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19 November 2021
Perpetrator of Domestic Violence Sentenced for Unlawfully Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Jorge Velazquez-Cordova, 33, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington for reentering the United States after having previously been removed from the country. United States District Court Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Velazquez-Cordova to time served. Velazquez-Cordova has been in the custody of the United States Marshal since his federal arrest on October 6, 2021. From September 21, 2021 to October 6, 2021, Velazquez-Cordova was in the custody of the State of Vermont. Custody of Velazquez-Cordova will be transferred from the United States Marshals Service to the Department of Homeland Security for removal proceedings.
According to court records, on September 21, 2021, Vermont State Police arrested Velazquez-Cordova at the Allendale Farm in Vergennes, Vermont, on felony domestic assault and related charges, after he was reported as having threatened household members with a large machete and having recently beaten a woman unconscious. On October 6, 2021, Velazquez-Cordova pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault in Vermont Superior Court in Addison County, and was sentenced to 6 to 7 days imprisonment on that state conviction.
The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Velazquez-Cordova was represented by Assistant Federal Defender David McColgin. The prosecutor was Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest.
Passaic County Man Charged with Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was charged for illegally possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug distribution, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.
Jessie Mayfield, 59, of Paterson, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Mayfield will his initial appearance at a date to be determined.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 24, 2021, Mayfield was under parole supervision for a prior state conviction. On that day, state parole officers conducted a routine supervised visit at Mayfield’s residence and observed a large amount of cash in different denominations on Mayfield’s bed. They saw text messages referencing drug transactions on his cell phone. Upon obtaining a warrant, the officers searched Mayfield’s residence and recovered a clear Ziploc baggie containing 115 wax-folds, each with a powdery substance suspected to be a controlled substance, a bag containing numerous empty plastic vials, and a digital scale – which is commonly used to weigh controlled dangerous substances. The officers also found a notebook with dates and times of drug transactions written in them. The officers recovered a Ruger .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, along with a box containing 95 Winchester .22 caliber long rifle cartridges.
The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Each firearm count carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited the members of the New Jersey State Parole Board, under the direction of Chairman Samuel J. Plumeri Jr.; Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews, Newark Field Division, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2020, Benjamin Michael Nash, 37, traveled from Parkersburg to California where he bought 875 grams of methamphetamine, 50 boxes of psilocybin candy bars, 19 pounds of marijuana, and other controlled substances. Nash shipped the drugs to himself from California to Parkersburg where he intended to distribute them. On August 8, 2020, a United States Postal Service employee handling the package notified law enforcement after smelling the odor of marijuana. Investigators seized the package and executed a search warrant on it before it could be delivered to Nash.
Nash pleaded guilty to attempting to possess with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and psilocybin and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on February 24, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00194.
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Owner of a Tanker Company Sentenced to Prison for Lying to OSHA, Violating DOT Safety StandardsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – A Pocatello man was sentenced to a month in federal prison, five months of home confinement, three years of supervised release, and a $15,000 fine today for lying to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and for making an illegal repair to a cargo tanker in violation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. The crimes came to light through the investigation of an explosion.
On May 20, Loren Kim Jacobson, 65, of Pocatello, an owner of a tanker testing and repair company, KCCS Inc., pleaded guilty to the above offenses. The case arose from an explosion that occurred at KCCS during a cargo tanker repair on Aug. 14, 2018, which severely injured a KCCS employee. According to the plea agreement, the KCCS employee’s welder flame pierced the skin of the tanker, and ignited residual flammable material inside. After the explosion, an OSHA investigator interviewed Jacobson about the circumstances surrounding the accident, as part of an investigation into whether Jacobson had violated OSHA safety standards for cargo tanker repair work. Jacobson made a materially false statement to the OSHA investigator during that interview, namely that the welder was merely an “observer,” not an employee, and that KCCS did not have any employees, as OSHA requirements only apply to “employers.”
Jacobson lied about not having employees to try to evade legal repercussions and penalties for his violation of various Occupational Safety and Health Act safety standards during the repair that resulted in the explosion. According to the sentencing memorandum, Jacobson also lied about several other points, including telling the OSHA inspector that he had used a lower explosive limit meter to test the tank for explosive fumes prior to welding. Using such a meter could have detected the fumes that resulted in the explosion.
Jacobson also admitted in the plea agreement that he did not possess the necessary certification to conduct cargo tanker repairs, which he regularly conducted at KCCS. Under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, all repairs to the skin of a cargo tanker require that the repairperson hold an “R stamp,” which can be obtained only after meeting extensive training requirements. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that those conducting repairs on cargo tankers (which often haul flammable materials) have adequate training and expertise to do so safely. Jacobson admitted that he had a regular practice of making repairs requiring an R-stamp despite knowing he did not have one, and that he would send employees into cargo tankers to weld patches from the inside so that the illegal repairs would not be visible from the outside. Jacobson did not follow OSHA safety standards for protecting employees from such dangerous “confined space entries.” According to the plea agreement, Jacobson directed his employee to conduct a hidden repair of this type on the tanker that subsequently exploded, in violation of both OSHA safety standards and the R-stamp requirement.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Jacobson also had a routine practice of falsifying results for pressure testing that he conducted on behalf of cargo tank owners. Pressure testing is required under law and is intended to make sure that cargo tanks will automatically vent gases if pressure inside the tank gets too high, thereby preventing explosions. Instead of actually testing tank valves, Jacobson merely wrote plausible numbers on the test result forms. When confronted about this practice, Jacobson lied to a Department of Transportation inspector about it, attempting to hide the practice by producing fake test result forms with passing values. He later admitted his practice of falsifying pressure test results.
“This tragic accident could have been prevented had the defendant adhered to OSHA workplace safety requirements,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. “It is vital that companies follow all health and safety guidelines and ensure a safe workplace for its employees. By callously focusing on financial gain, the defendant created the conditions that led to the explosion,” Gonzalez added before commending the investigators at OSHA, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency for uncovering the evidence in this case.”
“Playing cat and mouse with inspectors, rather than complying with legal requirements that keep workplaces safe, is a dangerous game that can ruin lives,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will hold accountable those who mock the law this way.”
“Loren Jacobson made material false statements to OSHA investigators regarding his failure to take safety precautions to protect his employees,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Quentin Heiden of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General's Los Angeles Region. “His actions put his employees at extreme risk and resulted in the explosion of a cargo tanker they were repairing. Today’s sentencing affirms the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s commitment to bring to justice those who lie to OSHA officials.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez commended the cooperative efforts of the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, and the Environmental Protection Agency which led to charges. He also praised the assistance from the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section trial attorney.
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Owner of a Tanker Company Sentenced to Prison for Lying to OSHA, Violating DOT Safety StandardsRead the Press Release
An Idaho man was sentenced to a month in prison, five months’ home confinement, three years’ supervised release, and a $15,000 fine today for lying to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and for making an illegal repair to a cargo tanker in violation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. The crimes came to light through the investigation of an explosion.
On May 20, Loren Kim Jacobson, 65, of Pocatello, an owner of a tanker testing and repair company, KCCS Inc., pleaded guilty to the above offenses. The case arose from an explosion that occurred at KCCS during a cargo tanker repair on Aug. 14, 2018, which severely injured a KCCS employee. According to the plea agreement, the KCCS employee’s welder flame pierced the skin of the tanker, and ignited residual flammable material inside. After the explosion, an OSHA investigator interviewed Jacobson about the circumstances surrounding the accident, as part of an investigation into whether Jacobson had violated OSHA safety standards for cargo tanker repair work. Jacobson made a materially false statement to the OSHA investigator during that interview, namely that the welder was merely an “observer,” not an employee, and that KCCS did not have any employees, as OSHA requirements only apply to “employers.”
Jacobson lied about not having employees to try to evade legal repercussions and penalties for his violation of various Occupational Safety and Health Act safety standards during the repair that resulted in the explosion. According to the sentencing memorandum, Jacobson also lied about several other points, including telling the OSHA inspector that he had used a lower explosive limit meter to test the tank for explosive fumes prior to welding. Using such a meter could have detected the fumes that resulted in the explosion.
