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Friday 22 October 2021
Armed New York Resident Sentenced on Drug Conspiracy Charge in VermontRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Mark Anthony Eusebio, 28, of New York, New York, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to 30 months of incarceration following his guilty plea to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. Chief District Judge Geoffrey Crawford also ordered that Eusebio be subject to three years of supervised release following his sentence of incarceration.
In September 2020, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned an indictment charging Eusebio with conspiring to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and distributing 28 grams or more of cocaine base. In April 2021, the United States filed a plea agreement it had reached with Eusebio, allowing him to plead to possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine base, and Eusebio pleaded guilty to the drug offense on April 19, 2021. Eusebio faced up to 20 years of imprisonment for the crime to which he pleaded. Eusebio appeared before the Court for sentencing today, and the Court ordered that Eusebio remain released—subject to conditions of supervision—pending his self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons for service of his 30-month sentence of imprisonment.
According to court records, Eusebio (who was known as “Slim” to drug customers) was involved in a conspiracy with others—including Kelvin Espiritusanto—to transport large amounts of cocaine into Vermont for further distribution. Eusebio and Espiritusanto used a Toyota Rav4 modified with a post-market locking “trap” compartment to transport the cocaine and the proceeds from its distribution between New York and Vermont. Eusebio frequently delivered the controlled substances personally, but he would often employ Espiritusanto as a runner in his place to bring the drugs to Vermont. Eusebio was arrested in Springfield, Massachusetts, on September 21, 2020, while driving the Toyota Rav4. At that time, he possessed approximately 75 grams of cocaine base (commonly known as “crack cocaine”), approximately 10 grams of heroin, and a loaded Ruger handgun. Espiritusanto is currently a fugitive.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Vermont Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and noted his appreciation for the important assistance of the Massachusetts State Police. “Firearm-possessing drug traffickers create a significant risk of violence in our communities while they peddle poison for profit. The United States Attorney’s Office, working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of armed drug traffickers, like Mark Anthony Eusebio, to hold them accountable for their criminal conduct.”
Eusebio was represented by attorney Mark Kaplan, Esq. The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher.
Acting U.S. Attorney Williams and Police Commissioner Outlaw Host Town Hall to Discuss Collaborative Asian Community Safety InitiativeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw hosted a town hall meeting this week to discuss the Asian Community Safety Initiative, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations; and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. The event was held in-person and virtually from the PCDC office in Center City, Philadelphia. The Executive Director of PCDC, John Chin, moderated the event.
Speakers at the meeting included Assistant United States Attorneys, FBI Agents, and ATF Agents who work together to investigate and prosecute at the federal level hate crimes and violent crimes directed at the Asian community. Representatives from the Philadelphia Police Department spoke about how the department works with federal law enforcement when investigations are pursued at the federal level, and officers of Asian descent introduced themselves and re-affirmed their commitment to serving the community of which they are a part. The audience was given examples of crimes that are prosecuted under local and federal statutes, information about how to report crimes to the appropriate authorities, and resources to get more information including contact information for the presenting agencies. Finally, a representative from PCHR discussed incidents which might not be criminal in nature, but are nevertheless upsetting to recipients and which may be addressed through services offered by the commission.
Following the presentations, speakers took questions from the audience (both virtual and in-person). Questions ranged from how to overcome language barriers, to how to ensure cultural competency, to how the Department could leverage future technologies to assist with crime reporting by the community.
“Our goal is to stop crimes before the occur, and tonight’s meeting is an important step toward achieving that goal,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “I want to thank the members of the community in attendance who have come here to engage with law enforcement and work together towards positive change and a safer city. It will require effort from everyone to achieve this goal.”
“Acts of violence and hate against our AAPI community members are entirely unacceptable, and our department remains committed to working with our law enforcement and community partners to address these serious concerns,” said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. “Earlier this year, the PPD surveyed members of the Patrol and Detective Bureaus in order to identify Police Officers, Supervisors and Detectives that are interested in participating in a program of AAPI Community Outreach to be conducted jointly by the PPD and the U.S Attorney's Office. Numerous Police Officers, Sergeants, and investigators of AAPI descent are participating in this program that is being guided by our Deputy Commissioner of Investigations, Ben Naish. We look forward to this new partnership.”
“It’s crucial for us to listen to members of the community, to hear their fears and concerns about hate incidents and violent crime,” said Bradley S. Benavides, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “We also want to answer people’s questions, and let them know how the FBI and our partners are working on their behalf. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community.”
“ATF remains dedicated to investigating violent firearm-related crimes throughout the Philadelphia region,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of our communities.”
“We have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic to address anti-Asian hate and bias, and we see this event as a critical step in educating our communities about the importance of reporting hate incidents. In addition, this event functions to build trust between law enforcement and the AAPI communities--trust that is crucial to build and maintain in order to keep our communities safe,” said Albert Randy Duque, Deputy Director, PCHR.
“The coming together of community and law enforcement is a critical tool to abating violence, especially against Asian American communities,” said John Chin, Executive Director, PCDC. “As a community-based organization, PCDC has been helping victims, leading advocacy, and championing equitable resources to overcome language and cultural barriers. This meeting was a step in the right direction, and we appreciate the Department of Justice and Philadelphia Police Department's commitment to addressing hate crimes and violence against Asian American communities.”
Video of the town hall meeting and slides from the presentation are available on PCDC’s website: https://chinatown-pcdc.org/asian-community-safety-initiative/.
"Operation 922" – The Federal Domestic Violence Initiative for Western Oklahoma is Getting ResultsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester highlights the success of "Operation 922," which specifically targets domestic violence abusers for federal prosecution in western Oklahoma. Operation 922 was initiated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma in March of 2018 as part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. Through Operation 922, state and tribal police departments and District Attorneys throughout the Western District of Oklahoma have direct access to federal prosecutors who review domestic violence-related cases for those that warrant federal prosecution.
"We cannot have safe neighborhoods without first having safe homes," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester. "By bringing the power of federal prosecution to hold domestic abusers accountable, particularly when that abuser is in possession of a firearm, we are saving the lives of the women and children who are victims of the abuse, and the police officers who respond to domestic calls. We are proud to partner with the police officers, prosecutors, and non-profit entities working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma."
"Palomar is proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Operation 922," said Palomar CEO and Founder Kim Garrett. "This innovative and coordinated partnership says to survivors, 'you have the full weight of the OKC metro behind you.' For the offenders out there, our holistic approach means that you have the full weight of the OKC metro seeking to ensure you’re held accountable, and you don’t hurt anyone else."
"ATF is committed to fighting all violent crime in Oklahoma. At the forefront of violent crime is domestic violence. Firearms, violence, and the home are ingredients for tragedy. Together with our partners, ATF will do everything we can to stop the cycle of domestic abuse," said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said, "The Oklahoma City Police Department is grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, that helps us hold domestic abusers accountable for their actions. We all have the same goal of combating domestic violence. Operation 922 helps us do just that by being able to federally prosecute those abusers."
The Problem
Domestic violence is not limited to specific geographic areas but exists in all neighborhoods (wealthy and poor) and in all communities (metropolitan and rural). When the most violent members of any community use firearms during acts of domestic violence, the odds that the abuse victims and responding officers could be injured or killed increase tremendously.
The Operation 922 Strategy
The Operation 922 strategy brings law enforcement and prosecutors together with common purpose and clear direction – uniting resources for the purpose of holding domestic abusers accountable. As part of this strategy, Operation 922 prioritizes prosecutions of federal firearms offenses that arise in domestic violence settings. In other words, when police officers respond to domestic violence calls, state and federal prosecutors work closely with investigating officers to determine whether firearms charges or other federal charges are applicable to the offenses committed. Common federal charges include illegal possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person (1) previously convicted of a felony offense, (2) previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, or (3) subject to an active Victim Protective Order. Prosecutors have also charged domestic abusers with several other federal offenses applicable to persons prohibited from carrying firearms, including possession of a firearm by a person under indictment, drug user in possession of a firearm, and making false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers to buy a firearm.
Given the focus on the violent propensity of the abuser, federal prosecutors often seek the defendant’s pre-trial detention after arrest, in part to limit the abuser’s ability to return to the home and exert control and intimidation over victim(s) while trial is pending. The objective of Operation 922 is to stop repeated violence by domestic abusers through enforcement of federal law in domestic violence-derived cases. In addition, both federal and state prevention and re-entry programs can be utilized for lasting reductions in crime.
The Partnerships
Operation 922 is a collaboration of law enforcement and prosecutor partners that include the United States Attorney’s Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma City Police Department, Midwest City Police Department, Del City Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and other state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Oklahoma. Operation 922 continues to expand to other communities in western Oklahoma, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducts regular training sessions to inform local law enforcement on elements of federal offenses.
From the beginning, Operation 922 has maintained a pivotal partnership with Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center. Palomar brings together multi-disciplinary resources under one roof to meet the specific and multiple areas of need experienced by the victims of domestic abuse.
Recently, the Operation 922 collaboration has expanded to include the District Attorney’s Office for District 4 (Blaine, Canadian, Garfield, Grant, and Kingfisher Counties), Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, El Reno Police Department, Yukon Police Department, and Cardinal Point, the new Family Justice Center in El Reno.
The Success and Examples
Since March of 2018, Operation 922 has resulted in federal charges for 167 separate individuals, in domestic violence-derived cases, committed in 20 different counties in the Western District of Oklahoma. Of those, 153 have already been convicted or have pled guilty, with the remaining cases still pending. At this time, 122 defendants have been sentenced by federal judges to serve, on average, nearly 75 months in federal prison. Of the 167 defendants charged, 33% are known gang members. From these defendants, a total of 236 firearms and 3,566 rounds of ammunition have been seized.
