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Wednesday 1 December 2021
Armed Robber Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Committing Three Armed Robberies of North Philadelphia BusinessesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Darrell Johnson, 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 14 years and one day of imprisonment by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone, after pleading guilty to committing three gunpoint robberies and brandishing a firearm during the course of his three-day crime spree in April 2017.
Each of Johnson’s crimes was captured on surveillance video from the stores he robbed, which ultimately enabled law enforcement to link the robberies back to the same assailant. Johnson first robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store in the early morning hours of April 22, 2017. Video surveillance inside the store captured Johnson pointing a distinctive silver and black, 9mm semi-automatic pistol at store employees and demanding all the money in the store. Just a few hours after he robbed the 7-Eleven store, Johnson robbed a Dunkin Donuts restaurant, wearing the same clothing and pointing the same silver and black firearm at the employees and demanding money from the register. Just before entering Dunkin Donuts, the defendant was captured on surveillance video doing warm-up calisthenics and stretching exercises with the gun in his hand. On April 25, 2017, he was captured by Philadelphia Police in the act of robbing a Rite Aid pharmacy, again with a silver and black semi-automatic firearm. A later forensic examination of the firearm recovered at Rite Aid and a bullet recovered at the 7-Eleven crime scene definitively placed the gun at both robberies.
In December 2017, a grand jury issued a seven-count superseding indictment against the defendant, charging him with three counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery); three counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. In March 2020, the defendant pled guilty to 6 counts in the superseding indictment.
“This defendant was determined to commit armed robbery, so much so he did it three times in the span of only four days,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “His complete disregard for others and for the law is appalling. Hopefully others will learn from this example: if you rob a business in Philadelphia with a firearm, you are going to face serious federal prison time as a result. Our Office is committed to being ‘All Hands On Deck’ working with our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.”
"The FBI is committed to keeping the Philadelphia area and its citizens safe from predators like Darrell Johnson," said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. "Today’s sentencing sends a message to violent criminals that if you terrorize our community, we will find you and bring you to justice."
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison Donahue Kehner and Michael R. Miller.
Armed Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Larry Cole, 41, Painesdale, Michigan, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendant pleaded guilty to this charge on August 31, 2021.
In August 2020, law enforcement agents received information that Cole was a large methamphetamine trafficker in Wisconsin and Michigan. On September 9, 2020, the police stopped the defendant’s car in Rock County, Wisconsin. During a search of the car, police officers found three pounds of methamphetamine and a firearm. Cole admitted that the methamphetamine and firearm belonged to him.
The charge against Cole was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Rock and Florence County Sheriff’s Offices; Illinois State Police Multi-County Enforcement Group; Wisconsin State Patrol; and the Michigan K.I.N.D. Drug Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Reinhard and Robert Anderson prosecuted this case.
Amherst Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Threatening Members of Congress and New Hampshire State RepresentativeRead the Press Release
CONCORD –Ryder Winegar, 34, of Amherst, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for six counts of threatening members of Congress and one count of transmitting interstate threatening communications, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of December 16, 2020, Winegar left voicemails at the offices of six members of the United States Congress in the District of Columbia. The calls were directed at three Senators and three members of the House of Representatives. In some of the messages, Winegar identified himself by name or identified his telephone number. The voicemails threatened to hang the members of Congress if they did not “get behind Donald Trump.”
The messages included very specific threats of violence. For example, in one message, Winegar allegedly said, “I got some advice for you. Here’s the advice, Donald Trump is your president. If you don’t get behind him, we’re going to hang you until you die.” In another message, Winegar said, “And it really, really, it boils down to two camps. You either support our president, support liberty, and f*** this global homo, uh, vaccination Jewish agenda, or you’re not. In which case we’re going to f***ing kill you. Do you understand?”
Members of the U.S. Capitol Police attempted to interview Winegar on December 20, 2020. Winegar refused to speak with the officers. On the following day, before investigators could return with search and arrest warrants, Winegar flew to Brazil, leaving his family behind. Winegar was taken into custody when he returned to the United States on January 11, 2021.
Following his arrest on about January 11, 2021, investigators learned of a separate, e-mailed threat to a member of the New Hampshire State House of Representatives on December 14, 2020, in which Winegar threatened to pull the representative from his bed and hang him.
Winegar previously pleaded guilty on August 6, 2021. He has been in custody since his January arrest. In addition to his sentence, Winegar was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that threats of violence have no place in our political discourse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “While all citizens are free to express their political opinions, it is unlawful to threaten to commit acts of violence against members of Congress or members of the state legislature. This defendant’s graphic threats were a troubling attempt to intimidate lawmakers and a direct assault on the functioning of our constitutional system. This sentence should send a message to the community that those who threaten to commit acts of violence against duly-elected legislators will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct.”
“Threatening to attack and kill six members of Congress and a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives to prevent them from carrying out their constitutional duties is a federal crime, not protected speech. Let’s hope that today’s sentence finally teaches Ryder Winegar that important lesson,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “As the events of this past year have shown, the FBI will do everything it can to ensure those who seek to harm our public servants are brought to justice for their criminal conduct.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Amherst Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Albany Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Dewey K. Sims, age 33, of Albany, was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in prison and three years of post-release supervision for unlawfully possessing a loaded .25 caliber pistol as a felon.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Sims admitted that on March 7, 2020, he knowingly possessed a loaded .25 caliber pistol when he was pulled over for a speeding violation in the Town of Colonie. A prior felony conviction for armed robbery prevented Sims from legally possessing the firearm.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Colonie Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
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
Akron Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Selling Fentanyl that Led to Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Jurmaine A. Jeffries, 32, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced on Nov. 30, 2021, by Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr to 20 years in prison.
In April of 2018, following a two-week trial, a jury convicted Jeffries of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The jury found Jeffries sold the fentanyl that resulted in the death of an Akron woman on Sept. 16, 2015, inside a home on Goodyear Avenue. Testimony and evidence presented at trial showed the woman called and texted Jeffries repeatedly on the day that she died, asking to buy drugs. Jeffries replied, “B right there” and records from cell phone towers put Jeffries near the woman’s residence the day that she died.
Akron police detectives then posed as the woman and texted Jeffries from her phone, asking for more drugs. Jeffries again replied that he would “be right there” and police arrested him when he arrived. Police found Jeffries to be in possession of 38 grams of fentanyl when he was arrested, according to trial testimony and evidence.
This case was investigated by the DEA and Akron Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Miller.
Aberdeen Man Sentenced for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Aberdeen, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on November 29, 2021, by Judge Charles B. Kornmann, U.S. District Court.
Brent Wayne Vostad, age 37, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Vostad was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2021. He pled guilty on August 18, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on February 27, 2021, in Aberdeen. Vostad, who was previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a loaded handgun, methamphetamine, small plastic baggies, and a scale. The items were seized from Vostad’s person and vehicle following a traffic stop conducted by the Aberdeen Police Department.
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.
This case was investigated by the Aberdeen Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Vostad was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
14 charged in narcotics conspiracy involving millions of dollars’ worth of opioidsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 14 individuals in a narcotics conspiracy alleged to have occurred for at least the past four years.
Each of the defendants is charged with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
According to the indictment unsealed today, the defendants also possessed and distributed heroin and methamphetamine.
The co-conspirators were originally charged by criminal complaint on Nov. 15. Thirteen of the defendants have been arrested and will appear in federal court in Cincinnati. Sterling Parish is a fugitive with an outstanding arrest warrant. Any tips or information on the location of Sterling Parish should be sent to FBI Cincinnati at 513-421-4310.
An affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint details that Steffen Roberson, also known as “Worm,” was running one of the largest heroin/fentanyl drug trafficking organizations in the greater Cincinnati area. The drug trafficking organization is also alleged to have distributed narcotics in Akron, Ohio, Fairfield, Ohio, and Gary, Indiana, as well.
The group was allegedly known to obtain drugs from multiple sources of supply, including in Atlanta and Baltimore. Roberson would allegedly purchase distributable amounts of opioids for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
It is alleged that Roberson’s brother, Anthony Roberson, also known as the “Chemist,” manufactured heroin and fentanyl mixtures for the drug trafficking organization by cutting the narcotics with fillers and looking for ways to make the drug mixtures more potent.
More than 30 state and federal search warrants have been executed since 2018 on co-conspirators’ residences where large quantities of fentanyl and loaded firearms have been routinely recovered.
In total, law enforcement has seized approximately $150,000 in cash, 10 kilograms of fentanyl, multiple vehicles and 28 firearms related to the investigation.
Those charged include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City of Residence
Steffen Roberson
Worm
40
Cincinnati
Anthony Roberson
Don, Chemist
44
Cincinnati
Devon Price
DV
36
Atlanta
Quinton Jennings
Smoke
39
Cincinnati
David Hamler
Chewy
31
Maineville, Ohio
Gregory Donaldson, Jr.
