Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
19 January 2022
Springfield Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.
Jason A. Hamann, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years and five months in federal prison without parole.
On June 23, 2020, Hamann pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Dec. 8, 2018, to April 18, 2019, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers executed a search warrant at a salvage yard in Lebanon, Mo., on Dec. 8, 2018. Hamann was present during the search and was detained by troopers. During the search, troopers found a backpack on the front passenger seat of Hamann’s truck. That backpack contained 11 baggies of methamphetamine and an SCCY 9mm firearm. Troopers also found a Craftsman tool bag in the floorboard of the truck that contained five more firearms, and a zippered bag that contained $11,280. In the bed of the truck, troopers found a plastic tote that contained three vacuum-sealed bags and two Ziploc-style bags with a total of approximately five pounds of methamphetamine.
Hamann was arrested again on April 18, 2019, while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at a Springfield residence. Hamann had a baggie in his front left jacket pocket that contained approximately 37 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Sarff and Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Springdale Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – Matthew Ray Lawson, 34, was sentenced today to 50 years in prison without the possibility of parole and ordered to pay $30,000.00 collectively in fines and restitution on three counts of Possession of Child Pornography, four counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, one count of Lewd Acts with a Child in Indian Country and one count of Production of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in September of 2019, the Springdale Police Department was contacted by employees of a local towing company, who stated that a vehicle belonging to Lawson was impounded and a thumb drive located therein appeared to contain child sexual abuse images. A subsequent investigation by both the Springdale Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, Fayetteville Division, led to the execution of a search warrant on Lawson’s Springdale residence and the confiscation of multiple electronic devices, including a laptop computer. A forensic examination conducted by Homeland Security of Lawson’s laptop computer revealed approximately 900 videos and over 240 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Included within these images, were multiple videos of Lawson, himself, sexually abusing an approximately 6-year-old male. Homeland Security ultimately identified the minor male, who was determined to reside with his family outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa Division, revealed that Lawson had previously resided with the minor victim’s family when he produced the child sexual abuse images, and, during the same timeframe, sexually abused an approximately 3-year-old female.
Lawson was initially charged in federal court in the Western District of Arkansas with two (2) Counts of Possession of Child Pornography. He was separately charged in federal court in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, with multiple offenses related to the sexual abuse of the two minor victims. In June of 2021, the Oklahoma charges pending against Lawson were transferred to Arkansas and, thereafter, Lawson entered guilty pleas to all charges pending against him in each respective state.
"This sentence accurately reflects the serious nature of this particularly heinous crime,” said David Clay Fowlkes United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. “It is our sincere hope that this sentence sends an important message to those who would seek to engage in this sort of criminal conduct: our office will continue to aggressively pursue cases against individuals who would seek to exploit and abuse children in the Western District of Arkansas and elsewhere.”
“The successful prosecution of the defendant in this case is a testament to the cooperation of state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors,” said Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The actions of the defendant were detestable, and I am hopeful the sentence imposed today will send a clear, resounding message that sexually assaulting and exploiting children is intolerable and will result in substantial punishment.”
“This lengthy sentence is a testament to the repugnant nature of child exploitation crimes, particularly the production of child pornography which only perpetuates the trauma endured by victims,” said David Denton, Special Agent in Charge, HSI New Orleans. “Our hope is that this sentence sends a message that our HSI agents will aggressively pursue anyone who attempts to prey on our nation’s vulnerable children, as well as serve as a starting point to the healing process for the victims and their families.”
The Springdale Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Fayetteville, Arkansas Division, and Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa, Oklahoma Division, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah McAmis prosecuted the case for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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 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.justice.gov/psc.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 121 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Rashawn Fowler, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Fowler was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, during the summer of 2020, Fowler sold more than half a pound of methamphetamine during a series of controlled buys. In August of 2020, investigators arrested Fowler and recovered more than half a pound of methamphetamine, heroin, assorted pills, digital scales, a revolver, and a loaded 9-millimeter pistol.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
###
Slidell Woman Sentenced to Three Years of Probation for Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BONNIE JEAN LAWLESS DIAZ (“DIAZ”) has been sentenced on January 18, 2022 to 36 months of probation after pleading guilty in federal court relating to her role in a health care fraud conspiracy.
DIAZ, age 46, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 23, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to Count One of a Superseding Bill of Information charging her with misprision (or knowing concealment) of the commission of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4.
According to the Indictment, in or around March 2014, continuing through in or around October 2016, co-defendants conspired to knowingly and willfully execute a scheme and artifice to defraud TRICARE, a federal health care benefit program affecting commerce, and other health care benefit programs.
According to the Superseding Bill of Information, DIAZ had knowledge of the commission of the health care fraud. DIAZ concealed the fraud by knowingly submitting or caused to be submitted compounded medications for which there was no medical necessity and did not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States.
The owner, on behalf of Prime Pharmacy, contracted with various entities, including Pharmacy Benefit Managers (“PBMs”), obligating Prime Pharmacy to collect copayments from beneficiaries in order to be reimbursed by various health care benefit programs, including TRICARE. Additionally, the owner of Prime worked with codefendant Donald Auzine to market the compounded medications produced by Prime Pharmacy. Auzine found other marketers outside of the state to find beneficiaries that were willing to receive medically unnecessary compounds and doctors willing to prescribe compounds without medical necessity.
Beginning in or around March 2014, and continuing through in or around April 2016, Prime Pharmacy dispensed prescriptions for High-Yield Compounded Medications to beneficiaries of TRICARE and other health care benefit programs that were not medically necessary, induced by kickback payments, or where copayments were either waived or credited by Prime Pharmacy, and accordingly, submitted or caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to TRICARE, other health care benefit programs, and PBMs.
DIAZ was also ordered to repay TRICARE $180,000 in restitution.
“Individuals involved in this scheme illegally billed TRICARE out of close to $15 million and I am pleased that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is requiring justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Bruce, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “There are no victimless crimes and DCIS agents will continue to pursue unscrupulous greedy individuals who steal from our military health care system and all taxpayers.”
“Those entrusted with providing health care services to veterans and their family members will be held accountable should they violate that trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG is grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.”
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General.
The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh.
* * *
Santa Rosa Man Sentenced to Nine Months in Jail for Assaulting Law Enforcement Officers in Yellowstone National ParkRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that BENJAMIN J. BAGALA, age 27, of Santa Rosa, California pleaded guilty and was sentenced for three counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees and one count of depredation against property of the United States. He appeared via Zoom before United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, with credit served for four days and must surrender on or before March 4, 2022. He also received one year supervised release with special conditions that include a ban from Yellowstone National Park; he shall not use or possess alcohol, shall not enter into bars, pubs, lounges, etc., and will continue with alcohol treatment as approved by the probation officer. Bagala was ordered to pay $2,865.42 in restitution and $100 special assessment.
According to the evidence, on September 25, 2021, at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel in Yellowstone National Park, Bagala was drinking heavily and began harassing guests, running through the halls, breaking things and eventually approached a security guard with threatening behavior. A law enforcement officer was called to the scene where Bagala’s action continued to progress and escalated to an attack on the officer. This law enforcement officer had to deploy his taser to safely gain control. Bagala was extremely intoxicated and displayed injuries from earlier activities, so an ambulance was called. Two additional law enforcement officers arrived to transport Bagala to the Livingston Hospital in Montana. One of the officers rode in the back to restrain him during transport. Bagala broke out of his restraints and fought with the officer. The other officer, driving the ambulance, had to pull over and assist. During this time, both officers received injuries from Bagala’s actions.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel reported $2,865.42 in damages including broken plexiglass shields, broken plates, broken doors and frames, damaged light fixtures, and blood splatter throughout the halls and lobby.
This crime was investigated by the National Park Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. Hambrick.