Jacobson also admitted in the plea agreement that he did not possess the necessary certification to conduct cargo tanker repairs, which he regularly conducted at KCCS. Under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, all repairs to the skin of a cargo tanker require that the repairperson hold an “R‑stamp,” which can be obtained only after meeting extensive training requirements. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that those conducting repairs on cargo tankers (which often haul flammable materials) have adequate training and expertise to do so safely. Jacobson admitted that he had a regular practice of making repairs requiring an R-stamp despite knowing he did not have one, and that he would send employees into cargo tankers to weld patches from the inside so that the illegal repairs would not be visible from the outside. Jacobson did not follow OSHA safety standards for protecting employees from such dangerous “confined space entries.” According to the plea agreement, Jacobson directed his employee to conduct a hidden repair of this type on the tanker that subsequently exploded, in violation of both OSHA safety standards and the R-stamp requirement.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Jacobson also had a routine practice of falsifying results for pressure testing that he conducted on behalf of cargo tank owners. Pressure testing is required under law and is intended to make sure that cargo tanks will automatically vent gases if pressure inside the tank gets too high, thereby preventing explosions. Instead of actually testing tank valves, Jacobson merely wrote plausible numbers on the test result forms. When confronted about this practice, Jacobson lied to a Department of Transportation inspector about it, attempting to hide the practice by producing fake test result forms with passing values. He later admitted his practice of falsifying pressure test results.
“Playing cat and mouse with inspectors, rather than complying with legal requirements that keep workplaces safe, is a dangerous game that can ruin lives,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will hold accountable those who mock the law this way.”
“This tragic accident could have been prevented had the defendant adhered to OSHA workplace safety requirements,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez. Jr. for the District of Idaho. “It is vital that companies follow all health and safety guidelines and ensure a safe workplace for its employees. By callously focusing on financial gain, the defendant created the conditions that led to the explosion,” Gonzalez added before commending the investigators at OSHA, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency for uncovering the evidence in this case.”
“Loren Jacobson made material false statements to OSHA investigators regarding his failure to take safety precautions to protect his employees,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Quentin Heiden of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General's Los Angeles Region. “His actions put his employees at extreme risk and resulted in the explosion of a cargo tanker they were repairing. Today’s sentencing affirms the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s commitment to bring to justice those who lie to OSHA officials.”
Trial Attorney Cassandra Barnum, of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Hurwit are prosecuting this case with assistance from criminal investigators from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General.
Owasso Man Convicted for Applying for Paycheck Protection Program Loans under False PretensesRead the Press Release
An Owasso man who fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was convicted Thursday by a federal jury.
“A jury has found Olusola Ojo guilty on all charges related to a Paycheck Protection Program bank fraud conspiracy. He was taken into custody to await sentencing,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Criminals should understand that diverting taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses survive during the pandemic will be fully investigated and prosecuted. Agents from the Federal Reserve, Small Business Administration, and FBI are to be commended for their work in this case.”
Olusola Ojo, also known as Sam Ojo, 42, was found guilty of bank fraud conspiracy, two counts of bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He will be sentenced on April 1, 2022.
Ojo, along with two coconspirators, created 12 fictitious business entities that would fraudulently apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans under false pretenses such as the number of employees, payroll expenditures, taxes paid during previous months, details of business ownership, and a false representation of their relationship with one another. During this time, Ibanga Etuk, Teosha Etuk, and Ojo submitted multiple applications for the same businesses to more than ten different banks, without disclosing to those banks that they were submitting duplicative applications. They conspired to obtain loans in the total approximate amount of $5,430,585 and actually obtained funding from banks in the total approximate amount of $995,385.
As part of the conspiracy, Ojo knowingly applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan from Frontier State Bank under false pretenses from April 20, 2020, to April 29, 2020,. The defendant lied about the number of people employed during the previous months of purported operations, the payroll expenditures during the previous months, taxes paid during previous months of operation, ownership of the business, and relationships between the parties in a $300,000 loan application submitted for Quicksold Market, Inc.
From May 8, 2020, to May, 11, 2020, Ojo also applied for a $150,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan from Stride Bank submitted under false pretenses for the Inspired Group LLC.
As part of his crimes, Ojo used another individual’s identity on payroll records summitted to the banks when applying for the loans.
“This conviction sends a clear message that those who defraud the federal government of pandemic relief funds will be held accountable and brought to justice for their actions,” said Cory Nootnagel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. “I commend our agents and their federal law enforcement partners for their hard work and persistence, which ultimately led to this conviction.”
“The FBI hopes this conviction sends a clear message that individuals who try to steal taxpayer dollars meant to help people and businesses in need during a national crisis will be held accountable,” said Alvin M. Winston, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Oklahoma City. “We thank our partners for their work in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office for a successful prosecution.”
Ojo’s two codefendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
Ibanga Etuk, 41, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a total of four years in federal prison— two years for bank fraud and two years for aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $168,000 in restitution to Chickasaw Community Bank.
Teosha Etuk, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $150,000 to First Liberty Bank.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington, Victor A.S. Régal, and David D. Whipple are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-for
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Sex Traffic a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Thomas Holbert, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Conspiracy to Sex Traffic a Minor. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Holbert to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Holbert will serve 5 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Federal agents began investigating in September 2020, after two Omaha foster children went missing from their foster home. The investigation showed that Holbert picked up the victims, aged 16 and 17, and brought them to a hotel where Holbert posted online advertisements promoting the minors for commercial sex acts. Both victims then engaged in sex acts for money with Holbert and others receiving financial proceeds from those acts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Ohio man admits to selling methamphetamineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Myron Henderson, of Euclid, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Henderson, also known as “Charlie,” age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Henderson admitted to selling methamphetamine near North Park Apartments in June 2019 in Ohio County.
Henderson faces at least one year and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The Belmont County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Clairsville Police Department assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Employer's Charity Matching Gift ProgramRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that STEVEN KENT STRANGE, 51, of Bailey, North Carolina, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding his former employer’s charity matching gift program of nearly $600,000, and for submitting three fraudulent letters to the court in an effort to influence his sentencing
According to court documents and statements made in court, Strange was employed by Collins Aerospace in North Carolina, which, at the time, was a business unit of United Technologies Corporation (“UTC”), based in Farmington, Connecticut. UTC had a Matching Gift Program, through which the company matched an employee donation, up to $25,000 annually, to a charity. In 2008, Strange established the Housing Development Foundation of North Carolina, Inc. (“the Housing Development Foundation”), and listed his residence at the principal office for the charity. Strange began working for Collins Aerospace in 2014.
Between approximately 2015 and September 2019, Strange defrauded UTC’s Matching Gift Program by submitting to UTC fraudulent records of donations purportedly made by him and by certain employees that worked with him at Collins Aerospace. The records included fabricated cashiers checks of payments supposedly made to the Housing Development Foundation, when no such payments had been made. As a result, UTC transferred approximately $585,000 in matching funds to the Housing Development Foundation, and an additional $5,257 to third party vendors to process the requests. A review of the Housing Development Foundation’s bank records reveal that a large portion of the Foundation’s expenditures appears to be Strange’s personal expenditures.
Judge Shea ordered Strange to pay $591,877 in restitution.
On June 22, 2020, Strange pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. While awaiting sentencing, Strange fabricated and submitted to Judge Shea letters purportedly from his employer, who claimed that Strange was essential to an ongoing business; his doctor, who suggested that Strange needed to maintain his medical providers to treat various ailments; and a friend, who attested to Strange’s good character and ongoing devotion to his wife.
Strange, who is released on bond, is requited to report to prison on December 20.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day Imprisonment for Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric Judkins, age 46, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Chief Judge Brann also ordered Judkins to pay restitution in the amount of $11,031.37 to the IRS.
