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25 January 2022
Peoria Man Charged with Host of Felony Offenses in Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A grand jury indicted Chad D. Campen, 32, of the 6100 block of Pfeiffer Road, in Peoria, Illinois on January 19, 2022, with 17 felony counts related to a bank fraud scheme. Campen was arrested on January 24, 2022, and appeared in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley at the federal courthouse in Peoria today for an initial appearance.
The indictment, which was unsealed at the hearing, charged Campen with five counts of bank fraud; eight counts of wire fraud; two counts of illegal monetary transaction; one count of bankruptcy fraud; and one count of false statements under oath. The indictment alleges that beginning as early as January 2013, Campen engaged in a scheme to defraud in which he made a number of false and fraudulent statements to banks and others. Specifically, the indictment alleges that he obtained funds by falsely claiming his success in multiple business ventures and falsely representing to others the amount of land he was farming, that he sold agricultural inputs, that he had substantial amounts of grain stored, his assets, and his overall financial status.
At today’s initial appearance, the government requested that Campen be detained pending trial. Magistrate Judge Hawley issued a temporary order of detention for Campen pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on January 26, 2022.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are:
- Bank Fraud, Counts 1-5: up to thirty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release for each count;
- Wire Fraud, Counts 6-13: up to twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years supervised release for each count;
- Illegal Monetary Transaction, Counts 14-15: up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of the criminally derived property), and 3 years of supervised release for each count; and
- Bankruptcy Fraud and False Statement Under Oath, Counts 16-17: up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years supervised release for each count.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Owners of Florida Teacher Certification Preparation Company Sentenced to Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Trade SecretsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Kathleen M. Jasper, 43, and Jeremy M. Jasper, 41, of Estero, Florida, were sentenced today to ten months and four months in federal prison, respectively, plus six months of home confinement, after previously pleading guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The defendants’ profiteering scheme is an insult to the dedicated public school teachers and administrators of Florida, who studied and worked hard to become certified in their professions,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Floridians expect and deserve to know that the public schools to which they entrust their children to learn are being led by teachers and administrators who properly earned their certifications. Today’s sentence reiterates a valuable, but basic lesson. Notably, that hard work and diligence are rewarded, but acts of theft and dishonesty, as demonstrated by these defendants, are to be punished.”
Court documents reflect since January 2016, the Jaspers, who were both certified Florida teachers, stole content and conspired with others to steal content from the Florida Teacher Certification Exams (FTCE) and the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE), and included the stolen content in the test preparation materials and services that were sold through their business, NavaEd, LLC (“NavaEd”) for personal profit.
NavaEd, LLC, was a company that offered tutoring and training to prepare prospective Florida educators to successfully take and pass the FTCE and the FELE. Passage of these exams are required for certification in the state of Florida. NavaEd offered training publications for sale worldwide directly through its website and through third-party e-commerce websites such as Amazon and Shopify. Both Kathleen and Jeremy Jasper took the FTCE and FELE multiple times – after having already passed the exams – in order see and memorize, or harvest, as many different exam questions as possible. After being barred by the Florida Department of Education from taking more offerings of the FTCE and FELE, the Jaspers directed NavaEd employees and independent contractors to take the FTCE and FELE for the purpose of harvesting exam questions and answers.
“These so-called ‘educators’ knowingly and willfully preyed on the unsuspecting teachers who trusted them. The Jaspers bullied their employees into committing felonies in order to line their own pockets, and that is unacceptable,” said Reginald France, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southeastern Regional Office. “I’m proud of the work of our special agents and colleagues in holding these criminals accountable for their unlawful actions.”
The Jaspers and NavaEd customers shared the stolen FTCE and FELE test content with each other and the Jaspers republished the stolen FTCE and FELE test content – verbatim and almost verbatim – into NavaEd publications that were written to prepare future Florida teachers and school administrators for the certification exams. These publications and other NavaEd FTCE and FELE preparation materials were also disseminated and used during NavaEd training seminars and tutoring sessions.
Both defendants’ imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. The court ordered both defendants to pay approximately $135,000 in restitution to the State of Florida Department of Education, and also entered a $690,879.96 forfeiture money judgment against both defendants. As part of the sentences imposed, the Court ordered the forfeiture of the NavaEd website (www.NavaEd.com), multiple electronic devices, and NavaEd publications relating to the FTCE and FELE.
This case was jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the United States Department of Education – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Education, with assistance by Pearson VUE, the company with whom the Florida Department of Education contracted to administer, and provide test security for, the FTCE and FELE. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Orchard Park Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Orchard Park gang pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to firearm and drug charges arising from his involvement in a Boston-area drug trafficking organization.
Raymond Gaines, 42, of Bridgewater, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10, 2022. Gaines was arrested on June 1, 2021 and has remained in custody since then.
In April 2021, an investigation was opened into a drug trafficking organization involving Gaines. The investigation revealed that Gaines was an associate of the Orchard Park gang and that he actively sold cocaine in and around the Boston area. On June 1, 2021, Gaines was found in possession of cocaine intended for sale, as well as a Ruger .380 LCP semiautomatic handgun, loaded with one round of .380 caliber ammunition and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun, along with numerous rounds of additional ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher D. Delmonte made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Novus Hospice CEO Sentenced to 13+ Years for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
The CEO of a local hospice agency has been sentenced to 13 years and 3 months in federal prison for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Bradley J. Harris, the 39-year-old former head of Novus and Optimum Health Services, pleaded guilty last March to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and healthcare fraud. He was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, who ordered him to pay $27,594,875.52 in restitution.
“This defendant systematically lied to federal healthcare programs, dolling out powerful pain medication without the physician oversight that Novus’ patients deserved,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Brad Harris allowed greed to corrupt his judgement, and he will pay dearly for it. The Northern District of Texas will not tolerate healthcare fraud.”
“Mr. Harris’ actions to steal tens of millions of dollars through fraudulent practices will now be answered by both a substantial sentence and restitution. More importantly, today’s sentence is another step in pursuit of justice for the patients and families that were deceived by Novus’ offerings and hospice services,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “We are proud to continue our work with our state and federal partners to hold those who commit health care fraud accountable, and to seek justice for patients that are harmed in furtherance of fraud schemes.” According to his plea papers, Mr. Harris admitted that from 2012 to 2016, he billed Medicare and Medicaid for hospice services that were not provided, that were not directed by a medical professional, or that were provided to patients who were not actually eligible for hospice care. He further admitted that he used blank, pre-signed controlled substance prescriptions to doll out potent drugs without physician input.
Mr. Harris admitted that two of his coconspirators, Dr. Mark Gibbs and Dr. Laila Hirjee, frequently certified that that his hospice patients faced terminal illnesses without actually examining with the patients in person, as required by Medicare. (A “terminal” patient is one with a life expectancy of six months or less, according to the Department of Health & Human Services.)
The doctors were paid around $150 for each false order they signed.
Mr. Harris also admitted that Dr. Gibbs, Dr. Hirjee, and another physician, Dr. Charles Leach, left him blank controlled substance prescriptions, sometimes a whole pad at a time. This allowed Mr. Harris, an accountant by trade, to “prescribe” Schedule II controlled substances to hospice beneficiaries without the guidance of a medical professional.