Case Number 0:21-cr-140-MLC
Repeat offender sentenced to 3 years in prison for bank fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old Seattle man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Kevin Antoine Jones used information from a bank insider so that he and his underlings could impersonate customers and drain their bank accounts, causing actual and attempted loss of more than $299,000. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed three years of supervised release to follow prison.
According to records filed in the case, Jones has spent the last dozen years in and out of prison for a number of criminal convictions. In 2007, he was convicted of promoting prostitution when a 16-year-old girl told police Jones would not let her go home to her family until she earned $25,000 for him. That same year he was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm. In 2011, he was convicted in federal court of bank robbery-related charges. In 2017, while on supervised release for that crime, he was convicted of illegally possessing ammunition. Following a 30-month prison term, Jones was again on supervised release. During 2019 he was arrested for stealing from a casino and assaulting a blackjack dealer and a few months later police were called when he assaulted his domestic partner.
The investigation revealed that from March 2019, to October 2019, Jones got information from a BECU insider so that he could victimize some 20 customers of the credit union. Jones used the inside information so that he (and others acting at his direction) could impersonate the customers and obtain new debit cards for their accounts. Jones recruited others, including his father, to impersonate the customers and drain the bank accounts. Jones was ordered to pay $231,000 in restitution.
The bank insider was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Jones’ father has pleaded guilty and is awaiting federal sentencing.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Kirkland Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion.
Randolph County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – John C. Holliday, of Mill Creek, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Holliday, 31, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Holliday, a person prohibited from having a firearm, admitted to having two revolvers in July 2019 in Barbour County.
Holliday 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 Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced on January 14, 2022 to 360 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine, Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. On October 13, 2021, a jury in Raleigh, North Carolina, convicted Keith Lamont Thompson, Jr. of all counts.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Keith Lamont Thompson, Jr., 27, possessed two firearms and over two ounces of powder cocaine. On July 6, 2019, officers with the Raleigh Police Department received information that Thompson was in possession of cocaine and multiple firearms at his apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina. When Raleigh Police executed the search warrant, they learned that Thompson had ordered a female subject to hide his guns and drugs in her car. Officers searched the car and recovered 90 grams of cocaine and two firearms, including one that had been reported stolen. Further investigation revealed that Thompson was a convicted felon on active state probation for selling cocaine at the time of the July 6 search.
Thompson was subject to enhanced sentencing penalties as a career offender due to a conviction in 2014 for Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and Second-Degree Kidnapping, and a conviction in 2018 for Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Cocaine.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-223-D-1.
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Citizens and Local BankRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Jones, 52, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to two counts of aggravated identity theft, in relation to defrauding a local bank and two elderly residents in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Jones admitted that an elderly female from Clendenin hired him to do mold remediation and other handyman services at a Clendenin property that belonged to another elderly woman of advanced age. Jones admitted that he obtained blank checks belonging to the elderly homeowner and forged the signature of the woman who hired him. He wrote himself checks in this manner multiple times, in amounts payable of $7,000 and $8,500. Jones then deposited these falsified checks at the Hurricane branch of a local bank, where he had a checking account. Jones admitted that neither woman was aware that he used their personal identifiers in his efforts to obtain money from the bank. As part of his plea agreement, Jones agreed that he owes the bank $25,000 in restitution as a result of his offense and relevant conduct.
“I appreciate the excellent work of the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office-Consumer Protection Division that secured this conviction,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson.
“Contractors who defraud consumers must be held accountable, and I’m proud of my office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State Police for doing just that,” Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said. “The state’s consumer protection laws require contractors to do professional work, and our office will vigorously pursue con artists who try to operate outside of the law.”
Jones faces four years in prison when he is sentenced on April 25, 2022. Jones also faces pending state charges in Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, and Putnam Counties in connection with additional fraud schemes.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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. 3:21-cr-00132.
###
Pittsfield Man Sentenced to 97 Months for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Charles Paul Jansen, 36, of Pittsfield, was sentenced on Tuesday to 97 months in federal prison for distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 11, 2020, an undercover officer (UC) was conducting an investigation on Kik in an attempt to identify individuals using the platform to exchange child sexual abuse material. Kik is a social media platform that facilitates communication by users over the internet. The UC identified an individual who posted an image to a Kik group devoted to the exchange of child sexual abuse material. Further investigation indicated identified Jansen as the individual who posted the image. A search warrant was executed at his residence in Pittsfield. During a voluntary interview, Jansen admitted using Kik and other online applications to view, download, and store pornographic images, some of which contained child sexual abuse material. Jansen also admitted to committing contact sexual offenses against two children.
Jansen previously pleaded guilty on October 8, 2021. After serving his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for 5 years.
“Child pornography crimes are particularly harmful offenses that cause incalculable damage to young victims,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “While distributing child sexual abuse material is a serious crime, this defendant’s behavior was even more egregious because he admitted to sexually abusing two children. This substantial sentence holds Mr. Jansen accountable for his conduct and ensures that he cannot harm any more children. To protect the safety of innocent children, we work closely with the FBI and our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the predators who prey on children and distribute child pornography so they cannot cause more harm in our community.”
“Charles Jansen is a predator who admitted to sexually abusing two children, and using online platforms to view, download, and share images of child sexual abuse. What he did is absolutely despicable, and he is without a doubt, a serious danger to the community. While today’s sentence will keep him behind bars for quite some time, it will never make up for the lifetime of painful memories and harm he has inflicted on his victims and their families,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Cases like this one fuel the FBI’s commitment to identify, investigate, and hold others like him accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
###
Philadelphia Man Charged with Stealing Nearly $200,000 in PPP FundsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Omar White Oliver, 43, formerly of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment for his involvement in a scheme to unlawfully obtain and misuse loan proceeds offered through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
The Indictment, unsealed today, charges the defendant with four felony counts: two counts of bank fraud and attempted bank fraud, and two counts of money laundering. The charges stem from Oliver’s alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $186,750 in PPP loan proceeds by making false representations regarding his alleged real estate business, Oliver Twist Real Estate, LLC. The Indictment alleges that Oliver made multiple false characterizations about the business, including the number of employees, the wages paid to them, the payroll taxes paid on those wages, and the intended use of the PPP loan proceeds. According to the Indictment, the defendant then used those PPP loan proceeds for personal and unauthorized purchases, including a luxury automobile and an American Express platinum card bill. As charged, the defendant also caused a second fraudulent PPP loan application to be submitted for approximately the same amount in early 2021, but that application was denied.
“Paycheck Protection Program funds are intended to help American small businesses continue paying their employees, even if revenues have dropped dramatically due to the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Thieves who attempt to take these funds are taking advantage of others’ misfortune – ripping them off while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund the program. Here, the defendant is charged with fraudulently obtaining nearly $200,000 that could have helped struggling businesses and individuals but instead allegedly paid for personal indulgences.”
“The Paycheck Protection Program was implemented amid widespread economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The intention was to keep both businesses and employees financially afloat — not afford scammers some lavish lifestyle. Anyone who thinks defrauding U.S. taxpayers is a quick way to an easy payday best think again, because the FBI stands very ready to hold you accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
Pagans Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on charges of violating federal narcotics trafficking laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Zachary Miller, 28, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
In conjunction with the sentencing hearing, the Court was informed that The Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted a long-term investigation into drug-trafficking activity occurring in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Law enforcement identified several individuals, suspected at the time, of illegally distributing controlled substances, including methamphetamine in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Erie, Fayette, and Washington Counties.
During the investigation, investigators learned of individuals involved/associated with the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club (PMC) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, including defendant Zachary Miller, who was a member of the Jeannette Chapter of the PMC, in Westmoreland County.