Gotti
32
Cincinnati
Donald Fairbanks III
Don Don
33
Middletown, Ohio
Roderick Smith
Pink
46
Cincinnati
Rashawn Zanders
Rayzo
35
Cincinnati
Sterling Parish
Sterl
36
Cincinnati
Jerome Newton, Jr.
Kodak, Boo
29
Cincinnati
Jimmy Daniel III
Neutron
32
Cincinnati
Alton Beacher
Yog
42
Cincinnati
Juan Marcano
47
New York City
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac announced the charges. They commended the cooperative investigation in this case with the Hamilton County Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit (RENU), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the Drug Abuse and Reduction Task Force (DART), Middletown Police Department, Warren County Drug Task Force (WCDTF), Butler County Undercover Regional Narcotics Unit (BURN), Hamilton County Probation Office, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley N. Brucato and Dominick S. Gerace are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Tuesday 30 November 2021
Wife of “El Chapo” Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of the Mexican drug-trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for charges related to international drug trafficking, money laundering, and a criminal violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the Kingpin Act).
Emma Coronel Aispuro, 32, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty on June 10 to a three-count criminal information. According to court documents, Coronel Aispuro conspired with Guzman Loera and other members of the Sinaloa cartel to traffic five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, knowing that these narcotics would be transported into and distributed in the United States. She also conspired to launder the proceeds of that narcotics trafficking and engaged in transactions and dealings in the property of her husband, Guzman Loera, who the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control had designated a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker.
Court documents indicate that beginning in or about 2011 and continuing to at least Jan. 19, 2017, Coronel Aispuro was a co-conspirator in the activities of the Sinaloa Cartel, an organization which was led by her husband, Guzman Loera. Notably, after Guzman Loera was captured by Mexican authorities on Feb. 22, 2014, Coronel Aispuro played a critical role in facilitating his escape from a Mexican prison, which ultimately occurred on July 11, 2015, by conducting planning meetings with other co-conspirators and by coordinating the movement of drug proceeds to finance the escape. To facilitate the escape, Coronel Aispuro assisted in the purchase of a property near the prison and provided Guzman Loera with a watch that contained a GPS tracking device, allowing co-conspirators to dig a tunnel from that nearby property, under the prison, to Guzman Loera’s cell. Coronel Aispuro even relayed messages from Guzman Loera to other members of the Sinaloa Cartel regarding the operation of their illicit activities while he was detained.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras also entered a forfeiture money judgment against Coronel Aispuro in the amount of $1,499,970, representing proceeds of and property obtained by Coronel Aispuro as a result of her drug-trafficking activities.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with significant assistance from other FBI Field Offices, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. The Justice Department thanks the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury for their support and contributions to the case.
Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi and Assistant Deputy Chief Kate Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
Vestavia Hills Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, a Vestavia man pleaded guilty to a bank fraud scheme in which he provided fraudulent information to financial institutions for the purpose of purchasing boats, luxury vehicles, and heavy equipment, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
Christopher A. Montalbano, 38, of Vestavia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Annemarie C. Axon to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.
According to the plea agreement, between 2015 and 2020 Montalbano fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in loans from at least sixteen different financial institutions by submitting fraudulent information to the financial institutions in loan applications and in supporting documentation. Montalbano obtained these loan proceeds in his personal name, through a shell company, or in the name of a co-conspirator. Montalbano specifically used the loan proceeds to pay for an extravagant lifestyle which included traveling on a private jet aircraft, employing private pilots, employing a personal assistant, purchasing multiple high-end vehicles including Lamborghinis and Ferraris, and purchasing multiple real properties, including a residential home in a gated community, a lake house, and farmland.
To further facilitate the bank fraud scheme, Montalbano created internet websites for some of his shell companies including Land Work Tractor & Equipment (LWT&E), previously located in Florida and then Vincent, Alabama. On the LWT&E website, Montalbano posted photographs of agricultural and construction equipment, UTVs and boats which were purportedly in LWT&E’s possession and for sale. However, the majority of these photographs were copied and taken from the internet websites of legitimate equipment dealers. As a further part of the scheme, Montalbano purchased adjoining properties totaling approximately 150 acres in Vincent, Alabama, where LWT&E was purportedly located. Montalbano then gated the private access road(s) which both prevented unscheduled access, and severely limited the lenders’ ability to verify LWT&E’s possession of the equipment being sold and/or the validity of the equipment pictures on LWT&E’s internet website.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud is 30 years in prison.
The maximum penalty for money laundering is 10 years in prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin B. Mark and Kristen Osborne are prosecuting the case.
Upper Marlboro Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Charles Benjamin Stewart, Jr., age 46, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine; for illegally transporting a firearm obtained out of state; and for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans; St. Mary’s County Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron; and Chief Malik Azziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea from at least June 2016 through July 2017, Stewart conspired with Patrick Nathan Broxton, Stephen Eugene Clark, Jr., Stephen Michael Kinnison, Robert Eugene Davidson, and others to distribute heroin and cocaine in Calvert and Prince George’s County. Stewart obtained heroin from Broxton and then sold smaller quantities of heroin to Kinnison, Davidson, and others. Stewart also supplied cocaine to Kinnison and others for further distribution.
During the course of the conspiracy, Stewart regularly communicated with Broxton, Clark, Kinnison, Davidson, and others, both in person and via phone calls and text messaging, to arrange their narcotics transactions. At the direction of law enforcement, a confidential informant purchased quantities of heroin, totaling 23 grams, from Stewart on four occasions between September 8, 2016 and February 10, 2017. Law enforcement obtained court-authorized wiretaps for the cellular telephones used by Stewart, Broxton, Clark, Kinnison, and Davidson. Those intercepted communications showed that Stewart knew that Davidson and Kinnison resold portions of the drugs they purchased from Stewart to their own customers; that Broxton was obtaining distribution quantities of heroin; that Clark was obtaining distribution quantities of cocaine; and that both Broxton and Clark had other narcotics clients besides Stewart.
For example, between April 11 and 13, 2017, Stewart and Broxton communicated by telephone to arrange a heroin transaction at a convenience store in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of Broxton and saw him leave his job at a drug rehabilitation facility to meet Stewart at the convenience store, where Stewart bought 150 grams of heroin from Broxton. Immediately following the meeting, Stewart returned to his residence and contacted one of his customers to see if the customer needed more heroin.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between April 15 and May 6, 2017, Stewart purchased cocaine from Clark on three occasions, totaling more than 210 grams of cocaine. For example, on April 24, 2017, Stewart arranged by phone to purchase 4.5 ounces of cocaine from Clark for $4,000. Later that day, law enforcement surveilled the meeting at a fast-food restaurant in Prince George’s County, where Stewart and Clark completed the transaction.
On July 6, 2017, law enforcement executed search warrants at locations associated with the drug distribution conspiracy, including Stewart’s two residences in Upper Marlboro. From Stewart’s residences, law enforcement recovered, among other things, a total of approximately 138 grams of heroin; approximately three grams of cocaine, crack cocaine and procaine (a local anesthetic drug); a prescription pill bottle containing approximately 89 Oxycodone pills; approximately three grams of a white powdery substance consisting of cocaine, heroin, caffeine, and diphenhydramine (an antihistamine); approximately 15 grams of cocaine; a total of $40,235 in cash; and drug paraphernalia, including an electric grinder and digital scale, both with heroin and cocaine residue; two bottles of Mannitol powder (a cutting agent); and empty zip-lock baggies. Stewart admitted that he possessed the controlled substances, baggies, and grinder as part of his drug trafficking business and intended to distribute the drugs.
In addition, law enforcement officers also located and seized a.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with nine rounds of ammunition and a spare magazine loaded with nine rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; a 9mm luger caliber semi-automatic pistol; a 12 gauge pump-action firearm; nine rounds of 9mm ammunition; approximately 21 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; seven 12 gauge shotgun shells; and approximately $16,687 in cash. Stewart admitted that he possessed the firearms and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking business. Further investigation revealed that the 12 gauge pump-action firearm and the .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol were both stolen.
According to his plea agreement, Stewart, who was not a licensed importer manufacturer, dealer, or collector of firearms and who was on probation at the time, transported, or caused to be transported firearms from outside the state of Maryland to his residence. In particular, between January 24, 2014 and July 6, 2017, Stewart caused the transportation of a Smith and Wesson model SD9VE, bearing serial number HFC4476, from outside Maryland to his residence.
Stewart and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts his plea, Stewart will be sentenced to between eight and fourteen years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
Co-defendants Patrick Nathan Broxton, age 50, of Ellicott City, Maryland; Stephen Eugene Clark, Jr., age 57, of Laurel, Maryland; Stephen Michael Kinnison, age 47, of Lusby, Maryland; and Robert Eugene Davidson, age 32, of Sunderland, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Broxton was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison; Clark was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison; and Kinnison was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison. Davidson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2022.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the ATF, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake, 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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Universal Aryan Brotherhood Member Pleads Guilty for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy and KidnappingRead the Press Release
A Universal Aryan Brotherhood gang member pleaded guilty Tuesday for his role in a racketeering enterprise, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The UAB is a “whites only” prison-based gang with members operating inside and outside of state prisons throughout Oklahoma.