The following press releases over the past three years are examples that demonstrate the violent conduct of the abusers and the breadth of Operation 922’s impact:
- "Operation 922" Results in Four Federal Indictments Related to Domestic Violence - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/operation-922-results-four-federal-indictments-related-domestic-violence (December 20, 2018)
- Jury Returns Carjacking Conviction / Carjacking Conviction Results in Forty Years in Prison - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/jury-returns-carjacking-conviction (September 2, 2018); https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/carjacking-conviction-results-forty-years-prison (April 23, 2019)
- Four Defendants Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison in Separate Domestic Violence Related Cases - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/operation-922 (May 31, 2019)
- Seiling Man Sentenced to Five Years for Domestic Violence in Indian Country - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/seiling-man-sentenced-five-years-domestic-violence-indian-country (September 20, 2019)
- Juries Return Convictions in Two Separate “Operation 922” Domestic-Violence Gun Trials - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/juries-return-convictions-two-separate-operation-922-domestic-violence-gun-trials (October 11, 2019)
- Firearm Violation Results in Prison Sentence of More Than Nine Years - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/firearm-violation-results-prison-sentence-more-nine-years-0 (December 9, 2019)
- Domestic Altercation Involving Firearm Leads to Ten-Year Sentence - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/domestic-altercation-involving-firearm-leads-ten-year-sentence (December 18, 2019)
- Oklahoma City Man to Serve 108 Months for Possessing a Firearm After a Prior Felony Conviction - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-serve-108-months-possessing-firearm-after-prior-felony-conviction (March 18, 2020)
- Convicted Felon Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Firearm Possession Discovered Following a Domestic Violence Call - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-decade-prison-firearm-possession-discovered-following (April 30, 2020)
- Felon Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Federal Prison for Dealing Heroin While Discharging a Firearm - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/felon-sentenced-more-decade-federal-prison-dealing-heroin-while-discharging-firearm (July 23, 2020)
- Lawton Man Sentenced to Serve a Decade in Federal Prison for Shooting During Road Rage Incident - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/lawton-man-sentenced-serve-decade-federal-prison-shooting-during-road-rage-incident (October 30, 2020)
- Oklahoma City Attorney Sentenced to Serve 24 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While Subject to Victim Protective Order - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-attorney-sentenced-serve-24-months-federal-prison-possessing-firearm (March 23, 2021)
- Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 36 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While Using Illegal Substance - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-sentenced-serve-36-months-federal-prison-possessing-firearm-while (April 2, 2021)
- Five Additional Defendants Charged as Part of “Operation 922” - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/third-anniversary-operation-922-sees-149-defendants-charged-federal-crimes-domestic (April 9, 2021)
- Federal Jury Convicts Oklahoma City Man for Possession of Ammunition and Witness Tampering - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/federal-jury-convicts-oklahoma-city-man-possession-ammunition-and-witness-tampering (May 4, 2021)
- Shawnee Man Sentenced to Serve 78 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Ammunition After Being Convicted of Felonies - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/shawnee-man-sentenced-serve-78-months-federal-prison-illegal-possession-ammunition (May 19, 2021)
- Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Being Convicted of Felonies - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-sentenced-serve-ten-years-federal-prison-illegal-possession-firearm (May 27, 2021)
- Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-sentenced-serve-more-six-years-federal-prison-illegal-possession (June 30, 2021)
- Wellston Man Pleads Guilty to Lying on a Federal ATF Record to Purchase a Firearm from Licensed Gun Dealer -https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/wellston-man-pleads-guilty-lying-federal-atf-record-purchase-firearm-licensed-gun (July 8, 2021)
- Convicted Felon Sentenced to Serve Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Drug Dealing and Firearm Possession - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-serve-twelve-years-federal-prison-drug-dealing-and-firearm (July 17, 2021)
- Former Collegiate Wrestler Sentenced to Serve 36 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/former-collegiate-wrestler-sentenced-serve-36-months-federal-prison-firearm-offense (July 27, 2021)
- Federal Jury Convicts Oklahoma City Man of Illegal Possession of Firearm after Previous Domestic Abuse Convictions - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/federal-jury-convicts-oklahoma-city-man-illegal-possession-firearm-after-previous (August 13, 2021)
- Domestic Abuse Call Results in Six-Year Prison Sentence for Oklahoma City Man Found in Illegal Possession of Ammunition After Previous Felony Convictions - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/domestic-abuse-call-results-six-year-prison-sentence-oklahoma-city-man-found-illegal (August 18, 2021)
- Domestic Disturbance Call Results in Oklahoma City Man Being Sentenced to Serve More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/domestic-disturbance-call-results-oklahoma-city-man-being-sentenced-serve-more-15-years (September 2, 2021)
For more information about Operation 922, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (405) 553-8999.
Thursday 21 October 2021
Woodland Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Israel Covarrubias, 29, of Woodland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and carrying a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2017, Covarrubias and others sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working for law enforcement. In 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Covarrubias’s residence in Woodland. Covarrubias fled out the back door of the residence with a loaded Glock pistol and a pound of cocaine as law enforcement officers were entering the front door of the residence.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, the Woodland Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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.
Undocumented Individual Pleads Guilty to Filing Fraudulent Claims for Close to $1 Million in Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – An undocumented individual pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to use over 100 victims’ identities (without their consent) to unlawfully submit fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits claims, totaling at least $934,129.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, from March 2020 to late October 2020, Alan Ray, 33, conspired with others to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, California Employment Development Department, and other state workforce agencies. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Ray had the state workforce agencies mail debit cards — not in his name — containing unemployment benefits to addresses he had access to. In total, more than $934,129 in unemployment benefits was approved by the state workforce agencies, and at least $698,655 was withdrawn by Ray and his co-conspirators. The fraud was discovered when Ray attempted to ship fraudulently-obtained debit cards from Las Vegas to his residence in Houston, Texas.
Ray pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices. U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan scheduled sentencing for February 4, 2022. Ray faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Los Angeles Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Ulster County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Timothy Schleede, age 30, of Lake Katrine, New York, pled guilty today to distributing fentanyl in Ulster County.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).
Schleede pled guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
As part of his plea, Schleede admitted that on August 26, 2020, he distributed a fentanyl mixture in glassine envelopes to another person in a mall parking lot in Ulster, New York. Schleede was arrested later the same day after selling glassine envelopes containing the same fentanyl mixture in a hotel parking lot in Ulster. Search warrants executed on Schleede’s hotel room and storage locker recovered approximately 8,000 additional glassine envelopes, which contained fentanyl and heroin.
As a result of his convictions, Schleede faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on February 28, 2022. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by URGENT and the DEA, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Encourages West Virginians to Participate in DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Over 80 Collection Sites Located Throughout West Virginia
Available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 23rd
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson encourages West Virginians to rid their homes of unneeded medications during DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The national event offers free and anonymous disposal of unused and unwanted medications that are susceptible to diversion.
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.
For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,000 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.
“The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic—drug overdoses are up thirty percent over the last year alone and taking more than 250 lives every day,” stated DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The majority of opioid addictions in America start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. What’s worse, criminal drug networks are exploiting the opioid crisis by making and falsely marketing deadly, fake pills as legitimate prescriptions, which are now flooding U.S. communities. One thing is clear: prevention starts at home. I urge Americans to do their part to prevent prescription pill misuse: simply take your unneeded medications to a local collection site. It’s simple, free, anonymous, and it can save a life.”
“A record number of West Virginians tragically lost their lives to drug overdose last year,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I urge all West Virginians within the Southern District to clean out their medicine cabinets and drop off unnecessary, unused or expired medications at a nearby collection site this Saturday. Those participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be helping to prevent prescription medications from being diverted and abused. I thank DEA for organizing this life-saving biannual event.”
“With more Americans dying from drug overdoses than ever before, DEA’s Drug Take-Back Day is one way that folks can help make their communities safer, simply by disposing of their unneeded or expired medications,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Scott, who heads the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division. “We’re providing a safe and convenient way to help keep potentially harmful medications out of the wrong hands.”
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is more important than ever before. Last month, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert and launched the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to warn Americans of a surge in deadly, fake prescription pills driven by drug traffickers seeking to exploit the U.S. opioid epidemic and prescription pill misuse. Criminal drug networks are shipping chemicals from China to Mexico where they are converted to dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine and then pressed into pills. The end result—deadly, fake prescription pills—are what these criminal drug networks make and market to prey on Americans for profit. These fake, deadly pills are widely available and deadlier than ever. Fake pills are designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Adderall®, Xanax® and other medicines. Criminal drug networks are selling these pills through social media, e-commerce, the dark web and existing distribution networks.
Along with the alert came a warning that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
On Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.
A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.
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.
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Two Southwestern PA Men Charged with Defrauding HUD ProgramRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Two southwestern Pennsylvania residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, on conspiracy and fraud charges, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The four-count Indictment, returned on September 21, named Richard Sunseri, 36, of Pittsburgh, PA, and Matthew Durbin, 41, of McMurray, PA as the defendants.
According to the Indictment, from in and around April 2017 until in and around December 2017, Sunseri and Durbin knowingly and willfully conspired to defraud the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and falsified statements by bidding on and purchasing property as intended homeowners, only to renovate and the sell the property for profit and splitting the commissions.
