6,500 to Medicare, and to forfeit his Drug Enforcement Administration number, Pennsylvania state license to practice medicine, and $89,280.00 to the United States. Ho was further ordered to serve 250 hours of community service.
During the defendant’s plea hearing on November 9, 2021, Ho admitted that, while practicing as a licensed medical doctor at his family medicine practice located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he knowingly dispensed and distributed Schedule II drugs, specifically, Oxycodone, to a patient outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Ho also admitted that, from April 2018 through June 2019, he committed health care fraud by causing fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare for payments to cover the costs of unlawfully prescribed drugs.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Cessar and Karen Gal-Or and Special Assistant United States Attorney Edward Song are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The investigation leading to the filing of charges in this case was conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU). The Western Pennsylvania OFADU, led by federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, combines the expertise and resources of federal and state law enforcement to address the role played by unethical medical professionals in the opioid epidemic.
The agencies which comprise the Western Pennsylvania OFADU include: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Criminal Division, Civil Division and Asset Forfeiture Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Licensing.
Mississippi Couple Indicted in Sweepstakes ScamRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Troy Smith, age 27, and Michelle Greenwood, age 36, of Mississippi, were indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021 on eighteen counts of conspiracy, wire fraud mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy for receiving funds from sweepstakes scam victims and transferring a portion of those funds to coconspirators located in Jamaica. This indictment was unsealed by Court order on February 2, 2022.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between August 2016 and June 2018, the defendants and other unindicted coconspirators received consumer fraud-induced MoneyGram, Western Union, and Ria money transfers, bank wires and deposits, checks, and cash from victims across the United States totaling more than $300,000.
Their victims included a 51-year-old widow residing in Columbia County, in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. In October 2016, an unidentified fraudster using a fictitious name and posing as an official of a sweepstakes organization falsely told Victim 1 that she had won a multi-million-dollar cash prize and automobile. This fraudster also told Victim 1 that she had to prepay taxes, and later various other fees and expenses, in order to receive her cash prize and automobile. Victim 1 was directed to send money in the form of money transfers, bank wires, and cash mailings payable to the defendants in their own names and in various aliases. Victim 1 was told that the defendants were also officials of the sweepstakes organization. She ended up sending about $123,000 in the form of Western Union, MoneyGram, and Ria money transfers to the defendants and coconspirators, making about $90,000 in cash deposits into their accounts, depositing about $14,000 in the form of bank wire transfers, and mailing about $2,000 in cash and money orders.
Smith and Greenwood received these funds from Victim 1 and others and then sent a portion of these fraud-induced funds to various coconspirators in Jamaica. From October 2016 until about June 2018, the defendants sent around 57 Western Union money transfers totaling about $50,000 to different recipients in Jamaica. Smith and Greenwood commonly received money using certain names, including their own real names, and then sent money to Jamaica under different names and in smaller dollar increments.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment. This charge may also carry a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release following imprisonment. The maximum penalties under federal law for wire fraud and mail fraud are likewise 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release following imprisonment. The maximum penalty under federal law for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments is 20 years’ imprisonment. This charge may also carry a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of the property, money, or monetary instrument involved in the transaction, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment. 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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Minnesota Man Charged with Aiming Laser Pointer at AircraftRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Rochester, Minnesota man is charged with 2 counts of aiming the beam of a laser pointer at aircraft, announced Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment, which was returned on January 26, 2022 by a grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin, charges Nicholas James Link, 42. The indictment alleges that on October 29, 2021, Link aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Delta Airlines commercial aircraft and at a Minnesota State Patrol aircraft. The indictment alleges that he did so while in Wisconsin.
The indictment was unsealed yesterday. Link’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison has not been scheduled.
If convicted, Link faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minnesota State Patrol, and River Falls (Wisconsin) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Minnesota Fugitive Living in Rutherford County Is Sentenced to 15 Years for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – John Wayne Drysdale, 69, of Minneapolis, M.N., has been sentenced to 180 months in prison for transportation of child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger also ordered Drysdale to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chris Edge, Acting United States Marshal of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) for the Western District of North Carolina, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and statements made in court during yesterday’s hearing, on December 11, 2020, the USMS in Minneapolis contacted USMS in Asheville regarding Drysdale, who they believed to be in Forest City in Rutherford County. Drysdale had been convicted of possession and receipt of child pornography in Minnesota and was on supervised release after serving his federal sentence. Court records show that, while on supervised release, Drysdale removed his electronic monitoring device and travelled to North Carolina. The Asheville USMS and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office were able to locate Drysdale at a residence in Forest City and Drysdale was taken into custody.