Miller used Facebook Messenger, primarily, to communicate with his drug customers/associates to further their illegal drug-trafficking activity. In addition to the evidence obtained via Facebook Messenger – revealing large-scale transactions – investigators conducted controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Miller, and conducted physical and electronic surveillance of members of the conspiracy, including Miller.
On February 15, 2020, Miller and co-defendant Jessica Palmer, who has already been sentenced, were pulled over by Pennsylvania State Troopers in a vehicle with a suspended registration. Troopers obtained consent to search the vehicle and located six ounces of methamphetamine in the trunk of the vehicle. Both Miller and Palmer were arrested. A search incident to arrest revealed that Miller, who had a valid concealed carry permit, had a Ruger LC9S handgun on his person. Investigators determined that Miller and Palmer had been at a co-defendant’s house where Miller was resupplied with methamphetamine.
In all, Miller conspired to and did possess with intent to distribute and distributed at least 500 grams but less than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, including the approximately six ounces of methamphetamine seized on February 15, 2020.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Allegheny County Sheriff’s
Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Miller.This sentencing was the 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.
Oswego Man Sentenced to Six Years for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Richard Alvarado, age 28, of Oswego, New York, was sentenced today to serve 6 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
As part of his guilty plea, Alvarado admitted that he actively traded child pornography images and videos using a social media messaging application on his phone, and that on February 29, 2020 he distributed videos of child pornography through the application, including video files depicting sexual conduct with children between 5 and 9 years old. Alvarado further admitted that on June 22, 2020, he knowingly possessed numerous image and video files depicting child pornography on his phone.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Alvarado is released from prison, and ordered Alvarado to pay a $200 special assessment and restitution in the amount of $3,000. Alvarado will also be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Computer Crimes Unit (CCU). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Operation False Haven: Convicted Child Molester Found Guilty of Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
Greensboro, N.C. – Today in federal court, Vyacheslav Fyodorovitch Rizkhov, age 44, a naturalized citizen of the United States, born in Azerbaijan and residing in Union County, was found guilty of unlawful procurement of naturalization in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section1425(a). The verdict was announced by Senior United States District Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr., following a bench trial.
According to court records, on September 17, 2019, Rizkhov fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under oath regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question, “Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?” Rizkhov answered, “No.” However, on March 6, 2020, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Cabarrus County, Rizkhov was convicted of sexual battery of a physically helpless person and two counts of indecent liberties with a child. Rizkhov was sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment of between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to court records, all three victims were Rizkhov’s biological children whom he molested over a period of years beginning at least as early as July of 2017. Rizkhov was not arrested until after he was naturalized, thus immigration officials were unaware of his crimes.
Sentencing is set for June 30, 2022, in Greensboro. Rizkhov is subject to up to ten years imprisonment, a period of supervised release, and a fine. Moreover, he is subject to mandatory denaturalization.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations assigned to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative purpose-built to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank J. Chut.
A copy of this press release will be posted on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00128-1.
###
Omaha Man Sentenced to 81 Months for Selling a Defaced Gun and Pills Containing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Darrell L. Thompson, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Distribution of Methamphetamine and Carrying a Firearm In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Thompson to 21 months’ imprisonment for the distribution offense to be followed by imprisonment for 60 months for the firearms crime. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On November 19, 2019, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of 11.5 “ecstasy” pills from Thompson. A second controlled purchase on December 13, 2019 yielded 9.5 “ecstasy” pills. A final controlled purchase on December 20, 2019 yielded 10 “ecstasy” pills from Thompson, in addition to a defaced firearm, a Cobra FS380 .380 caliber handgun. Laboratory analysis revealed that the “ecstasy” pills obtained from Thompson during each purchase contained methamphetamine. Ecstasy (MDMA) is a wholly different drug of abuse than methamphetamine, although both are derivatives of amphetamine.
At the time of Thompson’s arrest on February 1, 2021, the Grand Jury in the District of Nebraska had already returned an Indictment charging Thompson with offenses relating to the controlled purchases made during the last quarter of 2019. The Indictment was kept under seal until Thompson was located and arrested.
On February 1, 2021, Omaha Police detectives stopped a white, Chevy Impala bearing Iowa license plates for a traffic violation. The traffic violation occurred at N. 35th Street and Redman Avenue in Omaha. A data check of the backseat occupant, Thompson, revealed an active warrant for his arrest stemming from the prior Grand Jury Indictment. Officers removed Thompson and a search of his person revealed two defaced firearms in his waistband.
Investigators then obtained and executed a warrant at defendant’s residence in Omaha. The search yielded three additional firearms, one of which was reported stolen.
This case was 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.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department. and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DEANDRE ROSE, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced on January 18, 2022 in the United States District Court. ROSE plead guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
ROSE was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department on January 28, 2021 after he tossed a firearm while fleeing from officers who were attempting to arrest him pursuant to an arrest warrant. After arresting ROSE, officers monitoring ROSE’s jail calls learned that ROSE possessed a second firearm inside of the vehicle he was operating on the day that he was arrested. Officers were conducting surveillance of ROSE when they observed him driving his vehicle, minutes before his arrest. After obtaining a search warrant to search ROSE’s vehicle, officers located an assault rifle inside of ROSE’s vehicle.
United States District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter imposed a sentence of 84 months of imprisonment. Following his term of imprisonment, ROSE will be placed on supervised release for a period of 3 years. ROSE must also pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. A fine was not imposed.
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 was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Needham Police Officer and Two Others Arrested for Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three men were arrested today for allegedly conspiring to trade on inside information about a Massachusetts company’s planned acquisition of a California semiconductor company.
David Forte, 58, of Acton; John Younis, 59, of Bristol, R.I.; and Gregory Manning, 59, of Needham, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon.
According to the charging documents, beginning in or around June 22, 2016, Forte - an officer with the Needham Police Department - obtained material non-public information from a close relative who is a senior executive at Analog Devices, Inc. (Analog), a Norwood-based semiconductor company, about Analog’s planned acquisition of Linear Technology Corp. (Linear), a semiconductor company based in Milpitas, Calif. Forte allegedly passed the information to two close friends, Manning and Younis, who purchased shares of Linear stock in the week leading up to the public announcement of the acquisition on July 26, 2016. Younis also allegedly purchased call options -which are a bet that the price of a stock will increase prior to the expiration of the option - and tipped a business associate to purchase Linear shares as well. After the deal was announced, Manning, Younis and Younis’ associate allegedly sold their Linear securities at a profit, and Manning paid Forte a kickback in appreciation for Forte’s stock tip.
The charge of conspiracy to commit securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office, made the announcement. The Securities & Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Ten years in Federal prison for traveling to Wisconsin to have sex with 15-year-oldRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on January 18, 2021, Scott D. Sundberg (age: 42) of Ishpeming, Michigan, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach.
According to court filings, Sundberg began corresponding in August 2021 via a popular messaging platform with a 41-year-old woman in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, who was the mother of a 15-year-old daughter. During these conversations, Sundberg sent videos containing child pornography and stated his desire to have sexual intercourse with the 15-year-old child. On August 13, 2021, Sundberg travelled from Ishpeming, Michigan, to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to meet the woman and her child at a local motel. Sundberg, a retired firefighter, brought a fire helmet for the child to wear during the proposed sexual activity. The “woman” was, in fact, an undercover law enforcement officer and Sundberg was arrested upon his arrival at the meeting point.
At sentencing, Senior District Judge Griesbach noted the very serious nature of the charge and the need for just punishment. Following his release from prison, Sundberg will spend 6 years on supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender.