More specifically, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Single Family Property Disposition Program allows individuals to purchase a home from HUD after a Federal Housing Administration loan forecloses. The program is designed to encourage ownership by families who intend to reside in the homes as owner/occupants by allowing those families to bid on the foreclosed properties before the process is opened up to real estate investors who merely intend to profit, short-term, by “flipping” the houses. Here, as alleged, Sunseri and Durbin, in an effort to jump the line ahead of other real estate investors, falsely certified on bidding forms that they intended to occupy the homes as owner/occupants, when, in fact, they intended to flip the homes for profit. This unlawful abuse of the Single Family Property Disposition program has two effects that frustrate the program’s purpose: first, it can allow real estate investors to potentially outbid families who otherwise would purchase the home and reside in the community and, second, it allows real estate investors to jump the line and bid on foreclosed homes before other investors are eligible.
The law provides for a term of imprisonment of not more than five years in prison, a fine not greater than $250,000. or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin J. Risacher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Charged with Defrauding HUD ProgramRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH- Two residents of Upper St. Clair, PA, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, on conspiracy and fraud charges, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on September 21, named J. Reed Pirain, 45, and Renee Vasilko, 48, as the defendants.
According to the Indictment, from in and around February 2018, until in and around March 2019, Pirain and Vasilko knowingly and willfully conspired to defraud the Department of Housing and Urban Development and falsified statements by bidding on and purchasing property as intended homeowners, only to renovate and the sell the property for profit.
More specifically, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Single Family Property Disposition Program allows individuals to purchase a home from HUD after a Federal Housing Administration loan forecloses. The program is designed to encourage ownership by families who intend to reside in the homes as owner/occupants by allowing those families to bid on the foreclosed properties before the process is opened up to real estate investors who merely intend to profit, short-term, by “flipping” the houses. Here, as alleged, Pirain and Vasilko, in an effort to jump the line ahead of other real estate investors, falsely certified on bidding forms that Vasilko intended to occupy the home as an owner/occupant, when, in fact, Pirain and Vasilko intended to flip the home for profit. This unlawful abuse of the Single Family Property Disposition program has two effects that frustrate the program’s purpose: first, it can allow real estate investors to potentially outbid families who otherwise would purchase the home and reside in the community and, second, it allows real estate investors to jump the line and bid on foreclosed homes before other investors are eligible.
The law provides for a term of imprisonment of not more than five years in prison, a fine not greater than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin J. Risacher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tribal Member Sentenced to Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, Antoniel Thomas, Sr., 49, of Choctaw, participated in a conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
A federal grand jury indicted Thomas in August of 2020 and he pled guilty on March 4, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone. Thomas admitted to buying and selling hydrocodone on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
Hon. Daniel P. Jordan, III., Chief United States District Judge, sentenced Thomas to a prison term of 33 months, plus a fine of $1,500.00, to be followed by a term of 3 years on supervised release following release from prison.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne.
Toledo Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that James Simpson, 80, of Sylvania, Ohio, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, to investment adviser fraud.
According to court documents, Simpson, a former investment adviser in the Toledo area, admitted to defrauding clients out of more than $400,000 through a fictitious investment opportunity scheme. Beginning in 2020, Simpson interacted with numerous contacts and clients, claiming to have “access to special investment opportunities” at various interest rates and durations. Court records state that at least eight of these clients wrote Simpson a check to purchase investments totaling more than $400,000.
Court documents state that Simpson did not invest this money; rather, he deposited the checks and used the funds for his own personal benefit. In order to deceive investors and continue his scheme, Simpson used investor funds to pay other investors and make it appear that he did, in fact, invest the money.
Simpson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2022.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Toledo Resident Agency. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman.
Three men charged following seizure of over 221 kilograms of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Jaime Cruz Duarte, Rito Armando Torres Gutierrez, and Antonio Penaloza Torres have been charged with federal offenses including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“The trafficking and production of methamphetamine - particularly in such a great quantity – threatens our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “We and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to combat that threat and keep these dangerous drugs and the crime associated with them from ruining lives.”
“This seizure and the charges these methamphetamine dealers now face exemplifies the clear and present danger that poisonous drugs like ‘meth’ pose to our communities,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “Because of the collective efforts between DEA and its law enforcement partners, these drugs are now off the streets and these defendants are facing prosecution.”
“The dangerousness of this type of methamphetamine production and distribution cannot be overstated,” said Dan R. Salter, Executive Director, Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). “The federal and local law enforcement officers that make up this task force are dedicated to stopping that danger and keeping this community safe from the criminal organizations that are involved in spreading this poison.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the indictment, and other information presented in court: law enforcement officers first became aware of these defendants when Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) DEA Agents and Task Force Officers arranged a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from a suspected drug broker.
On September 30, 2021, the broker directed an undercover officer posing as a drug buyer to an address in Ellenwood Georgia, where the undercover officer encountered Jaime Cruz Duarte. Duarte provided the officer with approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine. He was then observed returning to a nearby residence.
Shortly thereafter, Rito Armando Torres Gutierrez and Antonio Penaloza Torres were observed leaving the same residence. After further investigation the same day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence.
Upon searching the residence, investigators discovered a methamphetamine conversion lab, and seized over 221 kilograms of methamphetamine in various stages of production throughout the house. Agents also seized a handgun from the residence. Evidence obtained from the house indicates that the defendants lived at the residence and were allegedly involved in the production and distribution of large amounts of methamphetamine and the transfer of money obtained through methamphetamine distribution to other members of the conspiracy in other locations including California and Mexico.
Jaime Cruz Duarte, 34, Rito Armando Torres Gutierrez, 22, and Antonio Penaloza Torres, 38, of Ellenwood, Georgia, were indicted on October 19, 2021. All three defendants have been federally detained pending trial. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary S. Howard is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Three Defendants Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced three defendants to time in federal prison for federal crimes involving drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms.
Albert Williams, 31, of Beaumont, Texas, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On April 30, 2019 Mega Bus Tours contacted the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office in reference to a bomb scare/threat at Mile Marker 26 on Interstate 10. Law enforcement and fire department personnel arrived on the scene and were standing near the bus as the passengers exited. Williams was a passenger on the bus and when he saw law enforcement officers approaching him, fled the scene on foot carrying a bag. Deputies pursued Williams and saw him place a black pair of sweatpants into a drainage ditch. Williams was apprehended and law enforcement officers located the pants in the ditch. The pants contained a Ziploc bag with a compressed brick of suspected cocaine. The Southwest Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory in Lake Charles tested the substance and determined that it was in fact cocaine with a weight of 1.006 kilograms.
The Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.
Byron Lamar Jackson, 31, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 51 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On January 2, 2020, Lake Charles Police Department officers were dispatched to the intersection of Church and Grace Streets in reference to an individual possessing a firearm. Officers arrived at the scene and after speaking with witnesses, were given consent to search a nearby residence to search for the firearm. While searching the residence, law enforcement officers located a pistol inside a duffle bag used by Jackson. Jackson admitted to officers that he did in fact possess the firearm. As an individual having previously been convicted of a felony crime, Jackson knew that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm. His prior felony convictions are for possession of controlled substances (2008 and 2015); and illegal use of weapons or danger dangerous instrumentalities (2015 and 2018).
The ATF, Lake Charles Police Department and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
David O’Neil a/k/a “Monster,” 41, of Leesville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 84 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release. On June 29, 2021, O’Neil pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Investigators with the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at O’Neil’s residence on January 4, 2019 and during their search, discovered a pistol in the bedroom where O’Neil slept. In addition, law enforcement officers found plastic bags containing suspected methamphetamine. The substance was analyzed by the crime lab and confirmed it to be methamphetamine. O’Neil has prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances in Vernon Parish (2018) and as such is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
The cases involving Byron Lamar Jackson and David O’Neil are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Theft of FBI Vehicle Sends Lafayette Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Timothy Brian King, 34, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for theft of government property.
On Monday, February 22, 2021 at approximately 3:00 a.m., a 2010 Dodge Charger, a vehicle purchased for and belonging to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was stolen from the FBI’s Lafayette Resident Agency parking lot located in Lafayette, Louisiana. The FBI began an investigation into the theft and reviewed video surveillance from the morning of February 22, 2021. The video surveillance showed a white vehicle enter the parking lot and park next to the FBI vehicle. Shortly after arriving, two unidentified persons can be seen exiting the white vehicle and squatting near the driver’s side door of the FBI vehicle. A short time passes before both vehicles are seen leaving the area.
During the investigation, two FBI employees recalled that they had observed two unknown males looking at the FBI vehicle in the parking lot the Friday before the theft of the vehicle occurred. The unknown males were seen exiting the parking lot in a dark-colored SUV with no visible plates. Law enforcement agents learned that the suspect vehicle had been reported stolen and was found in the possession of King’s girlfriend. The girlfriend told officers that her boyfriend, Timothy King, had loaned her the vehicle. Inside the suspect vehicle, agents found a laptop belonging to FBI and registration for the stolen FBI vehicle.
Law enforcement agents further learned from witnesses that King had admitted to stealing the FBI vehicle. A search warrant was executed at King’s residence and agents found an FBI communications radio that had been previously installed in the stolen FBI vehicle. The stolen vehicle was later located on Johnston Street in Lafayette. King was arrested on March 5, 2021 and confessed to stealing the FBI vehicle.
The FBI, Lafayette Police Department and Duson Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Indiana Child Through InstagramRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A Texas man was sentenced to over 23 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child by utilizing the social media platform Instagram to deceive and entice an Indiana teenager to send sexually explicit photos and videos of herself to him.
In December 2018, Marcus Pettus, 37, from Texas and posing a 15-year-old boy, began following the minor victim on Instagram. He soon began sending direct messages to the victim, including purported photos of himself, which appeared to be “selfie” photos of a teenage boy. The victim told Pettus she was 14 years old and in 8th grade. Eventually, Pettus enticed the victim to be his “girlfriend.”