In plea papers, Mr. Harris admitted that in summer 2014, he realized he could avoid exceeding Medicare’s aggregate hospice cap by enrolling an influx of first-time hospice patients. So, he negotiated an agreement with a company called Express Medical that allowed him to access potential patient’s confidential medical information in return for using Express Medical for laboratory services and home health visits. His wife and other Novus staff then called on individuals that had at some point been patients of Express Medical to recruit them for Novus hospice services, regardless of whether they were eligible to receive benefits.
When the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services suspended Novus based upon credible allegations of fraud, Mr. Harris and simply transferred patients from Novus to a new company, “Company A.” Dr. Gibbs became a medical director for the “new” hospice company, which used Novus staff and transferred hospice reimbursements back to Novus, Mr. Harris admitted.
Ten of Mr. Harris’ codefendants, including Dr. Leach, also pleaded guilty. Three more, including Dr. Gibbs and Dr. Hirjee, were found guilty at trial. Dr. Gibbs was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $27,978,903 in restitution; Dr. Hirjee was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $16,253,281 in restitution; and Dr. Leach was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $10,077,709 in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna Strittmatter Max and Marty Basu prosecuted the case with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Gilstrap, Gail Hayworth, and Brian McKay.
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Carolina man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for firearms trafficking.
Gabriel Gispert-Poe, 24, of Hope Mills, N.C., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 18 months probation and was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. On Sept. 22, 2021, Gispert-Poe pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
At various times in 2019 and 2020, Gispert-Poe acquired firearms in North Carolina from straw buyers or other sources, and then sold these firearms to Chiweze Ihunwo at a profit. Ihunwo then transported the firearms he obtained from Gispert-Poe to Massachusetts and offered them for resale, including through social media. Gispert-Poe and Ihunwo communicated by phone regarding the proposed acquisition and subsequent resale of firearms.
On Dec. 16, 2021, Ihunwo was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to trafficking firearms in August 2021.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Randolph Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division, prosecuted the case
New Orleans Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RENALDO RUFFIN, age 29, of New Orleans, was indicted by a federal grand jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act on November 12, 2021. The indictment was unsealed on January 24, 2022. Specifically, RUFFIN was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
According to the indictment, RUFFIN possessed a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun on or about August 30, 2020. If convicted of this charge, RUFFIN faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. RUFFIN must also pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is in charge of the prosecution.
New Mexico Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A New Mexico man was sentenced to 156 months in prison for drug trafficking.According to court documents, in September 2021, Eric A. Estrada, 35, of Hobbs, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intention to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
In July 2020, the Kansas Highway Patrol pulled over two vehicles traveling together on Interstate 35 near Emporia for traffic violations. Estrada was driving a Nissan Sentra registered to the person driving the other vehicle, a Nissan Altima. In the Nissan Altima, troopers discovered approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger prosecuted the case.
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New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL WEINSTEIN, 28, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 65 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a federal firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2020, law enforcement observed Facebook video posts of Weinstein firing a handgun at a Connecticut shooting range, and possessing ammunition. Specifically, on October 14, 2020, he possessed .40 caliber ammunition, manufactured by Speer in Idaho, at the shooting range. A subsequent court-authorized search of Weinstein’s cellphone revealed a photo and multiple videos of Weinstein handling additional firearms.
Weinstein’s criminal history includes convictions in state court for criminal possession of a gun, conspiracy to commit robbery in the third degree, and robbery in the first degree. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Weinstein was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on November 18, 2020. On July 23, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
Weinstein, who had been released on bond, has been detained since November 18, 2021, when he was arrested in New Haven and charged with state drug offenses.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Multi-Convicted Felon Found Guilty for Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine in TulsaRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a 41-year-old Muskogee man for possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine in Tulsa, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Michael Lamont Phillips, aka “Mike Mike,” was found guilty of possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute.
“Michael Phillips has a lengthy history of criminal conduct in northeastern Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This time, he intended to deal crack cocaine in the Tulsa community and was arrested by Tulsa Police Department’s Street Crimes investigators. I am thankful they are on the job and committed to safeguarding our neighborhoods.”
On April 18, 2021, Tulsa Police Street Crimes investigators were patrolling around 4700 East Apache Street after several citizens had complained about drug and firearms offenses, gang activity, and shootings taking place in the area. While on patrol, an investigator saw a line of cars driving eastbound quickly and recklessly, including a gold Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Phillips.
The investigator stopped Phillips for speeding and driving recklessly without a seatbelt. During the stop, the investigator noted that Philips’ breath smelled like alcohol, and the officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. He also found that Phillips had two outstanding warrants and was driving on a suspended license.
Phillips was taken into custody and a search of his vehicle was conducted for marijuana and open containers of alcohol. During the search, officers located what appeared to be crack cocaine in a natural void near the center console of the vehicle. The substance tested positive for cocaine and weighed almost 30 grams. Also located in the vehicle was an open bottle of Vodka, marijuana, and $246 in various denominations. Based on the quantity of the crack cocaine and the amount and denominations of that cash, officers concluded and testified in court there was cause to believe that Phillips possessed the crack with intent to distribute it.
Phillips was previously convicted in Muskogee County District Court of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, attempted robbery by force or fear, and intimidation of a witness in 2004. He was further convicted in federal court of two counts of possession of firearm and ammunition after former conviction of a felony in 2005. Finally, he was convicted in Tulsa Country District Court of possession of firearm after former conviction of a felony in 2014.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan H. Heatherman and Nathan M. Michel are prosecuting the case.
Monmouth County Man Sentenced to Six Months’ Home Confinement for Falsely Labeling International Shipment of Wildlife as ‘Toys’Read the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to three years of probation, with six months of home confinement, for falsely labeling as “Toys” a package containing 10 live rhinoceros iguanas that was destined for Hong Kong, U.S Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jason Ksepka, 44, of Farmingdale, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi in Trenton federal court to an information, charging him with one count of violating the Lacey Act by falsely labeling an international shipment of wildlife. Judge Quraishi imposed the sentence today by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 7, 2017, Ksepka shipped a package via U.S. Priority Mail Express from the U.S. Post Office in Lambertville, New Jersey. The package contained 10 live rhinoceros iguanas and was destined for Hong Kong. Ksepka falsely described the contents of the package as “Toys” and the sender as “Luke Jacobs” on a U.S. Postal Service International Shipping Label and Customs Form that accompanied the package. On Nov. 8, 2017, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Inspectors intercepted the package at the mail facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport and recovered the rhinoceros iguanas from inside the package.
Ksepka was paid $500 by an individual to falsely label the package and ship it to Hong Kong. One year prior to the shipment, the same individual had paid Ksepka $500 to ship 10 additional rhinoceros iguanas to Hong Kong.
In addition to probation, Judge Quraishi ordered Ksepka refrain from engaging in the “take” of wildlife (defined by law as harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, trapping, capturing, or collecting wildlife or attempting to engage in such conduct). He is also ordered to refrain from the import, export, transport, sale, purchase, or barter of any wildlife. Ksepka agreed, as part of his plea agreement, to pay a fine of $1,000 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lacey Act Reward Fund.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Sean Mann, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
Mid-State Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A Minor Hill, Tennessee, man was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in federal prison for crimes related to the production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Joshua Marc Hendon, 36, and his wife, Lori Hendon, were indicted in October 2017, on charges of conspiracy to produce child pornography, nine counts of production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
“Protecting innocent children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Wildasin. “I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who work diligently to identify these predators and bring them to justice so that they no longer have the opportunity to exploit any child again.”