Sundberg’s indictment and subsequent conviction were part of Operation Kick Boxer, a collaborative effort involving the Milwaukee and Green Bay Divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office. (https://go.usa.gov/xfPHh). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
# # #
For further information contact:
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Sending Threatening Emails to Police CommissionerRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Peter Fratus, 40, of West Dennis, MA, was sentenced to four years in prison, and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for sending racist, misogynistic threats via email to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
In September 2021, the defendant was convicted after a three-day trial on charges of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce. As established during trial, Fratus sent two June 2020 emails to the Philadelphia Police Commissioner’s official City of Philadelphia email address. Both emails contained racist, offensive, and threatening language, with one communication asking where Commissioner resides. Further, the defendant has a long history of sending racist, misogynistic threats and assaulting law enforcement officers.
“Sending threats online is a serious federal crime, whether the victim is a private citizen or a prominent civic leader,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “The public can rest assured that our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will work tirelessly to identify anyone who does this in order to ensure they’re held accountable for their actions.”
“Peter Fratus apparently thought he could make violent physical threats with impunity, but today’s sentencing proves how wrong he was,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Threats to life are most certainly not protected speech, and the FBI will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable anyone who crosses the line and commits these criminal acts.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department and the Dennis Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Livermore and Sarah M. Wolfe.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Transportation of Stolen Property and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Nicholas Jewett, 30, formerly of Woburn, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to transportation of stolen property and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 26, 2020, Salem police responded to a report of suspicious activity involving a Cadillac at a motel. The officer sought to speak to Jewett, who was the operator of the Cadillac. Although, Jewett initially ignored the officer, the officer was able to stop him and approached the vehicle.
Jewett initially provided incorrect identifying information and was placed under arrest. He had an empty gun holster in his possession. The Cadillac was later searched pursuant to a warrant. Investigators found that the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) was covered up with a label containing a fraudulent VIN. Investigators determined that the vehicle had been stolen from a Woburn car dealership. Also located in the vehicle was a .22 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and a key fob for a Ford Fusion.
Further investigation revealed that Jewett had presented a false identity to rent the Fusion in Nashua on August 5, 2020. The car was never returned and was later reported stolen. The Fusion was subsequently located in a parking lot in Woburn on September 8, 2020.
Jewett is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2022.
“When an armed criminal like this defendant appears at a motel while possessing a handgun and operating a stolen car, the risk to public safety is substantial,” said U.S. Attorney Farley. “Thanks to good police work, this criminal was stopped in his tracks before he could do more harm. This case is a great example of the way that law enforcement agencies work together to investigate crimes and protect the public from potential violence.”
“This case is a good example of what police officers face every day and how there is no such thing as a routine car stop. Today, Nicholas Jewett admitted to possessing two stolen vehicles, fake IDs, and a handgun with an obliterated serial number that he went to great lengths to conceal,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and reduce violent crime in our communities.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Salem Police Department, Woburn Police Department, and Nashua Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Rombeau.
###
Marijuana smuggler who crossed the river in a floating truck sent to prisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 32-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Carlos Torres, Brownsville, pleaded guilty April 15, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered Torres to serve a 31-month sentence to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
On Oct. 21, 2020, authorities observed a white pickup truck floating across the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the United States. After arriving onshore, the vehicle headed north toward a gap in the border fence.
Authorities noticed a male, later identified as Torres, driving the truck and activated the emergency lights to conduct a vehicle stop. He drove the vehicle into an open field in an attempt to flee, but eventually drove off a small embankment into a water-filled sandpit. Authorities searched the truck and found 17 bundles of marijuana weighing 184.47 kilograms.
The drugs had an estimated value of $325,360.
Torres has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado prosecuted the case.
Man from Shiprock pleads guilty to sexually abusing a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Bennick Yazzie, 32, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 14 to sexual abuse of a minor. Yazzie will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According the plea agreement and other court records, between Oct. 26, 2019, and Oct. 25, 2020, Yazzie sexually assaulted Jane Doe, who was 13 years old, on the Navajo Nation Reservation.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Yazzie faces four years and nine months in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea N. Van Deventer is prosecuting the case.
Lynn Man Indicted for Drug and Firearms Conspiracy Involving over 400 Grams of Fentanyl and Multiple Machine GunsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was indicted by a federal grand jury today in connection with operating a drug trafficking organization in which he allegedly used pill presses to produce thousands of counterfeit pills per hour and distributed the counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl to suppliers on the North Shore.
Vincent Caruso, 26, a/k/a “Fatz,” was indicted on one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana and other controlled substances; one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery); and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Caruso was arrested and charged by Complaint on June 30, 2021 along with co-conspirators Ernest Johnson, Laurie Caruso and Nicole Benton. On Oct. 1, 2021, Benton pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing which is set for April 12, 2022.
According to the charging documents, Caruso, an alleged Crip gang member, operated a large drug trafficking organization with multiple subordinates, to sell counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl to street gangs for further distribution on the North Shore. It is alleged that Caruso possessed and used firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking activities. Caruso allegedly posted and messaged photos and videos using social media that depicted firearms and machine guns in his possession, large quantities of fentanyl that would be distributed by his organization, large amounts of cash and high-end jewelry. It is further alleged that Caruso conspired with others to conduct transactions in order to launder portions of the illegal proceeds of the drug trafficking operation.
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least 10 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy involving a machine gun provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least 30 years, to be served consecutive to the sentence associated with the underlying drug trafficking crime, and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy: Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts States Police made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk County District Attorneys’ Offices; Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk and Hancock (Maine) County Sheriffs’ Departments; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Danvers, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Salem, Saugus, Somerville, Revere, Bolton (Maine), Bangor (Maine), Portland (Maine) and Westbrook (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 5 Years’ Imprisonment for Possessing A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Iglesias McEntyre, a/k/a “Max Pain,” age 33, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 12, 2022, to five years’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, McEntyre provided a drug user with approximately a gram of crack in exchange for a firearm. McEntyre is a previously convicted felon and was on probation in Luzerne County for a drug trafficking charge at the time he committed that offense.
The matter was investigated by the Scranton Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Detectives of the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This matter was prosecuted as part of the 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.
# # #
Local Adoption Agency Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Scheme to Defraud Employer and FamilyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Hillsboro, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison today for engaging in a multi-year scheme to defraud her employer, a non-profit adoption and surrogacy agency operating in Oregon and Washington, and her extended family.
Melodie Ann Eckland, 56, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. She was also ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution.
“Melodie Eckland used her position of trust within a local adoption agency to steal funds intended to help children across the world find loving families. She further stole thousands of dollars from a deceased family member’s estate in a failed attempt to keep her employer from discovering her scheme. Eckland’s selfishness and greed caused great loss and hardship for many people and pushed her employer agency to the brink of insolvency,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“Preying on the trust of her employers, her friends, and her family, Ms. Eckland stole from those who trusted her most. In doing so, Ms. Eckland irreparably hurt local families attempting to do just that – become families,” said Special Agent in Charge Bret Kressin, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office. “Financial and tax crimes are not victimless, and today’s sentence is justice served for Ms. Eckland’s wanton disregard and theft from those around her.”
According to court documents, from at least 2011 and continuing until April 2018, Eckland was employed as a bookkeeper for a local adoption and surrogacy agency. Her duties included maintaining agency books and records, managing payroll, filing employment tax returns, and paying quarterly employment taxes to the IRS. Eckland also provided financial statements to the agency’s board of directors, but did not have signature authority over the organization’s business bank account.
Eckland used her position to steal funds from the agency by making unauthorized wire transfers and writing unauthorized checks to herself. Eckland also transferred agency funds in the form of bonuses to her personal bank account. To conceal her scheme, Eckland maintained two sets of financial records. One version, which she provided to the board of directors, showed the business books as they should have been maintained. The other version showed the true payments she made to herself over the course of her employment.