According to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, Judkins participated in a scheme to defraud the IRS while he was an inmate at U.S.P. Allenwood. As part of the scheme, Judkins and others sought refunds from the IRS to which they were not entitled by submitting Form 1040EZs with false information on 80 occasions. The conspiracy sought $108,000 from the IRS, although only a fraction of this amount was paid out before the scheme was discovered.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
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Multiple Defendants Charged in a Scheme to “Straw Purchase” Firearms Appeared in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Three defendants charged in a scheme to “straw purchase” firearms appeared in federal court this week. Two additional defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French made the announcement.
Yesterday, Michael Tiree Coleman, 24, of Tuscaloosa, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler to giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Coleman is scheduled for sentencing on March 22, 2022.
In October, Dayquan A. Haley, 23, of Boston, Massachusetts, and Darius Marquise Collins, 25, of Boston Massachusetts, were arrested in Boston on charges related to conspiracy to falsify information on firearm acquisition records in separate, but related indictments filed in the Northern District of Alabama. Haley and Collins were arraigned on Wednesday afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to court documents, ATF Birmingham Field Division received a referral from ATF's Crime Gun Intelligence Center about multiple firearms purchases from Three Factors Unlimited, Inc., doing business as Wade’s Jewelry and Pawn, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Between November 2019 and March 2021, Walker, Brown, and Coleman – the straw purchasers – purchased approximately 42 handguns from Wade’s Jewelry and Pawn. Coleman also purchased three firearms from Blue Bore Armory in Demopolis, Alabama. During that time, Haley and Collins partnered with Walker, Brown, and Coleman, who were permitted to buy guns from licensed dealers in Alabama. As Massachusetts residents, Haley and Collins could not buy handguns from licensed dealers in Alabama and take them back to Massachusetts. The straw purchasers falsified documents by specifically stating that they were the actual buyers when in fact they were buying the firearms for Haley and Collins. Haley and Collins provided the straw purchasers with funds to buy firearms and also paid them for purchasing the firearms.
On March 11, 2020, a traffic stop was conducted in South Carolina in which Haley was in possession of several firearms, 14 of which were purchased by Walker from Wade’s Jewelry and Pawn. Several of the other firearms that Walker purchased were recovered by law enforcement in Boston, Massachusetts. One of the firearms purchased, by Walker in Alabama on November 18, 2019, was used in a homicide in Boston, Massachusetts on April 15, 2020.
On July 20, 2020, Uniontown police officers encountered Collins and Haley, at the E&Z Event Center in Uniontown, Alabama. Collins and Haley were in possession of multiple firearms which had been purchased by Brown from Wade’s Jewelry and Pawn in July 2020.
In August, Jeremy Bernard Brown, 30, of Tuscaloosa, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge L. Scott Coogler to giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Brown is scheduled for sentencing on May 24, 2022.
In July, Demarcus Montez Walker, 25, of Tuscaloosa, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge L. Scott Coogler to giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Walker is scheduled for sentencing on May 24, 2022.
Coleman, Brown, and Walker face up to 10 years in prison for giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Haley and Collins face up to five years in prison for conspiracy to falsify information on firearm acquisition records.
These cases are a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ campaign "Don’t Lie for the Other Guy" is a part of PSN aimed at reducing firearm “straw purchases”, the illegal purchase of a firearm by one person for another, and to educate would-be straw purchasers of the penalties of knowingly participating in an illegal firearm purchase. More information about the campaign can be found at: www.dontlie.org.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples and Darius Greene are prosecuting the case.
Mother of FCI Petersburg Inmate who Spearheaded Bribery Scheme SentencedRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Baltimore, Maryland, woman was sentenced to 45 months in prison yesterday for her role in a bribery scheme that allowed for the introduction of contraband into Federal Corrections Institution (FCI) Petersburg.
According to court documents, Kim Williams, 57, facilitated over $60,000 in bribe payments consisting of both wire transfers and cash payments to former Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officers Stephen Taylor, 49, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Shanice Bullock, 28, of South Hill. In return, Taylor and Bullock permitted the introduction and distribution of contraband items across the prison facility. Williams’s son, Dontay Cox, 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, was an inmate at FCI Petersburg from around January 2014 to July 2019. Cox ran a gambling ring within the prison and distributed the contraband, including Suboxone, marijuana, heroin, cigarettes, and cellular telephones, to fellow inmates.
Over the course of the conspiracy, specifically between December 2016 and September 2019, Williams’s bank accounts show deposits of $137,855.29. These funds included $94,961.39 in untraceable cash deposits.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Simon Jr. and Michael C. Moore prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-125.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by an Alien Removed After Conviction of a FelonyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. - A Mexican national pleaded guilty to the federal felony offense of unlawful reentry by an alien deported or removed after conviction of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Joel Davila-Alvarado, 49, of Mexico, was arrested on July 15, 2021, on Interstate 10 eastbound in Harrison County. Following a U.S. Border Patrol investigation, a Border Patrol Agent conducted a vehicle stop and identified one of the passengers as Joel Davila-Alvarado. Davila-Alvarado was determined to be illegally present in the United States. After being advised that he was under arrest, Davila-Alvarado fled from the scene on foot, but was rapidly apprehended by the Border Patrol and placed into federal custody.
An investigation revealed that in 2004, Davila-Alvarado was lawfully removed from the United States to his home nation of Mexico. He unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, in 2009, he was convicted of the federal felony offense of reentering the U.S. after deportation without authorization and was sentenced to 8 months in prison. Thereafter, he was physically removed again from the United States. He again unlawfully reentered the U.S. in 2019 and was physically removed again from the U.S. to Mexico.
Davila-Alvarado is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. After completing any sentence of incarceration, Davila-Alvarado is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Maryland man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Alexander Michael Ryan Myers, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Myers, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy.” Myers admitted to working with others to purchase, possess, and transfer firearms to persons who couldn’t legally purchase or possess firearms. The crimes took place from March and April 2021 in Berkeley County and elsewhere.
Myers faces up to five years of incarceration and fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Marsing Man Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Marsing man was sentenced to 91 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Scottie Wilbur Medlin, 31, of Marsing, sold an ounce of methamphetamine to another person on October 17, 2019, in exchange for $380. Further testing of the substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Western Laboratory confirmed the presence of 27 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Medlin has many prior state convictions and is currently serving state sentences for several felony convictions with sentence satisfaction dates of August 7, 2022, for possession of a controlled substance; February 17, 2024, for possession of a controlled substance; and November 1, 2024, for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm. After serving his federal prison sentence, Medlin will be on supervised release for five years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which led to charges. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
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Marble City Resident Found Guilty of Two Counts of Murder in Indian Country and One Count of Arson in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Joseph Allen Hernandez, age 34, of Marble City, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of Murder in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151 and 1153; and one count of Arson in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 81, 1151 and 1153.
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, and concluded on Friday, November 19, 2021, with a verdict of guilty on all three criminal counts. Based on the jury’s verdicts, the defendant is facing up to life in prison.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on June 5, 2019, the defendant murdered his mother, Audrey Hernandez, and his grandmother, Francis Wright by covering both victims with accelerant and setting them on fire. The incident occurred in a trailer house in Marble City, Oklahoma. Witnesses testified both victims told emergency responders that the defendant poured gasoline on them and set them on fire.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Hernandez was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Warren and Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.
Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
A New York man was sentenced today to 200 months, more than 16 years, in prison for attempting to provide material support and resources to the designated foreign terrorist organizations the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the al-Nusrah Front.
Elvis Redzepagic, 30, of Commack, pleaded guilty in April 2021. According to court documents, in early 2015, Redzepagic began communicating with an individual he believed to be both the commander of a battalion in Syria and a member of ISIS or the al-Nusrah Front, and made attempts to join that individual’s battalion to engage in violent jihad. In July 2015, Redzepagic traveled to Turkey and made multiple unsuccessful attempts to cross the border into Syria. Unable to enter Syria from Turkey, Redzepagic traveled to Jordan in August 2016, but was stopped and deported by Jordanian authorities.
In Facebook messages from October 2015, Redzepagic explained that “jihad” is when “you fight for the sake of God” and “die for the sake of Allah.” Redzepagic stated that he traveled to Turkey to “perform Jihad and join Jabhat Al-Nusra.” He predicted, “there will come a time where people will only know to say Allahu Akbar.” In subsequent interviews with law enforcement, Redzepagic admitted that at the time he attempted to enter Syria, he was prepared to strap a bomb to himself.