In November 2019, Joshua Hendon pleaded guilty to all charges and admitted that in the fall of 2015, he was a registered sex offender when he and his wife moved to Minor Hill, Tennessee. There, they befriended a nearby family that included two minor girls under the age of 12, and their father, who was disabled and struggled to care for the girls. Both girls began to visit the Hendon home regularly, where Lori would take care of them.
In October 2015, Joshua began communicating with the girls online, using the text application Kik. On several occasions, Joshua convinced the younger of the two girls to send him explicit photos. During one Kik chat conversation, the girl offered to send explicit photos in an effort to avoid having Joshua physically molest her. Joshua also enlisted the help of his wife to take photos of the girls when they were nude and taking baths in the Hendon home.
A subsequent forensic examination of Joshua’s cell phones and other electronic devices found numerous images of child pornography, including over 30 sexually explicit images of the two girls. Forensic interviews of the girls disclosed that Joshua had touched them inappropriately.
“Because of the investigative efforts of our HSI agents, a child sex offender has been sent to federal prison, where he will be unable to victimize other vulnerable children,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove these offenders from our communities and ensure they pay for their heinous actions.”
The case against Lori Hendon remains pending and she is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Giles County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Daughtrey is prosecuting the case.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Michigan man pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexual abuse of a minor, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, in August 2009, Matthew Boyd, 32, was an active-duty sailor stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. During this time, Boyd engaged in a sexual act with a minor who had attained the age 12 but who had not attained the age of 16.
Boyd faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces up to three years 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 Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.
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Methamphetamine and Heroin Distributor Sentenced to 77 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Tulsa drug dealer was sentenced Tuesday for distributing methamphetamine and heroin in the Tulsa-metro area, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Kamau Jahi Williams, 43, to 77 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
On Sept. 29, 2021, a federal jury found Williams guilty of distribution of methamphetamine, drug conspiracy, and distribution of heroin.
“Kamau Williams’ profession of choice was drug distribution, and because of his chosen profession, he will spend more than six years in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Methamphetamine and heroin addiction is costly- it harms families and takes lives. Thanks to our partners at the DEA and Tulsa Police Department, Williams will no longer be dealing these dangerous drugs in Tulsa’s neighborhoods.”
In the Summer of 2020, the DEA agents and Task Force Officers with the Tulsa Police Department became aware of Williams’ potential criminal activity and began physical surveillance of the suspect. On Oct. 20, 2020, Williams met with another individual in a fast food restaurant parking lot in Tulsa. Williams was observed entering the lot in a black pick-up to meet the other man. Agents watched the man take possession of a white plastic bag from Williams and place it in the rear of his white SUV. Soon after, officers stopped the man for a traffic violation. He consented to a vehicle search and officers located 56 grams of methamphetamine in the rear of the vehicle in the same white bag he was seen receiving from Williams earlier. Fifty-six grams is equal to 24 dosage units and worth thousands of dollars. After the seizure, investigators continued their investigation into Williams.
In April 2021, two codefendants were charged in a superseding indictment with Williams and additional charges were added. Agents intercepted communication between Kamau Williams, Albert Thomas III, and Tanara Ruble involving a conspiracy to distribute heroin. The defendants used code words like “dog food” or “black Nike t-shirt” when discussing drug transactions. Agents learned from the communication that Williams was trafficking marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin.
Williams was also found to be distributing heroin based on a March 4, 2021, drug deal. Ruble met with Williams at the Love More Hookah Lounge, a business owned by Williams. The two were observed entering the business and Ruble exited a short time later. Within the next hour, Williams called Thomas who then met him at the hookah lounge. The two men entered the lounge and emerged after several minutes. After leaving, Thomas was again stopped by uniformed officers, and heroin was discovered along with Glock .45 caliber pistol.
In addition to his convictions in this case, Williams recently pleaded guilty in a separate drug conspiracy case prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office where he purchased methamphetamine from a source of supply in California that was mailed to an abandoned Tulsa address. The packages were intercepted by several postal carriers who delivered the methamphetamine to Williams for redistribution. Williams faces a minimum of 15 years in federal prison in the case and will be sentenced in June 2022.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick and David A. Nasar prosecuted the case.
Mechanicsburg Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Product TamperingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert K. Burns, age 61, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 48 months’ imprisonment for tampering with consumer products. The sentence also included a two-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Burns previously admitted that in May 2019 he replaced pills in multiple bottles of lansoprazole with other items, resealed the bottles, and then returned the bottles to a store in Enola, Pennsylvania. Burns similarly tampered with and then returned other products, including sinus relief products, which he returned to a Mechanicsburg store in May and June 2019, and toothpaste, which he returned to a different Mechanicsburg store in May 2019. In August 2019, police executed a search warrant at Burns’ Mechanicsburg residence and found additional products that had been tampered with and other items indicative of product tampering, including hundreds of cut-up product packages and tamper-resistant seals. In imposing the 48-month sentence, Judge Conner emphasized the sophisticated means Burns utilized, his repeated illegal actions, and the danger that this type of conduct creates.
“FDA is fully committed to the vigorous criminal investigation and prosecution of any individual who threatens the U.S. consumer product supply,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear signal that illicit tampering activity will not be tolerated.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Silver Spring Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli and former Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted the case.
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Massachusetts Man Arrested for Conspiracy to Steal FirearmsRead the Press Release
William Guerrero, 20, of Brighton, Massachusetts was arrested today on a complaint charging him with participating in a conspiracy to steal firearms from federally licensed firearm dealers, U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to the complaint, law enforcement agents have been investigating a series of efforts to conduct burglaries at federally licensed firearms dealers on January 22 and 23, 2022. On January 23, 2022, at approximately 5:00 a.m., a vehicle pulled into the front of a firearms business in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Four males were captured on video surveillance attempting to gain access to the store by smashing a window of the rear door, but were unable to gain access. Similar attempted burglaries occurred at firearms dealers on January 22, 2022, in Salem, Plaistow, and Kingston.
Guerrero was arrested on January 24, 2022, in Massachusetts. Guerrero had an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was detained pending further proceedings.
The investigation is ongoing. Members of the public with information about these crimes are encouraged to contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS.
This matter is investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and multiple local and state police agencies in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana MacDonald.
The charges in the complaint are only allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Marshall County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lonnie James Tanner, Jr., of Cameron, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Tanner, 53, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Tanner admitted to selling methamphetamine in July 2021 in Marshall County.
Tanner faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Madison Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Conspiring to Sex Traffic a MinorRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jason J. Jordan, 49, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic a minor. This prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Jordan pleaded guilty to this charge on October 18, 2021.
This case came to light on February 2, 2021, when management at a hotel in Middleton, Wisconsin contacted law enforcement about a guest who had overstayed a reservation. When police responded to the hotel, they found a 16-year-old girl alone in a room rented in Jordan’s name. Interviews with the victim and further investigation revealed that the victim was from Utah, where she had been essentially homeless for several weeks at the end of 2020. In January 2021, a Wisconsin man she met in Utah bought her an Amtrak ticket and transported her to Wisconsin. When she arrived in Wisconsin, he told her that she was expected to perform sex acts for money.
Once in Wisconsin she met Jordan, an associate of the man who transported her to Wisconsin. The victim was in Wisconsin for approximately three weeks and during that time, Jordan transported her to hotels and rented rooms for commercial sex acts. In addition, on January 20, 2021, Jordan posted ads for the victim on a commercial sex website, arranged for the commercial sex to take place, and collected the money from the victim after the sex acts occurred.