To cover the money she had stolen, Eckland applied for loans from at least five lending agencies on behalf of the adoption agency, using the names of the agency’s owners without their permission. Eckland altered agency financial records to make it appear as though she owned the agency and was authorized to enter into the loan agreements. Beginning in 2016, Eckland stopped making the agency’s quarterly employment tax payments to the IRS and stopped filing employment tax returns. As a result, the agency owed more than $94,000 in past due employment taxes.
To further conceal her scheme, Eckland stole funds from a bank account opened on behalf of her deceased brother-in-law’s estate. As executor of the estate, Eckland’s husband was tasked with selling his brother’s assets, paying estate bills, and preserving the remaining funds for the benefit of his brother’s children. Eckland forged her husband’s signature on unauthorized estate checks and made unauthorized wire transfers of estate funds to herself. She sent a portion of the more than $123,000 stolen from the estate to the adoption agency’s bank account to conceal her theft of agency funds.
IRS records indicated that Eckland did not report any of the embezzled funds on her federal income tax returns for 2013, 2014, and 2017. In 2015 and 2016, she reported more than $550,000 as “other income,” but failed to pay the taxes due. Between 2013 and 2017, Eckland failed to report more than $675,000 in income, resulting in a tax loss of more than $345,000. As a result of her scheme, Eckland’s victims—including the adoption agency and its owners, her brother-in-law’s estate, and the IRS—suffered a total loss of more than $1.6 million.
On June 2, 2021, Eckland was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, filing a false tax return, and willfully failing to collect or pay payroll taxes. On June 29, 2021, she pleaded guilty to all four charges.
U.S. Attorney Asphaug and Special Agent in Charge Kressin made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS:CI and the Hillsboro Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Lawrence County Man Sentenced to 57 years for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Lawrence County man, Dale Allen Fraley, 49, was sentenced on Tuesday, to 57 years in prison, by U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning, after previously being convicted of five counts of production, four counts of receipt, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of a matter containing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to the evidence at trial, Fraley used various online “personas” to induce, persuade, or coerce minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Fraley, using the online “personas,” would threaten minor females to engage in various sexual acts and record that activity, or send the images to him “live,” via Skype or other applications. He also persuaded the minors to come to his home, sometimes at the behest of the “personas,” to get “sexual experience” with Dale Fraley as the teacher. Fraley would sometimes record the sexual activity between himself and the minors at his home, or record the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Fraley was convicted in May 2021.
Under federal law, Fraley must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, 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 Brian Mullins, Eastern Kentucky University Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Eastern Kentucky University Police Department. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Marye and Mary Melton.
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.
-END-
Lawrence County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Conspiracy and FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to time served to be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release on his conviction for distributing fentanyl, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, and conspiring to commit an offense (mail fraud) against the United States, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Jerell Huddleston, 31.
According to information presented to the court, Huddleston conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distributed fentanyl, and conspired to commit fraud against the United States.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Yvonne M. Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Pennsylvania State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Huddleston.
KCK Man Sentenced for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.
Solomon B. Hawthorne, 31, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years and one month in federal prison without parole. Today’s sentence includes a term of two years for violating his federal supervised release in another, unrelated case.
On Aug. 12, 2021, Hawthorne pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute.
A detective with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics (MoWin) Task Force located a suspicious box at a Kansas City, Missouri, FedEx facility on Nov. 20, 2020. The parcel had been shipped from California and contained a black metal safe. Inside the safe were three heat-sealed bundles that contained a total of 3,000.32 grams of heroin.
Law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel to a Kansas City, Mo., residence later the same day. An officer acting in an undercover capacity posed as a FedEx delivery driver and left the parcel on the porch steps. Officers conducted surveillance until Hawthorne arrived, driving a 2016 Dodge Ram truck. Hawthorne and another man drove past the residence and around the block before pulling into the driveway. Both men were arrested.
Officers searched Hawthorne’s truck and found a clear storage bag in the center console that contained approximately 127.31 grams of heroin. A black bag that contained $48,680 was found in the front passenger floorboard. The black bag also contained a Glock 9mm magazine with ammunition; another Glock 9mm magazine with ammunition was found in a hidden compartment in the center console. Drug paraphernalia was found in the back seat of the cab.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Jefferson County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Brent Collum, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Collum, 36, was indicted today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Collum, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, is accused of having a .45 caliber handgun in August 2021 in Jefferson County.
Collum faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. 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 Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Charles Town Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jamestown Man Going to Prison for 10 Years on Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Wade J. Paulisick, Jr., 25, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles E. Watkins and Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that in September 2019, a search warrant was executed at Paulisick’s residence on Tower Street in Jamestown. Investigators seized narcotics including quantities of acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl and methamphetamine, and a stolen handgun.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Timothy Foley; and the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb.
# # # #
Jamaican National Charged for Role in Sweepstakes Scheme that Targeted Older AmericansRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Javon Jonathan Spencer, 30, a Jamaican national, whose last known address was in Euclid, Ohio, for his role in a conspiracy that allegedly stole more than $250,000 from victims and targeted older Americans in Northern Ohio and elsewhere.
According to the indictment, from March of 2018 through April of 2019, a co-conspirator would contact victims and falsely claim that the victim had won a prize through the lottery, sweepstakes or other contest. The co-conspirator would then inform the victim that an upfront fee or tax was required to collect the full amount. The indictment alleges that the victims were then directed to mail cash, checks or money orders payable to the defendant at his address in Euclid.
In one instance, the indictment alleges that in June of 2018, a co-conspirator called a victim and claimed that the victim had won money in a sweepstakes and, to collect the full amount, had to pay $4,500 to the defendant as a fee. The victim then mailed the fee to the defendant as directed, and the defendant deposited the funds into his bank account.
As a result of the scheme, it is alleged that the conspiracy members caused a total combined loss of more than $250,000 from victims.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Ijamsville Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced David William Jai Herder, age 41, of Ijamsville, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Judge Gallagher also ordered Herder to pay restitution totaling $45,000 to identified victims abused by others to produce the child pornography that Herder subsequently distributed, received, and/or possessed.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron: Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.
According to his guilty plea agreement, in January of 2020 investigators at the Federal Bureau of Investigation received information regarding the trading of child pornography in several chat groups on a messaging application. Herder was identified as one of the individuals participating in the trading and distribution of child pornography images. For example, in June of 2020, Herder distributed at least two images of child pornography, both depicting prepubescent females between the ages of four and nine years old. Records received from the messaging application and Internet service provider resolved to the residence where Herder was living.
On August 27, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Herder’s residence, seizing several electronic devices, including two phones and a tablet. It was determined that Herder used one of the phones to access his messaging account when engaging in the distribution and receipt of child pornography. Further investigation of the phone revealed between 150 and 300 image and video files documenting the sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent minors, sadistic and masochistic abuse, and other depictions of violence. Evidence was presented at today’s sentencing hearing that Herder possessed a total of 887 videos and 597 image files of child pornography and that he distributed a total of 100 videos and 70 image files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
According to Herder’s plea agreement, Herder informed investigators that he created the instant messaging account associated with the child pornography and that he used chatrooms to distribute, as well as receive, child pornography. Herder also detailed that he had been looking at child exploitive material one to two times a day for sexual pleasure, preferring children 6-7 years old and older.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Honduran National Sentenced for Soliciting Murder-For-Hire of Family MembersRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Honduran national residing in Port Arthur has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Santos Orellana-Hernandez, 47, pleaded guilty on July 23, 2021, to use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, tampering with a witness by intimidation and threats, and conspiracy to commit witness tampering. Orellana-Hernandez was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
According to information presented in court, from January to March of 2020, Orellana-Hernandez, residing in Port Arthur, Texas, solicited the murder of two extended family members residing in Honduras. Specifically, Orellana-Hernandez solicited Gustavo Ramires, a person located in Honduras, to kill Orellana-Hernandez’s mother-in-law, G.V., and brother-in-law, J.A.V. The purpose of the intended murders was revenge against Orellana-Hernandez’s soon-to-be ex-wife, who was seeking a divorce from Orellana-Hernandez in Jefferson County, Texas. Orellana-Hernandez reportedly told E.A.V. that he would make her “cry tears of blood.”