Pettus then began directing the victim to send him sexually explicit photos and videos of herself. Pettus was particular in his demands, instructing the victim how to dress, how to wear her hair, and whether to wear makeup. Pettus also sent the victim images of nude women posed in various positions and directed that the minor send images of herself posed in the same way.
He also enticed the victim to send photos and videos of the victim engaging in sex acts, as well as engaging in acts of self-harm, such as choking and gagging. When the victim protested, Pettus threatened that he would harm himself, and manipulated the victim into sending more sexually explicit material. Pettus was arrested after the minor victim and her parents reported the incident to law enforcement.
“This case represents any parent’s worst nightmare. The lengthy prison sentence should send a message that those who seek to prey on children—particularly those who hide behind the anonymity of the internet—will be caught and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting United States Attorney John E. Childress. “Protecting our youth from cyber criminals and sexual predators will always remain a top priority of this office.”
“HSI is dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable population against sexual predators,” said R. Sean Fitzgerald, acting special agent in charge, HSI Chicago. “This sentence sends an important message that we will not allow any crime against children to go unpunished and we will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecuting partners to hold predators accountable for their actions.”
“The Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force is thankful to our federal partners for allowing us to purse those that harm our children, regardless of where they reside,” said Fishers Police Detective Lieutenant David Flynn. “We will continue to work with agencies that help us best protect our children and keep our communities safe. With Mr. Pettus in prison, we have one less predator endangering our youth.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum who prosecuted the case, said that Pettus will also serve ten years of supervised release following his 281-month prison term and must pay $9,000 in restitution to the minor victim.
In fiscal year 2019, when this case was prosecuted, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana prosecuted the second most cases involving sexual exploitation of a child in the country.
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
Suburban Chicago Woman Guilty of Insider TradingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago woman admitted in federal court today that she used insider information obtained from her husband to purchase shares of a company ahead of its acquisition by the husband’s employer.
DENISE GREVAS, 60, of Evanston, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber set sentencing for Feb. 23, 2022.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil enforcement action against Grevas, provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Jason Yonan represent the government in the criminal case.
Grevas admitted in a plea agreement that in 2019 she made $286,960 in illegal profits from the purchase and sale of securities in a Washington state-based pharmaceutical company, which was a target for acquisition and later acquired by an overseas-based pharmaceutical company that had an office in Deerfield, Ill., and employed Grevas’s husband. Grevas used material, non-public information about the expected acquisition to purchase shares in the Washington company ahead of a public announcement of the acquisition on Sept. 16, 2019. After the announcement, the Washington company’s stock price increased and Grevas sold her shares for the profit, the plea agreement states.
Stanislaus County Men Charged with Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Ricardo Ballardo Quintero, 33, and Juan Suarez Jr., 28, both of Modesto, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Quintero and Suarez were arrested after delivering 199 pounds of methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement officers. Search warrants executed at the homes of both men and vehicles seen leaving those homes shortly after their arrest yielded a total of an additional 27 pounds of methamphetamine, packaging materials, a digital scale, pay owe sheets, receipts for multi-gallon acetone purchases, and approximately $18,500 in cash.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Stanislaus Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Massey is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Quintero and Suarez each face a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine, and a term of supervised release of at least five years. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
St. Paul Felon Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearms, MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced today to 110 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possessing firearms as a felon and for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on March 22, 2021, officers with the Eagan Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop and arrest Joshua Cameron Hanes, 32, on an outstanding felony warrant. Hanes, driving a rented Jeep Compass, tried to flee from officers and smashed into one of the squad cars. After several minutes of disregarding officers’ verbal commands, Hanes eventually exited his vehicle and was taken into custody.
According to court documents, officers searched the Jeep Compass and recovered two bags of methamphetamine weighing a total of 198 grams, and a loaded Springfield Armory, 9mm semiautomatic handgun that had been reported stolen in Hudson, Wisconsin. As part of his plea, Hanes also admitted to possessing a 9mm semiautomatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine. On September 14, 2021, Hanes pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Because he has prior felony convictions, Hanes is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Eagan Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
St. Johnsbury Businessman Charged with Tax Evasion and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Blakely H. Jenkins, Sr., 60, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont has been indicted by the federal grand jury in Burlington on six counts of tax evasion and one count of identity theft in connection with Jenkins’ operation of his St. Johnsbury-based painting business, Blake Jenkins Painting, Inc. Jenkins was arrested on the charges today and is expected to appear in United States District Court tomorrow.
According to the indictment, Jenkins evaded employment taxes for over five years by underreporting to the Internal Revenue Service the amount of wages that Blake Jenkins Painting, Inc. actually paid to its employees. Between July 2015 and October 2020, Jenkins paid employee wages partially or entirely “off the books” in two different ways: by paying them in cash, or by writing them checks falsely denoted as non-wage payments. Jenkins did not include the “off the books” cash or check wages on quarterly forms (“Forms 941”) that Blake Jenkins Painting, Inc. filed with the IRS.
The indictment further alleges that Jenkins knowingly used the name of another person in connection with his commission of tax evasion.
The Acting United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
If convicted, Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for each tax evasion charges, and a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the identity theft charge. The actual sentence in the event of a conviction would be determined with reference to the federal sentencing guidelines.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt commended the investigatory work of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Cate. The defendant is represented by Jody Frey, Esq.
Southwest Georgian Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Operating High-Volume Open Air Illegal Drug “Market”Read the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The leader of a high-volume illegal drug trafficking operation located in a southwest Georgia city was sentenced to federal prison.
Sherrod Winchester, 39, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Wednesday, October 20, by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Sherrod Winchester’s sentencing concludes a lengthy investigation into a stop and shop serving dozens of addicts daily who could easily access methamphetamine, heroin and diverted pharmaceuticals. Winchester’s prolific operation caused community-wide harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Federal, state and local investigators successfully held Winchester and his co-defendants accountable for their brazen crime and prevented further harm to a neighborhood, users and their families.”
“Because of the results of this case the communities in southwest Georgia will be significantly safer," said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "The lengthy sentence received by Winchester serves as an example of the FBI and our law enforcement partners commitment to end the opioid crisis and severely punish anyone involved in contributing to it."
“Drug traffickers are a menace to society, which holds true for a prolific poly-drug trafficker like Mr. Winchester,” said DEA Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy. “He attempted to elude justice, but because of the perseverance and tenacity of all law enforcement agencies involved, he was ultimately apprehended. He, and his co-defendants, will now spend well-deserved time in prison.”
“This investigation illustrates that drug trafficking at any level will not be tolerated in the state of Georgia. It is paramount that violators of drug laws be held accountable. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is fully committed to working with our local and federal partners in drug enforcement to address these types of crimes,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
“Here is another example of how we can utilize local, state and federal resources to address the challenges of drug dealing within our community. These persons continued to disregard the quality of life in their neighborhood by breaking laws meant to protect people from hurt, harm and danger. The victims of these crimes need comprehensive substance abuse treatment and a long-term recovery program. More people may look for a profitable return on drug dealing, but we want them to understand the consequences that come with it,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley.
The following co-defendants have been sentenced:
James Malone, 51, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine;
Laura Ann Dungee-Ali, 49, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises;
William Raymond Cook, 46, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 151 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone;
Shannon Marie Mason, 39, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 75 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine;
Anthony Dewayne Pearson, 42, of Sylvester, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute hydrocodone; and,
Patricia Odom, 50, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in 2019, Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit (ADDU) detectives identified defendants Malone and Winchester as significant distributors of methamphetamine and heroin. As a result, GBI, DEA and FBI initiated a joint investigation into the distribution of controlled substances at 520 9th Avenue, Albany, Georgia. The location was an open-air drug market run by Malone and Winchester, dispensing diverted pharmaceutical medications, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and other controlled substances. On a daily basis, the location maintained a large volume of foot and vehicle traffic, approximately twenty cars or more, with the visits lasting no more than a few minutes. Customers would approach a covered shelter to acquire illegal drugs, in a manner similar to a drive-thru window at a fast-food restaurant. Confidential sources were recorded making purchases of these illegal drugs from several of the co-defendants. Co-defendant Mason admitted to transporting large quantities of illegal substances at the behest of Winchester. Mason was taken into custody with more than a kilo of cocaine and more than a kilo of crystal methamphetamine in her vehicle. More than $40,000 in drug proceeds were seized from Malone’s residence. The drug house operated almost continuously from 2015 until late 2020 or early 2021.
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, GBI and the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case.
South Florida Tax Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison Term for Filing Fraudulent Tax Returns, Costing IRS Almost $3 MillionRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Highlands County, Florida tax return preparer was sentenced yesterday to 37 months imprisonment for filing fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Benny Aguilar, 49, of Lake Placid, owned and operated B&A Services, a tax preparation business, located in Lake Placid. From approximately 2014 through 2018, Aguilar filed fraudulent returns for his clients seeking refunds to which the clients were not entitled by reporting fictitious residential energy credits and inflating the federal income tax withholdings. For each of the years 2014 through 2018, Aguilar submitted approximately 2,235 returns claiming residential energy credits. At sentencing, it was uncontested that Aguilar’s submission of fraudulent tax returns resulted in a loss amount to the IRS of $2,988,702.00.
U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon also sentenced Aguilar to one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay $92,230.00 in restitution.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
IRS-CI Tampa Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana M. Acosta prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-14020.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on October 18, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court Judge.
Michael Lovejoy, age 38, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Lovejoy was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury on June 8, 2021. He pled guilty on August 16, 2021.
Lovejoy was convicted of a sex offense in 2003. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. Between September 28, 2020, and April 29, 2021, Lovejoy failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration. Lovejoy registered an address in Elk Point, South Dakota, on July 28, 2020. He left that address and ultimately traveled to Eagle Butte, South Dakota, without updating his address. Lovejoy did not properly register for a period of seven months.
This case was investigated by U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Lovejoy was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Silver Spring Man Found Guilty of a Money Laundering Conspiracy and of Money Laundering After a Five-Day TrialRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – After a five-day trial, a federal jury yesterday convicted Francis Arthur, age 35, of Silver Spring, Maryland, for a money laundering conspiracy and for money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud victim account holders at a credit union. The jury acquitted Arthur of a wire fraud conspiracy charge.
The verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Matthew R. Stohler of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Department of Police.
According to the evidence presented at Arthur’s trial, from October 2016 through April 2017, Arthur and his co-conspirators engaged in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, source and ownership of the proceeds of a fraud scheme to obtain cash from victim account holders at a Maryland credit union. Specifically, the evidence showed that the conspirators transferred, withdrew cash, and caused cashiers’ checks to be issued from the proceeds of a fraud scheme. Arthur and his co-conspirators then used the funds to purchase motor vehicles to conceal that the funds were derived from a fraud scheme.
Arthur faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy and for each of five counts of money laundering. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has not yet scheduled sentencing.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Secret Service and the Montgomery County Department of Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin B. Pulice and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nauvel, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Shreveport Men Receive Federal Prison Sentences Totaling More Than 20 YearsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that two men involved in trafficking methamphetamine have been sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote.
James Orville Haynes, 43, of Shreveport, Louisiana was sentenced to 108 months (9 years) in prison and Anthony Allen Kellogg, 40, also of Shreveport, was sentenced to 168 months (14 years) in prison. Both men were also sentenced to serve 5 years of supervised release following their time in prison.
On May 11, 2020, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that Kellogg was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Shreveport/Bossier City area. Agents also learned that Kellogg was going to obtain kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from his source of supply that evening or the morning. Law enforcement agents established surveillance of Kellogg on May 12, 2020 and followed him as he drove from Shreveport to Bossier City. Agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Kellogg, but he fled in his vehicle. While fleeing from agents, they observed him throw items from his passenger side window. Kellogg was stopped a short time later and agreed to speak with agents. He admitted to agents that he obtained 5 kilograms of methamphetamine that morning from his source of supply and provided 3 kilograms of the methamphetamine to a co-conspirator, who was later determined to be James Orville Haynes. Agents later retrieved the items thrown from Kellogg’s vehicle which were bags containing 2,976 grams of actual methamphetamine. The drugs were tested at the crime lab and determined to have 55% purity and had an actual weight of 1,636 grams of methamphetamine.
Following the seizure of the methamphetamine and arrest of Kellogg, law enforcement agents searched the residence of Haynes and found approximately 1,969.77 grams of methamphetamine. Haynes admitted to law enforcement agents that the methamphetamine belonged to him.
The DEA investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
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Seekonk Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Seekonk man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021 in federal court in Boston to charges of child pornography.
Sean J. Trahan, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of access with intent to view child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole scheduled sentencing for Feb. 17, 2022.
This case stemmed from two separate investigations into Trahan’s child pornography activities. An undercover investigation revealed that Trahan used the Dark Web to access child pornography in February 2015. In October 2015, Trahan was arrested and charged after a search of his residence revealed images of child pornography on his personal computer. At the time of his arrest, Trahan stated that he had accessed sites containing child pornography.
Trahan was released on conditions, including cell phone monitoring. On Sept. 8, 2021, he was arrested for violating conditions of his release. Trahan remains in custody.
In October 2021, Trahan was later charged in a superseding information after further investigation connected Trahan with a username that posted child pornography in a Kik messenger group. Another search of Trahan’s residence in September 2021 revealed child pornography on Trahan’s tablet.
The charges of possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography with intent to view each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Due to a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography, Trahan faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison if he is convicted. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Winnebago (Wis.) Sherriff’s Office and the Seekonk Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James D. Herbert of Mendell’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Saint Francis Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Saint Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on October 18, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Tanner Kills Enemy, age 23, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Kills Enemy was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 9, 2021. He pled guilty on July 26, 2021.
Between November 4, 2020, and March 9, 2021, Kills Enemy, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, failed to properly register while living on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Kills Enemy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Richmond Man Sentenced to 312 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Richmond, Kentucky man, Lavone Dixon, 36, was sentenced to 312 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to testimony at his trial, on September 17, 2019, Dixon traveled to Dayton, Ohio, to pick up more than three ounces of crystal methamphetamine for distribution. He was arrested in Grant County, Kentucky, while in route to Richmond with the methamphetamine. Agents executed a search warrant on Dixon’s residence and located three firearms concealed inside. Dixon was a convicted felon at the time of these offenses and was prohibited from possessing firearms. Testimony indicated that Dixon had, several times a month since 2016, traveled to Dayton for large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin and distributed those drugs in the Richmond area.
Dixon was convicted of the charges in May 2021.
Under federal law, Dixon must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years, following his release.
Carlton S. Shier IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kentucky State Police, Gateway Area Drug Task Force and the Madison County Drug Task Force, and the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
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Rhode Island Man Convicted for Illegally Obtaining and Selling Sixteen Firearms, Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal jury in Providence on Wednesday convicted a Warwick man on charges that he acted as an unlicensed federal firearms dealer when he purchased and took possession of sixteen firearms over a period of sixteen months in two states and then sold the firearms to other individuals. The jury also found that he made false statements in order to purchase the firearms, claiming, untruthfully, that he was not an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
The jury convicted Ademola Kayode, Jr., 30, of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, possessing a firearm as an unlawful user of controlled substances, making a false statement during the purchase of firearms, and two counts of making false statements to federal agents, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, an investigation by ATF agents determined that between March 25, 2015, and July 16, 2016, Kayode falsely asserted on ATF background forms required for gun purchases that he was not a user of controlled substances, when in fact he was. In total, Kayode purchased sixteen firearms in sixteen months from federally licensed firearms dealers in Rhode Island and Georgia during this period, in addition to others on the Internet. Kayode came to the attention of ATF agents because of his repeated purchases of firearms in a relatively short period of time, often the same or similar model. An investigation determined that Kayode repeatedly sold firearms without a federal firearms license to do so, and at least five of those firearms ended up in the hands of individuals who were legally prohibited from possessing them.
As part of the investigation, in June 2016, Kayode was surveilled by ATF agents as he left a Rhode Island firearms dealer after taking possession of four firearms he had purchased. Kayode, who rode as a passenger in the back seat of a vehicle, rode past the area of his residence and then into South Providence. He later told investigators that he had taken those firearms, and others he had purchased in Rhode Island, to Georgia. Two of those firearms were later recovered in Providence by Rhode Island State Police and the FBI from people who were legally prohibited from possessing them.
To date, five of the sixteen firearms purchased by Kayode between March 2015 and July 2016 have been recovered by law enforcement. Three of the guns were recovered in Rhode Island, one in Atlanta, and one in Queens, New York. All were in the possession of individuals who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
During a recorded interview with ATF agents on July 28, 2016, and introduced as evidence during the trial, Kayode was unable or refused to provide ATF agents with an accounting as to where the guns he had purchased over the past sixteen months could be located. Kayode told agents that he brought the guns to Georgia and that they were in “different places,” and that he had used them in a music video. He told investigators he was planning to bring the guns back to Rhode Island. In the same interview, after first denying he sold any firearms at all, Kayode told investigators he sold firearms to people he met through Armslist, an online firearms marketplace.
According to the government’s evidence, although it appeared that Kayode purchased firearms through Armslist, ATF agents found no evidence that Kayode, who is not a licensed federal firearms dealer, sold any firearms on the website.
According to evidence presented to the jury, two days after being interviewed by ATF agents, Kayode went to the Warwick Police Station and reported that a storage shed in his yard had been broken into and a safe containing the firearms he purchased in Rhode Island and Georgia, along with a leaf blower and grass trimmer, had been stolen. A Warwick Police Officer who responded with other officers to Kayode’s residence testified at trial that they found no evidence of the shed having been broken into or of a safe having been in the shed.
As a result of a review by ATF agents of thousands of Kayode’s text messages, emails, and other communications, and additional evidence gathered during the investigation, it was determined that Kayode regularly resold firearms that he purchased from licensed dealers to others for a higher price than he paid. Some of those guns ended up in the possession of persons who were legally prohibited from possessing firearms. It was also determined that Kayode had numerous communications about purchasing and obtaining marijuana.
Kayode, who had been released on unsecured bond while awaiting trial, was ordered detained following the return of the jury’s verdict. Kayode is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, who presided over the three-day trial, on February 8, 2022.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and Lee H. Vilker.
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Repeat Felon Sentenced to Statutory Maximum Resulting from PSN InvestigationRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, the statutory maximum under federal sentencing guidelines.
Charleston Magee, aka Chopp, 33, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Oct. 20, after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Convicted felons caught illegally possessing a firearm will face serious consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Repeat offenders who continually break the law will be held accountable for their crimes. I want to thank the Columbus Police Department and the ATF for their work on this case.”
“Convicted felons have no business possessing firearms,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt. “The citizens of Columbus are safer now that Mr. Magee will spend the next ten years of his life in federal prison.”
“I am pleased with the outcome of this case and I am thankful for our partnership with the ATF. We will continue to work together to make gun cases on those who possess them illegally. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in Columbus, Georgia,” said Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon.
According to court documents, the Special Operations Unit of the Columbus Police Department (CPD) met with a confidential informant (CI) in August 2019 about an individual known as “Chopp” who was distributing illegal drugs in the community. Under surveillance, the CI purchased illegal drugs from Magee in August and September 2019. Officers executing a search warrant at Magee’s residence on September 16, 2019, found quantities of methamphetamine, powder and crack cocaine in baggies, a Glock 19 handgun with a large-capacity extended magazine containing six rounds of live ammunition, a .22 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, an extended pistol magazine and $3,000 in cash. Magee was previously convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
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.
The case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals prosecuted the case for the Government.
Readout of Meeting between Department of Justice and the Central Bureau of Investigation of Government of IndiaRead the Press Release
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun G. Rao of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, together with colleagues from the Consumer Protection Branch and the FBI, met this week with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials in New Delhi to further strengthen law enforcement cooperation. They discussed means for combating emerging crime trends, including fighting rising telemarketing fraud.
In their meetings, the parties affirmed their shared commitment to strengthen cooperation in combating crime, specifically with respect to efforts to investigate and prosecute cyber-enabled financial frauds and global telemarketing frauds, including international robocalls and communications.
They additionally discussed the need for continued cooperation in tackling emerging technology-based crimes through faster information exchange and evidence sharing, with a view to ensure security and protection of citizens of both jurisdictions.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of Government Property and FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Theft of Government Property and Supplemental Security Income Benefits Fraud was sentenced on October 19, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Linda R. Reade.
Holli Lundahl, a/k/a Holli Telford, age 65, was convicted by a jury of both charges and was sentenced to a total of 18 months in federal prison. Lundahl was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a total of $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $70,110 in restitution. Lundahl must serve her sentence consecutive to a federal sentence of three years in custody she received for fraudulent behavior in Wyoming.
Evidence at trial established Lundahl knowingly stole and converted to her own use Social Security Administration Title XVI Social Security Supplemental Income payments between 2011 and 2019. The evidence showed Lundahl received and kept the payments, even though she was not entitled to them, because she owned property and had resources far in excess of the limits permissible for Title XVI beneficiaries. In order to continue to receive the benefits, Lundahl falsely reported, concealed, and failed to disclose to the Social Security Administration extensive property, resources, and assets she held or possessed.
This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General – Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted and tried the case.
Lundahl was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on October 18, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Benjamen T. Flute, a/k/a Benjamin T. Flute, age 42, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Flute was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 8, 2020. He pled guilty on July 15, 2021.
Flute was convicted of 2nd-Degree Rape in Caddo County, Oklahoma, in December 2007. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. In August 2020, Flute was released from prison and began a period of supervised release in Rapid City, but failed to update his sex offender registration. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, and on November 25, 2020, Flute turned himself into law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Flute was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Multiple Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Eric Ladeaux, age 35, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was found guilty of two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 14, 2021.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction relates to Ladeaux, a person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, possessing firearms that were found after he came into contact with Pennington County Sheriff’s Office deputies in December 2019 and Rapid City Police Department officers in September 2020. Ladeaux was also found to be in possession of an unregistered firearm in the September 2020 stop.
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.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Previously Convicted Fraudster Is indicted on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Joseph A. DiBruno, Jr., 52, of Gastonia, N.C., was indicted by a federal grand jury on bank fraud charges, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The indictment was unsealed this morning following DiBruno’s arrest and initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to the indictment, in 2008, DiBruno was sentenced to 262 months in prison after pleading guilty in the Western District of North Carolina to conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering conspiracy, and concealment of assets. On April 8, 2020, DiBruno was approved by the federal Bureau of Prisons for placement on home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment alleges that after his release to home confinement in May 2020, DiBruno obtained or attempted to obtain loans from at least two financial institutions, based on fraudulent statements and false information he submitted on loan applications. For example, on one loan application DiBruno falsely claimed that he had been employed as Director of Data Analytics by a company listed as M.R.S., that he earned an average monthly salary of up to $8,000, and that had he had lived at the residential address listed on the application for over four years, all of which information was untrue. The indictment also alleges that between May 2020 and June 2021, DiBruno submitted at least five fraudulent loan applications to two financial institutions seeking funds totaling over $120,000.
DiBruno is charged with five counts of making false statements to a credit union. Each count carries a penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1million fine.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI and USPIS led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Philadelphia Police Officer Arrested for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that William Watts, Sr., 55, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Criminal Complaint for transportation and possession of child pornography, arising from his transmission over the internet of images of children being sexually abused.
According to the Complaint, the defendant downloaded multiple files of child pornography from the internet application ‘WhatsApp,’ including depictions of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts, some with adults. The defendant was arrested this morning after the FBI executed a federal search warrant at his residence. He will make his initial appearance in federal court tomorrow, October 22, 2021, and a pretrial detention and probable cause hearing will be scheduled for next week.
During the time of the charged offenses, Watts was employed as a Philadelphia Police Officer.
“As alleged in the Criminal Complaint, the defendant sought out videos of children being abused for his own gratification – thus adding to the demand for these types of images to be produced and more children to be victimized,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “The convenience and accessibility of digital images, coupled with the ease with which child sexual exploitation crimes can be concealed online, make these cases extremely difficult to investigate and prosecute. However, our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing this difficult work in order to hold people like this defendant accountable, no matter their position in the community or occupation.”
“No one is above the law,” said Bradley S. Benavides, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “If you're seeking out images of children being sexually abused and exploited, you're perpetuating the victimization of innocents and the FBI is going to investigate and bring you to justice. Protecting children is the priority here.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pastor of NewLife City Church Facing Federal Indictment in Maryland for Arranging Fraudulent Marriages Between Foreign Nationals and U.S. CitizensRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Joshua Olatokunbo Shonubi, a/k/a Olatokunbo Joshua Shonubi, age 50, of Bowie, Maryland, for a federal charge of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and visa fraud and for presenting false documents to a federal government agency, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain permanent resident status for foreign nationals by arranging marriages to U.S. citizens. The indictment was returned on October 20, 2021 and unsealed today upon the defendant’s arrest.
Shonubi is expected have an initial appearance today at 2:15 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and District Director Gregory L. Collett of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
According to the seven-count indictment, from at least January 2014 through January 2021, Shonubi, pastor of NewLife City Church, Inc. in Hyattsville, Maryland, engaged in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain immigration benefits for foreign nationals by arranging their marriage to United States citizens who served as their sponsors for permanent residence in the United States. The indictment alleges that Shonubi received thousands of dollars from foreign nationals in exchange for connecting them with U.S. citizen sponsors and facilitating their marriages.
The indictment alleges that Shonubi, often utilizing his role as pastor of NewLife, directly or through others, recruited and groomed U.S. citizens, including economically disadvantaged citizens, with payments and promises of money in exchange for marrying foreign nationals, then sponsoring the foreign nationals for permanent residence in the United States through USCIS. Shonubi also allegedly officiated some of the fraudulent marriages or arranged for a civil marriage ceremony to be performed in Virginia. Further, the indictment alleges that Shonubi created and signed at least 38 reference letters on NewLife letterhead in support of foreign nationals’ applications for permanent residence falsely stating: his relation to the parties; the nature of the marriage; his role in providing spiritual guidance or counseling; and his belief as to the romantic nature of the marriage. On at least 34 occasions, Shonubi also allegedly created false rental leases, listing Jaypro, a corporation he formed in 2015, as landlord, to provide proof that the foreign national and U.S. citizen were living together, when in fact, they were living separately. The false documents created by Shonubi and others were allegedly submitted to USCIS as part of the foreign nationals’ applications for permanent residence. The indictment alleges that Shonubi and his co-conspirators submitted at least 60 application packets to USCIS, each documenting a marriage between a U.S. citizen and a foreign national, for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence for the foreign national.
If convicted, Shonubi faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and marriage fraud and a maximum of five years in federal prison for each of six counts of presenting false documents to a federal government agency. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI and USCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason X. Hamilton and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Owner of Eugene and Corvallis Indian Restaurants Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment today charging an Oregon restauranteur with tax evasion and hiding cash from his businesses.
Meeraali Shaik, a Corvallis, Oregon resident and the owner of Evergreen Indian Cuisine, has been charged with one count of tax evasion.
According to court documents, Shaik owned and operated Evergreen Indian Cuisine locations in Eugene and Corvallis. From before 2013 and continuing until 2017, Shaik is alleged to have willfully attempted to evade the assessment of personal income taxes by, among other illegal acts, providing his tax preparer with incomplete bank and income records and false information regarding the cash receipts of his restaurants. Shaik used a portion of the underreported cash receipts to pay mortgage payments on properties in Eugene, Corvallis, and Chandler, Arizona and made wire transfers to a bank account in India.
Shaik will make his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on November 2, 2021. During his first appearance, Shaik will be arraigned, and a jury trial date will be set.
If convicted, Shaik faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, three years’ supervised release, and a $100,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin W. Bruce is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Carolina Tax Preparer Sentenced for False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in prison for assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and for filing a false personal income tax return.
According to court documents, Nicholas Laws, of Durham, was an office manager and a return preparer in the Winston-Salem branch of Tax Mind. As a manager, Laws trained and supervised other Tax Mind return preparers, reviewed tax returns, and filed completed returns. From 2014 to 2019, Laws prepared fraudulent returns for clients that reported false wages and business income to increase clients’ refunds. Laws also edited some returns prepared by other Tax Mind preparers to include similar fraudulent information. Laws charged fees, which occasionally exceeded $1,000, to prepare false returns.
In addition to his preparation of false client returns, Laws also filed a false personal income tax return for 2014 and did not file returns reporting his income for 2015 through 2019, despite being required to do so by law. Laws intended to cause a tax loss to the IRS of $2,934,891.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge William L. Osteen ordered Laws to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $184,072 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cliff Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina prosecuted the case.
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North Carolina Tax Preparer Sentenced for False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in prison for assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and for filing a false personal income tax return.
According to court documents, Nicholas Laws, of Durham, was an office manager and a return preparer in the Winston-Salem branch of Tax Mind. As a manager, Laws trained and supervised other Tax Mind return preparers, reviewed tax returns, and filed completed returns. From 2014 to 2019, Laws prepared fraudulent returns for clients that reported false wages and business income to increase clients’ refunds. Laws also edited some returns prepared by other Tax Mind preparers to include similar fraudulent information. Laws charged fees, which occasionally exceeded $1,000, to prepare false returns.
In addition to his preparation of false client returns, Laws also filed a false personal income tax return for 2014 and did not file returns reporting his income for 2015 through 2019, despite being required to do so by law. Laws intended to cause a tax loss to the IRS of $2,934,891.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge William L. Osteen ordered Laws to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $184,072 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cliff Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina prosecuted the case.
Nigerian National Indicted in Connection with Romance SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nigerian national residing in Canton was indicted today by a federal grand jury for his role in a wire and bank fraud conspiracy involving romance scams targeting individuals in the United States.
Mark Arome Okuo, 41, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. Okuo was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2021 and has been detained since his arrest.
According to the charging documents, Okuo participated in a conspiracy involving romance scams designed to defraud victims into sending money to accounts he controlled. Criminals perpetrating romance scams create fictitious profiles on online dating or social media websites, gain the trust of potential victims and then direct those victims to transfer money under false pretenses. To further the conspiracy, Okuo allegedly used fake passports in the names of aliases to open bank accounts in and around Boston to receive the proceeds of the romance scams. Okuo then allegedly executed large cash withdrawals from those accounts, generally structured in amounts less than $10,000, in an effort to evade detection.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million 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.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Stearns of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Jersey men guilty of roles in drug trafficking ringRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sterling C. Davis and Braheem R. Sallie, both of Camden, New Jersey, were convicted at trial for their roles in a drug conspiracy that spanned several states, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
“This result proves that drug traffickers can and will be held accountable even when they operate from another state and never set foot in West Virginia,” said Ihlenfeld. “The investigators and prosecutors are to be commended for their excellent work and the countless hours of time they invested in this case.”
After a three-day trial, Davis, 43, was found guilty of one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 100 Grams or More of Heroin and 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl” and two counts of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Sallie, 42, was found guilty today of one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 100 Grams or More of Heroin and 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl,” one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Travel Act – Distribution of Proceeds.” Davis and Sallie worked with others to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl from June 2019 to November 2019 in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties and elsewhere.
At trial, the evidence revealed that co-conspirators in West Virginia would wire money for drug payments to Davis and Sallie in Camden, New Jersey. The evidence also revealed multiple trips by West Virginia co-conspirators to Camden, New Jersey to obtain large amounts of heroin and fentanyl that were distributed and intended to be redistributed in West Virginia.
Davis and Sallie each face at least five years and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for the conspiracy count, up to four years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the unlawful use of communication device counts, and up to five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the distribution of proceeds 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 defendants.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office assisted.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Find the related press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/25-charged-six-state-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-cocaine
New Iberia Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Spencer Matthew Legendre, 23, of New Iberia, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Michael J. Juneau to 72 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, on distribution of child pornography charges. Legendre was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution.
According to information presented in court, an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) engaged in an undercover chat on a Kik group referring to young girls. The undercover agent observed username “legend_re” which was later identified to be the defendant, Spencer Matthew Legendre, post prepubescent child pornography images from the Kik account over the internet.
A search warrant was executed on February 27, 2020 at Legendre’s residence and he was questioned by law enforcement officers. Legendre confessed to downloading child pornography and admitted that he had distributed child pornography using his Kik account. In addition, law enforcement agents seized Legendre’s cell phone and found numerous images of prepubescent child pornography located on the phone. A forensic examination of the phone revealed that Legendre had distributed child pornography on February 18, 2020.
The FBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Nebraska Man Sentenced for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Dennis Sryniawski, 48, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 20, 2021 by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to twelve months and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sryniawski must also pay a $10,000.00 fine.
A jury convicted Sryniawski of cyberstalking in June 2021, after a three-day jury trial. This was the first cyberstalking conviction in the District of Nebraska. The federal cyberstalking statute prohibits using an electronic communication service to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass, intimidate or cause substantial emotional distress to a person or immediate family members, where the conduct did cause, attempt to cause or reasonably would be expected to cause such persons to experience substantial emotional distress.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Sryniawski sent six emails on two different days in 2018 to a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature. The emails were sent from two different accounts. One email was sent under Sryniawski’s name, but the others were sent under phony names. Sryniawski had previously been married to the candidate’s wife. The initial email contained personal details about the candidate’s wife and accusations concerning the candidate’s stepdaughter, and a later email included explicit photos purportedly of each. The emails asked the candidate to withdraw from the race and conveyed the message that, if he did not, the personal details and explicit photos of his wife and stepdaughter would be released.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the La Vista Police Department.
Navajo man accused of decapitation in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Shilo Aaron Oldrock, 28, of Fargo, North Dakota, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, made an initial appearance in federal court on Oct. 15 on a charge of murder in Indian Country. Oldrock has waived a preliminary and detention hearing and will remain in custody pending trial.
According to a criminal complaint, on Oct. 10, Oldrock allegedly murdered John Doe at a residence in McKinley County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation. Oldrock allegedly attacked John Doe with an axe, decapitating him. Oldrock allegedly burned John Doe’s head in a wood stove, then fled the crime scene.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Oldrock faces up to life in prison if convicted of the charged offense.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department, the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Cowen is prosecuting the case.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 23, 2021Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division are teaming up to publicize the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day being held in Maryland and across the country on Saturday, October 23, 2021. The service is free and anonymous. Maryland has approximately 100 available sites. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs and educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron will be participating with DEA and other federal, state, and local law enforcement officials at the Wilde Lake Village Center event in Columbia, Maryland, sponsored by HC DrugFree and the Howard County Police Department. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Over the pandemic we have seen a sharp increase in overdose deaths, and the path to opioid abuse can begin in the home with unused prescription drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “I encourage all Marylanders to get rid of the unused and unneeded prescription drugs in their homes by participating in DEA’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday or by visiting https://takebackday.dea.gov/ to find a collection site near them to take advantage of this free and anonymous service. Proper disposal of unused and unneeded prescription drugs will help prevent drug abuse and opioid addiction.”
“This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue in our area,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Washington Division. “Our Take Back Day events highlight the problems associated with prescription drug abuse and give area residents an opportunity to contribute to the solution. With these efforts and the efforts from our incredible partners across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., we are helping to combat the opioid and overdose epidemics and keeping our area families safe.”
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
Given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home. Go to https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines or https://www.epa.gov/hwgenerators/collecting-and-disposing-unwanted-medicines
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year, and at many local law enforcement agency sites.
DEA and our state and local partners throughout the area will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Recent Federal Prosecution of Opioid Cases
United States v. Jacob Leister: On December 3, 2020, Jacob Leister was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Leister pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and Alprazolam. Leister was also ordered to forfeit $15,400 in the form of a money judgment, which represents the net proceeds of his sale of drugs to an undercover officer. According to his guilty plea, from December 2018 through September 2019, Leister sold purported prescription pills, including Oxycodone and Alprazolam, to an undercover law enforcement officer on several occasions. Subsequent lab testing found that the purported Oxycodone contained at least 56 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, 708 pills contained Alprazolam, and 600 pills contained a substance similar to Alprazolam, but that is not a controlled substance. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Leister’s residence on November 21, 2019 and recovered a number of computers, three firearms and ammunition and magazines for the firearms. Searches of the computers revealed, among other things, information and photographs about bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and cryptocurrency exchanges and information about dark web marketplaces, where individuals can purchase drugs.
United States v. Joyce Edwards et al: On March 3, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted the owner and operator of a purported pain management clinic, as well as two nurse practitioners who were employed at the clinic, on the federal charges for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone and for distribution and dispensing of oxycodone. Charged in the indictment are: Joyce Shawanda Edwards, Justina Aburime, and Thomas Charles Johnson, Jr. Edwards owned and operated Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP (“PTMS”), formerly known as Holistic Health and Wellness Medical Spa LLP, a purported “pain management” clinic located in Largo, Maryland, which the indictment alleges was, in reality, a “pill mill.” A pill mill is a health care provider’s office, clinic, or health care facility that routinely prescribes and dispenses controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. Aburime and Johnson were nurse practitioners who worked at PTMS and both were authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes. The indictment alleges that Edwards, Aburime, and Johnson distributed and dispensed oxycodone that was not prescribed for a medical purpose or in the usual course of professional practice. The indictment alleges that Aburime and Johnson pre-signed blank prescriptions, allowing Edwards to issue prescriptions for oxycodone under their names, even though she was not authorized to issue prescriptions. Further, the indictment alleges that, to create the false appearance that PTMS provided other treatment options to controlled substances, PTMS directed customers to physical therapy and provided massages. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of approximately $278,951.72, seized on July 11, 2019, after the execution of seizure warrants on bank accounts held in the name of Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP.
United States v. David Robinson: On March 4, 2021, David Robinson was sentenced to 171 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the federal charges of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam and for murder for hire. Robinson, formerly a licensed pharmacist who owned and operated the Frankford Family Pharmacy, located in the 5400 block of Sinclair Lane in Baltimore pleaded guilty on October 10, 2018, to a federal drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone and alprazolam outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. On December 17, 2020, Robinson pleaded guilty to a federal charge of murder for hire, admitting that he ordered a “hit” on the person he believed had cooperated with law enforcement that led to his indictment on those charges. Robinson’s pharmacist license was suspended on August 7, 2017.United States v. Monica Raynette Clark et al: On May 17, 2021, a criminal complaint was filed charging the manager of a pain clinic, her boyfriend, and several customers with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including oxycodone and oxymorphone. The defendants charged in the criminal complaint are: Monica Raynette Clark; Michael Tyrone Scott III; Larry Nathaniel Waller; Mildred Taylor; Jason James Johnson; and Lisa Ann Lewis. According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement obtained evidence that drug trafficking was occurring at two pain clinics—Memorial Care Center, located in Woodbridge, Virginia (“Memorial Care”) and Washington DC Spine Center (“WDC Spine”), which closed in August 2019. Clark was employed as the office manager of Memorial Care and was previously the office manager of WDC Spine. Clark was not a physician and did not have a Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) registration number. The criminal complaint alleges that Clark forged prescriptions for opioids using prescription pads from the clinics’ doctors, then illegally sold the forged opioid prescriptions to opioid users and diverters, including customers who live in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, such as Waller, Taylor, Johnson, and Lewis. Clark is allegedly in a romantic relationship with Scott, who assists Clark in selling the forged prescriptions. To evade scrutiny by law enforcement, Clark allegedly used several different phones to sell prescriptions and instructed customers to use specific pharmacies to fill prescriptions. The criminal complaint further alleges that Clark instructed an undercover agent to claim a fictious work injury in order to receive a professional recommendation for opioid use and that Clark later arranged to sell forged prescriptions to the undercover agent.
United States v. Howard Hoffberg: On June 9, 2021, Howard Hoffberg, M.D., pleaded guilty to the federal charge of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statutes, in connection with a scheme to accept payments from a pharmaceutical company in exchange for prescribing a drug the company marketed for breakthrough pain in cancer patients for off-label purposes. Hoffberg, is a doctor and was licensed to practice medicine in the State of Maryland. He served as the Associate Medical Director and part-owner of Rosen-Hoffberg Rehabilitation and Pain Management (the “Practice”). Starting in June 2012, Hoffberg solicited and received kickbacks and bribes for himself in the form of payments from Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (“Insys”) (a pharmaceutical company) and related entities. In January 2012, the FDA approved Insys’s application to sell and market a Transmucosal Immediate Release Fentanyl (“TIRF”) drug named Subsys to treat cancer patients experiencing break-through pain, which is a sudden onset of pain in cancer patients that cannot be controlled with their usual treatment regimen. Subsys is a potent opioid designed to rapidly enter a patient’s bloodstream upon being sprayed under the tongue. Subsys contains fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that has a high potential for abuse and addiction. Because of the limited number of cancer patients experiencing breakthrough pain who fit the FDA-approved criteria, Insys devised an illegal kickback and bribery scheme to induce Hoffberg and others to prescribe Subsys off-label for conditions other than breakthrough pain in cancer patients.
United States v. William Soyke: On August 26, 2021, William Soyke, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone, and alprazolam outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Sokye was employed as a physician assistant with Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg from 2011 to 2018, where he treated patients during follow-up doctor appointments. As a physician assistant, Soyke had privileges to prescribe controlled substance medications but was required to operate under a delegation agreement between himself and the Rosen Hoffberg owners. Sokye was aware that many of the patients presenting to Rosen Hoffberg did not have a legitimate medical need for the oxycodone, fentanyl, alprazolam, and methadone they were being prescribed. Nevertheless, Soyke issued prescriptions for these drugs to patients without a legitimate medical need and outside the bounds of acceptable medical practice. Soyke also admitted that in several instances he engaged in sexual, physical contact with female patients who were attempting to get prescriptions. Specifically, Soyke asked some female customers to engage in a range of motion test, and while they were bending over, he would position himself behind them such that his genitalia would rub against the customers’ buttocks through their clothes. These patients often acceded to this sexual abuse for fear of not getting the medications to which they were addicted.
Federal Grant Funding
In 2020, over $2.3 million in federal grant funding was awarded to the state of Maryland to assist efforts to combat opioid abuse.
The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program assists states and local governments to develop and implement substance abuse treatment programs in state and local correctional and detention facilities and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders. The goal of the RSAT Program is to break the cycle of drugs and violence by reducing the demand for, use, and trafficking of illegal drugs. RSAT enhances the capability of states and units of local government to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates; prepares offenders for their reintegration into the communities from which they came by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs; and assists offenders and their communities through the reentry process through the delivery of community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services.
The Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) enhances the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products. The PDMP helps Maryland and its local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of opioids and other prescription drugs.
For more information on DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and to find a collection site in Maryland, visit www.deatakeback.com.
For more information on opioid abuse and where you can find help, please visit /media/1138691/dl?inline.
# # #Monongalia County man guilty of failure to register chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason Steven Kokinda, of Westover, West Virginia, was found guilty today of a failure to register charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
After a three-day trial, Kokinda, 42, was found guilty of one count of “Failure to Update Sex Offender Registry.” Kokinda, who was previously convicted of sex offenses against children and child pornography charges, failed to update his sex offender registration after traveling from Vermont and New Jersey to West Virginia in August 2019.
Kokinda is facing 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. Attorneys Brandon S. Flower and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Marshal Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the Elkins Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Mission Man Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter and Failure to Appear was sentenced on October 18, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Emanuel Marcus Crow Dog-Luxon, age 23, was sentenced to a total of 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Crow Dog-Luxon was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 21, 2020. He pled guilty on July 15, 2021.
The conviction for Involuntary Manslaughter stemmed from an incident that occurred on August 24, 2020, in Todd County, South Dakota. On that date, Crow Dog-Luxon had been consuming alcohol, and was driving a vehicle westbound on US Highway 18 west of Mission. Crow Dog-Luxon was traveling at a high rate of speed when he veered across the eastbound lane of traffic into the ditch. Crow Dog-Luxon traveled several hundred feet before re-entering the roadway, at which point the vehicle rolled. Crow Dog-Luxon’s passenger, an adult female, was ejected from the vehicle and died as a result of injuries suffered in the wreck.
Following his Indictment, Crow Dog-Luxon was released on bond. A plea agreement was subsequently filed and the case was scheduled for a change of plea hearing. Crow Dog-Luxon did not appear for the change of plea hearing and he was charged with Failure to Appear.
These cases were investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted these cases.
Crow Dog-Luxon was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Interfering with Law Enforcement Officers During Civil DisorderRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for attempting to interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder when he attempted to set fire to a police vehicle during a riot in Trenton, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Justin D. Spry, 22, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of attempting to obstruct, impede, or interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder affecting commerce. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence by videoconference today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 31, 2020, large-scale protests were held throughout the United States, including in Trenton, in response to the death of George Floyd. Although the May 31st protest in Trenton was peaceful earlier in the day, violence erupted later. A group of individuals proceeded down East State Street in downtown Trenton and began to riot, smashing store fronts, looting stores, and attacking multiple marked Trenton Police Department vehicles parked on the 100 Block of East State Street.
A Trenton street camera and other video footage taken by an individual present on the street captured Kadeem Dockery light an explosive device and throw it through the open front driver’s side window of a Trenton Police Department vehicle. Dockery then removed his shirt and handed it to Killian Melecio, who then attempted to stuff the shirt in the gas tank of the police vehicle and ignite it. Melecio was then assisted by Spry in attempting to set fire to the police vehicle. Law enforcement officers on scene arrested Spry, but Melecio and Dockery fled. Law enforcement later identified Melecio and Dockery through analysis of street camera and other video footage. They were arrested on Aug. 5, 2020.
Melecio pleaded guilty on Jan. 26, 2021, to his role and was sentenced June 28, 2021, to 28 months in prison. Dockery pleaded guilty on May 19, 2021, to his role and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 26, 2021.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Spry to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Director Steve Wilson; troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and officers of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Michelle S. Gasparian of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Defense counsel: Benjamin J. West Esq., Trenton
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 168 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Edward Sanders, 48 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Sanders was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in January of 2020, Sanders was the passenger in a car and police found Sanders to be in possession of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and a revolver. Sanders was sentenced as a career offender based on his two prior convictions for dealing cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Michigan City Police Department and Indiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerome McKeever and Kimberly Schultz.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Miami-Bound Colorado Man Arrested at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and Charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute After 3 Kilos of Cocaine was Found in His LuggageRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that a Colorado man was arrested on October 19, 2021 at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and advised of his rights on criminal charges related to his alleged possession cocaine on October 20, 2021.
According to court documents, Customs and Border Patrol officers were conducting inspections of passengers on American Airlines flight #1293 departing from St. Croix to Miami, Florida when Kareme Holst presented himself. He was referred to secondary inspection where an x-ray of his luggage revealed a box that contained plastic bottles with a white powdery substance in clear plastic wrapping. Further inspection revealed a pair of trousers with a white powdery substance wrapped in plastic in a pocket. The substance was field tested and reacted positive to the characteristics of cocaine. The weight of the substance was approximately three kilograms.
Holst is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. If convicted, he faces a potential of 5 - 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.