Charles M. McCully, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and to kidnapping. The plea agreement, if accepted by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan, stipulates that McCully will serve between 151 and 188 months in prison. McCully will be sentenced April 6, 2022.
“Charles McCully helped to further the Universal Aryan Brotherhood’s lucrative and deadly criminal organization,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today, he has been brought to account for his crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis A. Fries and agents with Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation are to be commended for their leadership and persistence in seeing that justice prevails in this case.”
In his plea agreement, McCully stated that he has been a member of the UAB since 2005. He admitted that members commit various crimes such as murder, kidnapping, witness intimidation, home invasions, and drug dealing for the gang. He further admitted that he knew and agreed that at least two gang members would commit racketeering crimes for the benefit of and in the name of the UAB.
McCully also stated that on Oct. 26, 2014, he and others kidnapped two individuals and held them against their will because they believed the individuals had provided law enforcement with information about a UAB stash house. While they held the victims, McCully and the others threatened them and used tarps, shovels, blow torches and other items in an attempt to scare and intimidate the victims.
McCully was indicted on Dec. 7, 2018, with 17 other UAB members and associates. The indictment was unsealed Feb. 20, 2019, and alleged the gang to be a racketeering enterprise that committed acts of murder, kidnapping, the trafficking of methamphetamine and firearms, money laundering, assault, and robbery throughout the State of Oklahoma. The indictment alleged that nine individuals were murdered as part of the UAB’s racketeering operations, often upon the orders of the Main Council, the highest governing body of the UAB.
The UAB was established in 1993 within the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and modeled itself after the principles and ideology of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that formed in the 1960s.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation led the investigation with assistance from the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Tulsa and Enid Police Departments, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis A. Fries is prosecuting this case.
You can find the press release announcing charges in February 2019 here.
UT Southwestern to Pay $4.5 Million to Resolve Alleged Controlled Substance Act Violations That Permitted Drug Diversion by StaffRead the Press Release
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has agreed to pay $4.5 million to resolve allegations that its violations of the Controlled Substances Act allowed hospital staff to divert fentanyl and other dangerous drugs from the hospital, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
The civil settlement – which also includes an extensive corrective action plan – is the culmination of a three-year-long joint DEA and U.S. Attorney’s Office investigation of UTSW’s handling of controlled substances, which began in December 2018 after two UTSW nurses overdosed on fentanyl and died at UTSW’s Clements University Hospital. This marks the largest settlement involving allegations of drug diversion at a hospital in the state of Texas and the second largest in the nation.
“For years prior to our investigation, U.T. Southwestern exhibited an almost shocking disregard for its obligations under the Controlled Substance Act, enabling some employees to steal and abuse prescription narcotics – including powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. We felt that the serial compliance failures we uncovered warranted a multi-million-dollar penalty and a stringent corrective action plan,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “In this settlement agreement, we’re doing everything in our power to mitigate the threat of opioid diversion by outlining protocols above and beyond what’s required by law.”
“U.T. Southwestern has an obligation to keep the highest standard of care for their patients. They also have an obligation of internal safeguards to keep controlled substances from being diverted,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez. “Opioids, like fentanyl, do not discriminate in its addictive properties when diverted or taken outside the direction and supervision of medical professionals. In this time of record overdose deaths, health care systems must be held to compliance with the Controlled Substances Act. This is not only their legal responsibility, but also a matter of public trust and public safety. DEA Dallas pledges that we will tirelessly work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure these rules and regulations are followed to combat the opioid epidemic.”
In settlement documents, the government contends that UTSW violated multiple provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) over a five-year period, and that as a result UTSW employees were able to divert controlled substances – including fentanyl — from UTSW’s Clements University Hospital and Zale Lipshy Pavilion.
As a DEA registrant, UTSW had certain recordkeeping and reporting obligations which included monitoring all controlled substance activity within its facilities and promptly notifying the DEA whenever a theft or significant loss occurred. The DEA determined that UTSW’s failure to meet certain of these recordkeeping and reporting obligations, along with the medical center’s failure to maintain effective controls to consistently detect and monitor suspected diversion, contributed to the health system’s overall failure to “guard against the theft and diversion of controlled substances.”
During its investigation, the DEA identified incidents in which registered nurses diverted controlled substances from UTSW over significant periods of time. Tragically, two such diversions resulted in fatal overdoses.
On Dec. 15, 2016, a UTSW nurse overdosed on fentanyl diverted from UTSW’s Clements University Hospital and was found deceased in a hospital bathroom. Roughly 16 months later, on April 16, 2018, another UTSW nurse overdosed on diverted opioids, including fentanyl, and was found deceased in a different Clements Hospital bathroom.
According to the settlement documents, although UTSW did report certain instances of theft and loss to the DEA, it did not do so in a timely manner. It also failed to properly document the dispensing and “wasting” of controlled substances – an essential safeguard against diversion – and made errors in forms documenting the ordering, receipt, and distribution of controlled substances – all violations of the CSA.
As part of the settlement, the medical center agreed to take significant steps to mitigate its diversion issues. These steps, outlined in a three-year memorandum of agreement between UTSW and the DEA, include:
- Hiring an external auditor to conduct unannounced audits of controlled substances dispensed via pyxis machines (with a particular focus on auditing fentanyl), with any resulting deficiencies or discrepancies resolved in thirty days, signed off on by the Pharmacist-in-Charge, and provided to DEA;
- Instituting a training program designed to help employees identify symptoms of addiction and signs of diversion, and to understand the threat diversion poses to patient care and professional reputation;
- Creating an employee compliance hotline that permits anonymous reporting of suspected drug diversion or drug impairment;
- Installing security cameras at pyxis machines and providing footage to the DEA upon request;
- Establishing a database of employees who have been discharged or resigned because of drug diversion, and disclosing relevant information to requesting health facilities conducting pre-employment inquiries; and
- Permitting DEA personnel to enter UTSW facilities at any time, without prior notice and without a warrant, to verify compliance.
Much of the conduct outlined in the settlement agreement is merely alleged; the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability by UTSW. However, UTSW does publicly acknowledge and admit that theft and significant loss of controlled substances occurred at Clements University Hospital and Zale Lipshy Pavilion; that UTSW failed to notify the DEA of these thefts and losses in a timely manner; and that some of UTSW’s policies and procedures were not consistent with the requirements of the CSA.
UTSW cooperated with the DEA’s investigation. After the agency launched its probe into the medical center’s compliance program in December 2018, UTSW began working with the DEA to address deficiencies and strengthen its controls for handling controlled substances. A number of changes were instituted well before the settlement agreement was signed.
A main objective of the CSA, 21 U.S.C. §§ 801–904, is controlling illegitimate traffic in controlled substances. To prevent the diversion of controlled substances, the CSA regulates persons, companies and other entities that manufacture, distribute, and dispense controlled substances. With more than 100,000 Americans dying last year from drug overdose, the Justice Department and the DEA are committed to using every resource available to prevent overdose deaths and hold accountable those responsible for the opioid crisis. The government’s rigorous investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s ongoing dedication to stem the prescription opioid crisis by ensuring that opioids are not diverted and abused.
This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Dallas Diversion Squad and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Robbins and Kenneth Coffin, with oversight from the Northern District of Texas First Assistant Scott Hogan.
A copy of the Settlement Agreement, which includes the Memorandum of Agreement, is attached below. Medical workers with concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can report it to the DEA here.
- Hiring an external auditor to conduct unannounced audits of controlled substances dispensed via pyxis machines (with a particular focus on auditing fentanyl), with any resulting deficiencies or discrepancies resolved in thirty days, signed off on by the Pharmacist-in-Charge, and provided to DEA;
Two Virginia Inmates Plead Guilty to Pandemic Unemployment Benefits SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two men pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining benefits made available as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, from approximately June 2020 through in or around March 2021, Mark Hilliard, 36, and Elvon George, 33, who were inmates at Greensville Correctional Center during the fraud, collected the personally identifiable information (PII) of their fellow inmates. They then provided the PII to two outside facilitators to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. To alleviate financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 Congress and the Virginia Employment Commission (“VEC”) expanded unemployment benefits by increasing benefit payments and by making them available to gig workers, the self-employed, and others whose employment status the VEC could not easily verify. The defendants exploited these changes to obtain over $220,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits by making numerous false statements in the inmate unemployment applications.
Hilliard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with major disaster benefits and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19, 2022. George also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with major disaster benefits and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2022. Hilliard and George each face a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Troy Springer, Acting-Special-Agent-in-Charge, Washington, D.C. Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; and Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-111.
Two San Antonians Sentenced to Prison for Health Care Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – This week, two San Antonio residents were sentenced for their roles in health care fraud schemes. Yesterday, Nancy Almaguer, 42, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and today Christopher Felix Montoya, 47, was sentenced to two 18-month prison sentences to run consecutively.