Orellana-Hernandez offered to pay Ramires $200,000 in Honduran Lempira (approximately $8,000 in U.S. dollars) upon proof that Ramires had killed G.V., J.A.V., and two other individuals. Orellana-Hernandez directed Ramires to perform the killings on or after April 21, 2020, the date when the divorce was to become final. Ramires was additionally instructed to provide photographic proof of the killings before he would receive payment. Ramires later placed a recorded telephone call to Orellana-Hernandez, in which the two discussed the murder-for-hire plot, using code language such as “planting the corn,” to refer to the killings. Ramires later told investigators that “planting the corn” meant burying victims’ bodies.
Orellana-Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2020 and taken into federal custody. In early June, while he was jailed, Orellana-Hernandez conspired with his brother to intimidate E.A.V. in an attempt to make her “withdraw” the murder-for-hire accusation. On November 4, 2020, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment that added the witness tampering charges.
“This case exemplifies excellent local and federal law enforcement cooperation, and the FBI collaborated with our international partners in Honduras to successfully stop a senseless act of violence by Orellana-Hernandez,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “The Port Arthur Police Department and the FBI did an excellent job! Crimes of violence, here or abroad, will not be tolerated and all the tools of law enforcement will be utilized to stop violent crime and prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Day.
Hartford Man Indicted on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging MICHAEL DAVIS, 33, of Hartford, with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on October 21, 2021. Davis, who has been detained in state custody since April 2021, appeared today via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector and pleaded not guilty.
According to the indictment, on February 10, 2021, Davis possessed crack cocaine and ecstasy that he intended to distribute, and a Remington Arms, model RP9, 9mm handgun.
It is further alleged that Davis’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm and narcotics offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The three-count indictment charges Davis possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and MDMA (“ecstasy”), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum five-year term of imprisonment and up to life imprisonment.
The indictment also seeks forfeiture of the handgun and $1,020 seized from Davis at the time of his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
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.
Hamden Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine and CrackRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that FRANK BIGGS, 63, of Hamden, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing powder and crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation led by the FBI and the Norwich, New London and Hartford Police Departments into a narcotics distribution network that stretched from southeastern Connecticut to the Hartford, New Britain and Waterbury areas. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, surveillance, search warrants, and seizures of cocaine and crack cocaine, revealed that Biggs purchased cocaine and crack from his supplier, Aaron Clayton, and then sold the drugs to his own network of drug dealers and users.
On March 17, 2020, law enforcement conducted court-authorized searches of Clayton’s residence and two other residences connected to this drug trafficking organization and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine and nearly $100,000 in cash.
On June 30, 2020, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Biggs, Clayton and seven other individuals with offenses related to their involvement in this drug ring. Biggs was arrested on July 6, 2020.
On September 22, 2021, Biggs pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”).
Biggs, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on March 18.
Clayton, of New Britain, has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Norwich, New London and Hartford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Maria del Pilar Gonzalez through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Grant County man sentenced for fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Allen Hinkle, of Cabins, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 77 months of incarceration for a fentanyl charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Hinkle, 36, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute at Least 40 Grams of Fentanyl.” Hinkle admitted to working with others to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in April 2020 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated. The Task Force consists of members from the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, the FBI, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Original case press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/grant-and-hardy-county-residents-indicted-fentanyl-and-firearms-charges
Grady County, Oklahoma Jail Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
Johnnie Drewery, 27, a former Sergeant with the Grady County Jail, in Chickasha, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to using unreasonable force against an inmate, thereby violating the inmate’s constitutional civil rights.
According to court documents and admissions Drewery made during the plea hearing, Drewery, on July 11, 2020, was involved with changing an inmate, D.H., into a suicide smock and then moving D.H. into a first floor holding cell. Drewery put D.H. into the holding cell and, as the cell door was closing, D.H. spit on Drewery. Drewery then screamed for the cell door to be reopened. When the cell door was unlocked, Drewery rushed into the cell and, in retaliation for being spit on, began to use his hands and knee to strike D.H, which resulted in D.H. suffering a fractured rib as a result of this assault.
“The defendant is being held accountable for using excessive force against a man inside of a jail cell who was not posing a threat at the time he was assaulted,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officials who deprive individuals of their Constitutional rights by using excessive force against them.”
“Law enforcement and corrections officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “But when an officer betrays the badge and the public’s trust, as the defendant did here, they dishonor their profession and endanger the safety of their fellow officers. I commend the Oklahoma City FBI Field Office and the entire prosecution team for their diligent work on this case.”
“The FBI is the primary federal agency tasked with investigating violations of federal civil rights,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Along with our partners at the Department of Justice, we work to protect the civil rights of all to ensure that individuals are treated fairly when they are in the custody of law enforcement. We take this responsibility seriously and will hold law enforcement officers accountable when they abuse their authority by using excessive force.”
The crime Drewery pleaded guilty to carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing will be set by the court in approximately 90 days.
The case was investigated by the Oklahoma City FBI Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry of the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Grady County, Oklahoma Jail Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY — Today, Johnnie Drewery, 27, a former Sergeant with the Grady County Jail, in Chickasha, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to using unreasonable force against an inmate, thereby violating the inmate’s constitutional civil rights.
According to court documents and admissions Drewery made during the plea hearing, Drewery, on July 11, 2020, was involved with changing an inmate, D.H., into a suicide smock and then moving D.H. into a first floor holding cell. Drewery put D.H. into the holding cell and, as the cell door was closing, D.H. spit on Drewery. Drewery then screamed for the cell door to be reopened. When the cell door was unlocked, Drewery rushed into the cell and, in retaliation for being spit on, began to use his hands and knee to strike D.H, which resulted in D.H. suffering a fractured rib as a result of this assault.
"The defendant is being held accountable for using excessive force against a man inside of a jail cell who was not posing a threat at the time he was assaulted," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "The Civil Rights Division will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officials who deprive individuals of their Constitutional rights by using excessive force against them."
"Law enforcement and corrections officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe," said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. "But when an officer betrays the badge and the public’s trust, as the defendant did here, they dishonor their profession and endanger the safety of their fellow officers. I commend the OKC FBI Field Office and the entire prosecution team for their diligent work on this case."
"The FBI is the primary federal agency tasked with investigating violations of federal civil rights," said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. "Along with our partners at the Department of Justice, we work to protect the civil rights of all to ensure that individuals are treated fairly when they are in the custody of law enforcement. We take this responsibility seriously and will hold law enforcement officers accountable when they abuse their authority by using excessive force."
The crime Drewery pleaded guilty to carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing will be set by the court in approximately 90 days.
The case was investigated by the Oklahoma City FBI Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry of the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Glastonbury Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Federal Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GEORGE LEE, 51, of Glastonbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to six months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing false tax returns. Judge Bryant also ordered Lee to pay a $5,500 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lee owns and operates American U.S.A. Paving. For the 2015 through 2018 tax years, Lee provided his tax return preparer with information that substantially understated the gross receipts for the paving business. As a result, Lee’s personal federal income tax returns for the 2015 through 2018 tax years, which Lee authorized his preparer to file with the IRS, underreported his income by a total of more than $588,000, resulting in a tax loss of $154,238.
Lee has paid full restitution to the IRS.
On July 20, 2021, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
Lee who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on March 30.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Georgia Dog-Fighting Trainer and Breeder Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A well-known dog-fighting trainer and breeder, who owned Cane Valley Kennels, was sentenced to the statutory maximum of five years in prison resulting from an investigation into a significant multi-state dog-fighting and cocaine trafficking ring.
