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Thursday 9 December 2021
Texan charged with posting child pornography to FacebookRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 26-year-old Laredo resident is set to appear in federal court on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Kevin Montemayor Oct. 19.
The indictment was unsealed Dec. 7 upon his arrest. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga at 1:30 p.m.
According to the charges, a person linked to an IP address in Laredo had uploaded child pornography to Facebook messenger. Law enforcement conducted a search at the residence and allegedly encountered Montemayor.
A forensic analysis of Montemayor’s seized electronic devices included more than 7,000 images and videos of child pornography, according to the charges. The images allegedly included children as young as 3.
If convicted, Montemayor faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Petters is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Jerrod Lee, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2022. Lee was indicted in October 2020 with co-defendant Ronney Fullard, who pleaded guilty to the same charge on Oct. 6, 2021.
In August 2020, during the execution of an arrest warrant in connection with pending state firearms charges, law enforcement found Lee and Fullard each in possession of a loaded firearm at Lee’s residence. Specifically, Lee possessed a Ruger .45 caliber pistol, Model P90 loaded with five rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and Fullard possessed a Taurus PT 709 9mm pistol loaded with six rounds of 9mm ammunition. Due to prior felony convictions, federal law prohibits both defendants from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Tampa Bay Area Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Sebastian Visicaro (62, Trinity) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Visicaro used his real estate company, two shell companies, and bank accounts in the companies’ names to launder the proceeds of an international boiler room fraud scheme, which defrauded foreign victims via the sale of worthless investments. Visicaro used the companies and bank accounts to receive fraud proceeds, some of which victims wired directly into these accounts from overseas. More often, fraud proceeds from the victims were wired to United States-based accounts controlled by other conspirators and then later wired to accounts controlled by Visicaro. In such instances, Visicaro’s accounts served as “buffer” accounts, that is, secondary bank accounts used to transfer and conceal foreign victims’ money and avoid detection by banks.
In total, at least $500,000, and potentially as much as $1.5 million, in victims’ funds flowed into Visicaro-controlled accounts. Thereafter, at the direction of other conspirators, Visicaro wired most of the funds to accounts held by boiler room sales agents and co-conspirators at other financial institutions—thereby promoting the scheme, concealing the source of the proceeds, and hindering efforts to locate those proceeds. For his role in the conspiracy, Visicaro received a percentage of the amount of funds he helped to launder.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke and David W.A. Chee.
Sully County Men Indicted on False Statement and Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that two Sully County, South Dakota, men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for False Statement in Connection with Federal Crop Insurance and Major Fraud Against the United States.
James Garrett, age 67, and Levi Garrett, age 43, were indicted on October 13, 2021. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 6, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty each defendant faces upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between 2017 and 2020, in Sully County, James Garrett made a total of four false statements in connection with federal crop insurance, while Levi Garrett made one false statement in connection with federal crop insurance. Additionally, in 2020, James Garrett twice executed a fraudulent scheme to receive money from the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was administered by the State of South Dakota through the Small Business Grant Program.
The charges are merely accusations and James and Levi Garrett are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General and the Risk Management Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
James and Levi Garrett were released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for February 15, 2022.
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.
Steelton Borough Man Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on December 9, 2021, Imhram Clarke, age 44, of Steelton, Pennsylvania was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment for mail fraud by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Clarke pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with mail fraud on March 26, 2021. Between July 2010 and December 2018, Clarke, working with other unnamed co-conspirators, played the role of a middleman or “money mule” in a Jamaica-based fraud scheme in which seven victims, four of whom were age 80 or older, lost around $194,723. Clarke retained a portion of the fraud proceeds sent to him and then transferred the remaining proceeds to other fraudsters in Jamaica via Western Union or MoneyGram money transfers.
One of Clarke's victims was a 93-year-old War II veteran from Ann Arbor, Michigan. From November 2018 until December 2018, the victim was defrauded of about $35,000 or more through a scheme in which victims sent fraudsters money as an “advance” payment in order to redeem a promised sweepstakes prize. This victim mailed money to Clarke’s residence in Steelton, Pennsylvania on multiple occasions, including one mailing of $5,000 in cash that was intercepted by members of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Clarke was also ordered to pay $41,838.50 in restitution and to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case.
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Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
David Cecchetelli, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for March 17, 2022. Cecchetelli was indicted in February 2020.
During a search of Cecchetelli’s residence in December 2019, law enforcement found ammunition in Cecchetelli’s bedroom – concealed under his mattress. Due to a prior conviction in October 2005, Cecchetelli is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New England Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Mendell’s Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Southwest Washington man pleads guilty to being a felon in possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 44-year-old Battle Ground, Washington man pleaded guilty late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Lynn Manley Cargile was arrested on December 26, 2019, following a six-hour stand-off with police. Cargile was indicted federally in August 2021. He faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on March 18, 2022.
According to the plea agreement and other records in the case, police were called to Cargile’s home by a 9-1-1 call from his ex-wife who had been assaulted. After a lengthy wait, officers used ‘flash-bang’ devices to get Cargile to leave the house and he was taken into custody. When officers entered the home to secure it for officer safety, they noted numerous firearms. After obtaining a court authorized search warrant, law enforcement discovered a Smith and Wesson AR-15 style rifle with a swastika on the rifle butt and a Black Rain Ordinance short-barreled rifle. Investigators also found two silencers. Cargile is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions in Clark County Washington for attempting to elude (2002 and 2003) and illegal firearms possession (1999 and 2002).
Cargile was in state custody until August 2021 serving a 29-month prison sentence for domestic violence stemming from the same incident.
The case was investigated by the Battle Ground Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angelica Williams.
South Florida Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison Term for Illegal Importation of Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Boynton Beach, Florida woman who illegally imported unapproved prescription drugs was sentenced today in federal district court in Ft. Pierce to six months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
In August 2018, Jhanna Novikov, 58, agreed to provide “Botox” treatments to an undercover investigator with the Florida Department of Health for $600. Agents of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations then searched Novikov’s home, which included an area set up to look like a medical treatment office. Agents seized various drugs containing botulinum toxin, the active ingredient in Botox. However, those drugs had not been approved by FDA and were not properly labeled for shipment in the United States. Agents did not find any Botox or other FDA-approved drugs containing botulinum toxin in Novikov’s home. Forensic analysis of Novikov’s cell phone revealed that Novikov had imported the drugs from Mexico, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and had been importing such drugs since 2016.
Novikov previously pled guilty to one count of importation of merchandise contrary to law. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon imposed today’s sentence, which also included a fine, a special assessment, and a $6,813.15 restitution order.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence.
FDA-OCI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Osborne prosecuted this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken 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-80108.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of carjacking was sentenced on December 9, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Sterling George Spotted Elk, Jr., age 32, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Spotted Elk was indicted for carjacking by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2021. He pled guilty on August 6, 2021.
Between January 15 and 16, 2021, in Sioux Falls, Spotted Elk and an accomplice attempted to forcefully take a motor vehicle, a Honda Accord, from the victim and the victim’s two friends. During the carjacking, Spotted Elk’s accomplice brandished a firearm and threatened the victim and the other occupants of the car. While Defendant Spotted Elk’s accomplice pointed the firearm at the victim, Spotted Elk grabbed the car keys from the victim and took control of the vehicle. Spotted Elk entered the driver’s side and tried to steal the car, but the gear lock was engaged, preventing Spotted Elk and his accomplice from taking the vehicle. Because bystanders were watching this crime take place, Spotted Elk and his accomplice fled the scene.
Spotted Elk's accomplice, Shawn Long, was recently sentenced to 116 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Spotted Elk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Cephas Joseph Wood, age 37, was indicted on December 7, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on December 9, 2021, 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 September 17, 2021, and November 13, 2021, Wood, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under Federal Law, failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Wood is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Wood was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for February 15, 2022.
Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to Life Plus 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man was sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison for committing a series of violent armed robberies throughout the Indianapolis area in November 2019.
In June 2021, Jerry Davis, 51, was convicted by a jury of robbing four business from November 12, 2019 through November 20, 2019. The employees of two Speedway convenience stores, a Denny’s restaurant, and the Taste of Indiana, were all victimized by Davis. During these robberies, Davis attacked the innocent employees with bear spray, and a large metal pipe.
Davis has a long, violent, criminal history including five prior convictions in state court for robbery and or attempted robbery. Due to his violent criminal history and past convictions for serious violent felonies, Davis received the life plus 20 years sentence pursuant to the federal “three strikes law.”
“Mr. Davis has been victimizing the citizens of this community with his violent behavior for twenty-five years,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Each time the defendant returned to the community from prison he could have changed his ways. Instead, he chose to engage in a series of violent attacks against innocent victims. The serious sentence imposed demonstrates that repeat violent offenders will be held accountable for their actions.”
“Identifying Mr. Davis and ending his reign of terror over the community would not have been possible without the ongoing collaboration the FBI has with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen. “It is through such partnerships that we will continue to bring to justice those who think they are above the law and can conduct their illegal activities without repercussions.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Peter A. Blackett and Bradley P. Shepard prosecuted the case. It should be noted that there is no parole in the federal system.
Self-Proclaimed Boogaloo Bois Member Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Karnes City man was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court records, on October 28, 2020, FBI agents arrested Cameron Emerson Casey Rankin, 22, at his residence where they recovered a semi-automatic rifle during the execution of a search warrant. The illegally possessed firearm had the capability and means to affect violence in furtherance of his beliefs. Rankin expressed a desire to overthrow the government, specifically, the “three letter agencies” such as ATF, FBI and IRS. Rankin attempted to purchase two long guns from a San Antonio retail outlet on March 23, 2018 but was denied the firearms transactions under the “Prohibited Category” for previously being judicially committed to a mental institution.
On May 30, 2020, Rankin and others, carrying long guns and pistols, appeared at the Alamo in downtown San Antonio to attend a protest in reaction to the death of George Floyd. The next day, Rankin posted on his Facebook account photos of himself and others carrying firearms at the protest as well as comments about his disdain for police including, “…hope they burn the precinct down” and “I’m BOOGALOO we hate police.”
On April 27, 2021, Rankin pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by one who has been judicially committed to a mental institution. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on October 28, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski made the announcement.
The FBI and ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William R. Harris and Mark T. Roomberg prosecuted the case.
The FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated this case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Russian National Sentenced for Providing Crypting Service for Kelihos BotnetRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced today in Hartford federal court to 48 months in prison for operating a “crypting” service used to conceal the Kelihos malware from antivirus software, which enabled hackers to systematically infect approximately hundreds of thousands of victim computers around the world with malicious software, including ransomware.
According to court documents, Oleg Koshkin, 41, was convicted by a federal jury on June 15 of one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and one count of computer fraud and abuse.
“The defendant provided a critical service used by cybercriminals to evade one of the first lines of cybersecurity defense, antivirus software,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Cybercriminals depend on services like these to infect computers around the world with malware, including ransomware. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting anyone who criminally operates these services to the fullest extent of the law."
“Koshkin’s unscrupulous websites provided a vital service to cyber criminals, allowing them to hide their malware from antivirus programs and use it to infect thousands of computers all over the world,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle of the District of Connecticut. “We will continue to work closely with our investigative partners to root out and prosecute individuals involved across the ransomware spectrum, wherever they try to hide.”
“Today’s sentencing of Oleg Koshkin serves as another example of the risk and consequences awaiting those who choose to commit cybercrimes against the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI’s New Haven Division. “For years, Koshkin and his co-conspirators worked to evade our most basic cyber defenses in order to spread malware on a truly global scale. While our work to bring Koshin to justice comes to a close, the FBI will continue to tirelessly defend our country from the ever-evolving cyber threats posed by criminals, terrorists and hostile nation-states.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Koshkin operated the websites “crypt4u.com,” “fud.bz,” and others. The websites promised to render malicious software fully undetectable by nearly every major provider of antivirus software. Koshkin and his co-conspirators claimed that their services could be used for malware such as botnets, remote access trojans, keyloggers, credential stealers, and cryptocurrency miners.
Koshkin worked with Peter Levashov, the operator of the Kelihos botnet, to develop a system that would allow Levashov to crypt the Kelihos malware multiple times each day. In September 2018, Levashov pleaded guilty to various fraud, conspiracy, computer crime and identity theft offenses.
Koshkin provided Levashov with a custom, high-volume crypting service that enabled Levashov to distribute Kelihos through multiple criminal affiliates. The Kelihos botnet was used by Levashov to send spam, harvest account credentials, conduct denial of service attacks, and to distribute ransomware and other malicious software. According to evidence presented at Koshkin’s sentencing, Kelihos relied on the crypting services provided by Crypt4U from 2014 until Levashov’s arrest in April 2017; and just in the last four months of that conspiracy, Kelihos infected approximately 200,000 computers around the world.
Koshkin’s co-defendant, Pavel Tsurkan, pleaded guilty on June 16 to one count of causing damage to a protected computer, an offense that carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. He is awaiting sentencing.
The FBI’s New Haven Field Office investigated the case through its Connecticut Cyber Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang of the District of Connecticut and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs. The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board also provided significant assistance.
The Department of Justice announced in April the creation of the Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force to combat the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks. As part of the Task Force, the Criminal Division, working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, prioritizes the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of ransomware and digital extortion activity by tracking and dismantling the development and deployment of malware, identifying the cybercriminals responsible, and holding those individuals accountable for their crimes. The department, through the Task Force, also strategically targets the ransomware criminal ecosystem as a whole and collaborates with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as private sector partners to combat this significant criminal threat.
Russian National Sentenced for Providing Crypting Service for Kelihos BotnetRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for operating a “crypting” service used to conceal the Kelihos malware from antivirus software, which enabled hackers to systematically infect approximately hundreds of thousands of victim computers around the world with malicious software, including ransomware.
According to court documents, Oleg Koshkin, 41, was convicted by a federal jury on June 15 of one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and one count of computer fraud and abuse.
“The defendant provided a critical service used by cybercriminals to evade one of the first lines of cybersecurity defense, antivirus software,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Cybercriminals depend on services like these to infect computers around the world with malware, including ransomware. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting anyone who criminally operates these services to the fullest extent of the law."
“Koshkin’s unscrupulous websites provided a vital service to cyber criminals, allowing them to hide their malware from antivirus programs and use it to infect thousands of computers all over the world,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle of the District of Connecticut. “We will continue to work closely with our investigative partners to root out and prosecute individuals involved across the ransomware spectrum, wherever they try to hide.”
“Today’s sentencing of Oleg Koshkin serves as another example of the risk and consequences awaiting those who choose to commit cybercrimes against the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI’s New Haven Division. “For years, Koshkin and his co-conspirators worked to evade our most basic cyber defenses in order to spread malware on a truly global scale. While our work to bring Koshin to justice comes to a close, the FBI will continue to tirelessly defend our country from the ever-evolving cyber threats posed by criminals, terrorists and hostile nation-states.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Koshkin operated the websites “crypt4u.com,” “fud.bz,” and others. The websites promised to render malicious software fully undetectable by nearly every major provider of antivirus software. Koshkin and his co-conspirators claimed that their services could be used for malware such as botnets, remote access trojans, keyloggers, credential stealers, and cryptocurrency miners.
Koshkin worked with Peter Levashov, the operator of the Kelihos botnet, to develop a system that would allow Levashov to crypt the Kelihos malware multiple times each day. In September 2018, Levashov pleaded guilty to various fraud, conspiracy, computer crime and identity theft offenses.
Koshkin provided Levashov with a custom, high-volume crypting service that enabled Levashov to distribute Kelihos through multiple criminal affiliates. The Kelihos botnet was used by Levashov to send spam, harvest account credentials, conduct denial of service attacks, and to distribute ransomware and other malicious software. According to evidence presented at Koshkin’s sentencing, Kelihos relied on the crypting services provided by Crypt4U from 2014 until Levashov’s arrest in April 2017; and just in the last four months of that conspiracy, Kelihos infected approximately 200,000 computers around the world.
Koshkin’s co-defendant, Pavel Tsurkan, pleaded guilty on June 16 to one count of causing damage to a protected computer, an offense that carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. He is awaiting sentencing.
The FBI’s New Haven Field Office investigated the case through its Connecticut Cyber Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang of the District of Connecticut and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs. The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board also provided significant assistance.
The Department of Justice announced in April the creation of the Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force to combat the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks. As part of the Task Force, the Criminal Division, working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, prioritizes the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of ransomware and digital extortion activity by tracking and dismantling the development and deployment of malware, identifying the cybercriminals responsible, and holding those individuals accountable for their crimes. The department, through the Task Force, also strategically targets the ransomware criminal ecosystem as a whole and collaborates with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as private sector partners to combat this significant criminal threat.
Ripley Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Pipe BombRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Ripley man pleaded guilty today to possessing a pipe bomb.
According to statements made in court, on October 6, 2019, Nicholas Boggess, 26, was pulled over by a trooper with the West Virginia State Police. After smelling the odor of marijuana, the trooper obtained consent to search Boggess’s vehicle. A Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy arrived to assist and recovered a pipe bomb in a backpack in the trunk of Boggess’s vehicle.
Boggess pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Act and faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on March 7, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nowles Heinrich and former Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-00296.
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Rialto Man Who Committed $2.4 Million Bank Fraud by Compromising Hundreds of Accounts Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for causing more than $2.4 million in losses to Wells Fargo & Co. by orchestrating a scheme in which he gained control of hundreds of other people’s checking accounts to make phony fraud loss claims.
Steven Michael Banks Hubbard Jr., 38, of Rialto, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder, who also ordered him to pay $2.4 million in restitution.
Hubbard pleaded guilty on June 28 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
From May 2015 to July 2019, Hubbard executed his scheme, first by obtaining control of the checking accounts from the account holders, sometimes using a third party to do so. Hubbard then would deposit money – typically approximately $2,000 – into the account. Typically on the same day or shortly after the deposit, Hubbard withdrew the money from an ATM and also had third parties make purchases from that account. Then, posing as the account holder, he called Wells Fargo to report that the funds had been withdrawn and the purchases made, without authorization.
Relying on Hubbard’s representations that the cash withdrawals and purchases were unauthorized, Wells Fargo granted a provisional credit of funds into the checking account. Once Wells Fargo deposited the provisional credit into the account, Hubbard allegedly immediately withdrew that money as well. In some instances, Hubbard repeated the scheme on the same account until Wells Fargo closed the account due to fraudulent activity.
Hubbard caused more than $2.4 million in losses to Wells Fargo and involved more than 900 bank accounts in this criminal activity. The bank reported Hubbard’s “bust-out” scheme to law enforcement.
“[Hubbard] engaged in a well-developed, but not particularly sophisticated, scheme to defraud over $2.4 million from Wells Fargo,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “He exploited a policy intended to help real fraud victims obtain immediate relief.”
The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the United States Secret Service, the Rialto Police Department and investigators from Wells Fargo.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerry C. Yang, Chief of the Riverside Branch Office, prosecuted this case.
Renton, Washington man charged with possession of destructive devices for role in plot to burn Seattle Police Guild building in September 2020Read the Press Release
Seattle – A 34-year-old Renton, Washington, man was arrested today in connection with the plot to burn the Seattle Police Officers Guild building in downtown Seattle in September 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Justin Christopher Moore will make his initial appearance on the criminal complaint in U.S. District Court in Seattle at 2:00 PM tomorrow.
According to the criminal complaint, Moore was identified as the person carrying a box of 12 Molotov cocktails in a protest march to the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) building on Labor Day, September 7, 2020. Ultimately the marchers were moved away from the building in downtown Seattle when police smelled gasoline and grew concerned about the intentions of protestors. The box containing the 12 gasoline devices was found in the parking lot next to the SPOG building. Using video from that day and from other protests, as well as information from the electronic devices of other co-conspirators, Moore was confirmed as the person seen carrying the box of destructive devices. Moore was later arrested January 6, 2021, for breaking into the original Starbucks store in Pike Place Market.
In June 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence. They seized clothing that is consistent with the images of what Moore was wearing when he carried the Molotov cocktails. From the basement storage area they also recovered numerous items that are consistent with manufacturing explosive devices such as a four-pound bag of bulk potassium nitrate, and Goex FFFFg black powder, consumer fireworks, chemical heaters for Meal Ready to Eat (MRE), and a 50-pack of Diamond Deluxe matchbooks. Officers also recovered a large assortment of gas masks, wrist rockets, bolt cutters, and climbing harnesses.
Unlawful possession of a destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fireworks & Explosives (ATF), and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
moore_justin_c_complaint.pdfRed Springs Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Jonathan Revels, 57, from Red Springs was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury convicted him in April of 2021.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 4, 2016, members of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the Red Springs Police Department responded to shots fired at Kate Denny Road. During the investigation, officers learned that the defendant, Revels, was involved in the shooting, which resulted in the death of a male victim. Video evidence showed that Revels brought a firearm to the altercation, which was later recovered by law enforcement. Prior to this date, Revels had been previously convicted in federal court and sentenced to over a decade in federal prison.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Red Springs Police Department, State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Rhoades and Brandon Boykin 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. 7:20-CR-20-BO.
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man plead guilty today to the sexual exploitation of a child.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Thomas John Mills, 36, of Beckley, admitted that between March and October 2020, he coerced a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of her genitals for the purpose of creating images and videos of this conduct. Mills had the minor take pictures and videos to send to him and had her participate in live video chats where he told her to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
Mills pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and faces at least 15 and up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 25, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00096.
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Placer County Couple Pleads Guilty to Tax-Related OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Foresthill couple pleaded guilty today to tax-related offenses, and have agreed to pay over $605,000 in restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Virendra (Vic) Maharaj, 55, pleaded guilty to willfully failing to file tax return information with the U.S. Treasury related to his receipt of cash while engaged in trade or business. Maharaj’s wife, Rosalin R. Prasad, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to the Internal Revenue Service’s assessment of income taxes.
According to court documents, Prasad conspired with Maharaj to defraud the IRS in the IRS’s attempts to assess the couple’s tax obligations for the years 2005, 2006, and 2007. Maharaj worked at car dealerships in Sacramento and Woodland in those years and earned substantial income. Several actions were taken to further the conspiracy to thwart the proper assessment of income taxes. Among other things, part of Maharaj’s wages were paid directly to Prasad; part of Maharaj’s compensation was paid directly to Prasad and Maharaj’s creditors through indirect payments; Maharaj took compensation in the form of currency; Prasad improperly deferred around $270,000 in capital gains related to her purchase of a $1.9 million residence; Prasad caused false tax returns to be filed in each of those years; and Prasad made false statements during an IRS audit. Prasad conspired to underreport over $819,000 in income and, in turn, underpay over $184,000 in federal income taxes. She received substantial tax refunds in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
According to court documents, Maharaj was an owner, general manager, and salesperson of Maharaja Motors LLC, which operated a used car lot in Woodland, from approximately 2007 through 2016. In 2015, Maharaj sold a vehicle to a customer and, in turn, received a cash payment of over $10,000. Maharaj willfully failed to file information with the U.S. Treasury, specifically an IRS Form 8300, which is required to be filed by a person engaged in certain trades or businesses, including an automobile sales business, who receives a cash payment exceeding $10,000.
These cases are the product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nirav Desai and Audrey Hemesath are prosecuting the case.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on April 28, 2022. They each face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The actual sentences, 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.
Pennsylvania man guilty of traveling across state lines to engage in sex with a minorRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Mark Sassak, Jr., of Monessen, Pennsylvania, was found guilty today of charges involving a minor, United States Attorney William J, Ihlenfeld, II announced.
After a three-day trial, Sassak, 37, was found guilty of one count of “Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity with a Minor” and one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Sassak began talking with whom he believed to be a 15-year-old female through a social media app. That conversation continued through text messages on his cell phone for several weeks. Sassak then asked for an in-person meeting to have sex with the 15-year-old. Sassak then drove from his home in Pennsylvania to a location in Bridgeport, West Virginia in October 2020 for said meeting, where law enforcement arrested him. When a search of Sassak’s cell phone was done, officers found child pornographic videos.
“Protecting children is one of the most important things that we do as federal prosecutors. Thanks to the hard work of the trial team from the U.S. Attorney’s office and the excellent investigation by the Bridgeport Police Department, a dangerous predator has been convicted and young people in our community are safer as a result,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld.
Sassak faces up to 30 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the travel charge ad faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the pornography charge. 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. Attorneys David J. Perri and Jennifer T. Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bridgeport Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.Paterson Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Trafficking and Unlawfully Possessing 16 FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson man with prior felony convictions was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for illegally transporting and selling 16 firearms for over $8,000 on four occasions beginning in July 2019, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Floyd Henry, aka “HK,” 36, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of illegally engaging in the business of dealing in firearms and four counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 15, 2019, through Sept. 25, 2019, Henry engaged in the business of dealing firearms, while not being a federally licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer. On four occasions, in Passaic County, Henry sold or attempted to sell a total of 16 firearms, including two semi-automatic rifles, three revolvers, and 11 semi-automatic pistols, as well as over 100 rounds of ammunition, in exchange for over $8,000. Henry had purchased or obtained the firearms and ammunition in other states, transported them to New Jersey, and sold them to an individual in Passaic County.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Henry to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark; officers with the Passaic County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik; the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest and charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Amore of the U.S. Attorney’s National Security Unit in Newark.
Parent Sentenced in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former chief executive of a California-based media company was sentenced today in connection with her involvement in the college admissions case.
Elisabeth Kimmel, 56, of Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six weeks in prison, two years of supervised release with the first year spent in home confinement, 500 hours of community service and a fine of $250,000. On Aug. 16, 2021, Kimmel pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Kimmel agreed with William “Rick” Singer and others to pay $275,000 to facilitate her daughter’s admission to Georgetown University by having Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst allocate a tennis admission slot to her daughter, even though she was not a competitive tennis player and was not actually being recruited to play on the Georgetown tennis team. Kimmel further agreed with Singer and others to pay $250,000 to facilitate her son’s admission to the University of Southern California as a pole vault recruit, even though he was not a pole vaulter.
Kimmel is the 29th parent to be sentenced in the case. Singer and Ernst previously pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney, Ian J. Stearns, and Stephen E. Frank of Mendell’s Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Palm Beach Gardens Resident Charged with Threatening Members of Congress Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – This week, 60-year-old Paul Vernon Hoeffer was arraigned in federal court in West Palm Beach on charges that he called and threatened to injure two members of Congress and a district attorney.
The indictment charges Hoeffer with three counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure. According to allegations made by prosecutors during a court hearing, in March 2019, Hoeffer called a congresswoman in Washington, D.C., and threatened to come a “long, long, way” to rattle her head with bullets and cut her head off. On the same day, Hoeffer called a district attorney in the State of Illinois, telling her bullets were going to “rattle her brain,” it is alleged. In November 2020, Hoeffer called another congresswoman, this time in New York. Hoeffer told her that he would “rip her head off” and cautioned her to sleep with one eye open, according to allegations made by prosecutors.
If convicted, Hoeffer faces a total of up to 15 years in prison. Hoeffer pled not guilty during the arraignment. His trial is set to start during the two-week period beginning January 18, 2022. Particular trial dates will be addressed during calendar call before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon on January 11, 2022.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting it.
An indictment is a charging instrument containing allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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-14042.
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Norristown Man Indicted on Charges of Trafficking in Counterfeit MerchandiseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 19, 2021, Alpha Jalloh, age 48, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of trafficking in counterfeit merchandise. The indictment was unsealed following Jalloh’s arrest.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on December 9, 2020 and February 26, 2021, Jalloh possessed and sold counterfeit designer merchandise, including Gucci, Nike/Air Jordan and Michael Kors items in Luzerne County.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Woods, Jr., 48, of Craigsville, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud.
At the plea hearing, Woods admitted that in May of 2016, he applied for a line of credit at a commercial equipment supplier in Beckley. When Woods applied for a line of credit, he fraudulently did so under the name of another construction business that Woods did not actually own. Woods admitted to the Court that he did not have permission from the owner of the business to apply for the line of credit at this store to lease commercial construction equipment. The credit application was transmitted to Cross Lanes and eventually out of West Virginia where it was approved for $10,000. Woods then used the line of credit to lease a CASE Model 850 bulldozer and it was delivered to a jobsite that Woods controlled. Once the owner of the business learned about the fraudulent line of credit, the equipment rental store was contacted and the bulldozer was recovered by the West Virginia State Police and the equipment provider.
Woods faces as much as 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 18, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and credited the investigative work of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General who uncovered the fraud in conjunction with a larger fraud investigation. The West Virginia State Police also helped with the equipment recovery.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Kathleen Robeson handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00001.
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Newark Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Wilmington returned an indictment on December 7 charging Melvin Janvier, III, 34, of Newark, Delaware, with distributing and possessing child pornography during July 2021.
Janvier has been in state custody since his July 20, 2021 arrest. If convicted, Janvier faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of 40 years’ incarceration. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “The production, distribution, and collection of child pornography is a heinous shadow industry that targets the most vulnerable among us – our children. Our office is dedicated to combatting this abhorrent industry and bringing those who lurk in its shadows to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Squad of the FBI Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Knox is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Firearms and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAVONTE DEJEAN, age 27, of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 30, 2021 by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry after previously pleading guilty to drug and firearms offenses.
Specifically, DEJEAN previously pled guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, DEJEAN possessed a Glock .40 caliber firearm and 13 bullets on May 22, 2017, and possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base on May 22, 2017.
In total, Judge Guidry sentenced DEJEAN to 190 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment fee.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is in charge of the prosecution.
New Hampshire Roofing Contractor Sentenced for Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire roofing contractor was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with failing to report income from his roofing and siding business to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Ronald McPhail, 53, of Windham, N.H., was sentenced today by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to one year and one day in prison and one year of supervised release. McPhail was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 and restitution in the amount of $708,494 to the IRS. On June 8, 2021, McPhail pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
McPhail owed more than $700,000 in income taxes to the IRS after he failed to report more than $7.1 million in revenue and approximately $2.43 million in income from his roofing and siding business on his federal tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2019. To conceal his scheme, McPhail cashed customer checks without first depositing them and withheld information concerning these checks and other business revenues from his tax preparers. Additionally, McPhail concealed his income by requesting payment from his customers in several sequentially numbered checks in amounts less than $10,000 and then cashing them at different bank branches on different days.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
Nampa Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Nampa man was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for possession of an unregistered firearm and the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on April 27, 2019, police received a call regarding a disoriented male with a vehicle that had broken down in Canyon County. Police responded and located Paul Clements, 58, of Nampa, by a pickup truck with the hood open. Clements was arrested on outstanding warrants and police searched the pickup truck. Under the driver’s seat, police located a sawed-off shotgun. Clements is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony burglary conviction and was on probation at the time of the offense. Additionally, the sawed-off shotgun was not registered to Clements under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as is required by law.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Clements to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Clements pleaded guilty to the charges on September 13, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Canyon County Sheriff's Office, which led to charges.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Montana Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison in Connection with $43 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TODD CAPSER was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken to 18 months in prison in connection with a $43 million fraud scheme. CAPSER pled guilty before Judge Oetken on July 2, 2019.
According to the Indictment and other publicly filed documents, from January 2016 through April 2019, CAPSER perpetrated a scheme to defraud a financial institution based in Toronto, Canada (“Financial Institution-1”), by inducing it, through false and misleading representations and omissions, to loan approximately $43.3 million to CAPSER for the purchase of two chemical and oil tankers (the “Tankers”).
After obtaining the loan from Financial Institution-1 and purchasing the Tankers, CAPSER attempted to induce at least nine other Financial Institutions to loan between $46 million and $52 million each to refinance the original loan.
CAPSER fraudulently induced Financial Institution-1 to make the $43 million loan, and attempted to induce the other Financial Institutions to make the $46 million to $52 million refinancing loans, through, among other things: (a) fraudulently obtaining documents from a company that provides wealth management services to private clients (“Trust Company‑1”); (b) altering the Trust Company-1 documents, and forging additional Trust Company-1 documents, to make it appear as though his father held an investment portfolio at Trust Company-1 composed of securities worth tens of millions of dollars, which could serve as collateral for the loans; (c) sending the altered and forged Trust Company-1 documents to certain of the Financial Institutions; (d) creating fake email accounts for employees of Trust Company-1, and sending emails from those accounts to certain of the Financial Institutions to make it appear as though his father held an investment portfolio at Trust Company-1 composed of securities worth tens of millions of dollars; and (e) making false and misleading representations and omissions about the financial assets of CAPSER, his father, and their family to certain of the Financial Institutions, including falsely claiming to own a cattle company and ranch.
In addition, in an effort to engender sympathy, deflect questions, and explain suspicious behavior, CAPSER falsely represented to certain of the Financial Institutions that his daughter was terminally ill with cancer.
After being charged and arrested in connection with the foregoing fraud scheme in May 2019, and pleading guilty in July 2019, CAPSER attempted to commit a distinct fraud while awaiting sentencing.
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In addition to yesterday’s prison sentence, CAPSER, 50, of Billings, Montana, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. He also thanked the FBI’s Billings Resident Agency for its assistance with the investigation.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Robles and Benjamin Woodside Schrier are in charge of the prosecution
Monsanto Agrees to Plead Guilty to Illegally Using Pesticide at Corn Growing Fields in Hawaii and to Pay Additional $12 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – In court documents filed today in Hawaii, Monsanto Company agreed to plead guilty to 30 environmental crimes related to the use of a pesticide on corn fields in Hawaii, and the company further agreed to plead guilty to two other charges related to the storage of a banned pesticide that were the subject of a 2019 Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA).
Monsanto admitted in a plea agreement filed today that it committed 30 misdemeanor crimes related to the use of a glufosinate ammonium-based product sold under the brand name Forfeit 280. After using the product in 2020 on corn fields on Oahu, Monsanto allowed workers to enter the fields during a six-day “restricted-entry interval” (REI) after the product was applied.
The plea agreement calls for Monsanto to serve three years of probation, pay a total of $12 million and continue for another three years a comprehensive environmental compliance program that includes third-party auditor.
As a result of the conduct in which Monsanto allowed workers on 30 occasions to enter fields sprayed with Forfeit 280 during the REI, the company violated a 2019 DPA related to the storage of a banned pesticide. According to the documents filed today, Monsanto will plead guilty to two felony charges filed in 2019 that the government would have dismissed if the company had complied with federal law. In conjunction with the DPA related to the two felony charges of illegally storing an acute hazardous waste, Monsanto pleaded guilty in early 2020 to a misdemeanor offense of unlawfully spraying a banned pesticide – specifically methyl parathion, the active ingredient in Penncap-M – on research crops at one of its facilities on Maui.
“Monsanto is a serial violator of federal environmental laws,” said United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “The company repeatedly violated laws related to highly regulated chemicals, exposing people to pesticides that can cause serious health problems.”
“The defendant in this case failed to follow regulations governing the storage of hazardous wastes and the application of pesticides, putting people and the environment at risk,” said Scot Adair, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal enforcement program in Hawaii. “Today’s plea agreement shows that EPA will hold responsible those who violate laws designed to protect communities from exposure to hazardous chemicals.”
In the new case filed today, Monsanto admitted that “due to a lack of oversight and supervision by Monsanto,” its workers violated a change to the REI period after the spraying of Forfeit 280 “by entering the fields 30 times to perform field-corn scouting within six days of spraying.” (“Corn scouting” consists of checking the corn for things such as weeds, insects and disease.) The REI change for Forfeit 280 – which was extended from 12 hours to six days – was part of an industry-wide change for products containing glufosinate ammonium prompted by an EPA decision in late 2016.
Monsanto admitted that it violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which regulates the registration, sale, distribution and use of pesticides, by failing to comply with Forfeit 280’s labeling. The label for Forfeit 280 stated: “It is a violation of Federal law to use Forfeit 280 in a manner inconsistent with its label.” Monsanto illegally used Forfeit 280 on Oahu facilities known as Lower Kunia and Haleiwa.
In the 2019 case related to Penncap-M, Monsanto pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor offense of unlawfully spraying the banned pesticide on corn seed and research crops at its Valley Farm facility on Maui in 2014. Monsanto admitted using Penncap-M in violation of FIFRA, even though the company knew its use was prohibited after 2013 pursuant to a “cancellation order” issued by the EPA. The company further admitted that, after the 2014 spraying, it told employees to re-enter the sprayed fields seven days later – even though Monsanto knew that workers should have been prohibited from entering the area for 31 days.
The felony offenses covered by the DPA – the two charges to which Monsanto will plead guilty – are the unlawful storage of an acute hazardous waste in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Penncap-M was a “restricted use pesticide” that could not be purchased or used by the public, and it could only be used by a certified applicator because of the possible adverse effects to the environment and injury to applicators or bystanders that could result.
From March 2013 through August 2014, even though the pesticide was on the company’s lists of chemicals that needed disposal, Monsanto stored 160 pounds of Penncap-M hazardous waste at a facility on Molokai, which made Monsanto a “Large Quantity Generator” of hazardous waste under RCRA. “Monsanto knew that Penncap-M had the substantial potential to be harmful to others and to the environment,” it admitted in the documents filed today.
In addition to spraying the banned pesticide at one of its three facilities on Maui, Monsanto also stored a total of 111 gallons of Penncap-M at Valley Farm and two other sites known as Maalaea and Piilani. Just like on Molokai, the storage of Penncap-M at the three Maui sites made Monsanto a “Large Quantity Generator” of acute hazardous waste at the three locations, according to court documents.
Furthermore, when it transported Penncap-M to its Valley Farm site in 2014, the company violated federal law when it failed to use a proper shipping manifest to identify the hazardous material and when it failed to obtain a permit to accept hazardous waste at that site.
In relation to the DPA and the prior guilty plea, Monsanto paid $10.2 million – a $6 million criminal fine under the DPA, a $200,000 fine for the FIFRA offense, and $4 million in community service payments to Hawaiian government entities.
In the plea agreement filed today, Monsanto agreed to pay another $6 million criminal fine, as well as an addition $6 million in community service payments. Four Hawaiian agencies will receive $1.5 million payments:
- The Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Use Revolving Fund – Pesticide Disposal Program/Pesticide Safety Training;
- the Department of the Attorney General, Criminal Justice/Investigations Division;
- the Department of Health, Environmental Management Division, to support environmental-health programs; and
- the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources.
As a result of the two actions taken by the Justice Department, Monsanto has agreed to pay a total of $22.2 million for the two RCRA felonies and the 31 FIFRA misdemeanor offenses.
Monsanto has agreed to have representatives appear in United States District Court in the near future to enter guilty pleas to a total of 32 offenses.
The sentence detailed in the court documents today are subject to the approval of United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright.
This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erik M. Silber and Dennis Mitchell of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section and Mark A. Williams, Chief of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section. In this case, these prosecutors are acting as special attorneys appointed by the Attorney General pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 515. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii was recused from this investigation.
Modesto Man Charged with Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Ryan Brandon Bailey, 40, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 14, 2021, Bailey possessed a rifle in Modesto. Bailey was previously convicted of second degree burglary in 2012 and being a felon in possession of ammunition in 2015 and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Bailey faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Modesto Man Charged with Drug Trafficking & Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Andrew Paul Satariano, 41, of Modesto, charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2021, Satariano fled from officers at speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour during an attempted traffic stop in the City of Waterford in Stanislaus County. Satariano was apprehended hiding nearby, and deputies discovered approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine and two loaded handguns in the driver’s area of the vehicle. Satariano is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; the Modesto Police Department; and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the methamphetamine distribution charge, Satariano faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of the possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, Satariano faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Middlesex Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Paycheck Protection Program Fraud Scheme and Obtaining Funds from Stolen and Altered U.S. Treasury CheckRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for fraudulently receiving Payment Protection Program (PPP) funds and depositing a stolen and altered U.S. Treasury check, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Bernard Lopez, 40, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count each of bank fraud and theft of government funds. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Lopez devised a scheme to commit bank fraud through which a stolen and altered U.S. Treasury check was deposited into a corporate bank account Lopez created in the name of Pezlo Management LLC. The check was altered to be made payable to Pezlo in the amount of $211,886 and was then deposited into Pezlo’s corporate bank account. Lopez later withdrew or transferred the stolen proceeds from Pezlo’s bank account before the bank could detect the fraud.
On June 24, 2020, Lopez caused to be submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application to a lender on behalf of Company-1, a purported business that Lopez controlled. The Small Business Administration oversees the PPP, which is designed to provide forgivable loans to small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Applicants for PPP loans apply directly to banks or financial institutions participating in the program; in those applications, applicants make affirmative certifications about their average monthly payroll expenses and number of employees. Applicants also certify their intent to spend PPP proceeds on permissible business expenses, such as payroll costs, rent, utilities, and interest on mortgages. PPP loans may be entirely forgiven if the recipient spends the loan proceeds on these permissible expenses within a designated period after receiving the proceeds.
Lopez’s PPP application falsely represented that Company-1 employed 25 employees, had a monthly payroll expense of approximately $192,000, and had mortgage/lease and utilities expenses. Company-1 did not, in fact, employ any employees, nor did it incur payroll or utility expenses. Based on Lopez’s misrepresentations, the lender approved Lopez’s PPP loan application and provided Lopez’s purported business with $481,502 in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses. Lopez then converted a portion of the proceeds for his own use.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Lopez to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $137,000 and forfeiture of $481,502.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Department of the Treasury-OIG, under the direction of Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sally D. Luttrell, and special agents and task force officers of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark, with the investigation leading to today's sentencing. She also thanked special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, and special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca for assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Perry Farhat of the Government Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
Medical Director at Bridgeville Suboxone Clinic Sentenced for Unlawful Dispensing of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Wexford, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service on his conviction of unlawfully distributing controlled substances, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Mark R. Foster, age 75.
According to information presented to the court, co-defendant Terry Brown owned and operated Cherry Way, a Suboxone clinic, located in Bridgeville PA, and Foster was a medical director at Cherry Way. Brown and Foster conspired together to create and submit unlawful prescriptions for Suboxone, Adderall and Percocet, and then unlawfully dispensed those controlled substances to Brown and to other persons not specifically named in the Indictment..
Assistant United States Attorney Robert R. Cessar prosecuted 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.
McComb Felon Sentenced to 32 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – A McComb man was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Martin Scarberry, 42, was picked up by law enforcement on April 20, 2021, in the woods in Lincoln County, following a multi-day search after he absconded from a state criminal sentencing hearing. When Scarberry was placed under arrest, a firearm was found tucked into his waistband. The firearm was determined to be stolen.
Scarberry was originally indicted for this offense on May 25, 2021. He pled guilty on August 25, 2021.
The FBI, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Mississippi Department of Corrections investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
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.
Mayor of Guaynabo Arrested for Accepting Bribes & Executive Assistant to Mayor of Trujillo Also Arrested for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO –The mayor of Guaynabo was arrested today on charges of conspiracy, soliciting a bribe, and extortion. In a separate operation, the executive assistant to the mayor of Trujillo Alto was arrested today on charges of conspiracy, soliciting a bribe, and extortion.
“The constituents of these defendants entrusted them with serving their communities with honesty and integrity -- instead they participated in the alleged illegal schemes and used their positions for personal gain,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Public officials who fail to faithfully discharge the duties of their office, and those who conspire with them, will be investigated, prosecuted, and punished for their actions.”
The indictment against Ángel Pérez-Otero, Mayor of Guaynabo, alleges that he was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which, from late 2019 through May 2021, he received and accepted $5,000 cash payments on a regular basis from Individual A. In exchange for these payments, the mayor agreed to obtain and retain contracts for Company A (a construction company) and ensured that Company A’s invoices were promptly paid. The indictment alleges that Individual A regularly met in secret with Pérez-Otero to pay cash bribes and kickbacks to Pérez-Otero.
“As I have said before, we will not allow this kind of behavior to go unpunished. Public Corruption is one of the FBI’s top priorities and today’s arrests highlight the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable those who violate the people’s trust,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Puerto Rico. “I can’t stress enough how crucial cooperation from the public is to the developments of these cases and therefore, anyone with information on public corruption schemes is highly encouraged to report it. As always, I’d like to thank our local state and federal partners for their contributions to this case and their continued support to the FBI mission.”
A second indictment returned yesterday alleges that beginning in or around June of 2017, Radamés Benítez-Cardona, a government official and agent of Trujillo Alto, enriched himself by accepting bribes and kickbacks from Individual A and Individual B in exchange for securing municipal contracts for Company A as opportunities arose. The indictment alleges that Individual B negotiated a bribe and kickback scheme with defendant Benítez-Cardona on behalf of Individual A. The scheme required Individual A to pay a $0.75 per house monthly kickback to defendant Benítez-Cardona in connection with Trujillo Alto municipal contract 2018-000004 awarded to Company A for trash pick-up. The monthly kickback amounted to approximately $17,250 for 23,000 houses. Individual B also gave Benítez-Cardona an up-front payment of approximately $200,000 on behalf of Individual A to ensure that Company A received the waste disposal contract with the Municipality of Trujillo Alto.
These investigations were conducted by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott H. Anderson and Nicholas W. Cannon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron Announces Department of Justice Grant of More Than $325,000 to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded Maryland $326,401 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The Maryland grant, which is part of $17.5 million awarded nationally, will support efforts to address violent crime, including gun violence.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
“This PSN grant will be a great help to our community-based partners and state and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime in their neighborhoods,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We will continue to work together with our partners to identify and prosecute the drivers of violence and support the community’s efforts to prevent violence.”
Maryland’s grant was awarded to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to support violence reduction efforts around the state. Specific jurisdictions will be awarded funds through a competitive process. Each successful applicant will be required to form a local PSN task force, complete a thorough assessment of the violent crime drivers in their community and develop a strategic plan to address those issues.
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including here in Maryland, have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.
For a list of all grantees, please visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf.
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.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Ambushing Ex-Girlfriend and Stabbing Her in AttackRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for repeatedly stabbing an ex-girlfriend after he accosted her when she was leaving her workplace in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Meverard Edward Paul, 30, of Adelphi, Maryland, also known as Meverard Edward, pleaded guilty in February 2020, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of assault with intent to kill while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 14 to 18 years. The Honorable Milton C. Lee accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Paul will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Paul threatened his ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him in January 2018. She subsequently obtained a civil protective order in Maryland. Paul complied with the order for about a week, but then he began contacting the woman from social media accounts and various phone numbers. Then, at 11 p.m. on May 15, 2018, he followed her into her car as she left work in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW.
Paul repeatedly stabbed the woman with a kitchen knife, pulled her out of the car by her hair, and dragged her into a stairwell and down a flight of stairs before cutting her throat. He then pulled her across the street into a wooded area, where he demanded that she drop the civil protective order and made further threats. He then forced her back to the car to start driving him home, but she convinced him to let her drive herself to the hospital, alone. She had stab wounds to her face, hands, forearms, and buttocks, along with the laceration to her throat.
Paul was arrested on May 18, 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eliot Folsom, Eric S. Nguyen, Grace Richards, Michael McGovern, and Lauren Galloway.
Maine Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Deborah Cross, 65, of Sanford, Maine pleaded guilty on Wednesday in federal court to distributing methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 4, 2018, a cooperating individual purchased over 60 grams of methamphetamine from Cross at a residence in Franklin, New Hampshire. The cooperating individual made the purchase while working with law enforcement agents and wearing a video and audio recording device.
Cross is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, 2022.
“To protect our community from the dangerous effects of methamphetamine, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the dealers who are distributing this potentially-deadly substance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Given the horrific impact that methamphetamine can have on its users, we will not hesitate to bring federal charges against those who seek to profit from selling this dangerous illegal drug.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a large-scale drug trafficking organization, or an individual like Deborah Cross who was distributing methamphetamine out of her home in Franklin, NH, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything we can to put those who have furthered the scourge of drugs in our neighborhoods out of business,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
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Madison County Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Madison County man has been sentenced for unlawful gun possession by a
felon. Derrick D. Ingram, 48, has been sentenced to 72 months in federal prison on
one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing hearing was conducted on
Wednesday, December 8, 2021, in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois.
According to court documents and statements made in Court, the crime occurred on
October 15, 2020, when Ingram fled from Granite City Police during a traffic stop. Ingram was
armed with a firearm while he ran from police and continued to grab for the gun during his
arrest. He was also found in possession of methamphetamine and cocaine. Ingram had
numerous prior felony convictions including Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Attempted
Aggravated Kidnapping.As part of his sentence, Ingram was ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of
the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program
proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders
work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop
comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses
enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based
prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.The investigation was conducted by the Granite City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexandria Burns.Lynn Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Possessing Three Pounds of Methamphetamine and Two FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing firearms.
David Oth, a/k/a “Baby Bouncer,” a/k/a “BB,” 32, was sentenced today by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 15 years in prison and six years of supervised release. On Aug. 5, 2021, Oth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Oth was a member of the Tiny Rascals Gangsters, a violent street gang with a presence in Lynn, Malden, Salem and Lowell. Oth and other gang members conspired for over a year to distribute methamphetamine and other drugs by transporting them to Maine, where they would yield a higher resale value. A search of Oth’s residence in February 2021 resulted in the seizure of approximately three pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine and two firearms.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Essex County, Middlesex County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices; Essex County and the Hancock County (Maine) Sheriff’s Departments; and the Malden, Salem, Bangor (Maine), Portland (Maine) and Westbrook (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Sarah Hoefle of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding was sentenced on December 7, 2021, by Judge Mark A. Moreno, U.S. District Court.
Kalvin Peterson, age 22, was sentenced to two years of probation in each case, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $50.
Peterson was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 14, 2020, for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. He pled guilty on September 20, 2021. Peterson was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2021, and pled guilty on September 20, 2021, for Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding.
The conviction for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer stemmed from an incident that occurred on March 23, 2020, in Lower Brule. On that date, Peterson spit on a correctional officer during the booking process at the Lower Brule Correctional Center.
The conviction for Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding stemmed from an incident that occurred on November 28, 2020, in Lower Brule. On that date, Peterson assaulted the victim, who was attempting to stop Peterson from leaving home with a knife.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the cases.
Local man gets life for hunting girls onlineRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for using social media to entice a young girl to engage in sexual activity, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Robert Velasquez pleaded guilty in January 2020.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack ordered he serve the rest of life in prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including impact statements from three of his victims. Additional information was also presented about the identification of several victims between the ages eight and 15. In handing down the prison term, the court noted that given the nature of the defendant’s conduct and the damage he had done to the victims and their families, she felt she had no other sentence available to her that could properly protect the community. A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.
“Using any type of social media to target our children is deplorable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. “Such communication avenues can be wonderful tools to share stories and connect with people, but we must remain vigilant and cautious. This defendant abused these systems and hunted for victims who were specifically underage and local. Thankfully, he will be behind bars, but the case is a good reminder to monitor our children’s activity and to be careful about having identifiable information readily available.”
The investigation began in January 2019. Authorities ultimately reviewed more than 50,000 social media chats which led to the identification of over 10 young girls ranging from 8 to 17 years of age whom Velasquez victimized.
He had used the victims’ social media accounts to determine they were local and underage. He then targeted them with complimentary messages and long conversations in order to get the girls to meet for sex. In some instances, he photographed the children during their physical encounters.
Velasquez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and the Corpus Christi Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany L. Jensen is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Leader of Fort Myers Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL - Marvin Harris, Jr., aka “Mesh” (23, Fort Myers), has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, and cocaine. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Harris led a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in neighborhoods off of Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers. Harris recruited dealers to work for him and provided them with housing, which served as the main distribution points for the DTO.
On August 14, 2020, Harris was jailed for contempt of court in connection with a homicide investigation. He continued to run his organization while behind bars, enlisting his girlfriend, co-defendant Destiny Molina, to supply his dealers with drugs and collect the revenue generated by the business. Recorded phone calls between Harris and Molina captured him teaching her how to mix fentanyl with adulterants to increase the profit potential of his product along with other instructions necessary to keep his illegal enterprise afloat.
On October 15, 2020, the FBI executed simultaneous search warrants at Molina’s residence and Harris’s main drug house located on New York Drive in Fort Myers. Inside Molina’s residence, law enforcement recovered nearly $55,000 in cash, multiple pieces of expensive jewelry, more than 100 grams of fentanyl and cocaine, and a firearm. At the drug house, law enforcement found nearly $5,000 in cash, additional fentanyl and cocaine, and another firearm.
In connection with his guilty plea, Harris has agreed to forfeit his Mercedes-Benz automobile, $59,056 in seized cash, an 18k gold Datejust Rolex, and multiple gold “Cuban link” chains, all of which were traced to the proceeds of his DTO. Four other members of the conspiracy had previously pleaded guilty in connection with his case and are awaiting sentencing:
Name
Charge
Maximum Penalty
Destiny Molina
(20, Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
5-40 years in prison
Bradly Griffin, aka “Jit”
(19, Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
5-40 years in prison
Robert Rosado, aka “Drew”
(24, Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; distribution of a controlled substance
5-40 years in prison
Fabian Kelly, aka “Bob”
(20, Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
Up to 20 years in prison, plus a consecutive 5 years in prison for firearms charge
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Las Vegas man found guilty of illegally guiding hunt in Carson National ForestRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A federal court on Dec. 1 found Carlos Ortiz, 28, of Las Vegas, New Mexico, guilty of illegally guiding a bighorn sheep hunt in the Carson National Forest. On December 8, the court sentenced Ortiz to a year and a half of probation and fined him $7,600.
According to court records, on Aug. 7, 2020, Ortiz, doing business as Reaper Backcountry Outfitters, was guiding a party to hunt bighorn sheep. Though the itinerary for the hunt stated that it was to take place in the Santa Fe National Forest, the GPS coordinates included in the itinerary were located in the Carson National Forest.
Officers from the U.S. Forest Service and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish encountered the party at their campsite in the Carson National Forest. The officers also had encountered two individuals on horseback who told officers they were helping Ortiz pack out a bighorn sheep killed by Ortiz’s client. The officers confirmed that the sheep had been killed in the Carson National Forest.
At the time, Ortiz was not authorized to conduct any commercial activity in the Carson National Forest and was not authorized to guide bighorn sheep hunts in the Santa Fe National Forest. Additionally, he was not authorized to conduct guided hunts with overnight camping in either forest.
“Those at the Forest Service and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish who enforce our laws to protect and sustain our Nation’s forests and wildlife are stewards of our country’s rich and diverse natural heritage, which includes majestic animals like North America’s bighorn sheep,” said U.S. Attorney Fred Federici. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is fully committed to enforcing our land and wildlife laws so that all Americans, including generations of Americans to come, can enjoy our Nation’s natural resources, and not those who attempt to profit by violating the law.”
“I am very pleased to see this conviction and sentence,” said Special Agent in Charge James Alford from the U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Region. “The national forests belong to every citizen and when someone is willfully violating the law it steals opportunities for others to enjoy our public lands. This is especially true in this case since an outfitter guide was breaking the law for commercial gain. I want to thank our U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish conservations officers, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys for their outstanding work of protecting America’s national forests and natural resources.”
“I want to thank the U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers and Conservation Officers for their hard work on this case in New Mexico’s backcountry,” said Game and Fish Colonel Bobby Griego. “It is important for all New Mexico Outfitters to ensure they not only have completed requirements from the Game and Fish Department, but also our federal and state land management partners.”
The U.S. Forest Service and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Mattei and Rumaldo Armijo prosecuted the case.
Knoxville Woman Sentenced to Thirty Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On December 9, 2021, Breanna Cierra Sluder, 27, of Knoxville, Tenn., was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 30 years by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Following her imprisonment, Sluder will be supervised by the United States Probation Office for the rest of her life and will be required to comply with special conditions of release for sex offenders. Sluder will also be required to register with the sex offender registry in any state in which she resides, works, or attends school.
Sluder pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. According to documents filed in court, in January 2020, a federal search warrant was executed at Sluder’s home after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provided information to the Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (KPD-ICAC) concerning images of child pornography being produced in Knoxville. According to court documents, image and video files located during the investigation depicted the sexual victimization of an infant and a toddler by Sluder.
This case was investigated by KPD-ICAC and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman prosecuted the case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Keene Couple Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jason Martin, 36, and Heidi Compos, 54, of Keene, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September of 2019, law enforcement officers learned that Compos was engaged in the distribution of drugs in the Keene area. With the assistance of a cooperating individual, officers arranged for three separate controlled purchases of drugs in October and November of 2019. Martin was at the residence he shared with Compos and provided fentanyl and crack cocaine to the cooperator during the first transaction. Compos conducted the second transaction involving fentanyl and crack cocaine. She also sold fentanyl during the third transaction.
A search warrant was executed at the defendants’ Keene residence on November 21, 2019. Both Compos and Martin were at the residence at the time of the search. Located in their shared bedroom was a bag containing approximately $15,064 in cash and bags of fentanyl and cocaine.
Compos pleaded guilty on December 6, 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, 2022. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2022.
“Drug traffickers endanger the community by selling illegal substances that have the potential to kill,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “To protect the public, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the drug dealers who are profiting from the sales of dangerous and addictive substances in the Granite State.”
“Compos and Martin sought to distribute fentanyl and cocaine—deadly drugs that have ruined lives and families in New Hampshire. HSI is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate those seeking to sell these illicit substances in our communities,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston Field Office.
This matter was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Keene Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Rombeau.
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Justice Dept. Awards $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. In the State of Georgia, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council was awarded funding totaling $532,348, which will be administered to the Districts.
The Middle District of Georgia will receive $130,025, directed toward evidence-based programs focused on violent crime reduction, youth outreach and gang investigations. The Northern District of Georgia will receive $297,151 and the Southern District of Georgia will receive $105,172.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
“These grants are one element of a multi-prong approach to address violence in communities in Georgia,” said Middle District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “By offering financial support for innovative crime solutions, Project Safe Neighborhoods puts the power in the hands of local communities to fight violent crime.”
“These awards represent a significant commitment in the fight against violent crime and recognition of the hard work being done by law enforcement and community partners to combat gun violence,” said Kurt R. Erskine, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “The Northern District of Georgia’s Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy focuses on prosecuting repeat violent offenders as well as supporting evidence-based programs that curb recidivism among adult and youthful offenders.”
“The Project Safe Neighborhoods program plays a vital role in the Southern District as we collaborate with our law enforcement partners to fight violent crime and take firearms away from criminals,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. “The funding from this PSN grant will assist our largest cities with strategies and equipment for making their communities safer.”
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.
For a list of all grantees, please visit:
https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf
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.