According to court documents, Montoya was a licensed physician’s assistant and owner of TPC Family Care and Medical Clinics in San Antonio and Laredo. Almaguer was the Chief Operating Officer for the clinics. Beginning in September 2018 through June 2019, Montoya and Almaguer agreed to refer lab testing requests to specific laboratories. The labs billed insurance programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, and paid Almaguer and Montoya a percentage of their receipts in return for the referrals. The kickback schemes resulted in over $500,000 in billings to public and private insurance companies.
In July and September of 2021, Montoya and Almaguer, respectively, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and to pay and receive health care kickbacks.
In a separate case, in July 2021, Montoya pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive health care kickbacks. In this case, Montoya admitted that for five months beginning in February 2015 he received kickbacks to write prescriptions for compounded medication from a California-based pharmacy that had high TRICARE reimbursements. Based on the evidence, TRICARE was billed $8,832,268.73 for prescriptions Montoya wrote to which TRICARE paid out $6,690,598.77.
In addition to the prison sentence, Almaguer was ordered to forfeit $137,792.10 in criminal proceeds and pay $52,603.62 in restitution. Montoya was ordered to pay a total of $849,865.93 in restitution.
“Kickback regulations exist to protect patient choice and ensure that only medically necessary procedures are performed,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Our office continues to help protect federal insurance programs from fraud. We hope that these sentences communicate that these regulations should be taken seriously.”
“Health care fraud significantly harms the U.S. economy by costing this country billions of dollars a year,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “Those losses result in rising medical costs for all Americans. The FBI is committed to investigating those involved in this crime through investigative partnerships with other federal agencies.”
The FBI; Texas Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Office of Professional Management—Office of Inspector General; and the Defense Criminal Investigation Service investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and William R. Harris prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Franco handled the forfeiture aspects.
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Two Men Sentenced to a Total of 22 Years in Federal Prison for Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tyshjohn Jones, 20 and Jayln Gray, 19 have been sentenced to a total of 264 months in federal prison for carjacking, aiding and abetting, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 29, 2020, victim J.W. reported to the Memphis Police Department that he noticed two males walking toward his home on Winway Drive. As the victim parked his 1999 Ford Explorer in his driveway, he was approached by two males, one of whom was armed with a handgun. The male with the handgun demanded money from the victim's wallet and the keys to his vehicle. The suspects had trouble unlocking the vehicle, threatened to shoot the victim, and demanded he unlock his phone. When the suspects fled in the vehicle, the victim notified law enforcement. The gunman was later identified as Tyshjohn Jones, and the other suspect was a juvenile.
Several days later, on May 2, 2020, Jones, Gray, and a juvenile suspect, were driving the stolen Ford Explorer on Florida Avenue. The Explorer was not working when a good Samaritan, victim P.F., stopped to help. P.F. was driving a 2004 Cadillac Deville. He opened the hood of his vehicle to give the suspects a "boost" and as he turned around Jones was pointing a gun at his head. As the victim tried to stop them, one of them got out of the vehicle, striking him with a pistol in the head, face, and ribs. The suspects fled in the Cadillac.
On May 6, 2020, officers went to 1800 block of New Gate Drive, regarding a previous unrelated burglary at an automobile dealership. Officers searched the home and found multiple keys determined to be related to multiple vehicle thefts. Officers located personal property belonging to victim J.W. and keys to his vehicle. Jones and Gray were present at the residence, as well as other suspects. Further investigation revealed Gray's fingerprints were found on the recovered Ford Explorer.
Gray waived Miranda rights and admitted to carjacking the Cadillac. Jones waived Miranda rights and admitted to carjacking the Ford and the Cadillac.
On August 13, 2021, Jones entered a guilty plea to counts involving both carjackings and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Gray entered a guilty plea to the May 2, 2020, carjacking as well as brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
On November 29, 2021, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced both defendants. Jones was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gray was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department’s Violent Crime Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Explosives (ATF).
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth J. Rogers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Turkish Citizen Living in the Pittsburgh Area Indicted on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A citizen of Turkey has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of committing mail and wire fraud, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Hakan Kantar, formerly of 3803 Wick Place, Wexford, PA 15090.
According to the Indictment, Kantar falsely represented that he was a citizen of the United States when he applied for and received a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the Small Business Administration and unemployment benefits from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Due to his immigration status, Kantar was not eligible for either type of relief.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 60 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leo Ivory is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop illegal COVID-19-related activity, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Taos Pueblo man charged with murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Santiago Martinez, 29, of Taos, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, appeared for a preliminary hearing in federal court today where he was charged with murder in Indian Country. Martinez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, Santiago and the victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe, allegedly had been drinking and began to argue. The complaint alleges that Martinez assaulted Jane Doe and ran over her with her own vehicle.
FBI special agents, with the assistance of the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety and Taos Police Department, arrested Martinez without incident in Taos Pueblo on Nov. 22.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Martinez faces life in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Aliberti is prosecuting the case.
Sunland Park woman sentenced to 12 years in prison for drug trafficking, money launderingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rosa De Santiago, 48, of Sunland Park, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court today to 12 years in prison for her part in a drug trafficking and international money laundering conspiracy.
De Santiago was one of 22 defendants charged in a 44-count superseding indictment on Aug. 16, 2017, as the result of a 16-month federal investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) targeting a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for importing large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico and distributing the drugs in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Illinois. During the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized approximately 30 kilograms of heroin, 64 kilograms of methamphetamine, 17 kilograms of cocaine, 20 kilograms of marijuana, 24 firearms, $102,000 in currency, and three vehicles.
De Santiago pleaded guilty on July 16, 2018, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and possession of methamphetamine and heroin with intent to distribute. While one defendant remains a fugitive, Santiago is the last defendant in custody to be sentenced.
Upon her release from prison, De Santiago will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The Las Cruces and Albuquerque offices of the DEA investigated the case with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Border Patrol, New Mexico State Police and Hatch Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Selesia L. Winston and Sarah M. Davenport are prosecuting the cases as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program and the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative.
The OCDETF Program is a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.
St. Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2020, a trooper with the West Virginia State Police attempted to stop Joshua James Lambert, 33, who was riding a motorcycle on Route 25 near Institute. Lambert tried to flee the scene on the motorcycle, reaching speeds of up to 90mph. When Lambert attempted to make a right-hand turn, he lost control of the motorcycle and wrecked. Lambert then fled on foot with a small black pistol in his hand, which he threw to the ground. The trooper caught Lambert and took him into custody. In searching Lambert, the trooper found several quantities of suspected controlled substances wrapped in small packages which Lambert admitted he intended to sell. The unloaded Raven Arms, MP-25, .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol which Lambert had thrown to the ground was also recovered. The substances were tested at the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory and found to contain methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Lambert pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 24, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory McVey and Julie White are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00192.
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South Florida Federal Jury Convicts Woman of COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale found a 32-year-old Florida woman guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keyaira Bostic, of Pembroke Pines, obtained a PPP loan of $84,515 for her company, I Am Liquid Inc., based on false information about the company’s number of employees and average payroll, and based on false supporting tax and bank documents. Bostic also paid more than $21,000 to an alleged co-conspirator, James Stote, as a kickback for his assistance in preparing and submitting the fraudulent loan application. The evidence also showed that Bostic, in exchange for kickbacks, referred other co-conspirators to the scheme on whose behalf Stote submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications. Those loan applicants sought more than $3.3 million in fraudulent PPP loans and obtained nearly $2 million in PPP loan proceeds.
Bostic was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. She was found not guilty of bank fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Stote was charged by information on Nov. 10 with wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His case remains pending.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael J. De Palma of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the SBA’s Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Eastern Region made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, FBI, and SBA-OIG investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Turken of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Criminal complaints, informations, and indictments contain mere allegations and defendants are innocent unless and until found guilty in a court of law.
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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-60139.
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Scituate Resident Admits to Possessing, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Scituate man who admitted to sharing sexually explicit images of prepubescent girls with individuals he believed to be the parents of a 13-year-old girl pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
David C. Duquette, 54, admitted to the court that in February 2019, during a series of online communications, he sent a person he believed to be the father of the girl at least two images of child pornography. The person Duquette was communicating with was, in fact, an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent.
According to court documents, the agent, who posed as both the mother and the father of the 13-year-old girl, engaged in a series of online exchanges with Duquette. In those exchanges, Duquette admitted to them that he had, in the past, communicated online with young teenage girls and that some of them shared sexually explicit images with him. When the agent, posing as the father of the 13-year-old girl suggested he too shared an interest in viewing child pornography, Duquette sent him two sexually explicit images depicting prepubescent girls.
At the time of his arrest on April 17, 2019, HSI agents discovered approximately 1,400 images of child pornography on a cellphone belonging to Duquette.
Appearing on Monday before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Duquette pleaded guilty to charges of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2022.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
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Rhinelander Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Possessing Stolen AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dustin LaPuma, 27, Rhinelander, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 100 months in prison for knowingly possessing stolen ammunition. LaPuma pleaded guilty to this charge on October 1, 2021.
On August 10, 2020, law enforcement officers from the Oneida County Sheriff's Office and Rhinelander Police Department encountered LaPuma during a traffic stop in Rhinelander. As one of the officers spoke with LaPuma, he admitted to having a firearm inside of his backpack. The officer determined LaPuma was on probation, searched LaPuma’s backpack, and found a pistol loaded with two rounds of Creedmore 9 mm ammunition.
During a post-arrest interview, LaPuma told officers that he received the loaded firearm after a party. LaPuma initially claimed he did not know the firearm was stolen; however, he later said that he knew someone took the firearm from the owner’s vehicle. LaPuma also told officers that someone offered him one gram of methamphetamine as payment for taking custody of the stolen firearm and ammunition.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted LaPuma’s criminal history as a factor that supported a significant term of imprisonment. Judge Conley also noted that the firearm, a semi-automatic pistol capable of accepting a large capacity magazine, could have been used to hurt someone.
The charge against LaPuma was the result of an investigation conducted by the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, Rhinelander Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Red Mesa Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Jarred Darnell Benally, 24, of Red Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 132 months in prison. Benally previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter.
In October 2019, Benally was driving under the influence of alcohol when he struck the victim’s vehicle at 95 miles an hour. The impact caused the victim’s vehicle to collide with a second vehicle. Two individuals died from the collision. Benally and one victim are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiyoko Patterson, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-8034-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-089_Benally# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Previously Deported Alien Sentenced to Eight Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 30, 2021, Ramon Tavarez-Ramirez, age 49, was sentenced to time served of eight months’ imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Sylvia Rambo for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Tavarez-Ramirez pleaded guilty to having illegally reentered the United States sometime after his last removal in February 2003 following a conviction for a felony. In reentering the United States, Tavarez-Ramirez eluded examination or inspection by immigration officers. He was found in Adams County on March 21, 2021, when arrested for driving under the influence by the Eastern Adams Regional Police Department.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson prosecuted the case.
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Pequot Lakes Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Multiple Firearms, Ammunition, Methamphetamine on Eve of TrialRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Pequot Lakes felon has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and over 400 grams of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, in the spring of 2019, the FBI learned that Nicholas Ronald Wynn, 35, was purchasing large quantities of firearms parts and accessories, body armor and other tactical gear, and chemicals and lab equipment used to manufacture narcotics, explosives, and firearms. On May 9, 2019, a team of law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Wynn’s residence and discovered numerous parts and tools designed for building semiautomatic rifles and handguns; firearms accessories, multiple high-capacity magazines; several boxes of ammunition; and tactical gear, including a bullet-proof vest, ballistic plates, a bullet-proof helmet, and a bullet-proof facemask. The agents also located large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, packaging materials for selling drugs, recipes and chemicals for manufacturing methamphetamine, and more than 400 grams of methamphetamine. Wynn admitted at the sentencing hearing that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
According to court documents, after agents took Wynn into custody, he admitted that he had multiple firearms and ammunition stored in an off-site storage unit in Brainerd. Agents obtained a warrant for the storage facility and recovered five firearms, including semiautomatic handguns and an assault rifle, and multiple boxes and magazines of ammunition. Agents also searched Wynn’s rental property in Brainerd, which was occupied by renters. The renters advised the agents that they had been renting the house for approximately 10 months but did not have access to the garage. The renters indicated that Wynn accessed the garage multiple times a week, typically in the middle of the night, and had observed Wynn loading and unloading boxes to and from his truck into the garage. Agents executed a search warrant on the garage and recovered two segments of PVC pipe, capped on both ends in the manner used to make pipe bombs.
Because Wynn has multiple prior felony convictions in Crow Wing County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Wynn, who was scheduled to go to trial on December 1, 2021, pleaded guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, one count of possessing ammunition as a felon, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the FBI and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Rank and Emily A. Polachek are prosecuting the case.
Pass Christian Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Pass Christian man was sentenced to serve 110 months in federal prison and pay a $10,000 fine for being a convicted 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 documents, on November 10, 2020, Mason Charles Brown, 33, knowingly possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Brown had previous convictions for burglary of a dwelling in Harrison County, felony false pretense in Hancock County, and felony bad check in Harrison County.
Brown pled guilty on April 29, 2021 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
Owner of tax preparation business and wife plead guilty to committing millions in COVID-19-related fraud and tax fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Tiyari Collins and Farah Collins, husband and wife, have pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) by obtaining approximately $1.9 million in fraudulent loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Impact Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program. Tiyari Collins, who owned and operated Collins Financial Services Group, a tax-preparation business based in metro Atlanta, also pleaded guilty to filing thousands of fraudulent tax returns resulting in a loss of at least $3.8 million to the IRS.
“The fraud here is outrageous,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Tiyrai Collins defrauded the federal government amid a historic pandemic. It is unconscionable that he and his wife stole from government programs designed to support small businesses and their employees struggling as result of COVD-19 pandemic.”
“These guilty pleas are a victory for the American taxpayers,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “It’s unfortunate that criminals continue to abuse the funds set aside to aid those impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. IRS-CI will continue to use our financial expertise to identify fraud, trace the funds, and bring the criminals to justice.”
“The Collins family greedily lined their pockets with stolen government funds intended to provide relief to small businesses and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Their actions affect every tax paying citizen, in particular those who need help most. The FBI will make every effort to ensure federal funds are used as intended.”
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES”) is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding. Additional funding was authorized by Congress in December 2020.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within eight weeks of receipt and use at least 75 percent of the forgiven amount for payroll.
In addition to the PPP, Congress also expanded the SBA’s EIDL Program to provide small businesses with low-interest loans of up to $2 million prior to in or about May 2020 and up to $150,000 beginning in or about May 2020. The purpose of these loans was to provide vital economic support to help overcome the loss of revenue small businesses are experiencing due to COVID-19. Applicants seeking a loan under the EIDL program were also permitted to request and receive an advance of approximately $1,000 per employee, for an amount up to $10,000, which the SBA has generally provided while the loan application was pending.
Tiyari Collins submitted applications for six fraudulent PPP loans and five fraudulent EIDL loans between approximately May 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020, totaling more than $1.9 million. Farah Collins was involved in submitting four of these fraudulent applications and received approximately $365,000 in the fraudulently distributed PPP and EIDL funds.
In the fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications, the Collinses falsely represented, among other things, the company’s average monthly payrolls, the number of employees working for the relevant company, and the company’s revenues. The Collinses also submitted false tax returns in connection with several of these applications. Tiyari Collins paid another individual to prepare the fraudulent payroll reports that were submitted as part of the applications. For example, Tiyari Collins asked this individual to prepare a fraudulent payroll report showing total yearly wages to be approximately $850,000 for Collins Financial Services Group, LLC (“CFSG”) and to make up employees if necessary.
The Collinses owned or controlled the following entities that sought these fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans:
CFSG- Collins Investment Services Group, LLC
- Collins Platinum Car Services, LLC
- Fab Financial Business Solutions
- Tax Dragon Professional Network LLC
- T&F Investment Group
- Tiyari Collins Agency, LLC
The Collinses used the fraudulently obtained funds for unauthorized expenditures, including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury goods, personal credit card bills, and office furnishings.
After the fraud was discovered, federal agents were able to seize approximately $588,900 of the fraudulent proceeds.
Separately, Tiyari Collins, through his tax preparation business, CFSG, filed and caused to be filed thousands of fraudulent federal tax returns between approximately January 2015 and April 2020, resulting in over $3.8 million in losses to the IRS. Tiyari Collins inflated the refunds for his clients by, among other ways, fraudulently claiming they qualified for certain Form 3800 Business Credits and by filing fraudulent Schedule Cs to reduce his clients’ taxable income. CFSG’s clients never authorized Tiyari Collins to include this materially false information in their federal tax returns. Agents from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation were able to detect and confirm this massive tax fraud, in part, with information provided by the IRS’s Scheme Detection Center, which had identified a pattern of suspicious returns that were connected to Tiyari Collins and his tax preparation businesses, by conducting an undercover operation, and with information obtained as a result of executing a federal search warrant at CFSG’s place of business in June 2020.
Tiyari Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. Farah Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Sentencing for Tiyari Collins, 38, and Farah Collins, 41, both of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for March 15, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively, before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Thomas J. Krepp are prosecuting 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.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Threatening VA Hospital EmployeesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Tina Hardin, age 53, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today to time served by Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon for Influencing, Impeding, or Retaliating Against a Federal Official by Threat. Hardin has already served approximately 14 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Hardin will now serve a 3-year term of supervised release with conditions regarding mental health treatment, substance abuse, and weapons possession.
On January 29, 2020, Hardin was brought to the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Omaha. Hardin was making homicidal and suicidal statements to the VA medical staff upon being dropped off, specifically, that she wanted to “shoot up the VA.” Hardin was a shuttle driver for the VA at the time. Hardin stated her plan was to gather weapons and magazines and shoot and kill 2 dispatchers with the VA shuttle service and a supervisor in the VA shuttle service. Hardin described the weapons she planned to use as an Uzi, an AR-15, a sawed-off shotgun, and a Glock 9mm handgun.
“VA personnel and the veterans they serve should feel safe while working and receiving care within VA facilities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gavin McClaren with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “The VA OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and stopping individuals who would threaten VA personnel and operations.”
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
This case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Police Department and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General – Criminal Investigations Division.
Omaha Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shawn Smith, 45, and Justin Cotten, 47, both of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced on November 29, 2021 in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Smith to 60 months’ imprisonment on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. Cotten was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After their release from prison, each will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On January 30, 2020, the United States Postal Inspection Service alerted the Drug Enforcement Administration of a suspicious package destined for an address in Blair, Nebraska. The address was known to investigators to be associated with Cotten and Smith. The following day, U.S. Postal Inspection Service obtained and executed a search warrant for the package and discovered approximately 166 gross grams of suspected heroin and approximately 352 gross grams of suspected methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Traveling for Sex with a Minor and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Powell, Ohio, man, Syed Sheraz Ahmed, 40, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, after pleading guilty to traveling for sex with a minor and receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to Ahmed’s plea agreement, he admitting to meeting a minor in the Fall of 2015, through Facebook, using a fictitious name. Ahmed then communicated with the minor over Facebook and Snapchat; and in September 2016, he made plans to drive, from his residence in Ohio to Kentucky, to meet the minor in person. Ahmed admitted to picking up the minor from her school and taking her to a motel, where they had sexual intercourse. Later, Ahmed was stopped by police and found in possession of sexually explicit images of the minor victim.
Ahmed pleaded guilty in July 2021.
Under federal law, Ahmed must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Rodney Richardson, Police Chief, Richmond Police Department, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Madison County Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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New York Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possessing Firearm as Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A New York man with prior felony convictions was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Kevon Belfon, 35, of Jamaica, New York, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Shipp imposed the sentenced today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On July 24, 2020, Belfon knowingly possessed a Taurus 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle in Stafford Township, New Jersey. Belfon has two prior felony convictions, one of which involved a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Belfon is not permitted to possess firearms.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Belfon to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; and the Stafford Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Thomas Dellane, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
Nashua Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Paul Channell, 31, of Nashua, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2020, Channell was arrested for driving under the influence by the Hudson Police Department. As a result of the arrest, a tow truck was called and the police began an inventory of the vehicle pursuant to their inventory policy. The police located a Glock 26 handgun with an extended magazine and a round in the chamber. Channell was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because he was convicted of a felony in 2018. He was also on supervised release at the time of his arrest.
Channell previously pleaded guilty on August 13, 2021.
“To protect our community from violent crime, it is vital to keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “A convicted felon in possession of a loaded handgun presents a clear danger to public safety. We will continue to seek substantial prison sentences for armed criminals so that they cannot endanger the hardworking and law-abiding citizens of the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Hudson Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Walsh.
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.
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Nampa Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Nampa man was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to court records, Patrick William Collingwood, 39, of Nampa, transported methamphetamine and cash between Mexico and Idaho for a period of approximately four months before his arrest on February 19, 2021. During Collingwood’s arrest, law enforcement officers searched his vehicle and found nearly 15 pounds of methamphetamine and 25 marijuana starter plants. Law enforcement officers also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers to repackage their controlled substances for sale such as a digital scale and empty plastic baggies.
Collingwood has several prior state convictions and currently has a trafficking in methamphetamine charge pending in Canyon County and a possession of a controlled substance charge pending in Ada County.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ordered Collingwood to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and applauded the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the City County Narcotics Unit consisting of officers from the Caldwell Police Department and the Canyon County Sheriff’s office, which led to charges.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, on March 2, 2021, Minneapolis police officers, who had a warrant for Theoplus Richmond, 34, conducted a traffic stop on Richmond’s vehicle. Officers recovered from the vehicle a loaded Glock model 19, pistol from a bag in the trunk of the vehicle. The firearm had been converted from a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm with a device commonly referred to as a “glock switch,” or an “auto-sear.”
On July 20, 2021, Richmond pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County and Washington County (Mississippi), Richmond is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced the defendant.
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 the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha H. Bates and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Paulsen.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for his Role in Gas Station ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition as a felon during a shooting at a Minneapolis gas station.
According to court documents, on August 5, 2019, Minneapolis police officers responded to a shots-fired call at a gas station near Lowry Avenue and Logan Avenue North in Minneapolis. Upon arrival, officers found 11 discharged cartridge casings on the street in front of the gas station. Video surveillance footage showed Cortez Lamon Shipp, 40, interacting with codefendant Johnnie Lamar Haynes, 33, outside the gas station following a prior confrontation Haynes had with two other men. Minutes later, the two other men involved in the confrontation circled the block in their vehicle and returned to the gas station. The footage showed Shipp pass an object to Haynes just before Haynes began shooting at the vehicle as it drove off. A nearby business was in the line of Haynes’s gunfire and was struck by multiple rounds. Surveillance video footage from the business captured the bullets entering the building, causing employees to duck and take shelter.
On January 8, 2020, Shipp pleaded guilty to one count of possessing ammunition as a felon. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, Shipp is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. On August 3, 2021, a federal jury convicted Haynes of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Haynes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
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 the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Mexican Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Unlawful Reentry by a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for unlawful reentry by a removed alien, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
According to court documents, Daniel Alvarado-Alvarado, 29, was stopped by a Jackson County Deputy Sheriff on Interstate 10 in Jackson County for a traffic violation. Alvarado-Alvarado had no driver’s license and a fraudulent Texas Identification Card. Immigration records checks determined that Alvarado-Alvarado had been convicted twice for driving under the influence and also for illegal entry into the United States. Alvarado-Alvarado had been removed from the United States on multiple occasions, and had not received official permission to reenter the U.S.
If Alvarado-Alvarado is removed again from the U.S. following his prison term, his supervised release period will be non-reporting while he remains outside of the United States. However, if he were removed and unlawfully returned, Alvarado-Alvarado could face separate, consecutive penalties in addition to further prosecution. Alvarado-Alvarado was convicted after pleading guilty on August 26, 2021, before Judge McNeel.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.
Maryland man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Todd Dwayne Mills, Jr., of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Mills, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of “False Statement During Purchase of Firearms.” Mills admitted to made false statements on forms to purchase two 9mm pistols in March 2021 in Berkeley County.
Mills faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a 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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government MoniesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tashawn Spencer, of Maryland, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money.
According to court documents, Spencer is a former employee of the United States Department of Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Service in Parkersburg. Spencer admitted that she misused her government issued purchase cards to illegally convert over $1,000 of government monies for her own personal use and benefit.
Spencer faces up to 10 years in prison when she is sentenced on March 24, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Treasury-Office of Inspector General (OIG).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00180.
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Maple Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit ArsonRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Timothy Goodner, 20, of Maple Heights, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiracy to commit arson during the May 30, 2020, demonstrations in downtown Cleveland.
According to court documents, on May 30, 2020, during ongoing demonstrations in downtown Cleveland, a small crowd gathered around the Shaia & PPR parking booth located on West 3rd Street. In this crowd, an unidentified individual is observed using a lighter to ignite a roll of paper towels and cardboard boxes in an attempt to set fire to the parking booth.
While members of the crowd waited for the paper towels and boxes to ignite, a second unidentified individual handed Defendant Timothy Goodner a cardboard box, which Goodner placed inside the booth. The first unidentified individual then inserted the burning paper towels and cardboard boxes inside the parking booth while Goodner and others stood nearby. Goodner then placed additional cardboard boxes inside the booth to accelerate the fire.
After the demonstrations, the Cleveland Division of Police released images and videos of suspects committing various criminal acts to the media. Goodner was identified via these images from numerous anonymous tips.
A sentencing date has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Cleveland Division of Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Galvin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Cleveland FBI, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol for their assistance in this matter.
Manchester Woman Sentenced to 40 Months for Participating in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Melissa Gazaway, 34, of Manchester, was sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and crack cocaine, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the spring of 2020, investigators received information from confidential sources that Gazaway and her co-defendants, Jovan and Chrystal Callaghan, were selling crack cocaine and fentanyl from their residence in Manchester. Law enforcement officers learned that Gazaway and Chrystal Callaghan would travel to New York to purchase crack cocaine. On three separate occasions, officers conducted lawful traffic stops of their vehicle returning from New York and seized over 300 grams of crack cocaine. In late 2020, confidential sources conducted six controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from the three co-defendants.
On December 24, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence and seized over one kilogram of fentanyl and a firearm, along with large amounts of cash and drug use and packaging materials.
Chrystal Callaghan was sentenced on July 28, 2021, to 54 months. Jovan Callaghan was sentenced on September 21, 2021, to 60 months.
Gazaway previously pleaded guilty on April 20, 2021.
“This case is another example of our ongoing efforts to prosecute drug dealers in Manchester,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Those who seek to profit by selling dangerous drugs like fentanyl and crack cocaine are endangering lives in our community. To protect public safety, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the drug dealers who threaten the quality of life in Manchester and other communities in the Granite State.”
“This case serves as another example of how frequently the Manchester Police Department is locating illegal drugs in the company of firearms. This is a dangerous combination and will not be tolerated within the City of Manchester,” says Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg. “The Manchester Police Department will continue to seek federal charges for this type of behavior. We are thankful for the excellent relationship this agency has with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and their continued commitment to these cases.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Hampshire State Police, the Manchester Police Department, and the Nashua Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. MacDonald and Jennifer Cole Davis.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Five Robberies in Manchester and GoffstownRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jonathan McKnight, 39, of Manchester, pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court to interference with commerce by threats and violence by committing five robberies, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2020, McKnight robbed a convenience store in Manchester. He passed a note to the clerk indicating he had a gun and that he wanted all the money. On March 28, 2020, McKnight robbed another convenience store in Manchester. He passed a note to the clerk ordering the clerk to give him the money. He further gestured toward his back waistband while lifting up his sweatshirt. An officer who reviewed the store video footage recognized McKnight as the person in the video. On March 30, 2020, Manchester police officers conducted a post-arrest interview with McKnight. He admitted to committing both robberies and passing the same note at each robbery. While acknowledging the had claimed to have a gun during the robberies, but he stated he did not possess a gun during the robberies.
On July 7, 2020, Manchester police officers responded to another robbery. The cashier gave the officers a description and told them that the robber had placed a note on the counter. The cashier gave him approximately $100-$150 from the drawer, mostly $1.00 bills. After reviewing the video footage, officers located McKnight wearing the same clothing worn by the robber. He had approximately $60, including approximately 25 $1.00 bills.
On March 7, 2021, and March 10, 2021, McKnight committed additional robberies at two separate locations in Goffstown. Investigators received a tip that McKnight committed both robberies and McKnight later admitted that he committed both robberies.
McKnight is scheduled to be sentenced on March 7, 2021.
“Robberies are violent crimes that can cause harm to victims and spread fear in communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “To protect the public from violent crime, we are working closely with all our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute criminals like Mr. McKnight who threaten the community. Thanks to these joint efforts, McKnight’s robbery spree has been stopped and he has been held accountable for his unlawful actions.”
“Today Jonathan McKnight confessed to a string of convenience store robberies in which he threatened a firearm and terrorized innocent bystanders just to get his hands on some quick cash. Had he not been identified and arrested by investigators, there’s a good chance he’d still be at it,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners at the Manchester Police Department are committed to taking violent criminals off the street to keep them from victimizing anyone else.”
These matters were investigated by the Manchester Police Department and Goffstown Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Walsh.
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Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Nearly One-Half Pound of MethRead the Press Release
A man who possessed with intent to distribute nearly a half-pound of pure methamphetamine was sentenced November 23, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
On June 22, 2021, David Naberhaus, 57, from Deloit, Iowa, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Previously, in 2000, Naberhaus was convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the hearings showed that on November 18, 2020, Naberhaus was stopped by law enforcement for traffic violations in Woodbury County, Iowa. Due to Naberhaus’ nervous behavior, a K-9 was deployed and indicated the presence of controlled substances from within the car. Law enforcement searched the car and discovered approximately 222 grams of pure methamphetamine in 5 separate baggies, 12 grams of marijuana, 3 grams of cocaine, and $6,501. After Naberhaus was federally charged, a warrant for his arrest was issued. On February 15, 2021, while on routine patrol, Iowa State Patrol noticed a disabled vehicle registered to Naberhaus on the shoulder of Highway 20 with Naberhaus present. After arrest for the federal warrant, a search of Naberhaus’ car revealed 2.34 grams of methamphetamine in an open cigarette package, a smoking pipe, 3 bags of marijuana (total of approximately 23.95 grams), 4 bags of additional methamphetamine (total of approximately 16.68 grams of methamphetamine) and 72 empty Ziplock bags.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Naberhaus was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment. Naberhaus 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 Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Ida County Sheriff’s Department, Sioux City Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4010.
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Man Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice and Violations of Federal Firearms and Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Duane A. Evans announced that KENDALL BARNES, age 25, of New Orleans, was sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2); possession with the intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and obstruction of justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1503(1) and 2.
According to court documents, on or about February 19, 2018, BARNES placed a recorded jail call directing another individual to move a firearm and ten bags of heroin from a hidden location.
U.S. District Judge Greg. G. Guidry sentenced BARNES to serve eleven (11) years and nine (9) months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Judge Guidry also imposed a $400 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crimes Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.
Malden Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a drug and firearms conspiracy that included multiple shootings in Chelsea, Somerville and Cambridge.
Christina Bernbaum, a/k/a “Tina,” 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base and one count of conspiracy to possess, use and carry firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2022. Bernbaum was originally charged along with co-conspirator Jaiir Coleman on April 7, 2021.
Bernbaum participated in a long-running conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess controlled substances, including in large quantities in Massachusetts and in Maine, including on Coleman’s behalf during his incarceration. The conspiracy involved the procurement and possession of firearms, some of which were used in several shootings from November 2019 through July 2020. In addition, at least one of the firearms used in these shootings was equipped with an auto-sear attachment rendering it an automatic weapon, commonly known as a machine gun.
The charge of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release, a fine of up to $5 million and forfeiture. The charge of conspiring to possess, use and carry firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense provides for a sentence of up to life in prison because a machine gun was involved, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Roy E. McKinney, Director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Somerville Acting Police Chief Charles Femino; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy; Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow; Salem Police Chief Lucas Miller; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis; and Revere Police Chief David J. Callahan made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; the Middlesex County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices; the Suffolk County and Essex County Sheriff’s Departments; and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Sarah Hoefle of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Macon Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Children He Met OnlineRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident convicted of child sexual exploitation for coercing multiple juveniles to send him sexually explicit and pornographic images and videos of themselves was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison for his crimes.
Deon M. Moore, 37, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 216 months in prison to be followed by life on supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell today after he previously pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. In addition, Moore was ordered to pay restitution to one of the victims in the amount of $2,000 and he will have to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole.
“Deon Moore initiated conversation threads with more than 1,300 Facebook users in an aggressive effort that ultimately led to the sexual exploitation of minors as young as 10-years-old,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything in our power to protect young people from child predators by tracking them down and holding them accountable for their crimes.”
“Moore thought he could hide behind a computer to con and exploit underage girls, but that will not stop the FBI and our partners from pursuing and putting away child predators like him,” said Alex Santiago, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Online predators are unfortunately all too common, and we want to remind the public to be vigilant about who they are interacting with online and encourage children to use privacy settings that restrict access to their online profiles.”
According to court documents, the investigation was begun by the Fairborn, Ohio, Police Department (FOPD) on May 21, 2017, after the agency was contacted by the mother of a 12-year-old female victim, who had been communicating with Moore on Facebook and by text messages. Moore sent nude photos and requested to meet with the victim. Investigators discovered that Moore had changed his Facebook name to “Nathaniel Ellis,” and that he had numerous Facebook friends who appeared to be teenage females. The FBI and FOPD detectives determined that Moore used Facebook to find victims, using the false identities of Sharod King, Nathaniel Ellis, Jazmine Ellis and Sharde Carter. He sometimes represented himself to be a female and between the ages of teens to 30s, depending on the targeted victim. Moore was seeking young, black female girls, and Facebook transcripts indicate that he would ask them their ages. His victims ranged in age from 10 to 16, and he knew they were minors. Moore’s victims were from multiple states, and he would discuss sex in explicit terms with his victims and would request that they send him nude pictures of their breasts and genitalia. To coerce and induce victims to send sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, Moore would send them explicit pictures and videos.
Investigators discovered that a 10-year-old girl in the fourth grade began communicating with Moore on Facebook in May 2018. Moore represented himself to be a 14-year-old female living in Atlanta, and sent fictitious photos of himself, posing as female. He asked the 10-year-old victim to send pictures, which she did. Moore then asked the child victim for an explicit video, and he sent her a video to demonstrate what he was looking for her to send. The 10-year-old victim then sent him three explicit videos of herself.
During the time and scope of this investigation, Moore began conversation threads with a total of 1,306 individuals on Facebook, engaging 80 people in sustained conversations, 30 of which were juveniles. Four of these juveniles sent child pornography to Moore, and others sent explicit photographs of themselves, such as pictures of their breasts. Almost all of these victims received explicit sexual material from Moore, which he sent to induce, coerce and “educate” them.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Fairborn, Ohio, Police Department (FOPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCommon prosecuted the case.