A search of the defendant’s laptop yielded a variety of ISIS-specific extremist propaganda, including ISIS nasheeds, or Islamist hymns, including the “ISIS Anthem” in English. Redzepagic also repeatedly accessed the website “Put hilafeta,” or “Way to the Caliphate,” a Bosnian-language website for prospective foreign fighters from the Balkans who primarily sought to join ISIS and wage jihad in Syria.
The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché Office for Serbia, and the Government of Montenegro Ministry of Justice, Prosecutor’s Office and Special Police Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy and Artie McConnell for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Katie Sweeten of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Maine Resident Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography and Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jay Scott Cloutier, age 58, of Lyman, Maine, pled guilty yesterday to attempting to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual acts with him and to receiving child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Cloutier admitted that, between April 2019 and September 2019, he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old child, in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. On September 20, 2019, he traveled from Maine to a prearranged meeting location in Colonie, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 14-year-old child. Cloutier also admitted to having solicited and received a sexually explicit image of a 17-year-old child in November 2019 and a sexually explicit image of a 15-year-old child in February 2018.
Cloutier faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy will sentence him on March 15, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dustin C. Segovia as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Armed Robbery of Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mekhi Moss, 20, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to seven years in prison for robbing a convenience store and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Moss pleaded guilty to these charges on July 7, 2021.
On January 21, 2020, Moss and another man robbed a Stop-N-Go in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Both were displaying handguns, and Moss had stolen his gun only days earlier. At the time of the robbery, Moss had eleven pending state cases and warrants for his arrest.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that Moss has been a destructive force and the primary goal of sentencing was to protect the public. The judge noted that the armed robbery was very serious, and that Moss had a history of committing serious crimes. The prison term will be followed by four years of supervised release.
The charges against Moss were the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Louisville Pharmacist Sentenced to Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Pain Cream PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY – Louisville pharmacist Gary Green was sentenced to 9 months in prison, payment of a $4,000 fine, an order of restitution in the amount of $188,157.55, and forfeiture of $34,395 for his role in a health care fraud scheme involving fraudulent prescriptions for pain creams and regulatory violations relating to the storage of controlled substances.
According to court documents in the case, between November 2015 and December 2018, Green, 46, executed a scheme to obtain money from health care benefit programs by fraudulently billing those programs for pain cream prescriptions written for himself, his family, and his employees using the National Provider Identifier numbers of two physicians without their authority and authorization. Ultimately, Green deposited the proceeds from the fraudulently billed prescriptions into his business accounts and then transferred the proceeds to his personal bank accounts. Green collected $188,157.55 in proceeds from the fraudulent prescriptions.
In addition, from April 2014 and through January 2019, Green committed regulatory violations in that he intentionally omitted material information from a required report and filing when he failed to inform the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) when he transferred Schedule II-IV and III-IV controlled substances from closed pharmacies and stored the controlled substances in an unapproved commercial storage unit.
Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tieke, Nicole Elver, and Joseph Ansari prosecuted the case. Bob Masterson, health care fraud investigator, assisted the prosecution team.
The case was investigated by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Department of Insurance, Department of Labor, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigation Service, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Loretto Woman Indicted in Embezzlement Scheme from Nashville BusinessRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal indictment unsealed yesterday charges a Loretto, Tennessee woman with three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, related to an embezzlement scheme which exceeded $200,000, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Kimberly Hodge, aka Kimberly Hughen, 51, of Loretto, Tennessee, surrendered to FBI agents yesterday.
According to the indictment, Hodge was the bookkeeper for Integrity Architectural Millwork (Integrity) and was responsible for, among other duties, making Quickbooks entries and recording payments to vendors. Between February 2019 and April 2020, Hodge fraudulently made deposits into her personal bank account from the operating account of Integrity and caused fraudulent payments to be made to her account from Integrity’s credit card.
The indictment also alleges that in February 2020, Hodge forged the name and signature of the owner of Integrity to apply for a loan from a financial institution in the amount of $150,000 to replenish the funds in the Integrity operating account to conceal the fraud. In the loan application, Hodge provided the owner’s personal information, including a photo of the owner’s driver’s license.
In April 2020, Integrity applied for and received a loan in the amount of $127,447 from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) of the Small Business Administration, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). These funds were intended to be used for employee salaries and business expenses of Integrity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment alleges that Hodge also transferred funds from the PPP account to the Integrity operating account to conceal her fraud. In May 2020, Integrity discovered the fraud and terminated Hodge’s employment, after which she continued to attempt to make fraudulent purchases using Integrity’s credit card.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation in which the government seeks a money judgement of at least $209,443.63, which represents the proceeds of the crimes committed.
If convicted, Hodge faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge and up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, and a fine of $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Fraud Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn W. Booth is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Long Island Man Sentenced to 200 Months’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Elvis Redzepagic was sentenced by United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley to 200 months’ imprisonment for attempting to provide material support and resources to the designated foreign terrorist organizations the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the al-Nusrah Front. Redzepagic, a U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2021.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“With the imposition of today’s lengthy sentence, Redzepagic pays a steep price for his misguided embrace of terrorism and his attempts to join ISIS and the al-Nusrah Front in order to wage violent jihad,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will remain vigilant in protecting the public from terrorist threats and in thwarting their violent attacks here and abroad.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché Office for Serbia, and the Government of Montenegro Ministry of Justice, Prosecutor’s Office, and Special Police Unit for their assistance in this case.
In early 2015, Redzepagic began communicating with an individual he believed to be both the commander of a battalion in Syria and a member of ISIS or the al-Nusrah Front, and made attempts to join that individual’s battalion to engage in violent jihad. In July 2015, Redzepagic traveled to Turkey and made multiple unsuccessful attempts to cross the border into Syria. Unable to enter Syria from Turkey, Redzepagic traveled to Jordan in August 2016, but was stopped and deported by Jordanian authorities.
In Facebook messages from October 2015, Redzepagic explained that “jihad” is when “you fight for the sake of God” and “die for the sake of Allah.” Redzepagic stated that he traveled to Turkey to “perform Jihad and join Jabhat Al-Nusra.” He predicted, “there will come a time where people will only know to say Allahu Akbar.”
A search of the defendant’s laptop yielded a variety of ISIS-specific extremist propaganda, including ISIS nasheeds, or Islamist hymns, including the “ISIS Anthem” in English. Redzepagic also repeatedly accessed the website “Put hilafeta,” or “Way to the Caliphate,” a Bosnian-language website for prospective foreign fighters from the Balkans who primarily sought to join ISIS and wage jihad in Syria.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy and Artie McConnell are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Stephanie Sweeten of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
ELVIS REDZEPAGIC
Age: 30
Commack, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-228 (DRH)
Licensed Attorney Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Medicaid in Scheme Involving Personal Care ServicesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Susan Engonwei Tingwei, 44, of Silver Spring, Md., a licensed attorney, pleaded guilty today to defrauding the D.C. Medicaid program out of more than $100,000 in a scheme involving false claims about personal care services.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Tingwei pleaded guilty to health care fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Tingwei faces a likely recommended sentence of between 10 and 16 months in prison and potential financial penalties. She has agreed to pay $131,656.12 in restitution. The Honorable Carl J. Nichols scheduled sentencing for Feb. 22, 2022.
In court documents, Tingwei admitted that at various times between 2016 and 2018, she was employed by two different home health agencies in the District of Columbia. The home health agencies employed her to assist D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries in performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, and eating.
Tingwei was supposed to document the care that she provided to Medicaid beneficiaries on timesheets and then submit the timesheets to the home health agencies, which would in turn bill Medicaid for the services that she rendered. As part of her guilty plea, Tingwei admitted that she submitted false timesheets claiming to provide services that she did not actually render.
Tingwei earned her Master of Laws degree from the University of Maryland in May 2017. She was admitted to the New York state bar in February 2018.
On 118 occasions between August 2016 and May 2017, Tingwei submitted timesheets claiming that she worked as a personal care aide in Washington, D.C., during the same hours when she either was scheduled to attend law school classes in Baltimore, or when she should have been traveling to or from Baltimore related to her law school program. For example, Tingwei submitted timesheets claiming that she provided services to two beneficiaries on April 13, 2017, one from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the other from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Records show Tingwei’s key card swiping in at the University of Maryland’s law school campus at 5:30 p.m. and swiping out at 9:29 p.m. Cell phone records also showed her cell phone being in Baltimore between 8:03 a.m. and 9:31 p.m. that day.
Tingwei admitted that her fraud scheme began no later than August 2016 and continued through September 2018. She acknowledged successfully defrauding the D.C. Medicaid program out of $131,656.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who defraud the D.C. Medicaid program.
Tingwei is the eleventh former personal care aide since August 2018 to plead guilty to defrauding Medicaid in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Six of those aides were sentenced to 13 months in prison; a seventh was sentenced to serve 15 months.
The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud.
If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General hotline at (800) HHS‑TIPS [(800) 447-8477] or the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at (800) 724-TIPS [(800) 274-8477].
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Simmonds, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart and former Paralegal Specialists Angeline Thekkumthala and Brittany Phillips.
Laplace Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ELI JUAN MOORE, age 26, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 18, 2021 to 46 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing heroin (Count One), distributing a quantity of a mixture or substance containing heroin (Count Five), and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm (Count Seven). Additionally, MOORE was ordered to serve three (3) years of supervised release and pay $300 in mandatory special assessment fees. The sentences in each count are to run concurrently. No fines were imposed in this case.
According to court documents, in January 2019, MOORE sold heroin to a confidential informant. In May 2019, MOORE, who had previously been convicted of a felony, possessed an FM Hi-Power Model Detective, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol during a search of his residence.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Saint John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Bayonle Osundare prosecuted the matter.
Lafourche Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 18, 2021, MICHAEL LEWIS, age 33, a resident of Edgard, Louisiana, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). He faces a sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, not more than three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. LEWIS was charged in a one-count indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. LEWIS will be sentenced on January 27, 2022.
As part of his guilty plea, LEWIS, admitted to the following facts:
On Friday May 11, 2018 at approximately 11:45pm officers conducted a traffic stop on MICHAEL LEWIS for traffic violations (crossing the center lane and turning without a signal) in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The officers approached LEWIS and asked for his license. LEWIS did not have a driver’s license. Officers also observed an open beer and marijuana on the center console of the vehicle. As deputies conducted a pat down for their safety, LEWIS pushed one of the deputies and tried to run. LEWIS was then subdued by the officers after resisting arrest. A search of LEWIS revealed a loaded gun in his waistband. A criminal history check revealed that LEWIS had several prior felony convictions.
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 Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.). Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu is in charge of the prosecution.
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Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Districts of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands were awarded funding totaling $1,451,527.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
“Our office supports the efforts of Guam and CNMI law enforcement toward effective policing,” stated United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson. “The COPS Hiring Program will have a significant impact in our districts. We look forward to promoting additional partnerships as these opportunities arise.”
The following districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands received awards:
- Guam Police Department $ 778,800
- Department of Public Safety $ 672,727
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Kansas, Frontenac, Junction City, Olathe, and Rose Hill were awarded funding totaling $737,796.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
“Manpower is an invaluable resource for local law enforcement agencies which have a lot of their plates like response, investigation, community engagement and other duties,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. “These grants demonstrate the federal government is not only sensitive to the needs of police departments, but also invested in helping them to create safer communities for all citizens.”
The following cities/towns in USAO - Kansas District received awards:
- Frontenac $112,871
- Junction City $124,925
- Olathe $250,000
- Rose Hill $250,000
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.###
Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Western District of Kentucky two cities and one county were awarded funding totaling $750,000.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
“The citizens of the Western District are the ultimate beneficiaries of the Kentucky grants announced today,” stated United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “The hiring of additional officers will result in safer communities for our residents. Congratulations to the grant recipients.”
The following cities and county in the Western District received awards:
- Bowling Green - $500,000
- Scottsville - $125,000
- Butler County - $125,000
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
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Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Department of Justice has awarded $139 million in grants to provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the District of Massachusetts, three communities were awarded funding totaling $750,000.
“Community policing is proven to protect the community by building trust and preventing crime,” said Acting United States Attorney, Nathaniel R. Mendell. “This funding will allow police departments to increase community policing, which his good news for the people of Massachusetts.”
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
The following communities in the District of Massachusetts received awards:
- City of Fitchburg – $250,000
- Town of Granby – $125,000
- Town of Plainville – $375,000
The Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a competitive award program aimed at reducing crime and advancing public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2021AwardDocs/chp/Award_List.pdf
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – The Department of Justice announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Eastern District of Texas, San Augustine County, was awarded funding totaling $241,340.
“The U.S. Attorneys’ Office is proud to be a partner with the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “This supplement will help keep citizens of the county safer and it will improve officer safety for the department.”
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
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Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – The Department of Justice yesterday announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Western District of Virginia two localities were awarded funding totaling $$468,750.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
“For more than 25 years, the Department’s COPS Program has supported local law enforcement to advance public safety in our communities. The money awarded under this year’s grant program will provide critical support to these local partners in our District in achieving their law enforcement mission,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today.
The following localities in the Western District of Virginia received awards:
- The City of Radford - $375,000
- The City of Buena Vista - $93,750
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
$250,000 Awarded to Law Enforcement Agencies
in the Southern District of West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Southern District of West Virginia, two jurisdictions were awarded funding totaling $250,000.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
In the Southern District of West Virginia, the City of Fayetteville and Wood County both received awards of $125,000.
“This funding is much needed by our law enforcement partners, as cities and counties throughout the Southern District face unprecedented fiscal challenges,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “These additional federal resources most certainly will improve public safety in the communities of Fayetteville and Wood County by adding front-line community policing officers focused on preventing and solving crime.”
“We are very pleased to receive the CHP grant award,” said Fayetteville Police Chief David Kinzer. “The funding supports the hiring of an additional police officer and will enhance community policing efforts in our city.”
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537.0 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
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Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Northern District of Mississippi, the City of Starkville was awarded $276,209 in funding to hire three officers.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
“We are pleased that the Northern District of Mississippi was included in the national grant award to advance community policing, and we know that the City of Starkville can effectively use this funding to benefit both law enforcement and the community at large,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner.
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Middle District of Pennsylvania three municipalities were awarded funding totaling $834,200.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
“Today’s awards will strengthen three police departments in the Middle District of Pennsylvania by funding the hiring of a total of five officers who will help protect and build trust with the public,” said United States Attorney John C. Gurganus. “These grants are in high demand by law enforcement agencies nationwide and there is a highly competitive award selection process. We are pleased to see awards granted to three of our municipalities.”
The following municipalities in the Middle District of Pennsylvania received awards:
- Borough of Steelton - $250,000
- Tobyhanna Township - $250,000
- City of York - $334,200
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/. The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
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Jury Finds Little Eagle Man Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Kimo Little Bird, Sr., age 40, of Little Eagle, South Dakota, was found guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, Felony Sex Offense Against a Minor While Required to Register as a Sex Offender, and Tampering with a Witness, as a result of a three-day federal jury trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on November 18, 2021.
The convictions carry a maximum penalty of a mandatory minimum of 40 years, up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Little Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 9, 2020.
Little Bird was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in September 2006. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In 2016, Little Bird sexually abused an 11-year-old girl with whom he was residing. Prior to trial, Little Bird contacted multiple potential witnesses in an effort to manipulate and corruptly persuade the girl to recant her statement.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay Miller and Troy Morley prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for May 23, 2022. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Jury Convicts Harrisburg Bar Owner and A Restaurant Owner for Drug Trafficking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that two Harrisburg business owners, Saqueena “Queenie” Williams, age 46, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Nyree “Gram” or “Grannie” Letterlough, age 50, of Harrisburg, were convicted by a federal jury of selling cocaine and using their bar and a local business to conceal their drug trafficking. The jury trial was held this week before U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner.