The charge against Jordan was the result of an investigation conducted by the Middleton Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted this case.
Lucedale Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Lucedale man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court records, Justin Lee Miller, 32, was arrested on September 23, 2021, after fleeing a traffic stop resulting in a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, the deputy noticed Miller throw a firearm from car. The firearm, later determined to be a shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches, was recovered. Miller has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Miller pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. However, if the Court determines that he is an armed career offender, he faces a minimum of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum of life.
The ATF and George County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison for his role in five armed robberies of cell phone stores.
Rushard Burton (27) pleaded guilty in August 2021 to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey sentenced Burton to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, from March 18 to June 5, 2017, Burton, co-conspirators Kejon Ward and Erica Caldwell, and others stole over 400 cell phones from five cell phone stores in North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Las Vegas. During each robbery, they pointed firearms at — and made threats to — victims in the stores.
Ward (28) pleaded guilty in August 2021, and he is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was a joint investigation by the FBI, North Las Vegas Police Department, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and Henderson Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Burton and Stephanie Ihler.
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Judge sentences St. Louis County man for being the leader of a Webster Groves crack cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Marcus A. Beasley, 34, appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on today’s date. Beasley was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Beasley is one of four defendants to have pleaded guilty and be sentenced in a twenty-five-count federal indictment directed towards the members of a crack cocaine drug trafficking organization that operated in an around Webster Groves and other locations within St. Louis County and St. Louis City.
According to the plea agreement, in 2016, St. Louis County Police Department detectives received information that Beasley was selling crack cocaine in the St. Louis, Missouri area. A joint investigation was undertaken by the Saint Louis County and Webster Groves Police Department and FBI.
During the course of the months-long investigation, over twenty-one purchases of crack cocaine were completed with Beasley, or at Beasley’s direction. These illicit drug sales were completed at a variety of locations in St. Louis County and St. Louis City. Several of the transactions were completed at or near a Webster Groves residence. At sentencing, the district court found Beasley to be a manager and supervisor of the drug trafficking organization.
"The Webster Groves Police Department would like to thank the Unites States Attorney’s Office for their successful efforts in the prosecution of this case and eliminating a serious threat to our community" stated Chief Dale Curtis.
This investigation was conducted by the Webster Groves Police Department, the St. Louis County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Jefferson County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael Lynch, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Lynch, 57, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Base and Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Lynch admitted working with others to distribute cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and cocaine hydrochloride, also known as “coke,” from July 2018 to June 2021 in Jefferson County and elsewhere.
Lynch faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police, the DEA Task Force Montgomery County, Maryland; and the Frederick, Maryland, HIDTA group investigated. The EPDTF consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.
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.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Andre Rene Williams, 53, pawned a stolen firearm on December 16, 2017. Williams has twelve prior felony convictions for both violent and non-violent offenses. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Williams to possess any firearm.
Williams pled guilty on June 28, 2021, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the ATF, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, Copiah County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Yazoo County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Sends Two Men to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of two cases in the Western District of Louisiana. Sentencing hearings were held yesterday in Alexandria and United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced the following individuals:
Cortez Dayshon Duncantel, 27, of Alexandria, Louisiana, was sentenced to 130 months (10 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on firearms charges. The charges stem from an incident on June 4, 2019, when a Pineville Police Department officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. Duncantel was a passenger in the vehicle and was detained during the stop. Officers conducted a pat-down search of Duncantel and found a loaded Glock pistol and a bag of suspected cocaine in his groin area. In addition, officers found a digital scale which Duncantel had in a waist pack around his shoulder. The suspected narcotics were sent to the crime lab for analysis and confirmed to be cocaine. Duncantel is a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance in 2014 and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Alfred James Kirk, 40, of Lecompte, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Kirk was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2021, and he pleaded guilty on October 4, 2021 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On October 3, 2020, a Rapides Parish Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle Kirk was driving for a traffic violation. When the deputy approached the car, he smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Deputies searched the vehicle and found small quantities of illegal drugs packaged for distribution, as well as a loaded pistol between the front driver and middle seat of the vehicle. Kirk has a lengthy criminal history of felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. His prior convictions were for illegal use of a weapon (2002); forgery (2004 and 2006); possession of stolen things (2013); simple escape (2013); possession of cocaine (2018); and possession with intent to distribute heroin, alprazolam, and methamphetamine (2018).
These cases were investigated by the ATF, Pineville Police Department, and Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Brian C. Flanagan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Huntsville Man Charged with Multiple Robberies in North AlabamaRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury today charged a Huntsville man with committing a string of armed robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
A 12-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Christopher Maxwell Jacobie Owens, 27, of Huntsville, with 6-counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and 6-counts of brandishing a firearm.
According to the indictment, in a span of six days in November 2020, Owens committed six armed robberies at businesses in Huntsville. Owens robbed two Family Dollar locations, Dollar General, two MetroPCS locations, and Walgreens.
The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery that affects interstate commerce and that involves the taking of property from another person by means of actual or threatened force or violence.
If convicted of a Hobbs Act Robbery, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. If convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case along with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and the Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Pillsbury is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Huntington County Woman Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Federal Prison for Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Linda Grubb, age 74, of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 24, 2022, to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Sylvia Rambo for wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Grubb pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme where the scheme participants manipulated a variety of pandemic relief programs to fraudulently obtain money. Specifically, international fraudsters made applications for pandemic related small business loans and pandemic unemployment assistance, sometimes using stolen identify information. The pandemic loan and unemployment payments were deposited into Grubb’s bank account in Huntingdon County. Grubb allowed her bank account to be used in that manner and then assisted the fraudsters by wiring the funds to foreign bank accounts they identified.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Hartselle Man Charged with Attempted KidnappingRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury today charged a Hartselle man with attempted kidnapping and attempted sexual assault, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court, charges Matthias Jacob Edward Mann, 22, of Hartsell, with attempted kidnapping and coercion and enticement.
“Over the course of a week, law enforcement moved swiftly to identify the defendant and victim. Federal and local authorities from four different states worked together to investigate and arrest this defendant and derail a dangerous online plot,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The internet is a tool that provides many opportunities for communication and connectivity, but also gives predators an easy way to access potential victims. One never knows who is lurking behind the keyboard. It is always important to exercise caution and protect your privacy in online forums.”
According to court documents, on December 29, 2021, an undercover detective with the Owatonna, Minnesota Police Department was monitoring the public Kik group “Abduction and R@pe 3.” During that time, the Kik User “Dylan H.,” who was determined to be Mann, posted in the group, asking for someone to abduct and sexually assault a woman from Wisconsin. The undercover detective responded and told Dylan H. that he was in Minnesota and would be interested.
On December 30, 2021, the undercover detective recorded a telephone conversation with Mann. On the call, Mann confirmed that his request for the abduction and sexual assault of the victim was not a fantasy. Mann provided the undercover detective with photos and a physical address of the victim, who he stated was a former friend. Mann requested a video to confirm that the abduction and sexual assault was carried out as requested. During their subsequent conversations, Mann agreed to pay the undercover detective gas money to travel to Wisconsin from Minnesota, and approximately $2,000.00 once the abduction and sexual assault had been completed. Mann paid the undercover detective $75 on January 5th.
Federal agents arrested Mann on the morning of January 6, 2022 in Hartselle, Alabama.
The maximum penalty for attempted kidnapping and attempted coercion and enticement is twenty years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case along with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Police Department; Owatonna, Minnesota Police Department; and FBI (Atlanta Division). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Hodge and John Hundscheid are prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Guntersville Woman Charged in a Scheme to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury today charged a Guntersville woman on charges involving straw purchasing of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court, charges Caritina Jarquin, 46, of Guntersville, with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to the indictment, between March 2021 and May 2021, Jerquing purchased multiple .22 caliber rifles from Simmons Sporting Goods Co., a licensed firearms dealer located in Jefferson County.
The maximum penalty for giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is 10 years in prison.
This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Camp is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Greensboro Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the North Carolina Medicaid Program and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Richard Graves, 49, of Greensboro, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering conspiracy for his role in a scheme to obtain more than $14 million from the North Carolina Medicaid program, 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS- CI), and Attorney General Josh Stein, who oversees the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division (MID).
According to filed court documents and today’s guilty plea, Graves was an employee of United Diagnostic Laboratories (UDL), a urine toxicology testing laboratory, and United Youth Care Services (UYCS), a company that provided mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Court documents show that from January 2016 to July 2020, Graves and his co-conspirators executed a conspiracy to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program by paying illegal kickbacks to co-conspirators in exchange for urine samples from Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries.
As Graves admitted in court today, he and his co-conspirators located recruiters to recruit at-risk youths and other Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries for after-school, youth mentoring, housing, or other programs and services. Once enrolled, the beneficiaries were required to submit urine specimens for drug testing, which were provided to UDL and UYCS for medically unnecessary urine drug testing. Graves and his co-conspirators paid the recruiters a kickback from UYCS’s NC Medicaid reimbursement on the drug testing.
In addition, Graves and his co-conspirators executed a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the kickback and health care fraud conspiracy through Everlasting Vitality, a company owned by one of the recruiters. According to plea documents, Everlasting Vitality sent fraudulent invoices to UYCS listing the hours that the co-conspirators purportedly worked for UYCS in the prior month. The fraudulent invoices listed fake services that had not actually been provided to UYCS, including program development and design, community engagement, motivational speaking, and college mentorship services. In truth and in fact, the purpose of these invoices was to conceal and disguise the nature and source of UYCS’s illegal kickback payments for drug testing referrals.
Graves pleaded guilty today to health care fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $500,000 fine.
Graves was released on bond. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and NC Medicaid Investigations Division are in charge of the investigation.
The prosecution for the government is handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
German National Sentenced to 23 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A German national was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.
Manuel Poludenyj, 36, of Springfield, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 23 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 24, 2021, Poludenyj pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Poludenyj’s residence on Jan. 3, 2019. In a bedroom, officers found a bag that contained 47.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, a stolen Ruger .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine, and a stolen New England Firearms 12-gauge short-barrel shotgun. Officers also found a paint can with a false bottom in the bedroom, which contained 92.5 grams of methamphetamine, 24.09 grams of cocaine, and 1.69 grams of fentanyl. Poludenyj had $625 in cash in his pocket.
Poludenyj has a criminal history that includes five felony convictions and 32 misdemeanor convictions. Among those convictions are acts of violence towards women, police officers, and others, as well as drug-trafficking offenses. Poludenyj was on state supervision at the time of this federal offense.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Gary Man Sentenced to 360 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Stephen Coleman, 30 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to four counts of production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Coleman was sentenced to 360 months in prison, a 15-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, between May of 2017 and July of 2018, Coleman produced sexually explicit images of four minor children between the ages of six and eleven years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath and Jill Koster, formerly an Assistant United States in the Northern District of Indiana Attorney (now an AUSA in the District of the Virgin Islands).
Fruit Belt Gang Member Going to Prison on Gun ChargeRead 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 Michael Woods, 33, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 88 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who handled the case, stated that since August 2019, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force has been investigating the Fruit Belt Gang, whose members are allegedly actively engaged in the distribution of narcotics, firearms offenses, and gang activity.
On July 1, 2020, Central Park Gang (CPG) member Shariff Jackson was murdered in Buffalo, and investigators believe that Fruit Belt Gang members were involved. On July 4, 2020, Woods, and co-defendant Antwaine Parker, were shot on Sycamore Avenue in Buffalo. Woods, who was shot in the head and spine, drove himself to the hospital, after throwing a gun from the scene. A 9mm handgun was recovered on the roof of a nearby building. Woods told investigators that he was driving in the area with an unnamed person but provided no additional information. Investigators believe the shooting could be the result of rival gang activity between CPG and the Fruit Belt Gang.
On July 14, 2020, a Buffalo Police Officer recovered two guns after initiating a traffic stop of Woods’ vehicle. In March 2012, Woods was convicted in state court of Attempted Criminal Possession of Controlled Substances and sentenced to serve five years’ probation. In addition, Woods was sentenced in July 2015 to serve 84 months in prison after being convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a result, both defendants are legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Antwaine Parker was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Erie Crime Analysis Center, under the direction of Director Dennis Richards.
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Franklin Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Zachary Cote, 24, of Franklin, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 27, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed at a residence in Franklin where Cote was residing. The investigation stemmed from activity that occurred on a social media platform through an account that resolved back to Cote. Various electronic devices were seized during the search. Forensic review of the devices revealed the presence of over 2,500 images and over 300 videos depicting child sexual exploitation material.
During a consensual interview, Cote admitted viewing and possessing child sexual abuse material on his phone and trading the material with others online.
Cote previously pleaded guilty on September 20, 2021. Cote was ordered to pay $26,000 in restitution and will be under supervised release for eight years after the completion of his sentence.
“Protecting the innocence of children is one of the foremost obligations of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “Those who possess and distribute graphic sexual images of children are drawing pleasure from horrific acts of child abuse and committing a serious federal crime. In our ongoing effort to protect young people from abuse, we will continue to work closely with the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute crimes related to images of child sexual abuse.”
“Now more than ever, our children need to be protected from predators seeking to exploit their innocence. Today’s sentence helps us do that by keeping Zachary Cote behind bars for quite some time. By his own admission, Mr. Cote had four phones filled with thousands of explicit images and hundreds of videos depicting kids under the age of 12 being sexually abused,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Sadly, his despicable actions revictimized the minors featured in these images and videos all over again. Investigating violent crimes against children is a top priority of ours at the FBI, and this case exemplifies how we will work with our law enforcement partners to ensure people like him are brought to justice.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Franklin Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced January 25, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
William Howard Rockey Halstead, 34, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on August 19, 2021, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
On September 2, 2020, Halstead was stopped by law enforcement for having an inoperable break light. During the stop, law enforcement observed multiple items resembling marijuana in plain view within the car. Halstead was asked to step out of the car at which time he locked his glovebox and exited the car. A subsequent search of Halstead uncovered a digital scale in his pocket. A search of the car revealed numerous pieces of marijuana on the seat, floorboard, and center console of the vehicle. Law enforcement then opened the glovebox and found a loaded Hi-Point JCP 40 Smith and Wesson handgun. Upon arrest, Halstead admitted he also had a small bag of methamphetamine in his sock. Halstead had 17 prior criminal convictions including burglary, grand larceny, controlled substances offenses, evading law enforcement, possession of a firearm by a felon, and absence from custody.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Halstead was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Halstead 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 Mikala Purdy-Steenholdt and Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3040. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former San Antonio Bookkeeper Sentenced for Stealing $1.6 MillionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for fraud.
According to court documents, Irene M. Scott, 42, is a former bookkeeper and financial manager for a private law firm in San Antonio. Scott worked for the law firm between August 2011 and February 2020. Her duties included issuing business credit cards to employees and closing those credit card accounts when an employee separated from the firm. She also maintained the firm’s financial ledgers and paid vendors and operating expenses.
On May 25, 2021, Scott pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. Scott admitted that from 2012 to 2020, she used three office credit cards assigned to other employees to make non-firm related purchases totaling over $1.2 million. An estimated three-fourths of those funds went to support her husband’s outdoor lighting business. She concealed on the firm’s financial ledgers credit card payments she made using the firm’s operating account. Scott also stole an estimated $417,000 by fraudulently withdrawing from the firm’s operating account about 200 times during a two-year period beginning in January 2018. She disguised those withdrawals in the firm’s ledger as vendor payments. Scott committed these fraudulent acts without the knowledge or authorization of any member of the firm.
“The sentencing of Ms. Scott today should sound the alarm to those planning to steal from their employers with the idea that they are going to cook the books to hide their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “You will be investigated, identified and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to those who would betray their employers and fellow employees by committing fraud,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “The FBI is committed to seeing that individuals who commit these fraudulent acts are held accountable for their actions.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Joseph E. Blackwell prosecuted the case.
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Former Bishop, Lay Leader Charged in Fraud Scheme Involving AME Zion Congregations Across CaliforniaRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Staccato Powell and Sheila Quintana were arrested and appeared in federal court today to face conspiracy, wire fraud, and mail fraud charges stemming from an alleged fraudulent scheme committed upon congregations of the AME Zion Church in California and private lenders, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.
According to the federal indictment filed January 6, 2022, and unsealed today, Powell, 62, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Quintana, 67, of Vallejo, were officers of the Western Episcopal District, Inc., an entity formed by Powell and Quintana in 2016 after Powell’s selection as bishop to the Western Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church), an historically African-American denomination of approximately 1.4 million adherents worldwide tracing its history to 1796. The indictment alleges that Powell and Quintana conspired to defraud AME Zion Church congregations in Oakland, San Jose, Palo Alto, and Los Angeles by re-deeding the local congregations’ properties in the name of WED, Inc. The indictment alleges that, prior to Powell and Quintana’s actions, these congregations had little or no mortgage debt on their local church properties, to include sanctuaries, residences for pastoral staff, and other structures used by the local congregations for religious purposes, and in some cases, the congregations had many years earlier paid off their mortgages.
The indictment further alleges that Powell and Quintana used false statements and material omissions to obtain the grant deeds from local pastors, then used fake resolution documents purporting to memorialize the assent of the local congregations to new mortgages on the local church properties. In fact, the local congregations did not authorize the new encumbrances on the local church properties. The indictment further alleges that through WED, Inc., Powell and Quintana conspired, along with others not named in the indictment, to extract cash proceeds by using the fake resolution documents to obtain mortgages from private lenders, usually on terms unfavorable to the borrower. Powell and Quintana did not inform the private lenders of the true facts, and they did not inform the local congregations of the new mortgages using the local church properties as collateral. The indictment alleges that after taking control of the church properties, Powell, Quintana, and others used the real estate as collateral to obtain high interest loans, exceeding $14 million in net proceeds. The indictment further alleges that Powell and Quintana diverted funds from the loans for their benefit, including the acquisition of properties in North Carolina by Powell, retiring mortgage debt on Powell’s personal residence in North Carolina, and cash payments to Quintana’s spouse. On July 30, 2020, WED, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and listed eleven churches in California, Arizona and Colorado among its assets.
In sum, the indictment charges Powell and Quintana each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and two counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. In addition, Powell is charged with one count of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341. The maximum statutory sentence for violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1341, 1343 or 1349 is 20 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following prison. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Powell was arrested today in Wake Forest, North Carolina and made his initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Quintana was arrested today in Vallejo, Calif., and made her initial appearance in Sacramento. The defendants were ordered to appear for their initial appearances in the Northern District of California via Zoom on February 2, 2022, before the Honorable Kandis A. Westmore.
The charges contained in the criminal indictment are only allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is being prosecuted by the Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Felon Caught with Narcotics and Handgun Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Eric Coleman, age 37 of Baltimore City, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on May 7, 2020, Coleman and several others were standing on a sidewalk when they were observed by Baltimore Police Department detectives patrolling in the area. When the detectives were noticed, a lookout alerted Coleman and the others of BPD’s presence.
When the BPD detectives made a U-turn, Coleman quickly turned the right side of his body away from view, walked away from the group of other individuals, and kept his right arm stiff against his body. The detectives believed that Coleman’s actions were consistent with the characteristics exhibited by an armed person and stopped their patrol vehicle.
As detectives exited the vehicle, Coleman began to flee on foot and eventually threw a firearm with his right arm while running.
During his apprehension and arrest, the detectives discovered a 9mm handgun in the area where he threw it, as well as an extended magazine that Coleman had dropped as he ran. Coleman also possessed a satchel containing 42 gel caps of heroin, 33 gel caps of fentanyl, 29 glass vials of cocaine, and several bags of marijuana.
After his arrest, Coleman placed a consensually recorded jail call in which he discussed his arrest and the handgun. Specifically, Coleman stated “I couldn’t leave without it, yo. I told everybody that I’d rather get caught with it than without it. I got caught with it.”
As stated in his plea agreement, investigators subsequently executed search warrants on Coleman’s cellphone and social media accounts. As a result of the search warrants, investigators located several images and videos in which Coleman possessed a handgun. Investigators also discovered pictures and videos relating to the sale of narcotics.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard P. Gallena and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal Grand Jury Charges Former Chief Financial Officer of the City of Bardstown with Embezzling City FundsRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment last week charging a former city official with embezzling over three-quarters of a million dollars from the City of Bardstown during her years working with the city.
According to court documents, Tracy L. Hudson, 41, of Bloomfield, Kentucky, embezzled more than $762,000 from the City of Bardstown, Kentucky, while employed first as the City’s Occupational Tax Administrator and then as its Chief Financial Officer. Between 2013 and September 2019, Hudson stole funds from the City of Bardstown by various means, including by taking cash from the City of Bardstown funds for her own personal use, paying herself for false expense reimbursements, diverting additional payments into her 401k pension plan in excess of the amount withheld from her wages, purchasing personal items on a City of Bardstown credit card without authorization, and crediting payments to her personal accounts with the City of Bardstown despite no actual payment having been made.
Hudson is charged with one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Hudson made her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the Kentucky State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Zimdahl is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug trafficker sentenced to additional prison time for committing PPP fraud while on bondRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rodriquez Deonte Redding has been sentenced for trafficking cocaine and laundering his drug profits by purchasing luxury cars in his mother’s and grandmother’s names. He faced new charges of wire fraud and the court imposed an additional sentence of one year and three months after the government discovered Redding had fraudulently obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans while on bond for the drug and money laundering charges.
“It’s shocking that, while under indictment for drug trafficking and money laundering, Redding had the audacity to defraud a program meant to help people and businesses struggling for existence during the pandemic in order to fund his luxury shopping sprees,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “We are grateful to our federal and state law enforcement partners whose efforts brought this defendant to justice.”
“Hitting drug traffickers in their pockets is a crucial part of dismantling high-level drug distribution networks,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Their money is their lifeline and without it, their drug distribution activities could not survive. DEA and its law enforcement partners remain committed to making our communities safe.”
“The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is always pleased to collaborate with our federal justice partners, who share our common objective of preserving the safety and quality of life in Fulton County. This particular case involved an intense investigation, spanning almost nine years. Side-by-side, deputies and task force members relentlessly pursued irrefutable evidence to bring to justice a lawbreaker, whose actions, inspired by greed, further aggravated the effects of the pandemic for legitimate business owners,” said Fulton County Sheriff Patrick “Pat” Labat.
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Since at least 2010, Redding has been distributing cocaine in the Atlanta area. Redding was known to pick up and deliver kilograms of cocaine and bags of cash for other members of his drug trafficking operation and was recorded on bank security cameras making cash deposits into various accounts controlled by the members of his group. He also used wire transfers to move money on behalf of his group, and sometimes bought and sold cocaine to his own customers. To disguise and launder some of his cash profits, he purchased a series of luxury cars. As a way to further conceal his unexplained wealth, he convinced his mother and elderly grandmother to purchase the cars in their names, entangling them in his crimes.
Redding was indicted for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and money laundering by a federal grand jury in September 2018. He was arrested the following month but released on bond while the charges were pending. He pleaded guilty to those charges on June 2, 2021. However, the government soon discovered that he had obtained two PPP loans for $20,833, for a total of $41,666, which he applied for in April and May 2021, shortly before pleading guilty. To receive the loans, Redding claimed to operate a barber and retail business and submitted falsified tax return forms. Then, instead of spending the PPP money on payroll for employees or other business expenses, he spent thousands of dollars at a time on rental cars and shopping, including at Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Redding spent all of the PPP money in less than one month after receiving it.
Rodriquez Deonte Redding, a/k/a Dreek, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the PPP lenders and the U.S. Small Business Administration in the amount of $46,666. Redding was convicted on the drug trafficking and money laundering charges on June 2, 2021, after he pleaded guilty. On January 21, 2022, he pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging wire fraud and was sentenced on both sets of charges in a single hearing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section, prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Door County Man Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on January 24, 2022, Christopher J. Kone (age: 37) of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment for two counts of possession of child pornography.
Between July 20, 2020, and November 12, 2020, Kone was the focus of a joint human trafficking investigation between the Door County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation. During the investigation, law enforcement located several pornographic images of a minor on his cellular telephone. Kone subsequently pled guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(5)(b).
In pronouncing sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the serious nature of Kone’s crimes which involved sexual assault and attempted trafficking of a minor. The judge further highlighted the need to deter Kone and others from engaging in similar behavior. Following his release from prison, Kone will serve seven years on supervised release and will be required to register as a sexual offender under federal and state law.
This case was investigated by the Door County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erica J. Lounsberry, Alexander E. Duros, and Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact: [email protected], (414) 297-1700
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Danville Doctor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Danville, Ky., physician, Christopher Marek, 49, pleaded guilty to tax evasion on Tuesday, before Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves.
According to his plea agreement, between April 2015 and June 2019, Marek underreported income earned through his business, Central Kentucky Plastic Surgery, on his annual IRS income tax returns. Marek admitted to failing to list as income direct payments from patients, as well as only partially listing payments the business received from insurance companies. Overall, Marek failed to list more than $887,000 that he received, and in doing so, Marek caused a $283,687 tax deficiency that is owed by him to the United States.
Marek was indicted in June 2021.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Office jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigations. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Moynahan.
Marek is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2022. He faces a maximum of five years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Convicted Felons Charged in Separate and Unrelated IndictmentsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury today charged three convicted felons on gun and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Randy Hasan Abdurrahim, 36, of Birmingham, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. In April 2021, Abdurrahim illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson .380 pistol in Jefferson County. In September 2021, Abdurrahim possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and containing a detectable amount of fentanyl in Jefferson County.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Joseph Ryan Byram, 38, of Adger, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. In July 2021, Byram illegally possessed a Rock Island Armory .38 caliber revolver in Jefferson County.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Christopher Kevin Key, 46, of Anniston, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. In August 2021, Key illegally possessed a Lorcin .25 caliber pistol in Calhoun County.
The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison.
The maximum penalty for possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance is 20 years in prison.
ATF investigated the cases, along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Birmingham Police Department and Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius Greene is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Charged with Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury today charged a convicted felon with illegal firearm possession, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Deanglo Rashad Stephens, 32, of Birmingham, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, on November 13, 2021, Stephens unlawfully possessed a FN 9mm pistol. Stephens is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. In October 2021, Stephens pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, and was out on bond awaiting sentencing at the time of the new offense.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Plyler is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Admits Illegally Possessing Semi-Automatic Rifle at Veterans Affairs Hospital in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A convicted felon pleaded guilty today to a federal firearm violation for illegally possessing a semi-automatic rifle at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.
BERNARD HARVEY, JR., 43, of Indianapolis, Ind., pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The charge is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr., set sentencing for May 5, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
Harvey illegally possessed the rifle on Aug. 12, 2019, at the medical center, 820 S. Damen Ave. in Chicago. Harvey had previously been convicted in the Circuit Court of Cook County of multiple felonies, including gun offenses, and was not lawfully allowed to possess the rifle.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Jesse Brown VA Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Columbia County Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Columbia County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for recording his repeated rape and abuse of a child over a period of five years and secretly recording a second child using a bathroom.
Anthony Wayne Dewey, 60, was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release.
“Our hearts break for the children tragically abused and exploited in this and every case of child exploitation. We offer each of them this message: this experience will not define you. You are bigger and stronger than your abuser. You will grow to lead an extraordinary life of meaning and purpose,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“The focus—as always—is on the victims. Although Anthony Dewey received a severe and just sentence, the potential damage done to the children by his depravity will likely well outlast his punishment,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Help us protect our community's children by reporting other violent predators to your local law enforcement agency or the FBI.”
According to court documents, in August 2017, after receiving information Dewey had sexually abused a child and created photographs depicting the abuse, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his Columbia County residence. Investigators seized numerous videos showing Dewey abusing the child over a period of five years when the child was 4 to 11 years old. The abuse occurred at Dewey’s residences in Oregon and Washington State.
During the search, law enforcement also found hidden camera videos of another minor victim using a bathroom. Investigators later learned that Dewey had previously been convicted in 2009 after hiding a camera in the bathroom of his residence in Cowlitz County, Washington. No video evidence was recovered or disclosed at that time.
On February 9, 2018, Dewey was charged by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a child. Later, in June 2018 and November 2019, he was charged by criminal information and superseding criminal information with two counts of sexually exploiting a child. On November 7, 2019, he pleaded guilty to both charges.
U.S. Attorney Asphaug and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Longview Police Department and St. Helens Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, child victims suffer re-victimization each time the image of their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website at http://www.missingkids.org.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Charleston man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jalin Tyref Mcarn, of Charleston, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Mcarn, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Mcarn, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, admitted to having a semi-automatic pistol in June 2021 in Tyler County.