Louisiana Marketer Sentenced in More Than $180 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Louisiana marketer was sentenced today to 30 months in prison in the Southern District of Mississippi for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud TRICARE and private insurance companies by paying kickbacks to distributors for the referral of medically unnecessary prescriptions. TRICARE is the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees and their families. The conduct resulted in more than $180 million in fraudulent billings, including more than $50 million paid by federal health care programs.
According to court documents, Thomas “Tommy” Wilburn Shoemaker, 57, of Rayville, participated in a scheme to defraud TRICARE and other health care benefit programs by acting as a marketer for a network of pharmacies owned and operated by co-conspirators Mitchell “Chad” Barrett and David Jason Rutland. Shoemaker worked with the pharmacies to use his TRICARE insurance to adjust prescription formulas to ensure the highest reimbursement without regard to efficacy, and he recruited doctors to procure prescriptions for high margin compounded medications. Shoemaker also obtained numerous fraudulent prescriptions using the personal information of military acquaintances.
Shoemaker pleaded guilty on Aug. 12 to conspiracy to defraud the United States and solicit, receive, offer, and pay illegal kickbacks. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Shoemaker was ordered to pay restitution and forfeit all assets traced to his ill-gotten gains.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi; Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Cyndy Bruce of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DoD OIG-DCIS) Southeast Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office and DoD OIG-DCIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Alejandra Arias of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case with assistance from Sara Porter and Dustin Davis from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Leader of prolific fentanyl trafficking ring sentenced to 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – Three men who were convicted at trial in August 2021, of multiple federal felonies for distributing fentanyl pills in Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. The leader of the drug ring, Bradley Woolard, 42, of Arlington, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for his conviction on 28 counts involving conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, illegal gun possession, and possessing drugs with the intent to distribute them. Last week, co-defendants, Anthony Pelayo, 34, of Marysville, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and a $150,000 fine and Jerome Isham, 40, of Everett, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour also sentenced all three men to 5 years of supervised release following their prison terms.
“Mr. Woolard ignored the destruction his drug trafficking caused in our community, instead being driven by the enormous profits he could generate off the addiction and misery of others,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Even after his arrest he tried to impose his will, threatening violence against others in the case, and acting as if he is above the law.”
“This complex investigation, which involved aspects of the mysterious dark web, is an example of the innovation and cooperative law enforcement effort necessary to effectively reduce violent crime and overdoses in our cities,” said Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent-in-Charge DEA Seattle Field Division. “This new digital age of trafficking fake pills, potentially laced with fentanyl, signals a renewed sense of urgency and analytical approach to bring to bear all the resources of government and community to tackle the scourge of drug trafficking and gun violence.”
According to testimony and exhibits during trial, the case began in the summer of 2018, when law enforcement officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Snohomish Regional Drug and Gang Task Force obtained multiple court-authorized search warrants for Woolard’s home. On July 28, 2018, they found more than 12,000 fentanyl pills designed to look like 30 mg oxycodone prescription narcotic. The pills ultimately tested positive for furanyl fentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl and a controlled substance.
The pills were pale blue in color and had “M” printed on one side and “30” on the other side. Over the course of multiple searches, law enforcement seized more than $1 million in cash and gold from Woolard’s five-acre compound, including cash hidden behind drywall, in the ceilings of outbuildings, and in a hole beneath a dishwasher. Investigators also discovered a hidden room containing 29 firearms ranging from handguns to assault rifles, including four firearm silencers and several thousand rounds of ammunition.
Testimony at trial revealed that in 2015 and 2016, Woolard began buying fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl powder from China after researching how to do so on the Dark Web. He bought a pill press and mixing materials from websites such as Amazon and eBay, and taught himself how to make homemade pills. Testimony at trial established that Woolard’s pill making operation was capable of producing more than 2.5 million pills containing fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl, and that he regularly provided thousands of pills to other conspirators for distribution. In 2017, Woolard turned the pill press operation over to Pelayo, who continued the manufacturing at a rural compound in Snohomish County. Woolard retained the role of ordering the fentanyl from China and continued to help Pelayo make and distribute the pills. Woolard continued to distribute the pills while seeking treatment for his own drug addictions at spa-like resorts in Costa Rica and Mexico, which cost him between $30,000 and $50,000 per month, which he paid for with the profits of his illicit pill operation.
Woolard was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine and will be on 5 years of supervised release following his prison term.
Jerome Isham was one of the conspiracy’s top distributors. Evidence at trial established that he was responsible for re-distributing close to 100,000 illegal fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl pills over a one-year period between July 2017, and June 2018. Isham also recruited people to receive the shipments of powdered fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl from China. Woolard and Pelayo paid for the drugs by recruiting co-conspirators to wire money to China or by paying with bitcoin.
Pelayo was also convicted of two money laundering conspiracies and multiple counts of money laundering, including using $100,000 of his cash drug proceeds to purchase a luxury RV. He was also convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Woolard was convicted of being a drug user and drug addict in possession of firearms. Isham was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with assistance from U.S Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Snohomish Regional Drug and Gang Task Force (SRDGTF) and the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force.
A total of eleven defendants were charged in this case. Eight pleaded guilty. All but two of the defendants have now been sentenced.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karyn Johnson and Mike Lang.
Leader of Philadelphia to Pittsburgh Drug Pipeline Sentenced to 13 Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of suburban Pittsburgh has been sentenced in federal court tom 13 years’ (156 months’) imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Trevon Kendrick, 28, of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, in 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a heroin trafficking organization led by Kendrick that operated throughout the greater Pittsburgh area. Beginning in February of 2019 and continuing through September of 2019, the FBI received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Kendrick, as the leader of this multi-member drug trafficking organization, was intercepted orchestrating and directing the movement of heroin from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for distribution throughout Pittsburgh by various members of the organization. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized heroin, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization, including Kendrick. Judge Stickman referenced the seriousness of the offense as well as Kendrick’s criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the North Versailles Police Department, the Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, the Munhall Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kendrick.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Kwong Yau Lam Sentenced for Selling Illegal Products Claiming to Protect Against VirusesRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam - SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Kwong Yau Lam, age 67, a citizen of Hong Kong and U.S. permanent resident of Guam, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court of Guam to one year probation for Distribution and Sale of Unregistered Pesticide, in violation of 7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(1)(A) and 136l(b)(1)(B), and Conspiracy to Distribute and Sell Unregistered Pesticide, in violation of l8 U.S.C. § 371. The Court also ordered a mandatory $150.00 special assessment fee.
Beginning in March 2020, Kwong Yau Lam sold products marketed as “Virus Shut Out Cards” that were not registered and authorized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Upon hanging a card from a lanyard, it purportedly protected the consumer from viruses. On the contrary, it offered no proven protection from viruses, including COVID-19.
Lam sold 100 Virus Shut Out Cards to three merchants in Guam and told them that the product protected people from viruses. Lam ordered three more boxes containing 900 pieces from his relative in Hong Kong. U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Honolulu, Hawaii, seized two boxes from that order. After the seizure, agents with Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Lam. He told the agents that he did not get approval from any government agency to import the Virus Shut Out Cards from Hong Kong, and that he had not sold any cards in Guam. Lam lied when he made this statement because evidence showed that he sold the cards to merchants.
“This case is another shocking example of a false claim made to consumers during the initial stages of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “The defendant preyed upon consumers who were justifiably concerned for their personal health and safety due to COVID-19. This was made worse by the potential harmful effects of the product itself.”
“Public safety is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon. “We will continue to pursue those who rob and hurt the people in our communities and make sure they are held accountable for exploiting a pandemic for profit.”
“Unregistered pesticide products that make fraudulent COVID-19 protection claims pose serious public health dangers,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of EPA’s criminal enforcement
program in Guam. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that EPA and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the American people from harmful products.”
Under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the EPA regulates the production, sale, distribution and use of pesticides in the United States. A pesticide is any substance intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest, which includes viruses. Pesticides must be registered with the EPA. Toamit Virus Shut Out was not registered, and it is illegal to distribute or sell unregistered pesticides. Lam imported the pesticide from China and later sold it to individuals in Guam.
The EPA has taken steps to block the importation and sale of Toamit Virus Shut Out in the United States: EPA Administrator Wheeler Talks with Retailers and Third-Party Marketplace Platforms to Discuss Steps to Protect American Consumers from Fraudulent Coronavirus Disinfectant Claims and U.S. EPA Acts to Protect the Public from Unregistered “Virus Shut Out” Product Imported into Honolulu and Guam.
This case was a joint investigation led by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations in conjunction with U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Guam Customs & Quarantine Agency, and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency. The prosecution of this case was handled by Marivic P. David, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Guam.
Anyone with general information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Marmet man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to statements made in court, Kevin Maurice Crider, 52, of Marmet, possessed a .45 caliber handgun on June 8, 2020. Crider admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of his previous felony conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for attempted prescription fraud.
Crider pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 17, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Marmet Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00125.
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