According to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, during the trial, the government presented evidence of a years-long investigation of the drug trafficking group, which culminated in the February 1, 2018 arrests and searches of locations under the control of Williams and Letterlough. During those sweeps, police recovered stolen guns, hundreds of grams of cocaine, crack, over $100,000 in cash, a white Bentley convertible, and other evidence.
Williams, the operator of Queenies Café, was convicted of running a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2012 to 2018. The jury also found that five kilograms of cocaine were distributed. Williams was also convicted of possessing guns in furtherance of her drug trafficking and possessing a stolen weapon. Williams also surrendered her interests in Queenies Café located in Harrisburg, as well as the liquor license and other properties.
Letterlough was also convicted of drug trafficking, possessing a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a stolen gun. These items were also seized during the February 1, 2018 sweep. Letterlough also surrendered her interests in Grams Grill located in Harrisburg, and other property.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrisburg Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Consiglio and Samuel Dalke are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for some of the offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man to life in prison for fatal carjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – James Flannel, 37, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge E. Richard Webber on today’s date. Flannel was sentenced to life in prison for discharging a firearm in furtherance of a carjacking that resulted in the death of Boris Iouioukine, a Laclede Cab Company driver on June 25, 2018. Flannel previously pleaded guilty on August 2, 2019.
According to the plea agreement, Flannel was in the possession of a nine-millimeter firearm on June 25, 2018. Flannel called the Laclede Cab Company and ordered a taxi. A red minivan taxi being driven by victim Boris Iouioukine responded to Flannel’s request. Flannel got into the taxi armed with the nine-millimeter firearm. While inside the taxi, Flannel shot and killed Boris Iouioukine in 2500 block of East Dodier within the City of St. Louis. Boris Iouioukine’s body was left in the street by Flannel. Flannel drove the taxi after the shooting to the area of Castle Point in Saint Louis County, Missouri. Flannel parked the taxi at the driveway of a residence in the 10000 block of Duke Drive and fled.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department received calls for help relative to a man down in the middle of the street. Police and the fire department responded and located Boris Iouioukine deceased at the scene. Victim Boris Iouioukine’s taxi was located by police on the morning of June 26, 2018. Among other things, a nine-millimeter shell casing was located and seized from the driver’s side floorboard. Other items were seized from inside the taxi, including a water bottle. Analysis of the water bottle located Flannel’s print on it. Flannel was charged by way of federal complaint on June 27, 2018.
On August 10, 2018, investigators initiated an investigation within Spanish Lake Park to locate and recover the nine-millimeter firearm utilized by Flannel during the armed carjacking and murder. A search within the park eventually located a Taurus make, Millennium G2 model, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. The firearm was operable and loaded with 13 rounds. Subsequent ballistic analysis of the firearm confirmed that the shell casing recovered from the within taxi was fired from the nine-millimeter firearm located and seized from within Spanish Lake Park.
“This sentence is the product of the excellent, collaborative work of our law enforcement officers. Its severity should send a clear message: should you choose to commit such a senseless, violent crime in this region, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming following the sentence. “The community is tired of this abhorrent nonsense. Mr. Iouioukine, a hardworking and valued member of society, left behind family, friends, and co-workers who loved him dearly. We can only hope that the resolution of this matter brings them some comfort and closure.”
“This case demonstrates the importance of using ballistic intelligence to identify those using firearms to commit violent crimes in our community” Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division said. “The comprehensive use of ATF’s National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) by our state and local law enforcement partners, provides ATF the unprecedented ability to link shootings and other crimes of gun violence based on forensic evidence alone. ATF will continue to use NIBIN and other crime gun intelligence tools, to identify trigger pullers in St. Louis and hold them accountable for their actions.”
This case was made possible, in part, by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
The St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County Police Departments; United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Metro West Fire Protection District’s Dive/Rescue Response Team investigated this case.
Jefferson County man admits to government theftRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Phillip Downes, of Ranson, West Virginia, has admitted to a theft charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Downes, 44, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Theft of Government Funds.” Downes was employed by CSX Transportation from July 2006 to April 2019. Downes collected unemployment benefits from June 2019 to August 2020, but admitted that he was, in fact, employed elsewhere during this time frame. Downes submitted 29 false claims to hide his employment, resulting in a theft of more than $18,000. Downes also received nearly $10,000 in CARES Act funds.
Downes also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $27,902.08 to the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.
Downes faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Jackson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Jackson County man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing a sawed-off shotgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court documents, on November 18, 2020, Shawn Wayne Ethridge, 38, sold methamphetamine to an individual along with a short-barreled shotgun.
The ATF and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Nov. 17 was:
Gloydean Lee Rider, 24, of Browning, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rider faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Rider was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-64.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 18 was:
Chase Sterling Allen, 28, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Allen faces a mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison consecutive to any other sentence on the firearms crime. Allen was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-93.
Anthony Jacob Johnson, 51, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Johnson was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana’s Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-85.
Eric Edward Mack, 42, of Lewistown, on charges bank fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mack faces a maximum 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Mack was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-86.
Appearing on Nov. 17 was:
Shane Edward Johnson, 53, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and prohibited person in possession of a firearm or ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Johnson was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Service and the FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-94.
Appearing on Nov. 15 was:
Stacie Marie Thein, 51, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Thein faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Thein was detained pending further proceedings.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana’s Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-85.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indictments Unsealed in Athens-Atlanta FBI Safe Streets InvestigationRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – 13 individuals are federally charged resulting from an ongoing FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigation into an organization of alleged drug traffickers and violent offenders in Athens-Clarke County with ties to metro Atlanta. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal search warrants were executed in Athens on Thursday, Nov. 18, resulting from federal indictments unsealed yesterday charging the following individuals:
- Reginald Battle, Sr., 46, of Statham, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine;
- Quintavious Clark aka Tre Clark, 28, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and four counts of distribution of cocaine base and cocaine;
- TaMichael Darden aka T-Mike, 40, of Athens, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, three counts of distribution of cocaine base and one count of distribution of cocaine;
- Mohamed Elnour, 33, of Atlanta, is charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon;
- Daquan Faust aka Cocaine, 29, of Athens, is charged with one count each of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of possession of a stolen firearm;
- Marqueze Johnson, 25, of Athens, is charged with one count of distribution of cocaine base;
- Tevondous Kinney, 29, of Athens, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of distribution of cocaine base;
- Corey Mitchell aka Murda, 37, of Athens, is charged with one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine;
- Hendrex Nicely aka Hen, 32, of Athens, is charged with two counts of distribution of heroin;
- Danny Sims aka Danny Boy, 57, of Hull, Georgia, is charged with one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base;
- Miller Sutton, 64, of Winder, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine;
- Darren Thrasher, 45, of Athens, is charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine base; and,
- Gregory Wade, Sr., 53, of Athens, is charged with one count of distribution of crack cocaine and cocaine.
Initial appearances for the defendants occurred on Thursday, Nov. 18., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle. Their detention hearings were continued until Monday, Nov. 22, in Macon, Georgia, federal court.
Four firearms, 6.9 pounds of marijuana, three ounces of cocaine, 2.3 ounces of heroin and $6,491 were seized during yesterday’s operation in Athens, bringing the total amount of items seized during the course of the investigation in Athens and metro Atlanta to the following (street value estimates of illegal drugs listed):
- 60 firearms
- $1,036,172
- a land mine
- 13.22 kilograms of powder cocaine (Street Value: $412,000)
- 1.32 kilograms of fentanyl (Street Value: $150,000)
- 12.57 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine (Street Value: $84,000)
- 1.39 kilos of crack cocaine (Street Value: $71,750)
- 25.35 lbs. of marijuana (Street Value: $62,500)
- 11.25 ounces of heroin (Street Value: $28,125)
- 198 dosages of controlled pharmaceuticals (Street Value: ($2,970)
- 113 THC cartridges (Street Value: $2,260)
- 81 packets of THC edibles (Street Value: $405)
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, comprised of members from the FBI, the GBI Gang Unit, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD), the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) and the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) in partnership with the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force, the ACCPD Gang Unit, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision (GDOC) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. In addition, the Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Department of Revenue, the Atlanta Police Department, the Brookhaven Police Department, the DeKalb County Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Henry County Police Department, the South Fulton Police Department, the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office and the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office are assisting in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case.
- Reginald Battle, Sr., 46, of Statham, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine;
Hunter Army Airfield contractor admits lying to investigators about violent assaultRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A contractor at Hunter Army Airfield has admitted he lied to Army investigators when he claimed to have been assaulted on post.
Eric T. Nakamura, 49, of Beaufort, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to one count of False Statement Made to a Department or Agency of the United States, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Nakamura to a possible statutory penalty of up to five years in federal prison, along with substantial financial penalties and up to five years of supervised release following any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“At a time when there is heightened awareness in the United States regarding attacks on Asian-Americans, it is repulsive that Eric Nakamura would fake his own assault,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Army investigators did outstanding work in exposing his false claims and exonerating potential suspects.”
In pleading guilty, Nakamura admitted that he lied to a special agent from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) when he claimed that on July 20, 2020, he was stabbed with a knife and robbed by an unknown person in an Army uniform with the name tape “Brown” while in the lab in which he worked at Hunter Army Airfield. After he was confronted with video evidence from a building across the street from the lab, Nakamura admitted that he had stabbed himself with a kitchen knife.
“Deliberately lying to our agents about being attacked on this installation showed poor judgement,” said Supervisory Special Agent Michael David, of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Hunter Army Airfield CID Office. “Mr. Nakamura’s guilty plea demonstrates the level of commitment our CID agents have toward finding the truth.”
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard.
Hanover Paving Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a commercial and residential paving business in Hanover pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with an income diversion scheme.
William E. Dyer, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2022. Dyer was charged on Oct. 26, 2021.
Dyer owned and operated Pilgrim Paving. From 2014 through 2018, Dyer diverted payments from Pilgrim Paving customers by directing customers to write checks to him and then cashing those checks. Dyer failed to report over $1.7 million in diverted receipts and additional business deposits on the tax returns that he filed or that he directed a tax preparer to file on his behalf. As a result of this conduct, Dyer underreported his personal income tax obligations, causing a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $600,000.
The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan National Convicted After Nine-Day Federal Trial for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Feliciano de Jesus Diaz-Martinez, a/k/a Alex, age 43, of Owings Mills, Maryland, yesterday for sex trafficking of a child, enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and distribution of a controlled substance. Diaz-Martinez has been in custody since his indictment on July 25, 2019.
The guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to the evidence presented at his nine-day trial, from at least 2016 through May 2019, Diaz-Martinez, a Guatemalan national in the United States illegally, caused more than eight individuals, including minors, to engage in commercial sex acts for his own financial benefit by means of force, fraud, and coercion. Trial testimony confirmed that Diaz-Martinez knew that Victim 1 was 16 years old when he first caused her to engage in commercial sex acts. Victim 1 continued to work for Diaz-Martinez until she was approximately 18 years old. The evidence proved that nearly all of the victims that Diaz-Martinez caused to engage in commercial sex acts suffered from serious substance abuse disorders, including addictions to heroin, crack cocaine, and Xanax. Diaz-Martinez took half or all of the money earned by the victims working for him, and sold some of the victims narcotics, often at prices significantly higher than he paid to purchase the drugs.
As detailed in trial testimony, Diaz-Martinez maintained a network of friends and associates who paid to engage in commercial sex acts with the victims Diaz-Martinez advertised and made available to them. Diaz-Martinez sent his customers pictures of the victims available for commercial sex and set the prices that customers would pay to engage in sex acts with the victims he controlled. Diaz-Martinez then transported, or caused to be transported, victims to his customers’ homes, or to hotel rooms he rented, to engage in commercial sex acts. The evidence showed that Diaz-Martinez also invited customers to engage in commercial sex acts with victims in his apartment and in a storage unit that he rented.
Witnesses testified that Diaz-Martinez maintained several different accounts in alias names on a social media platform, which he used to recruit and communicate with the victims in order to entice them to work for him and engage in commercial sex acts, including many users he had never met. The jury found that Diaz-Martinez sometimes offered the users he communicated with heroin and crack cocaine, referred to as “boy” and “girl,” in exchange for engaging in commercial sex with his customers. Diaz-Martinez also directed the victims working for him to recruit their friends, many of whom were also addicted to narcotics, to engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit.
Several victims testified that Diaz-Martinez frequently demanded that they engage in sex acts with him, free of charge, and that he retaliated against the victims if he was not personally satisfied with the sexual encounter. Diaz-Martinez also retaliated against victims who violated his rules, failed to earn sufficient money from commercial sex, or otherwise displeased him in a number of ways, including, abandoning them at customers’ homes and on roadsides without their belongings or transportation and withholding drugs from the victims whom he knew to be addicted.
Diaz-Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for sex trafficking of a minor and for enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution; a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison for each of four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for distribution of controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for February 11, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
This case was investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI Baltimore, the Baltimore County Police Department and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary W. Setzer and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the case.
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Grand Jury indicts local business owner for tax evasionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Jeffrey M. Bauza on November 17, 2021 with numerous counts of willful failure to collect or pay taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
The indictment charges Jeffrey M. Bauza willfully failed to collect, account for, and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service all the Federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld and due to the United States. Bauza owned and operated CDL Training Service & Consulting and CDL Training Services of Missouri.
The indictment alleges that beginning in 2015 through 2018, as owner and operator of CDL Training Service & Consulting and CDL Training Services of Missouri, Bauza withheld payroll taxes from his employees continuously, but he did not file the required quarterly Forms 941. In addition, Bauza failed to pay over any of the associated payroll taxes to the IRS.
Despite owing a substantial amount of money to the IRS and being aware of his employment tax obligations, Bauza maintained his lifestyle making substantial payments toward his primary residence, his Florida vacation home, a luxury vehicle, and private universities for his children’s education, among other things. Bauza even expanded his business, opening additional CDL schools and engaging in other business ventures which required him to put up substantial capital.
CDL Training Service & Consulting and CDL Training Services were operated and controlled by Bauza, and he was responsible for paying the companies’ taxes. He exercised financial control over the businesses’ financial affairs and was the only person who had the authority to file and pay the payroll taxes. Additionally, Bauza was the only person in the companies who had the authority to authorize payments and sign checks, and he alone decided which of the companies’ liabilities to pay.
In total, Bauza failed to pay over approximately $1,173,424 in employment taxes withheld from employee paychecks and due to the IRS.
“IRS Criminal Investigation is entrusted to enforce the nation’s tax laws. When taxpayers go to work they trust that their employers are following the law and paying their withheld taxes over to the IRS. When greedy employers keep these funds for their own personal use as shown in the indictment of Jeffrey Bauza, it can cause detrimental harm to employees. This indictment sends the message that IRS-CI will work tirelessly to detect non-compliance and protect innocent workers and the integrity of our nation’s tax system,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, St. Louis Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation.
Georgia man who laundered millions from online frauds sentenced to 13 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Nnamdi Marcellus MgBodile has been sentenced to prison for bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud after being convicted at trial. For years, MgBodile opened and directed others to open fraudulent business bank accounts that received millions of dollars from various online frauds. He and others then laundered these funds to other accounts, including dozens of accounts overseas.
“MgBodile and his co-conspirators are representative of the transnational fraudsters who have had had a devastating impact on U.S. residents and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “The groups perpetrating these romance scams and business email compromise frauds target their victims indiscriminately and have caused billions of dollars of losses for victims in recent years.”
“As evidenced by the length of the prison sentence in this case, fraud is a heinous crime that can destroy people’s lives,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent In Charge Steven R. Baisel. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice those who prey on the vulnerable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges, and other information presented in court: Nnamdi Marcellus MgBodile opened and directed others to open fraudulent bank accounts in Georgia, New York, and California for sham companies that did not have physical premises, earn legitimate income, or pay wages to employees. MgBodile recruited at least five other individuals to open the fraudulent business bank accounts, including a former bank employee who he bribed to continue to open accounts even after others have been closed for fraud.
MgBodile used these fraudulent accounts to launder the proceeds of various fraudulent schemes, including a romance scam that defrauded a Virginia woman out of more than $5 million, and business email compromise (“BEC”) scams in which MgBodile and others attempted to defraud a Georgia company of nearly $350,000, and an Alabama company of more than $800,000.
Romance scams are a type of online fraud in which victims are targeted by individuals posing as potential paramours. The fraudsters create fake online dating profiles (often with photographs of attractive men or women) and use these fake personas to express strong romantic interest in the victims in order to trick them into sending money to them or their co-conspirators under false pretenses. Romance scams frequently target vulnerable individuals who possess significant financial assets, such as retired widows or widowers.
The evidence at trial showed that at the end of November 2017 a Virginia woman, who signatory authority over a sizable trust that had been established for her children, met a person (“James Deere”) through an on-line dating service. She was soon convinced that she was in a romantic relationship with “Deere.” Over the next month, the victim communicated via email with Deere, whom she believed had fallen for her. Deere said he wanted to start a life with her and was excited to live with her, but first had to resolve an investment opportunity—an opportunity that was totally fraudulent and fictitious.
Deere told the victim that he was a fund manager and he was on the verge of receiving a sizeable commission (“the funds”) for services provided to an unnamed client. Deere explained to the victim that he needed her to be his “representative partner” and have the Funds deposited into the victim’s bank account to avoid an alleged conflict of interest.
In January and February 2018, after luring the victim, “Deere” and conspirators started requesting via email that she pay various “fees” and “taxes” so that the funds could be released. Between approximately January 2, 2018 and February 12, 2018, and in response to representations made by “Deere” and others regarding the Funds, the victim made approximately twenty-five wire transfers totaling more than $5 million from the trust account into various bank accounts, of which $1.35 million was wired to accounts controlled by MgBodile. After the fraudulent funds hit the accounts controlled by MgBodile, they were then wired to other accounts controlled by MgBodile or overseas accounts in China and the Middle East.
BEC scams commonly involve an employee of a company who has been fooled into responding with email messages that appear to be, but are not, legitimate (“spoof emails”). At trial, the evidence showed that in March 2019, MgBodile and others attempted to defraud a Georgia company out of nearly $350,000 after the Georgia company received emails from what it believed was Oxford Finance, a company that had provided financing to the victim company. The emails fraudulently represented that the victim needed to wire Oxford Finance a quarterly payment rather than being drawn via an automated clearing house, typically referred to as an ACH. None of the emails purporting to be sent from Oxford Finance was actually sent by Oxford Finance. Rather, these “spoof emails” were sent from a domain, “oxfordfiinance.com,” which appeared to be Oxford Finance’s, but was not. Oxford Finance’s actual domain is “oxfordfinance.com” (only one “i" in finance). The emails also appeared to come from Oxford Finance because the purported sender is an actual employee of Oxford Finance and the email’s signature line contained Oxford Finance’s correct physical address
Nnamdi Marcellus MgBodile, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael Brown to 13 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was charged by a federal grand jury in November 2019 with twenty counts of bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. A federal jury convicted him of these charges on May 13, 2021 following an eight-day trial.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is part of the Department of Justice Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
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 was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted the case.
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.
Gary Man Sentenced 35 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Terryante Flournoy, 23, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon following his guilty plea arising out of Hobbs Act robbery offenses, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Flournoy pled guilty to attempted robbery affecting commerce and conspiracy to commit robbery affecting commerce. Flournoy, who possessed a firearm during the attempted Hobbs Act robbery and who, at that time, had prior felony convictions for theft and battery by bodily waste, also pled guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Flournoy was sentenced to 420 months (35 years) in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on November 24, 2019, in Gary, Indiana, Flournoy and his co-defendant planned the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver by ordering a pizza to be delivered to a nearby abandoned house. When the delivery driver arrived Flournoy and his co-defendant approached his vehicle to commit the robbery. During the attempted robbery, Flournoy fired a shot from an AR-15 style rifle at the delivery man, striking and killing him. Flournoy and his co-defendant fled the crime scene without completing the planned robbery.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Gang Response Investigative Team, the Gary Police Department, and the Lake County Metropolitan Homicide Unit, with the assistance of the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick and Caitlin M. Padula.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Gang Member Admits Role in Courthouse ShootingRead the Press Release
LAHEEM JONES, also known as “Heemie,” 27, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to racketeering and attempted murder offenses stemming from his participation in gang-related shootings, including a shooting in front of a state courthouse in Bridgeport in January 2020.
Today’s announcement was made by Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Jones has been a member of the “Greene Homes Boyz” (“GHB/Hotz”), a gang based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End, whose members and associates distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; committed numerous acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals, and celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube. GHB/Hotz members and associates also committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities. From approximately 2017 until August 2020, GHB/Hotz members were aligned with members of the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport, against rival groups in Bridgeport, including the East End, East Side and PT Barnum gangs, as well as 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport.
In pleading guilty, Jones admitted that he was engaged in gang-related drug trafficking, and that he and others attempted to kill members and associates of the East End gang in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a Bridgeport courthouse on January 27, 2020. At 12:11 p.m. on that date, Bridgeport Police responded to the area of 172 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport after a Shot Spotter activation detected approximately 20 shots being fired in front of the state courthouse located there. Upon arrival, investigators discovered that four victims had been shot while sitting inside a black Chevrolet Impala. One victim was shot in the side of his chest and was left paralyzed and a second victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his back, shoulder and wrist. The victims’ vehicle had approximately 23 entry bullet holes in the driver’s side and windshield area.
Jones and others attempted to destroy a vehicle used during the shooting by setting is on fire in Naugatuck after the shooting.
Jones also appears in YouTube videos and in social media posts, where firearms are present, promoting the gang.
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and one count of attempted murder and aiding and abetting, in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute. Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for February 23, 2022, at which time Jones faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
Jones has been detained since August 6, 2020.
Jones, who pleaded guilty after a day of jury selection for his trial, is the last of eight defendants charged in this conspiracy to plead guilty.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Rahul Kale, Peter D. Markle, Karen L. Peck and Stephanie T. Levick.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Four Found Guilty this Week in the Northern DistrictRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced four separate guilty verdicts returned this week in criminal cases in the Northern District of Ohio. These are separate cases and are not related.
On Monday, November 15, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Defendant Quentin D. Watson, 35, of Akron, following a week-long trial before Judge Pamela A. Barker. Watson was found guilty of distributing a fentanyl substance that led to a fatal overdose, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2022. This case was investigated by the Akron Police Department, Akron Fire Department, Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Christopher J. Joyce.
On Wednesday, November 17, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned guilty verdicts against Defendant Jay A. Schwartz, 55, of Northville, Michigan, following a three-day trial before Judge Robert H. Cleland in Port Huron. Schwartz was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and bribery involving federal programs.
Schwartz is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2022. This case was investigated by the Detroit Division of the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Michael Freeman out of the Northern District of Ohio.
On Thursday, November 18, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Defendant Damon Lamont Irby, 45, of Youngstown, following a two-day trial before Judge John R. Adams. Irby was found guilty of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person with a prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
Irby is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2022. This case was investigated by the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.
On Thursday, November 18, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Defendant Leonard Walker, Jr., 44, of Elyria, following a five-day trial before Judge Solomon Oliver. Walker was found guilty of distribution of crack cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2022. This case was investigated by the Elyria Police Department and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Colleen M. Egan.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced for Theft of MailRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – George T. Oliver, Jr., 39 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to theft of mail, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Oliver was sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in early 2021, Oliver was apprehended after a brief pursuit with law enforcement. At the time of his apprehension, law enforcement recovered 269 pieces of stolen mail from 236 different victims.
This case was investigated by the United Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of multiple local law enforcement agencies, including the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, and the Columbia City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Ecenbarger.
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