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28 January 2022
Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
On January 26, 2022, a man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City.
Nicholas Griffin, 38, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on August 31, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Griffin was previously convicted of four felony drug offenses, including possession with intent to deliver marijuana in Dickinson County in 2004; delivery of cocaine in Dickinson County in 2008; possession of MDMA with intent to deliver in Blackhawk County in 2008; and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in Webster County in 2015.
Evidence at the hearings showed that from November 2020 through January 2021, Griffin and others distributed more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine in the Webster and Hamilton County areas. In January 2021, law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle Griffin was driving. Griffin attempted to flee, with speeds reaching in excess of 100 mph, ultimately resulting in Griffin crashing his vehicle into a utility pole in Fort Dodge, Iowa. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement seized approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine, about ½ gram of cocaine, about ¼ ounce of marijuana, and $7,559 in U.S. currency.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Griffin was sentenced to 214 months’ imprisonment and a ten-year term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Griffin remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Iowa Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Iowa Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-3001. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Maine and New Hampshire Herring Fishermen Charged with Conspiracy, Fraud, and Falsification of RecordsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Five fishermen from Maine and one fisherman from New Hampshire, along with a corporation, were charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice in connection with a multi-year scheme to sell unreported Atlantic herring and falsify fishing records, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
Glenn Robbins, 75, of Eliot; Ethan Chase, 44, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Neil Herrick, 46, of Rockland; Andrew Banow, 35, of Rockport; Stephen Little, 56, of Warren; Jason Parent, 49, of Owls Head; and Western Sea, Inc., were named in a 35-count indictment returned today.
According to the indictment, between June 2016 and September 2019, the owner, captains, and crew aboard the F/V Western Sea sold more than 2.6 million pounds of Atlantic herring that was not reported to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA relies upon accurate reports to set policies designed to ensure a sustainable fishery. The indictment alleges that members of the crew were paid directly by fish dealers and lobster vessel operators for the unreported herring.
“The type of unscrupulous and unlawful fishing alleged in the Indictment returned by the grand jury directly affects the economic benefit of law-abiding fishermen and fishing communities,” said Director James Landon, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement. “We will continue to help bring to justice those who are proven to have violated U.S. fishing laws and regulations, to help ensure the sustainability of our living marine resources while also maximizing economic benefit.”
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement and the Maine Marine Patrol investigated the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Donta Riddick pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and fentanyl with intent to distribute on September 15, 2020. Riddick also admitted to the distribution of heroin and fentanyl on September 13, 2020 that caused the death of a 21-year old resident of Massapequa, New York. As part of his guilty plea, Riddick agreed to a sentence of 198 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years’ supervised release, subject to the Court’s approval. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Timothy Foley, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the guilty plea.
“Today, the defendant admitted to trafficking heroin laced with fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a young woman on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The opioid epidemic and the tragic overdose deaths of so many have had a devastating impact on our communities. This Office, together with our federal and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute and hold accountable those who contribute to this serious problem.”
“The facts of the case clearly demonstrate fentanyl’s lethal nature. Today’s guilty plea culminates one of many DEA investigations targeting drug trafficking rings whose illegal actions contribute to the rising drug-related overdose rates. I commend the investigators and prosecutors involved in this case,” stated DEA Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Foley.
“Defendant Donta Riddick did intentionally sell illegal drugs to a young woman who ultimately passed from an overdose of those drugs which were laced with deadly fentanyl. The multi-agency investigation led to the arrest of the defendant which removes a dangerous drug dealer from our communities. I would like to thank and congratulate all of the investigators and those respective agencies for a job well done,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.
According to court filings and statements made by the defendant at the guilty plea proceeding, on the night of September 13, 2020, Riddick sold fentanyl-laced heroin to the victim, who suffered a fatal overdose at a motel in Massapequa the following morning. A review of the victim’s cell phone by law enforcement revealed text messages she exchanged with Riddick in which she appeared to be ordering heroin from the defendant. On September 15, 2020, during the subsequent investigation by the DEA and NCPD, Riddick was arrested in possession of street-level quantities of the same fentanyl-laced heroin that had caused the death of the victim the day before.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles N. Rose and Samantha Alessi are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DONTA RIDDICK
Age: 35
West Babylon, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-517 (S-1) (GRB)
Lee’s Summit Man Pleads Guilty to Arson, Insurance Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to leading an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy and to illegally possessing firearms.
Wandale J. Fulton, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Jan. 27, to one count of conspiracy to use fire in the commission of wire and mail fraud, one count of arson in the commission of a federal felony, and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Fulton also pleaded guilty to the charge contained in a separate federal indictment, one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
By pleading guilty, Fulton admitted that he participated in an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy from 2013 through 2019. Fulton and co-conspirators bought houses in Kansas City, Mo., insured them, had them burned or vandalized, and then filed insurance claims on the houses.
Conspirators made false claims on insurance applications, such as claiming the houses were rented or occupied, that there were valuable contents in the houses, and that the houses had been renovated. After obtaining insurance, a co-conspirator would set fire to the house. The homeowner would then claim a total loss with the insurance company.
Fulton also admitted that he and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent loan applications to Heartland Community Credit Union. They also presented fraudulent bills of sale for automobiles to Heartland to obtain loans to purchase cars. The plea agreement cites four fraudulent automobile loans obtained by conspirators from the credit union, ranging from $18,300 to $25,200. In each of those instances, Heartland issued a check to the loan applicant and the checks were delivered directly to Fulton, who deposited them into his own bank account.
ATF agents executed a search warrant at Fulton’s residence on March 26, 2019. During the search, agents found a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun in a shoebox in the bedroom closet and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 semi-automatic firearm in a backpack in a closet. Agents later found a Taurus 9mm pistol in a computer bag.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fulton has a prior felony conviction for manslaughter.
Four co-conspirators have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Fulton is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole for use of fire in the commission of a federal felony. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Images and Videos Depicting the Sexual Abuse of InfantsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Matthew Holton (25, Lakeland) to five years in federal prison for possessing images and videos depicting young children being sexually abused. Holton was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to pay $21,000 in restitution to child victims. Holton had pleaded guilty on June 4, 2021.
According to court documents, agents with Homeland Security Investigations began investigating the internet upload of an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child between the ages of one and three, as reported by an internet service provider to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. Agents executed a search warrant at Holton’s residence and seized his iPhone that contained more than 1,000 images and 19 videos of child sexual abuse materials, including depictions of minors as young as one years old.
“Every time child pornography is viewed, it re-victimizes a young child,” said HSI Tampa acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Silliman. “This criminal will now face the consequences of his crimes.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lake City Incest Chatroom Administrator Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced John Thomas Jackson (43, Lake City) to 20 years in federal prison for distributing visual depictions of child sexual abuse. The Court also ordered Jackson to serve a life term of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to forfeit the phone that he had used to distribute the images and videos of children being sexually abused.
Jackson had pleaded guilty on October 25, 2021, and has been detained since his arrest on July 4, 2021.