According to court records, the day law enforcement arrested Drysdale HSI special agents seized his electronic devices. HSI computer forensic analysts conducted an analysis of the seized devices and located images containing child pornography, URL links to websites hosting child pornography, and websites known to serve as chat forums for pedophiles and recovered evidence that Drysdale had begun to access the dark web.
On August 30, 2021, Drysdale pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography. He is currently in federal prison and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended HSI and the U.S. Marshals Service for their investigation of the case and thanked the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Probation Office for the District of Minnesota for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Solheim, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case, as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Miami Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Medical Ventilators Intended to Treat Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients in El SalvadorRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Two Miami men were each sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment for stealing 192 medical ventilators worth approximately $3 million. The ventilators were owned by the United States Agency for International Development (“USAID”), and were bound for a COVID-19 intensive care facility in El Salvador as part of a United States COVID-19 aid program. The ventilators were stolen in South Florida while in transit to El Salvador.
Yoelvis Denis Hernandez, a/k/a “Guajiro,” 42, and Luis Urra Montero, a/k/a “Flaco,” 25, previously pled guilty to theft of government property. Montero was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment this week; Hernandez was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment in December 2021.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2020, Hernandez and Montero stole a tractor trailer loaded with 192 medical ventilators during its transport by truck to Miami International Airport. USAID had acquired the ventilators and was sending them to the Government of El Salvador as part of an aid program to treat critically ill COVID-19 El Salvadorian patients. Hernandez and Montero stole the trailer from a lot where the driver had left it overnight. Following an investigation, federal law enforcement agents recovered most of the stolen ventilators.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, and Thomas J. Ullom, Acting Inspector General, United States Agency for International Development, Office of Inspector General (“USAID-OIG”), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke.
FBI Miami, FBI Miami’s Major Theft Task Force, and USAID-OIG investigated this case, with assistance from Boynton Beach Police Department, Miami Dade Police Department, Medley Police Department, City of Miami Gardens Police Department, and Broward Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman and Michael B. Homer. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone 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 20-cr-20252.
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Maplewood Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maplewood man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2021, Metro Transit Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a vehicle stuck on the light rail tracks in St. Paul. At the scene they found Deandre Lenier Neal-Hill, 34, unconscious in the driver’s seat of a maroon Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle, with the engine still reviving, had a flat tire and was stuck in the tracks. Officers removed an unresponsive Neal-Hill from the vehicle and began preforming emergency medical aid until the paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital.
According to court documents, as officers extracted Neal-Hill from the vehicle, officers observed a black handgun on the floorboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle, which was later determined to be an FNH USA model 503 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Neal-Hill’s pistol was loaded with one round in the chamber and seven bullets in the inserted magazine. Neal-Hill was also in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, and oxycodone pills.
Because Neal-Hill has prior felony convictions, including convictions of drive-by shooting, assault, and drug sale, 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 ATF, the FBI, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced for Repeat Bomb Threats to Langley Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to 2 and a half years in prison for threatening to blow up Langley Air Force Base in Hampton.
According to court documents, D'Carlo Nimis Deluca, 51, called the New York Police Department (NYPD) at approximately 6:32 a.m. on February 22, 2021, and threatened to “blow up” Langley Air Force Base. About 11 minutes later at 6:43 a.m., Deluca directly called Langley Air Force Base and reported there was a bomb in a building on base. As a result of the threats, the Air Force cleared portions of the base and expended resources to ensure the area was safe. Deluca further disrupted Air Force operations by making another threat shortly before 1:00 p.m. on February 22, 2021, which again resulted in the Air Force clearing portions of the base.
Deluca has a history of making threats of violence or imminent emergency activity. At the time he made the threats to Langley Air Force Base, he was under federal court supervision from the Southern District of New York for his prior federal conviction for making threats to blow up Trump Tower and the White House. Since 2019, Deluca has made dozens of threats, including threats to kill former President Trump, President Biden, and the former First Lady. When Deluca was arrested in March 2020, he was found in possession of a pressure cooker, which he previously sent pictures of himself ordering to a tip line for law enforcement in the District of Columbia with messages like “SUSPICIOUS narc packages,” “Ka boom loca en la cabezza,” and “Ka boom.”
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.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Peninsula Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership that includes the FBI, Virginia State Police, Hampton Police Division, James City County Police Department, and Newport News Police Department. This task force investigates the most violent criminal enterprises operating on the Virginia Peninsula. Tips regarding gang activity and other violent crimes in the region can be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman 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. 4:21-cr-24.
Magic Valley Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Drug Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Gooding man was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers received information that Ruben Robles-Ramos, 49, of Gooding, was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Magic Valley. An investigation was initiated and revealed that Robles-Ramos sold methamphetamine to another person on three occasions. During later investigative efforts, law enforcement learned about storage units that were used by Robles-Ramos and others to store controlled substances. A search of these storage units led to the seizure of approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine, 1½ pounds of heroin, and five firearms, including an AK-47 style assault rifle.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Robles-Ramos to serve five years of supervised release. It is expected Robles-Ramos will be deported to Mexico upon the completion of his sentence.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Twin Falls, Gooding, Jerome, Minidoka, and Cassia County Sheriff's Offices, Twin Falls Police Department, and the Jerome County Prosecutor’s Office, which led to charges.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Luray Woman Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Luray, Virginia woman, who was found to be in possession of twenty-nine pounds of methamphetamine, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possession and intent to distribute more than 500 grams of the drug.
Danica Leigh Strate, 33, pleaded guilty in June 2021 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in November 2019, Strate was living in Stanley, Virginia with co-defendant Gene Anderson Stidham when law enforcement assisted a Virginia probation officer with a search of their residence. During the search, crystal methamphetamine, a wallet, and plastic bags were located. However, a subsequent search of duffle bags that Stidham and Strate had removed from the residence prior to the search led to the discovery of twenty-nine pounds of methamphetamine, cash, a digital scale, a .380 caliber pistol, and various items associated with drug distribution. Stidham and Strate both admitted to being involved in the distribution of methamphetamine.
Stidham previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was sentenced in December 2021 to a term of imprisonment of 180 months.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Page County Sheriff’s Office, the Luray Police Department, the Stanley Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee prosecuted the case.
Lame Deer man sentenced to 33 months in prison for stabbing woman on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man who admitted to assaulting a woman by stabbing her through a car window was sentenced today to 33 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Brett William James Jones, 29, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to assault resulting in bodily injury.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 18, 2019 in Lame Deer, located on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Jones went to a residence, was intoxicated and started a confrontation over twenty dollars. Jones began threatening people with a knife. The victim, identified as Jane Doe, got into a van to drive to the police station and report the disturbance. She stopped when she saw Jones in front of the van. Witnesses indicated that Jones broke the driver’s side window before stabbing Doe in the arm. Doe was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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LaGrange Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Carjacking Resulting in Serious InjuryRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A LaGrange man was sentenced today to 540 months in prison for his role in a carjacking that left an 83-year-old victim with permanent and disabling injuries. On October 21, 2021, Anthony Rashad Dawson pled guilty to three counts of a superseding indictment: aiding and abetting a carjacking with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm; felon in possession of a firearm; and possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Dawson, 31, violently assaulted an 83-year-old man, leaving the victim permanently disabled, in order to steal the victim’s car, money, firearm, and other items of personal property. A co-Defendant, Tiera Gardner, was sentenced in December 2021 to 168 months’ imprisonment for her role in the carjacking.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Lenoir County Sherriff’s Office, Goldsboro and Kinston Police Departments, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fitzgerald prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00180-D-1.
Knoxville Man Convicted of Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On February 4, 2022, Kelvon Foster, 22, of Knoxville, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging Foster with making false or fictitious statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(6). Violations of that statutory provision are sometimes referred to informally as “straw purchasing.” Sentencing has been set for June 30, 2022, before United States District Judge Katherine A. Crytzer.
Foster faces a term of up to 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and up to three years on supervised release.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the Court on December 16, 2021, Foster waived an indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges. Foster admitted to purchasing firearms from a Federal Firearm’s Licensee in Knoxville, Tennessee, on behalf of people prohibited by federal law from purchasing firearms. Foster further admitted that he purchased at least one of the firearms, a Glock pistol, on behalf of a juvenile, Anthony Thompson. The Glock pistol was later recovered by law enforcement in connection with an officer-involved shooting of Thompson at Austin-East Magnet High School on April 12, 2021.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Resident Agent in Charge Keith Jordan of the ATF’s Knoxville Field Office, and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the TBI. The United States Attorney’s Office wishes to thank the Knox County Attorney General’s Office for its support of this federal investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community face.
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