Vernon Vegas, 49, of Suwanee, Georgia, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow his imprisonment and a $10,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Additionally, pursuant to his plea agreement, Vegas agreed to forfeit $116,819 in cash seized during the investigation.
“Vernon Vegas is being held accountable for his violent, illegal and inhumane actions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This case illustrates that dog-fighting is intimately connected with the underworld of drugs and organized crime, and that the Department of Justice will investigate and prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Vernon Vegas has received the maximum prison sentence for training others in the brutal and bloody business of dog-fighting, a world that fosters a multitude of other dangerous criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our office, working alongside local, state and federal law enforcement, will hold individuals and groups that participate in illegal dog-fighting accountable for their crimes.”
According to court documents, law enforcement investigated a criminal organization involved in both cocaine distribution and organized dog fighting based out of Roberta, Georgia, which extended into North Georgia, Florida and Alabama from May 2019 until February 2020. In February 2020, law enforcement executed 15 residential search warrants and seized more than 150 dogs that were being used for organized dog fighting.
Between October 1996 and February 2020, Vegas, the owner of Cane Valley Kennels, bred, trained, sold and transported dogs for the purpose of dog fighting, including Grand Champion “Baby Gracie,” Champion “Son of Sam 2XBis,” Champion “Spider,” Champion “Bucky Mike,” Champion “Bear,” Champion “Kocky Mike,” Champion “Fantasmin,” Champion “Julie the Great,” and one-time winner, “Brenda.” As part of his business, Vegas designed and offered a seven-week “keep” where he trained dogs for animal fighting ventures, prepared online pedigrees for the fighting dogs bred and trained at Cane Valley Kennels, provided advice to his co-conspirators on how to train dogs for purposes of engaging in animal fighting ventures and kept a multitude of training and conditioning equipment including slat mills, chains, a staple gun, hanging weight scales, break sticks, flirt poles and various medicines to treat injuries or disease sustained by dogs made to fight. Between January 2017 and February 2020, Vegas attended dog fights with co-conspirators Derrick Owens and Christopher Raines at locations in the Middle District of Georgia and advised Owens on various matters related to preparing dogs for animal fighting.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Merriweather County Sheriff’s Office, the Peach County Sheriff’s Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Byron Police Department and the Fort Valley Police Department.
Trial Attorney Banu Rangarajan of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
Gaston Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — United States Attorney Corey F. Ellis announced today that Sean Michael Bandelier, 44, of Gaston, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the production of child pornography.
Evidence presented in court showed that Bandelier coerced a minor child under six years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing photographs and videos of the abuse, which Bandelier then distributed by text message and the internet. Evidence indicated Bandelier was communicating with a person he believed was the mother of a child in another state making her child available for sexual abuse. The pair discussed past and potential future abuse of multiple children. In truth, Bandelier was speaking with a man in New Mexico who was a target of authorities in that state for offenses related to the sexual abuse of children. During their conversations, Bandelier distributed photographs and videos of the sexual abuse of children to the New Mexico target.
On August 5, 2020, investigators with the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department received a lead indicating a victim may be in immediate danger of being abused. Search warrants and the arrest of Bandelier were executed that same day, with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other federal and local agencies. Bandelier was charged by way of Criminal Complaint and has remained in custody since that time.
Bandelier ultimately pled guilty to the production of child pornography. Facts presented at sentencing also provided evidence that Bandelier formatted a phone as law enforcement approached, likely destroying evidence, for which the court enhanced Bandelier’s sentence for obstruction of justice.
United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Bandelier to 324 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered Bandelier to pay restitution to one victim, and Bandelier will have to register as a sex offender after release.
The case was investigated by HSI, the South Carolina ICAC Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, and the Albuquerque, New Mexico Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography was sentenced December 3, 2021, to 10 years in federal prison.
Billy Jack Canavan, age 48, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 9, 2021, guilty plea to receipt of child pornography.
In a plea agreement, Canavan admitted that from April 13, 2018, to October 21, 2019, he received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In July of 2019, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber tip from Dropbox, Inc. of an account registered to a user in Fort Dodge that contained child pornography. The Fort Dodge/Webster County Cyber Crimes Unit executed a search warrant on the Dropbox account and seized a hard drive containing additional images and videos of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Canavan confirmed the Dropbox account belonged to him and he knowingly received the child pornography through the account. On October 25, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Canavan’s residence and seized a Google Pixel cellular phone, Samsung Galaxy J7 Sky Pro, a Cool Pad cellular phone, and Toshiba hard drive. Canavan admitted to using these devices to access multiple online accounts in which he stored child pornography that he had received over the internet, including inter alia MEGA Ltd, Kik, and Dropbox.
Canavan was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Canavan was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $15,000 in restitution to the victims. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Canavan is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mikala Steenholdt and Timothy Duax and investigated by Webster County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Dodge Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-3054.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Rochester Pawn Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Devin Tribunella, 37, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to transportation of stolen goods in interstate commerce. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that Tribunella owned and operated Royal Crown Pawn & Jewelry on Dewey Avenue in Rochester. Tribunella and his employee, Wade Shadders, purchased stolen goods and merchandise from individuals, commonly referred to as “boosters,” who shoplifted the goods and merchandise from Rochester area retail stores. Tribunella routinely advised the boosters what type of merchandise to steal from the retail stores, such as Lowes, Home Depot, Target, and Walmart, and then paid the boosters a fraction of the true retail value for the goods. Tribunella listed the stolen goods for sale on eBay, advertising the goods as “New” or “New-In-Box” and priced below retail value. Between January 2017, and November 2019, Tribunella sold and shipped (or caused to be shipped) approximately $3,248,426 worth of those stolen goods to buyers located outside of New York State.
As part of his plea, Tribunella will forfeit over $200,000 cash, four luxury vehicles, and will be required to pay a $1,600,000 money judgement.
Wade Shadders was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief David Smith; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood; and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 19, 2022, before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #
Former New Castle Man Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A former resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced on two indictments in federal court today on his conviction of violating federal drug trafficking laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Donte Calhoun, age 32. As to the first indictment, the defendant was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and as to the second indictment, the defendant was also sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, with those sentences to run concurrently. Upon release from imprisonment, the defendant shall be placed on supervised release for a term of six years.
According to information presented to the court, on August 14, 2018, a confidential informant provided $2,250 to purchase cocaine and heroin from a target, who was not Calhoun. During the transaction, as established through surveillance, photographs, and recordings, Calhoun delivered approximately 27 grams of cocaine that the target provided to the confidential informant.
Later in 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted an investigation of a drug trafficking organization centered in New Castle. That investigation included court-authorized interception of communications in which Calhoun was intercepted discussing cocaine trafficking with a member of the drug trafficking organization.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway and Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney, Cindy K. Chung, commended the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work leading to the prosecution of Donte Calhoun.
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.
Former Federal Credit Union President Sentenced to More than Four Years in Prison for Embezzlement and Failing to File TaxesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - An Ohio resident has been sentenced in federal court to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, which includes 12 months of home detention, on her conviction of embezzlement from a federal credit union and willful failure to file tax returns, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Stacey Shaw, 48, of Salem, Ohio, 44460.
According to information presented to the court, Shaw was the President and CEO of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 712, Federal Credit Union when she opened six unauthorized credit cards in her name. After opening the credit cards, Shaw, without authorization, repeatedly raised the credit limits on the cards over the course of approximately three years. When Shaw’s conduct was ultimately discovered, she had accumulated a total outstanding balance of approximately $2.1 million on the credit cards. The loss to the credit union, which had been in existence since 1964, was so profound that it had to be permanently closed and liquidated.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shaw.