According to court documents, the FBI received information that an individual using the alias “Terry Borden” was sending hundreds of files over the internet depicting prepubescent children being sexually abused. The FBI interviewed an individual who was chatting online with “Terry Borden” and reviewed communication between “Terry Borden” and the other individual in which “Terry Borden” indicated that he planned to produce sexually explicit photographs of two minor girls the next day. “Terry Borden” also discussed plans to molest a child and have sex with a child over the course of the weekend. Further investigation confirmed that the user “Terry Borden” was actually John Thomas Jackson.
Jackson also engaged in an online chat with an FBI agent posing as a 14-year-old girl, sent nude photographs of himself and photographs of himself wearing women’s underwear to the 14-year-old “child,” and requested nude photographs of the minor. He told the “child” that he had previously engaged in sexual activity with an 8-year-old female child and invited the “child” to join a private chat room that catered to individuals interested in sexual activity between “daughters and daddies” of which he was the administrator. Jackson uploaded files depicting child sexual abuse material to that chatroom prior to and after he invited the “child” to join the chat room.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence on July 4, 2021. During an interview with law enforcement, Jackson admitted that he is “Terry Borden,” that he watches and trades videos of children as young as 2-years-old being sexually assaulted, and that he has sexual urges that are satisfied by his viewing of child sexual abuse material. Jackson admitted to trading files depicting the sexual assault of children over the internet with hundreds of individuals and that he has been doing so for 10 years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran handled the forfeiture.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Knoxville Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Transportation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– On January 27, 2022, Timothy Chad Canady (Canady), 43, currently of Knoxville, was sentenced by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville to serve 240 months in federal prison.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Canady agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of transportation of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A (1) and 2252A(b)(1) and one count of possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(b)(2). As part of the federal sentence, following his release from federal prison, Canady will be placed on supervised release for life. Canady will be required to register with state sex offender registry where he lives, works, or attends school and will be required to comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
According to documents filed in court and witness testimony, from November 2017 through February 2020, defendant transported child pornography in interstate commerce and possessed child pornography. Canady used social media websites to communicate with others to trade links of child pornography. Canady used multiple phones, 15 email addresses and 14 usernames to transport and collect the child pornography. In Canady’s possession were found 640 images and 153 videos of child pornography, including sadistic depictions portraying infants and toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Canady had been paroled in June 2015 after serving approximately 12 years on a 40-year sentence for facilitation to commit felony murder and two counts of attempted aggravated robbery.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States in court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.
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Justice Department secures agreement with Kroger to make online COVID-19 vaccine registration accessible for people with disabilitiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker announced today a Department of Justice settlement agreement with Ohio-based retailer The Kroger Co. The agreement, secured under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will eliminate barriers preventing people with certain disabilities from getting information about COVID-19 vaccinations and booking their vaccination appointments online.
Kroger has 2,800 retail grocery stores under the Kroger name and others, with a presence in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Portal for Kroger-branded stores, currently located at https://www.kroger.com/health/pharmacy/covid-care, was not accessible to people with certain disabilities, including those who use screen reader software. For instance, critical medical screening questions, were not read to screen readers users. These included questions about current COVID-related symptoms, allergies, and reactions to previous vaccines. Further, when a screen reader user selected an available appointment time, the website told them that the available appointment was “unavailable” instead of “selected.”
Under today’s settlement, Kroger will make content about the COVID-19 vaccine, including the forms for scheduling an appointment to get the vaccine, conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. WCAG is a set of voluntary industry guidelines for making information on a website accessible to users with disabilities.
Kroger also must regularly test the pages of its website that include vaccine scheduling and information about the COVID-19 vaccine, and quickly fix any problems that keep people with disabilities from being able to use these pages.
“All individuals deserve a full and equal opportunity to access services like vaccines,” U.S. Attorney Parker said. “This office will continue to partner with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to ensure that equal access.”
“Access for people with disabilities should never be an afterthought, including during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When a store’s website is inaccessible, people with disabilities may struggle to get potentially life-saving vaccines for themselves and their loved ones. This agreement helps fulfill the promise of the ADA by ensuring individuals with disabilities have equal access to healthcare.”
ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint.
Anyone in the Southern District of Ohio may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio by emailing [email protected] or calling 614-469-5715.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael J.T. Downey is representing the United States in this matter in the Southern District of Ohio.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement to Make Online COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Accessible for People with Disabilities at Kroger Grocery ChainRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it has secured a settlement agreement with The Kroger Co. (Kroger) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that will eliminate barriers preventing people with certain disabilities from getting information about COVID-19 vaccinations and booking their vaccination appointments online. Kroger is an Ohio-based retailer with approximately 2,800 retail grocery stores under the Kroger name and other brands, with a presence in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Today’s resolution is the department’s third agreement on the critical issue of COVID-19 vaccination website accessibility, following settlement announcements in November 2021 (Rite Aid Corporation) and December 2021 (Hy-Vee Inc.).
The COVID-19 vaccine registration portal for Kroger-branded stores, currently located at https://www.kroger.com/health/pharmacy/covid-care, was not accessible to people with certain disabilities, including those who use screen reader software. For instance, critical medical screening questions about current COVID-related symptoms, allergies and reactions to previous vaccines were not read to screen reader users. Further, when a screen reader user selected an available appointment time, the website told them that the available appointment was “unavailable,” instead of “selected.”
“Access for people with disabilities should never be an afterthought, including during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When a store’s website is inaccessible, people with disabilities may struggle to get potentially life-saving vaccines for themselves and their loved ones. This agreement helps fulfill the promise of the ADA by ensuring individuals with disabilities have equal access to healthcare.”
“All individuals deserve a full and equal opportunity to access services like vaccines,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “This office will continue to partner with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to ensure that equal access.”
Under today’s settlement, Kroger will conform web content about the COVID-19 vaccine, including the forms for scheduling an appointment to get the vaccine, to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. WCAG is a set of voluntary industry guidelines for making information on a website accessible to users with disabilities. Kroger also must regularly test the pages of its website that include vaccine scheduling and information about the COVID-19 vaccine, and quickly fix any problems that keep people with disabilities from being able to use these pages.
This matter was handled jointly by the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Title III of the ADA requires public accommodations like drugstores and grocery stores to provide individuals with disabilities with full and equal enjoyment of goods and services, such as vaccines. The ADA also requires public accommodations to ensure effective communication with people with disabilities, including by using auxiliary aids and services like accessible technology.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint. Anyone in the Southern District of Ohio may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio by calling 614-469-5715 or emailing [email protected].
Jefferson Township Man Sentenced to Probation for Possessing Firearms While an Unlawful User of A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James C. Cartwright, age 34, of Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 27, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to two years of probation for possessing two firearms while an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Cartwright previously admitted that between November 2, 2019, and through July 1, 2020, in Wayne and Lackawanna Counties, he was in possession of two firearms, a Taurus PT740 and a Heritage Arms revolver, while knowing that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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.
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Jacksonville Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tampering with Intensive Care Unit Patient’s MedicationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Jerome Clampitt II to six months in federal prison, followed by six months of home detention for tampering with a consumer product, specifically, injectable fentanyl.
Clampitt had pleaded guilty on October 27, 2021.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2020, Clampitt, a registered nurse, was working a night shift in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Jacksonville. A patient under Clampitt’s care was prescribed and receiving an intravenous dose of fentanyl, which is used both as a pain medication and as anesthesia. Two fellow employees saw Clampitt using a syringe to inject a substance into the device that dispensed fentanyl into the patient, when there was no medically valid reason for Clampitt to do so. Laboratory testing eventually determined that the patient’s dose of fentanyl had been diluted with saline.
When interviewed by law enforcement officers, Clampitt eventually admitted that he had diverted drugs from patients at the hospital for personal use. During that interview, however, he denied diluting patient drugs with saline.
An audit of hospital records showed multiple discrepancies in Clampitt’s handling of controlled substances during the time he worked for the hospital, which had been less than a month. Investigators later learned that in 2019, a separate hospital had employed Clampitt and discovered discrepancies in its records that suggested he might have been diverting drugs for his own use. That hospital fired Clampitt after he refused to submit to a drug test.
As part of his guilty plea, Clampitt admitted that he knew that his activities resulted in one or more critically ill patients receiving diluted fentanyl, which lacked prescribed quantities of active medication necessary to control pain. Having been deprived of medically-necessary medication, such patients would endure pain and suffering and were exposed to increased risks of illness and death, stemming from, among other things, possible infection and respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal complications.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office – Pharmaceutical Diversion & Designer Drug Unit attached to the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Iowa man sentenced to federal prison after admitting to sex crimes at Georgia military baseRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former U.S. Army soldier previously stationed at Fort Stewart has been sentenced to prison after admitting he committed sex crimes against a minor.
Jason L. Adkins, 46, of Swann, Iowa, was sentenced to 76 months in prison after pleading guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years of Age, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. also ordered Adkins to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Thanks to the difficult work of law enforcement and education professionals, Jason Adkins has been brought to justice for his depraved actions,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We will be relentless in protecting our most vulnerable citizens.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Adkins had been stationed in Fort Stewart prior to retiring from the Army in 2015, after which he relocated to Altoona, Iowa. Officers with the Police Department in Altoona contacted Army Criminal Investigation Command to report Adkin’s arrest on state child sex crimes charges in 2019, and the subsequent investigation determined that Adkins had committed similar offenses in both locations. His federal sentence will be served consecutively to a four-year state sentence for his crimes in Iowa.
“Army CID Special Agents work tirelessly to ensure those who perpetrate the heinous crime of sexual assault against a child are held accountable,” said Gregory Ford, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). “This sentence is a reflection of the steadfast relationships CID maintains with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the country. I want to thank the Altoona Police Department for their dedication to this complex investigation.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Altoona Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron Hubbard.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Iowa man sentenced to federal prison after admitting to sex crimes at Georgia military baseRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former U.S. Army soldier previously stationed at Fort Stewart has been sentenced to prison after admitting he committed sex crimes against a minor.
Jason L. Adkins, 46, of Swann, Iowa, was sentenced to 76 months in prison after pleading guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years of Age, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. also ordered Adkins to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Thanks to the difficult work of law enforcement and education professionals, Jason Adkins has been brought to justice for his depraved actions,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We will be relentless in protecting our most vulnerable citizens.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Adkins had been stationed in Fort Stewart prior to retiring from the Army in 2015, after which he relocated to Altoona, Iowa. Officers with the Police Department in Altoona contacted Army Criminal Investigation Division to report Adkin’s arrest on state child sex crimes charges in 2019, and the subsequent investigation determined that Adkins had committed similar offenses in both locations. His federal sentence will be served consecutively to a four-year state sentence for his crimes in Iowa.
“Army CID Special Agents work tirelessly to ensure those who perpetrate the heinous crime of sexual assault against a child are held accountable,” said Gregory Ford, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). “This sentence is a reflection of the steadfast relationships CID maintains with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the country. I want to thank the Altoona Police Department for their dedication to this complex investigation.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Altoona Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron Hubbard.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Jan. 25 was:
Preston Jay Spotted Eagle, 30, of Browning, on charges of theft of government property, injury or depredation to government property and Golden and Bald Eagle Protection Act violation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Spotted Eagle faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Spotted Eagle was released pending further proceedings. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-87.
Deion Vincent Brown, also known as Peat and D, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Brown faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Brown was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force, Russell Country High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-72.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Jan. 27 was:
Thomas Clay Sebastian, 24, of Billings, on charges of attempted coercion and enticement. If convicted of the most serious crime, Sebastian faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Sebastian was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-09.
Jason Robert Kroepelin, 32, of Billings, on charges of attempted coercion and enticement and possession of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kroepelin faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Kroepelin was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-05.
Alex Jason Todd, 22, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Todd faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Todd was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-10.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indian Trail Man Is Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Benefit ProgramRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad sentenced Joseph Ransome, 51, of Indian Trail, N.C., to 30 months in prison for wire fraud yesterday, for defrauding the COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit program, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Conrad also ordered Ransome to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $44,172 in restitution.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal lawenacted March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance, including expanded UI benefits, to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to plea documents and statements made in court, from March 2020 through July 2020, Ransome received UI benefits to which he was not entitled. Court documents show that Ransome applied for fraudulent UI benefits in multiple states, including in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere. Ransome filed for the UI benefits based on fraudulent claims, including non-existent employment and false reason for termination. For example, Ransome falsely claimed to have been laid off from Walmart in North Carolina due to COVID-19, when in fact Ransome had been laid off due to misconduct. Ransome also falsely claimed prior employment at Target, BestBuy, Lowe’s, and Hobby Lobby, and falsely claimed that he had been laid off from some of these companies because he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 or due to lack of work because of the coronavirus when he had never in fact been employed by those companies. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, during the relevant time period, Ransome applied for more than $163,000 in fraudulent UI benefits provided under the expanded CARES Act.
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In a separate case, Judge Conrad revoked Bryon Jones’s supervised release after the defendant violated its terms by engaging in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). According to court documents in this case, Jones, 66, of Charlotte, used false and fraudulent business information to apply for and receive through his business, Ramses Air Freight & Transport, Inc., $142,900 in COVID-19 relief funds disbursed by the SBA under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Jones, who was on a 10-year term of federal supervised release for a previous drug trafficking conviction, was ordered to serve 24 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the new violations.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, and the Atlanta Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, for their investigation of the Ransome case. Jones’s investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the SBA and the U.S. Probation Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley was in charge of the prosecution against Ransome. The Jones prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Members of the public in the Western District of North Carolina are also encouraged to call 704-344-6222 to reach their local Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Syed Ahmad, 47, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Misha Coulson, who are handling the case, stated Ahmad received marijuana and marijuana-based products from a co-conspirator and drove the marijuana and marijuana products to various customers across the United States, including in Western New York, for further distribution. On December 31, 2017, in Morgan County, Illinois, investigators recovered approximately 1,000 lbs. of marijuana from an RV driven by Ahmad.
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.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2022, before Judge Vilardo.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of Two FirearmsRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally possessed firearms was sentenced yesterday to more than two years in federal prison.
Pedro Salazar-Trejo, age 34, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on October 4, 2021, to one count of Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.
In a plea agreement, Salazar-Trejo admitted that he unlawfully possessed two firearms in July 2021 while being illegally present in the United States. Salazar-Trejo had previously been deported three times and did not have permission to reenter the United States. While in the United States illegally, Salazar-Trejo was convicted in Texas of forgery of government documents, a social security card and driver’s license, in 2005, and fleeing the scene of an accident in 2008. Salazar-Trejo was first deported in May 2014 following a conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. He was deported a second time in December 2017 following his arrest during a traffic stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by ICE officials. He was deported a third time in September 2019 following a conviction in the Western District of Texas for Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, a felony.
On July 22, 2021, Cedar Rapids Police Officers responded to a local hotel after Salazar-Trejo called them saying someone was going to kill him and had planted a bomb in his hotel room. Inside the hotel room officers saw and seized a 9mm pistol and a semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine. Both firearms were loaded and both had a round in the chamber. Salazar-Trejo was taken into custody without incident.
Salazar-Trejo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Salazar-Trejo was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Salazar-Trejo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-48.
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Houston-Area Woman Charged with Obstruction of the Enforcement of the Federal Criminal Sex Trafficking StatuteRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAJANAE DRAKE, age 28, from Missouri City, Texas, was charged today in a one-count bill of information with obstruction, attempted obstruction, and interference with the enforcement of the federal criminal sex trafficking statute, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591(d). According to court documents, the criminal acts occurred between about June 25, 2021, and November 28, 2021.
If convicted, DRAKE faces a maximum term of up to twenty-five (25) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five (5) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran National Pleads Guilty to International Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Honduran national Fredy Donaldo Marmol Vallejo, 40, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Miami to one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine, with the intent to import it into the United States.
In October 2021, Marmol was extradited from Honduras to the United States to face charges in the Southern District of Florida. Marmol’s sentencing hearing is set for April 12, at 10:00 a.m., in Miami, before U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of FBI Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Miami and DEA Miami investigated this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Hernandez and Walter Norkin are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.
This prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
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-20277.
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Guilford Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Guilford man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, between about October 6, 2020, and about April 1, 2021, Scott Tarr, 56, possessed child pornography on his cellphone which he had used to download the material from the internet. Some of the images depicted children under the age of 12.
Tarr faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
The 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography, file a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-843-5678. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action. If you have an emergency that requires an immediate law enforcement response, please call 911 or contact your local police or sheriff’s department.
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Fresno Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl to a MinorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Fabian Garcia-Palacio, 19, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years in prison for illegally distributing fentanyl to a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in March 2020, Garcia-Palacio distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to a juvenile student at Bullard High School. That juvenile used one of the pills, overdosed, but survived after receiving life-saving medical treatment. As part of the investigation into the case, investigators searched Garcia-Palacio’s residence and found additional fentanyl pills. He was charged with distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years of age, and pleaded guilty on May 14, 2021.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency team composed of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Homeland Security Investigations, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Four Individuals Indicted on Wage Fixing and Labor Market Allocation ChargesRead the Press Release
Note: The defendants in this case, Faysal Kalayaf Manahe, Yaser Aali, Ammar Alkinani, and Quasim Saesah, were acquitted by a jury of the charges alleged in the indictment described in the press release below.
A federal grand jury in Portland, Maine, returned an indictment charging four managers of home health care agencies with participating in a conspiracy to suppress the wages and restrict the job mobility of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the one-count felony indictment filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, four Portland residents: Faysal Kalayaf Manahe; Yaser Aali; Ammar Alkinani; and Quasim Saesah — all owners and/or managers of home health care agencies — conspired to eliminate competition for the services of Personal Support Specialist (PSS) workers by agreeing to fix the rates paid to these workers and by agreeing not to hire each other’s workers. This indictment is the first in this ongoing investigation into wage fixing and worker allocation schemes in the PSS industry.
“PSS workers and other essential workers risked their health caring for others at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The indictment in this case alleges that the employers of these workers colluded to deprive them of opportunities to earn better wages. The Antitrust Division and our partners will investigate and prosecute this conduct to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Early in the pandemic, Maine made additional resources available to ensure that seniors continued to receive in-home care and that essential workers would be able to afford personal protective equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee for the District of Maine. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with the Antitrust Division to protect essential workers from the type of conduct alleged in the indictment returned by the grand jury.”
“People in Maine have suffered real hardships because of the pandemic, especially frontline health care workers, and we will fully investigate allegations of exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Division.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to restrain trade under the Sherman Antitrust Act is 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of $1 million for individuals. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges are the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into wage fixing and worker allocation in the home health care industry, conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, and the FBI’s Boston Division, Portland Resident Agency. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fort Wayne, Indiana Man Sentenced to 135 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Tito Sanabria, 54 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Sanabria was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in April 2017, following a traffic stop, a search of Sanabria’s home resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, cutting agents, a hydraulic press, other drugs, and a firearm. It was also discovered that at the time of the stop, Sanabria was previously deported from the United States to his native El Salvador and was illegally in the United States.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Fishers Police Department, the Indiana State Police and the Hamilton County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.
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Fort Wayne, Indiana Man Sentenced to 106 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Benjamin Glass, 41 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Glass was sentenced to 106 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, on three occasions in 2019, law enforcement purchased a total of 37 grams of methamphetamine from Glass. Glass also possessed a firearm in order to facilitate his drug trafficking activity during one of the buys. Glass’s possession of the firearm was also prohibited because he had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, Indiana State Police, Allen County Police Department, and the Auburn Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Nokes.
This case was 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.
Former Contract Mail Carrier sentenced to prison for vehicle smuggling scheme and possession of images of child rape and abuseRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 48– year-old Mason County, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 30 days in custody for three federal felonies related to a smuggling scheme and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. In September 2021, Christopher M. Cox pleaded guilty to: smuggling goods into the U.S.; making false statements related to the Clean Air Act; and possession of child pornography. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan ordered Cox to register as a sex offender and placed him on five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Mr. Cox to two years in prison.
“Mr. Cox was a danger to the community on multiple fronts. He abused a position of trust and endangered his colleagues by selling unsafe vehicles and ignoring air pollution control efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “The vehicles he imported and sold did not meet safety or air quality standards. These crimes, along with his possession of images of child rape and abuse, demonstrate he poses serious safety concerns. We advocated for a lengthier punishment for Mr. Cox to best protect the community and are disappointed by today’s sentence.”
According to records filed in the case, between approximately 2015 and January 2019, Cox falsified the required paperwork on two dozen vehicles he imported from overseas. Many of the vehicles were extremely light vehicles imported from Japan that did not meet U.S. safety standards. Cox sold some of the vehicles to contract mail carriers he knew from his job. Cox falsified the forms that claimed the vehicles met both safety standards and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act standards. Cox used his identification as a contract mail carrier to circumvent inspections at the Port of Tacoma and took the vehicles from the Port without proper inspections. The total value of the imported vehicles exceeds $55,000. Those who bought the vehicles were not told that they failed to meet federal safety and pollution standards.
“The defendant’s intentional disregard for the law included an attempt to deceive law enforcement” said Scot Adair, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Washington. “The American public relies on accurate information on products being imported into this country to help protect the environment and the consumer.”
When law enforcement officers served search warrants on Cox’s electronic accounts, they observed images of child pornography. Some of the images are known series of images of child rape and abuse manufactured outside the State of Washington. When officers executed search warrants on Cox’s residence and obtained his electronic devices, they located 142 images and 2 videos of child molestation, rape and abuse.
“Mr. Cox thrived through deceitful actions. He prioritized personal profit over the environment all while taking gratitude in the sexual exploitation of children,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “We’re thankful to our partners at the EPA, CBP and U.S. Attorney’s Office for investigating and prosecuting the case.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Transportation, and Homeland Security Investigations with critical assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson
Florida Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 27, 2022, Carlos Santurtan-Teran, age 61, of Miami, Florida, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana. The jury returned the guilty verdict following a three-day trial before United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, DEA agents discovered an illegal marijuana trafficking conspiracy during a court authorized wiretap of a phone being utilized in furtherance of a drug trafficking scheme to import and distribute cocaine. That wiretap and the later execution of a search warrant established that Santurtan-Teran participated in the conspiracy to grow and distribute marijuana in Tecumseh, Michigan. Santurtan-Teran and his conspirators purportedly were growing the marijuana under color of Michigan’s medical marijuana law, when in truth, the Michigan grow operation was a front to distribute marijuana illegally in several other states including Pennsylvania. The federal jury deliberated two-hours before returning the guilty verdict on January 26, 2022.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s offices in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Toledo, Ohio. Assistant United States Attorneys Todd K. Hinkley and Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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.
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Federal charges filed against Chesterfield, Missouri man for crossing state lines with intent to engage in sexual conduct with a minorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On January 27, 2022, several federal charges were filed against John K. Low. The 38-year-old Chesterfield resident is accused of coercion and enticement of a minor, transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to the charging documents, on January 24, 2022, the Riley County Police Department, located in Manhattan, Kansas, received a report of a missing juvenile. The investigation revealed that the missing 15-year-old child left her residence without her cell phone. Her mother provided electronic devices to Riley County Police, who analyzed the devices for any information about her disappearance. The police department was able to locate conversations belonging to the missing female on a social media messaging application. Discovered in these conversations were plans between the victim and suspect which indicated the victim was to be picked up by the suspect, unbeknownst to her parents.
On or about January 26, 2022, a search warrant was obtained from the District Court of Riley County, Kansas to obtain information pertinent to the investigation from the social
media application used by the victim. Through this information, the Riley County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were able to identify a possible suspect named John Low at a residence in Chesterfield, Missouri.
The St. Louis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified that the victim could be at John Low’s residence in Chesterfield, Missouri. Accompanied by Chesterfield Police, FBI agents knocked on door of the residence. Agents determined John Low resided at this address and discovered the victim in the house.
Charges set forth are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Riley County Police Department, Chesterfield Police Department as well as the St. Louis and Kansas Division offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Federal Complaint Charges Bloomington Man with Possession of MachinegunRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bloomington, Illinois, man, Javares L. Hudson, 21, of the 600 block of Monroe Street, was charged by federal criminal complaint on January 27, 2022, with possessing a machinegun. Hudson appeared in federal court in Peoria today in front of Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley for an initial appearance, at which the complaint against him was unsealed.
Hudson is specifically charged with possessing a device that is used to convert a conventional semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm. Such devices are commonly referred to as “switches”, “auto-sears,” or “conversion devices,” among other names.
Magistrate Judge Hawley ordered that Hudson be detained. He remains in state custody pending further proceedings.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crime charged are up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Hudson was previously arrested and charged by state authorities earlier this week. The case was brought as part of an ongoing, collaborative effort between federal and local law enforcement to curb possession of these illegal conversion devices. Agencies participating in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Bloomington Police Department; and the McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Fort Washakie Man Arraigned on Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ANNIN DAMIAN SOLDIERWOLF, 52, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 12, 2022, for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of abusive sexual contact. The indictment alleges that Soldierwolf knowingly engaged and attempted to engage in sexual contact with three victims who were minors at the time of abuse.
Soldierwolf appeared on January 25, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Kelly Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the indictment. A jury trial is set for March 28, 2022, in Cheyenne before United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal. If convicted on all four counts, the maximum penalty is up to life in prison; up to five years of supervised release; up to a $610,000 fine and $235 in special assessments.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson is prosecuting the case.
The charges in the January 12, 2022 indictment against Soldierwolf are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Case number 0:22-00010-NDF
El Salvador National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALONSO BONILLA, age 45, a citizen of El Salvador, was charged today in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, BONILLA reentered the United States after he was previously removed on April 12, 2018.
If convicted, BONILLA faces up to a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, up to $250,000 in fines, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and Spiro Latsis are in charge of the prosecution.
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Drug trafficker who attempted to shoot investigators sentenced to nearly 40 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Liberty County man has been sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison after a jury found him guilty at trial on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Charles Hyde, 64, of Hinesville, Ga., was sentenced to 444 months in prison after being found guilty at trial in June 2021 in U.S. District Court in Brunswick on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and a Quantity of Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number; and Possession and Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Hyde to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“After attempting to shoot at police officers, Charles Hyde is lucky to be alive,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Now his luck has run out, and the community is safer with him behind bars.”
As described in court documents and testimony, starting as early as July 2016 through December 2018, Hyde and a key co-defendant, Stacey White, 34, of Hinesville, made multiple trips each month to the Atlanta area to obtain kilograms of methamphetamine from a supplier, and recruited others to assist in selling the drugs.
After a controlled purchase of drugs from Hyde in May 2018, investigators from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation attempted to conduct a search of Hyde’s residence. Hyde aimed at investigators and pulled the trigger but his handgun malfunctioned, and a Liberty County deputy shot Hyde in the hand. He was taken into custody, and investigators subsequently found large amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana in Hyde’s residence. Firearms experts who examined Hyde’s Taurus semiautomatic pistol determined that the firing pin had struck a .40-caliber cartridge in the chamber, but that it had failed to fire.
Hyde and White, along with four other defendants, were indicted on federal conspiracy charges in February 2019. White, a certified member of the violent Bloods criminal street gang, pled guilty and was sentenced in August 2020 to 246 months in prison; three codefendants also pled guilty and are serving prison terms. The sixth codefendant, Hyde’s brother, Terry Hyde, 59, of Hinesville, pled guilty and was sentenced in December to 84 months in prison.
“Hyde’s willingness to commit a violent assault against law enforcement officers is a not only a threat to law enforcement, but is a threat to the very fabric of our society.” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our country from the perils of drug abuse and the violence that all too often accompanies drug trafficking. This sentencing should serve as a reminder to other criminals who seek to cause bodily harm to an officer…if you are brazen enough to commit such a criminal act, a long prison term awaits you.”
“Illegal drugs have no place in Georgia,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “They are dangerous and threaten the safety of our communities. The fact that this defendant attempted to shoot at investigators when being taken into custody shows his utter disregard for law enforcement. We will continue to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations.”
This drug-trafficking conspiracy was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer G. Solari and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome J. Simmons, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 15-year prison term for sexually abusing an under-aged girl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Simmons pleaded guilty in October 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. He was sentenced by the Honorable Marisa J. Demeo. Following completion of his prison term, Simmons will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release from prison.
According to court documents, Simmons was in a romantic relationship with the victim’s mother. In December 2020, when the girl was 14, she told authorities that Simmons sexually abused her on multiple occasions in Southeast Washington when she was 13 and 14. A subsequent investigation determined that Simmons began grooming her for abuse when she was 13 by giving her a cellphone and texting her on it. After providing the cellphone, he asked her to send pictures of her body to him and then they had explicit video calls. This conduct, in turn, escalated to hands-on abuse. In a search of the defendant’s cellphone, police discovered graphic photos and videos depicting the victim.
Simmons was arrested on Dec. 26, 2020, soon after the girl made the disclosures. He has been detained 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 expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Feldman and Paralegal Specialist ReShawn Johnson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth C. Kelley, who prosecuted the matter.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 17+ Years in Prison in $15 Million FraudRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who conned 417 investors out of nearly $15 million was sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Rudy Avila, 69, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June 2021. He was sentenced on Jan. 28 by Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, who also ordered him to pay $14,955,313.00 in restitution.
According to plea papers, Mr. Avila admitted he defrauded investors in seven investment companies: Starwood Asset Management Fund, Commodities Investment Group International, Trading Technologies Group, Trading Ventures Group, The L.I.F.T. Group, Capital Ventures Group, and Ventures Group, LLC, none of which were registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission as required by law.
Instead of investing money in U.S. based businesses as he had represented, Mr. Avila regularly wired at least 90% of the investors’ funds to bank accounts belonging to coconspirators in Costa Rica or to make Ponzi payments to other investors.
In order to convince investors that their funds were controlled by U.S. businesses, the defendant registered multiple businesses with the Texas Secretary of State, filed sham annual reports from the businesses, set up U.S. bank accounts for the businesses, and rented office space in DFW.
At Mr. Avila’s sentencing hearing, Judge Lynn read the names of all 417 victims and their loss amounts into the record.
Two of his coconspirators, Eddie Alexander Contreraz and Ivan Aguirre, who both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud last year, are still awaiting sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcus Busch and Nick Bunch (fmr.) are prosecuting the case.
Court Shuts Down Mississippi Return PreparerRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Southern District of Mississippi has permanently barred a Mississippi tax return preparer from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
The permanent injunction is against Terance Price, both individually and doing business as Superior Taxes. The court entered the injunction after Price failed to respond to the complaint the government served on him.
The complaint alleged that Price, who began operating his tax preparation business in 2015, knowingly took unreasonable positions on returns he prepared that understated the tax his customers owed, overstated the refunds owed to his clients, or both. In particular, the complaint alleged that Price prepared returns that falsely claimed residential energy credits, fuel tax credits and unreimbursed employee business expenses.
The government further alleged in the complaint that Price has filed hundreds of tax returns since 2015, and that he has filed tax returns using other tax preparers’ personal identifying information. According to the complaint, the IRS assessed penalties against Price for failing to make reasonable inquiries to ensure that his customers were legitimately entitled to various tax credits, and Price has not paid those penalties.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2022.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Convicted Felon Who Fired BB Guns at Planned Parenthood Facility Arrested on Federal Charge Alleging Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Altadena man who allegedly fired BB guns at the Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena on multiple occasions was arrested today on federal charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm for carrying a loaded handgun during one of the attacks on the women’s reproductive health clinic.
Richard Royden Chamberlin, 53, who currently resides in Altadena, but also maintains a residence in Ontario, was arrested this morning by FBI special agents. The arrest was made pursuant to a one-count criminal complaint filed on January 21 that charges Chamberlin with the illegal possession of a .22-caliber handgun.
Chamberlin is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, on multiple occasions in 2020 and 2021, Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley reported to the police that it had been fired upon by the occupant of a moving vehicle. Video surveillance from several of these attacks showed a Chevrolet Malibu registered to Chamberlin driving by with its window down when the shots were fired. Planned Parenthood suspected Chamberlin was using a BB gun because of multiple pellets lodged in the facility near the front door.
“During one of these shootings on March 30, 2021, a patient’s support companion was nearly hit as she waited on the front porch” of the Planned Parenthood facility, the affidavit states. “In addition to incurring the costs of repairs and added security, Planned Parenthood has had to cancel patient appointments and the staff has been emotionally traumatized not knowing when the next shooting will occur.”
After another reported BB gun shooting on May 7, 2021, the Pasadena Police Department located Chamberlin in his Malibu near the Planned Parenthood facility. Investigators found in Chamberlin’s vehicle multiple BB guns, as well as a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber handgun loaded with 10 bullets in a backpack on the front passenger seat. Chamberlin, who was previously convicted of a felony in Arizona, is prohibited from possessing firearms.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Chamberlin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The investigation into the attacks on the Planned Parenthood facility is continuing.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Civil Rights Squad and the Pasadena Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Lawrence Dunbar, 28, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Thursday, January 27, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent to more than 20 years in prison. Judge Nugent pronounced the sentence after Dunbar was convicted at trial of possessing multiple controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
“This sentence is reflective of what happens when a life is spent dedicated to drug trafficking and violence,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler. “This sentence serves an example that felons who possess firearms and sell drugs in our communities will face consequences for their actions.”
“ATF’s mission is to protect the public from violent crime,” stated Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “This sentence sends a strong message to those who use firearms to further their criminal enterprises that there will be consequences. ATF will continue to work with our partners to hold responsible any individuals who spread violence and drugs in our community.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 25, 2019, members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) sought to arrest Dunbar at his apartment on warrants for a felonious assault shooting and violation of parole conditions. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers cleared the apartment, located and detained Dunbar and searched the apartment. In the kitchen and bedroom, officers found large quantities of substances that contained varying amounts of carfentanil, heroin and cocaine. Additionally, they located a loaded 9mm Glock semiautomatic pistol under the couch near the hallway and close to the narcotics in the kitchen. Officers also found large amounts of drug paraphernalia, including mixing containers, cutting compounds, packaging and distribution materials, digital scales, multiple cell phones and personal protection equipment.
At the time of his arrest, Dunbar was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, including multiple convictions for drug trafficking, drug possession, robbery and attempted felonious assault.
Judge Nugent sentenced Dunbar to a total of 245 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) Police Department and the NOVFTF. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam J. Joines and Margaret A. Kane.
Cleveland Man Convicted of Shooting at Federal Agents, Sex Trafficking of a Juvenile and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts today against Defendant Reuben Rankin, 36, of Cleveland, Ohio, following a nine-day trial before U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker in Cleveland. Rankin was convicted of assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, sex trafficking of a minor, production of child pornography and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On October 30, 2019, law enforcement officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Rankin’s residence in Cleveland as part of an investigation into the trafficking of a minor victim. As law enforcement agents approached the residence, Rankin fired six shots in rapid succession at the agents through the window of his vehicle parked in the driveway. An agent returned fire. Officers then arrested Rankin and recovered a .45 caliber pistol, spent rounds of ammunition, drugs and two cell phones from his vehicle.
Rankin is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to previous convictions of kidnapping, witness intimidation, aggravated assault and abduction in the Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court.
Rankin is scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2022. A federal district court judge will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Cuyahoga County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Cleveland Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carol M. Skutnik, Edward F. Feran and Vanessa V. Healy.
Church Rock man sentenced to six years in prison for sexually abusing a childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Manison Largo, 42, of Church Rock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced in federal court today to six years and six months in prison for abusive sexual contact with a child. Largo pleaded guilty on Oct. 19, 2021.
According to his plea and other court records, on multiple occasions between August 2017 and March 2018, Largo sexually abused the victim, who also is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. During the course of the abuse, which occurred at Largo’s residence in Church Rock on the Navajo Nation, the victim had not attained the age of 12. The victim was able to borrow a phone and called 911 to report the abuse.
Upon his release from prison, Largo will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander F. Flores prosecuted the case.
Chicago Man Found Guilty of Heroin and Fentanyl Crime Near a PlaygroundRead the Press Release
A man who set up a heroin and fentanyl distribution deal was convicted by a jury on January 27, 2022, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Derrick Darryl Trawick, age 39, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. The jury found that the crime occurred near a playground, but did not find that the use of the drugs resulted in serious bodily injury to the customer. The verdict was returned after about three hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Trawick was a heroin dealer in Dubuque who was nicknamed “Worm” and “KG.” During the early morning hours of May 31, 2019, two of his heroin customers contacted him to purchase a $40 bag of heroin. Trawick and another man drove to meet the customers and then directed them back to Trawick’s residence on Walnut Street, which was around the corner from the playground at Jefferson Park. Trawick and the other man then returned to Trawick’s residence and went inside. A short time later, the other man exited the residence, walked to the customers’ car, and sold them the purported heroin, which actually contained both heroin and fentanyl. The customers then drove to a nearby motel and used the heroin and fentanyl. One of those customers suffered an overdose during which she lost consciousness and stopped breathing for several minutes. She regained consciousness after being given Narcan by her companions and chest compressions by a first responder.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Trawick remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Trawick faces a mandatory minimum sentence of one year of imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Norwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-1016-CJW.
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Castro Valley Resident Charged in Pandemic Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A criminal complaint unsealed today in federal court charges Idowu Hashim Shittu for fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits from numerous state agencies, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.
According to the criminal complaint, between March and the end of July 2020, Shittu, 46, of Castro Valley, California, engaged in a scheme to use the personal information of other people to obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits. The complaint explains that in March of 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the federal government authorized the payment of hundreds of billions of dollars in unemployment benefits to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and, since then, many state authorities responsible for distributing those unemployment benefits to their residents have been inundated by fraudulent claims. According to the complaint’s allegations, Shittu fraudulently submitted requests for such benefits and then used some of those proceeds for his own personal gain.
The criminal complaint describes three occasions in which Shittu allegedly disposed of fraudulently obtained benefits. In the first instance, the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) received a request for unemployment benefits on May 5, 2020. The request was submitted in the name of a resident of Mercer Island, Washington – identified in the complaint only by the initials “S.O.” The request included the supposed applicant’s correct date of birth and social security number. The Washington ESD responded to the request by depositing more than $9,000 in an account linked to a reloadable debit card. A subsequent investigation revealed the account was used by someone in California. Specifically, a person withdrew cash from several automatic teller machines located in the Bay Area, including Hayward, Castro Valley, and San Jose. According to the complaint, S.O. told investigating law enforcement that he was not been in California at any time during 2020. A Walmart customer fitting Shittu’s description was captured on camera using an ATM to withdraw cash from that account.
The criminal complaint describes two additional instances of unemployment benefits being issued by the Washington ESD to Washington residents – one from Seattle and the other from Olympia – after which ATMs in the Bay Area were used to withdraw that money from the accounts or the proceeds from those accounts were spent in Bay Area stores. In each case, a person fitting Shittu’s description was photographed engaging in transactions relating to the accounts. According to the complaint, Shittu fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in unemployment benefits from various state agencies, including the Washington ESD.
In sum, the complaint charges Shittu with three counts of access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(5). Shittu faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count. In addition, a court may order restitution, fines, a period of supervised release, and other penalties; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Shittu made his initial federal court appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim. Magistrate Judge Kim scheduled Shittu’s next court appearance for Monday, January 31, 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Paulson and Kevin Rubino are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Soana Katoa and Mark DiCenzo. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cheyenne Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ANTWOINE WILLIAMSON, 31, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm by United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on January 18, 2022. He received 30 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.
On March 11, 2021, Williamson fired three shots into the air in a residential neighborhood in Cheyenne, during an argument with his girlfriend. Police were dispatched to the incident and arrested Williamson.
“This is a prime example of why it is illegal for felons to possess firearms,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “We appreciate the investigative work of the Cheyenne Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, which aided in a successful conviction.”
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case.
Case # 0:21-cr-00076-NDF
Boston Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Roles in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man and woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiracy and distribution charges involving fentanyl.
Valentin Pujols, 35, and Katherine Olivares-Soto, a/k/a “Jessy,” 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count each of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Pujols and Olivares-Soto are scheduled to be sentenced on May 18 and May 24, 2022, respectively.
Pujols and Olivares-Soto were indicted in September 2019 along with co-conspirator Maria Yovanny Soto-Diaz-Deperez, a/k/a “Betty.” Soto-Diaz-Deperez remains a fugitive.
Pujols and Olivares-Soto allegedly conspired with Soto-Diaz-Deperez to distribute fentanyl. As stated during the plea hearing, on multiple occasions between December 2018 and February 2019, Soto-Diaz-Deperez agreed to sell quantities of fentanyl to an undercover agent. In December 2018, Pujols and Soto-Diaz-Deperez sold the undercover agent approximately 49 grams of fentanyl. In January 2019, Olivares-Soto, allegedly acting on behalf of Soto-Diaz-Deperez, sold approximately 109 grams of fentanyl and on a third occasion, Soto-Diaz-Deperez allegedly sold approximately 124 grams of fentanyl to the undercover agent.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more fentanyl each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Arlington Police Chief Juliann Flaherty; and Somerville Acting Police Chief Charles Femino made the announcement today. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston Housing Authority Police Division and the Arlington Public Housing Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Birmingham Man Indicted on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a Birmingham man on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Terry Lee Skanes, Jr. 21, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to the indictment, in October 2021, Skanes illegally possessed a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a 5.56 American Tactical, Inc. semi-automatic pistol, five grams or more of methamphetamine, heroin, and a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin and fentanyl.
The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison.
The penalty range for possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine is 5 to 40 years in prison.
The maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute heroin and a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin and fentanyl is 20 years in prison.
The minimum penalty for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime is five years in prison.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Axtell Man Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Chad Carlson, 44, of Axtell, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 27, 2022, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Following his prison term, Carlson will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Between 2015 and 2019, Carlson sold methamphetamine to a number of people in various communities in central Nebraska. In October of 2018, Carlson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Area Doctor, Patient Recruiter Charged in a $17 Million Illegal Opioid Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - An indictment was unsealed today charging a physician and a patient recruiter with conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs, and other opioid-related charges, U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division.
Charged in the indictment are John Kirkpatrick, 83 of Birmingham, MI and Roland Williams (age) of Detroit, MI.
The Indictment alleges from May 2018 through March 2021, Dr. John Kirkpatrick conspired with Roland Williams and others to issue a significant number of prescription opioids outside the scope of medical practice to recruited “patients” who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs. Dr. Kirkpatrick operated Southfield Medical Services in Southfield, MI. Dr. Kirkpatrick only accepted cash at his clinic, and utilized the clinic to prescribe oxycodone and oxymorphone, two of the most addictive and diverted opioids that have a significant street value.
As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Kirkpatrick required each “patient” to have certain records in a patient file before he would write a controlled substance prescription. Roland Williams and others created fraudulent medical records, including MRI reports and Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) reports, to give the appearance of legitimacy.
As further alleged in the indictment, Dr. Kirkpatrick authorized electronic prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances, which were issued under Dr. Kirkpatrick’s DEA license and without a medical evaluation by him. During the conspiracy, Dr. Kirkpatrick prescribed more than 574,604 dosage units of Schedule II controlled substances, with a conservative street value of more than 17 million dollars.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison A. Furtaw and Brandy R. McMillion. The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative created by Attorney General Sessions, that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Amazon Employee Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud for Stealing More Than $273,000 in MerchandiseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Douglas Wright, Jr., 27, of Charlotte, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to mail fraud, for stealing merchandise from Amazon worth over $273,000, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Joining U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement are Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Charlotte, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte.
According to plea documents and today’s hearing, from June 2020 to September 2021, Wright executed a scheme to defraud Amazon by stealing merchandise worth over $273,000 from the company’s warehouse. Over the course of the scheme, Wright was employed as an Operation’s Manager at Amazon’s warehouse in Charlotte. Court records show that Wright misused his access to the company’s computers to target certain merchandise, particularly computer parts such as internal hard drives, processors, and graphic processing units, and shipped those items from the warehouse to his home address. As Wright admitted in court today, he then sold the stolen merchandise for profit to a computer wholesale company in California.
Wright pleaded guilty to mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI and USPIS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Allentown Man Sentenced to over 1 ½ Years for Importing Illegal Controlled Substances from China and Fraudulently Selling them as ‘Dietary Supplements’Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Leandro Rodriguez, 45, of Allentown, PA, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit approximately $669,000 by United States District Court Judge Edward G. Smith for his participation in a conspiracy to smuggle mislabeled drugs into the United States from China, and sell them as dietary supplements.
In October 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle and resell misbranded drugs, and delivering those drugs in interstate commerce, in order to defraud the United States by impeding and impairing the lawful functions of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The charges arose from Rodriguez’s participation in a conspiracy from early 2011 until March 2017 to import from China and resell to consumers, substances falsely labelled as “all natural” dietary supplements, but which the defendant knew contained the undeclared ingredient Sibutramine, a dangerous controlled substance that could not legally be sold in the United States.
“The United States sets standards for controlled substances in order to keep American consumers and patients safe,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “The defendant knowingly skirted our country’s importation laws, and sold dangerous drugs under the guise of benign supplements. This scheme put many people’s health and safety at risk.”
“Misbranded drugs that are disguised as dietary supplements and contain potentially harmful hidden ingredients place American consumers at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who endanger the U.S. public health by distributing fraudulent and potentially dangerous products.”
“For nearly six years, Rodriguez smuggled into the United States a dangerous controlled substance from China, just to mislabel it as a dietary supplement and peddle it to consumers, seemingly with no regard for the health and safety of those who consumed the product,” said William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “HSI Philadelphia was pleased to partner with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Postal Inspection Service on this important investigation. As a result of strong federal law enforcement collaboration, Rodriguez will be held accountable for his criminal acts.”
The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
Albert Lea Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sextortion, Online Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Albert Lea man has been sentenced to life plus ten years in prison for engaging in sextortion and online sexual exploitation of minors. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, in 2017, Travis Kyle Mayer, 33, downloaded and received child pornography from a Russian-based child pornography distribution website. In 2018, Mayer sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl, through persuasion and coercion, using her to produce child pornography, which he then possessed and distributed. Mayer committed these crimes while he was required to register as a sex offender, based on his prior conviction for attempted third degree criminal sexual conduct. Between June 20, 2019, and October 11, 2019, Mayer attempted to obstruct the administration of justice by requesting a witness to testify falsely regarding the child sexual exploitation investigation.
Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats stated: “For years, this defendant victimized children by sexually exploiting them. Despite prior criminal convictions, Mayer continued his pattern of predatory behavior by exploiting, extorting, coercing, and threatening his minor victims. A sentence of life in prison is justified and ensures that he will never again victimize another child.”
“There is no group of people more deserving of our diligent protection than children, and no offender more deserving of strong justice than one who blatantly targets those most vulnerable to exploitation. Whenever anyone repeatedly harms children and persists in those acts despite previous intervention, we will work hard for a severe sentence like the one levied today,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “The FBI will continue to do everything thing we can to ensure those who choose to harm our children face severe consequences, and their victims receive the justice they deserve.”
On June 29, 2021, following a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Mayer on two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, and one count obstruction of justice.
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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Albert Lea Police Department, and the Albany (Oregon) Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine and Joseph H. Thompson.
27 January 2022
Yankton Man Found Guilty of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Matthew Carter, age 31, of Yankton, South Dakota, was found guilty of Possession of Child Pornography as a result of a federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Carter was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 4, 2021.
While Carter was in jail in January 2021, he called his dad and directed him to retrieve some property that Carter hid above the ceiling tile in his bathroom. An officer listening to the jail call went to Carter’s residence and found a computer hard drive above the ceiling tile. Forensic examination of the hard drive revealed 60 video files containing child pornography.
This case was investigated the Yankton Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wetzel County man sentenced for a firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Samuel Amos Minger, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Minger, 43, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Minger, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior offenses, admitted to having a six-shot revolver in November 2020 in Tyler County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Tyler County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.