Mcarn faces up to 10 years of incarceration and fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Sistersville Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Carjacker Sentenced t0 8 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Kristopher Harris, 23, has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for a carjacking. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information provided in court, on July 17, 2019, the victim was inside his vehicle at the Pump and Munch gas station on East Shelby Drive, when Harris and his co-defendant, Kalonji Warren, 24, drove Warren’s tan Jeep SUV alongside the victim's vehicle. Harris pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the victim, firing one shot into the front passenger-side window. After the victim fled, Warren entered the victim's vehicle and drove away. One shell casing left at the scene was collected as evidence.
Video surveillance captured the suspect’s vehicle in the area and showed Warren enter the gas station prior to the carjacking. Part of the carjacking incident was also captured on video surveillance. During the investigation Harris was positively identified.
Kristopher Harris and Kalonji Warren both pled guilty to the carjacking charge on October 22, 2021. Warren is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2022.
On January 21, 2022, United States District Judge Tommy L. Parker sentenced the defendant to 97 months imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Wendy K. Cornejo and Gregory A. Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Career Offender Sentenced to More Than Seventeen Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Glenn Edward Davis, Jr. (35, Ocala) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for two counts of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and two counts of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The court also ordered Davis to forfeit the firearms and ammunition associated with the offenses. Davis had pleaded guilty on June 23, 2021.
According to facts presented in court, on the night of March 16, 2019, an officer from the Ocala Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Davis’s car. Davis quickly abandoned the car and fled on foot, leaving behind his driver license, a loaded handgun, and methamphetamine packaged for distribution. On July 10, 2019, a detective from the Ocala Police Department spotted Davis driving a different car. When the detective attempted to execute a traffic stop, Davis again fled on foot. Davis struggled with and injured the detective as the detective was apprehending Davis. A search of Davis’s car revealed another loaded handgun, ecstasy pills, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine packaged for distribution. Laboratory testing revealed that Davis’s DNA was present on the handgun.
At the time he possessed the two handguns, Davis had 14 prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
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.
California Man Indicted for Stealing ExplosivesRead the Press Release
RENO – A California man made his initial court appearance yesterday for allegedly stealing explosive materials from a mill in Hawthorne, Nevada.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Evan Ray Atkinson, 38, with multiple counts of Theft of Explosive Material from Licensee; Theft of Explosive Material Moved in Interstate Commerce; Transport of Explosives by a Non-Licensee; Possession of Stolen Explosives; and Improper Storage of Explosives. Atkinson was arrested on January 4, 2022 in Henderson. U.S. District Magistrate Judge William G. Cobb scheduled a jury trial to begin on March 28, 2022, before Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du.
According to allegations in the indictment, on December 24, 2021, Atkinson stole approximately 100 pounds of detonating cord, boosters, and dynamite from a Federal Explosives Licensee. Atkinson then drove the explosives to Henderson and stored them in his hotel room and vehicle. On January 4, 2022, after evacuating the hotel, law enforcement safely recovered the stolen explosive materials from Atkinson’s vehicle and hotel room.
If convicted, Atkinson faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the ATF, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson Police Department, FBI, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andolyn Johnson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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CEO of South Florida Armored Transport Company Pleads Guilty to Committing Customs Fraud as Part of a Multimillion Dollar Dirty Gold Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Jesus Gabriel Rodriguez, Jr., 45, former CEO of Transvalue, a South Florida company that transported gold, cash, and other valuables by armored truck, pled guilty yesterday to submitting false customs documents that hid the true origin of gold being imported into Miami as part of a $140 million transnational illicit gold smuggling operation.
As part of his guilty plea, Rodriguez admitted that he facilitated the importation of thousands of kilograms of gold being flown into the United States from Curacao, knowing that the customs paperwork falsely represented the gold’s origins. Rodriguez’s co-conspirators were buyers who earned volume-based commissions by procuring gold for NTR Metals (now, Elemetals LLC). NTR Metals was a U.S. precious metals refinery with policies in place to combat money laundering, including not buying gold from Curacao, a country with no gold mines that is commonly used as waypoint for gold illegally mined in, and smuggled out of, other countries. Rodriguez helped co-conspirators dodge NTR Metals’ anti-money laundering policy and get the gold past U.S. Customs by working to conceal the gold’s origins and connections to Curacao.
Rodriguez agreed to forfeit $267,817 dollars as part of his guilty plea, an amount that represents the estimated increase in value to the business as a result of Rodriguez’s conduct and almost all of his personal earnings from the scheme.
Rodriguez is scheduled for sentencing on April 4, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles, who sits in Miami. He faces up to 24 months in federal prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami; Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Office; and Anthony Salisbury, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Filed Office, announced the guilty plea of Rodriguez.
“Complex money laundering schemes involve key players at every stage of the process,” said U.S. Attorney Gonzalez. “Corporate executives who facilitate money laundering while purportedly importing lawful goods at the transport and U.S. Customs stages do not get to hide behind their status as otherwise legitimate business owners. Like everyone else participating in these illegal schemes, they will be prosecuted.”
“Criminals are using increasingly more sophisticated means to hide the proceeds of their illegal activity. Called money laundering, this is the process used by crooks to turn “dirty” money into “clean” money in an attempt to hide or accumulate wealth, avoid prosecution, evade taxes, increase profits, or fund further criminal activity,” said FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge Piro. “It is a crime. Our agents and forensic accountants will target and doggedly pursue those who launder money or assist those who do – including corporate executives like Mr. Rodriguez.”
“We will not stand for those who conceal themselves amongst legitimate businesses while defrauding others for monetary gain. Those involved in circumventing the laws in any capacity to launder illicit proceeds will be exposed and prosecuted,” said IRS-CI Miami Special Agent in Charge Line.
“Homeland Security Investigations will utilize its expertise to pursue anyone who facilitates the laundering of illicit proceeds”, said HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Salisbury. “HSI is committed to working with our federal partners to stop individuals who attempt to take advantage of our financial and international trade institutions in support of their money laundering activities.
This prosecution and the related cases are part of Operation Arch Stanton, which 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.
FBI Miami, IRS-CI Miami, and HSI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from DEA-Miami and law enforcement partners in Curacao. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Walter M. Norkin and Andrea Goldbarg. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco is handling the asset forfeiture aspects of this matter.
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-20529-DPG.
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Burlington County Man Charged with Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man was arrested today on charges that he distributed images and a video depicting child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Brian J. Crann, 37, of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (Joint Base MDL), in Burlington, New Jersey, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography. He was arrested today, appeared this afternoon by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert, and was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case:
On Jan. 22, 2022, Crann transmitted a video and two images of child sexual abuse to another individual using an account on an instant messaging mobile application. Crann also transmitted a non-pornographic image of himself with a minor, who appeared to be the same minor victim depicted in the images and video of child sexual abuse.
The investigation revealed that the account was associated with an Android smartphone and that a short time before the user of the account sent the images and video, the account was accessed using a Wi-Fi Internet Protocol address assigned to an internet service account subscribed in Crann’s name at a residential address on Joint Base MDL. The contact number for the internet service account was a mobile telephone number subscribed in Crann’s name at the same residential address. On Jan. 25, 2022, law enforcement officials searched Crann and recovered an Android smartphone with the mobile telephone number subscribed in Crann’s name. A search of the smartphone revealed a copy of the non-pornographic image of Crann with the minor that had been sent from the account via the app on Jan. 22, 2022.
The distribution of child pornography charge is punishable by a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Field Office Crimes Against Children Squad, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., and Fort Dix Army CID Resident Unit with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.