Former Federal Background Investigator Sentenced for Falsifying Background Investigation ReportsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michelle Layton, 57, a former background investigator for the National Background Investigations Bureau, now the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, was sentenced today to three years of probation and ordered to pay more than $100,000 in restitution for falsifying reports of investigation she submitted as part of background investigations of individuals seeking national security clearances.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), and Amy K. Parker, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM OIG).
Layton, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty in November 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to making a false statement. She was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. As part of her plea, Layton resigned her position. She also must pay $101,344 in restitution to the government, representing the cost to rework numerous background investigations. The judge also ordered her to perform 200 hours of community service.
As part of her plea, Layton admitted to falsifying multiple reports of investigation for background investigations over the course of a year, between February 2018 to February 2019. Layton admitted that she would submit reports in which she claimed she had interviewed a source about a background investigation subject or that she had collected records about the subject when she had not. Layton falsified reports of investigation in background investigations for individuals seeking national security clearances, including Top Secret clearances, and the U.S. Department of Defense relied on the falsified reports to determine whether a subject was eligible for a security clearance.
DCSA has a robust integrity assurance program which uses a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative work was detected through that program.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Vaughn and Veronica Sanchez, and Paralegal Specialist Quiana Dunn-Gordon.
Former Bureau of Prisons Chaplain Sentenced for BriberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ericjon Thomas, age 46, residing in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 13, 2022, to three years’ probation by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani after pleading guilty to bribery of a public official.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Mr. Thomas, while employed as a prison chaplain at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania, received money in exchange for smuggling items of contraband into the penitentiary, which included, among other things, cigarettes, a G-Shock watch, a pair of Gucci sunglasses, and pornographic magazines. His illegal conduct spanned a period of approximately 11 months.
Thomas resigned his position as a Bureau of Prisons chaplain on April 26, 2017. Thomas also forfeited $15,000 to the U.S. Marshal Forfeiture Fund prior to sentencing.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Inspector General, Trenton, New Jersey. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
# # #
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for the Murder of a Terre Haute Police Detective Who Served as an FBI Task Force OfficerRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE – A federal grand jury in Indianapolis returned an indictment today charging a Terre Haute man with the murder of a federal officer, attempted arson of federal property, and using a firearm during a crime of violence causing death. The charges against Shane Meehan, 45, stem from the July 7, 2021 killing of Terre Haute Police Detective and FBI Task Force Officer Gregory Ferency. Meehan was previously charged by a federal criminal complaint filed on July 8, 2021.
According to court documents, on July 7, 2021, Meehan drove his pickup truck to the gate of the FBI resident agency building in Terre Haute. Meehan exited his truck and threw a Molotov cocktail toward the building. Shortly thereafter, Terre Haute Police Detective and FBI Task Force Officer Gregory Ferency walked out of the FBI building and was confronted by Meehan, who was holding a firearm. Meehan shot TFO Ferency, who died of his injuries.
“Every day, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers are entrusted to protect the public and uphold equal justice under law, all at the risk of their own lives. As such, the murder of a federal law enforcement officer in the line of duty is an attack against our entire community,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Perpetrators of such crimes must be held accountable. Our thanks and admiration go out to those who selflessly responded to the assault at the Terre Haute FBI resident agency. The Department of Justice extends its heartfelt sympathies to TFO Ferency’s family, friends, and colleagues for his tragic death.”
“This indictment is another step forward in bringing resolution to the ambush of Task Force Officer Greg Ferency, who was one of 73 law enforcement officers intentionally killed in the line of duty last year, and one of three of our own FBI family to lose their lives at the hands of others,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen. “We continue to mourn Greg's tragic loss and are reminded every day of the ultimate sacrifice he made while serving his community and country. We are committed to a thorough and meticulous investigation to bring resolution to this case and ensure accountability.”
The defendant was arrested on July 7, 2021 and has been ordered detained in the custody of the United States Marshal, pending trial. He will make his initial appearance on the indictment before a United States Magistrate Judge at a later date.
The murder and firearms charges are capital-eligible offenses, punishable by lifetime imprisonment or death. Should the Attorney General of the United States determine that the circumstances of the offenses are such that a sentence of death is justified, the law requires that notice be filed with the court at a reasonable time before trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. The Terre Haute Police Department and the Indiana State Police also provided valuable assistance.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William McCoskey, Lindsay Karwoski, and Kathryn Olivier, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ex-Pro Skateboarder Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine and Laundering Bitcoin Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former professional skateboarder was sentenced today to 97 months in federal prison for selling nearly two pounds of methamphetamine and laundering Bitcoin for the dark-web operations of other drug traffickers.
Evan Jaime Hernandez, 35, of Long Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter.
Hernandez pleaded guilty in June 2021 to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of laundering of monetary instruments.
According to court documents, from at least March 2018 to March 2019, Hernandez distributed narcotics, conspiring with drug dealers to distribute the controlled substances over one of the world’s largest dark-net marketplaces.
Hernandez not only supplied drugs that were sold over the dark-net by drug dealers such as William Glarner IV, 36, of Irvine, but he also distributed drugs on his own. Glarner pleaded guilty in June 2019 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is serving a 10-year prison sentence for that offense.
In March 2018, Hernandez sold approximately 895 grams (1.97 pounds) of methamphetamine for $5,000 to an individual whom he thought was a money launderer, but who was working with federal law enforcement at the time.
Hernandez also was responsible for laundering Bitcoin for dark-net drug trafficking operations. Hernandez utilized the services of an individual – the same one working with law enforcement – to exchange Bitcoin into cash. Hernandez conducted four Bitcoin-to-cash transactions with the individual, including the exchange of approximately 7.95 Bitcoin for $50,000 in September 2018. By using cryptocurrency and an unlicensed exchanger to liquidate the proceeds, Hernandez intended to conceal the source and ownership of the drug proceeds.
In total, Hernandez conducted four Bitcoin-to-cash exchanges that totaled approximately $171,300.
In March 2019, law enforcement conducted a search warrant of a location controlled by one of Hernandez’s drug dealing associates, where agents found 10 vacuum-sealed bags in United States Postal Service and Federal Express envelopes, as well as four separate vacuum-sealed bags and one gallon-size freezer bag. During this search, agents recovered approximately 6.7 kilograms (14.8 pounds) of methamphetamine that Hernandez distributed and which would have been used to fill orders placed on the dark-net.
“[Hernandez] was involved in a highly sophisticated drug trafficking operation, where he personally took on various roles to ensure its success: obtaining multiple types of narcotics, selling them directly to customers, and laundering money on the backend in a sophisticated manner,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
Hernandez has been ordered to forfeit to the government a 2010 Mercedes-Benz, approximately $35,000 in cash, and various watches, necklaces, rings and other jewelry.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter. The Costa Mesa Police Department, the La Habra Police Department, the Brea Police Department and the Cypress Police Department assisted with the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Kathy Yu of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Evansville Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drugging and Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – An Evansville man was sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child in his care and creating images of the abuse.
According to court documents, on March 25, 2021 the Evansville Police Department responded to an address in Evansville. The officer spoke with an adult female who was reporting that Todd Johnson Jr., 33, Evansville, had sexually explicit images of a child on his cell phone. She reported that earlier that day, she saw an image on Johnson’s cell phone when he was asleep. Johnson awoke and after a confrontation, he fled the area, but the adult female was able to retain his cell phone.
After further investigation, it was discovered that Johnson Jr. used a prescription drug to sedate the minor victim, then he would sexually abuse the victim and take pictures of the abuse. The abuse images demonstrated that the child was heavily sedated or unconscious at the times of the abuse. An arrest warrant was issued for Johnson on April 7, 2021, and he was arrested on April 8, 2021.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case. The Evansville Police Department and the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crime Unit also provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young also imposed 15 years of supervised release and Johnson must register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc