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19 November 2021
Agawam Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Agawam man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for stealing two firearms and trading them for drugs.
David Poirier, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three months in prison and three years of supervised release, with the first two months to be served in home confinement. In December 2020, Poirier pleaded guilty to one count of theft of a firearm from a licensed firearms dealer and one count of possession, sale or disposal of a stolen firearm.
Between June 18 and 23, 2020, Poirier stole a STI Edge 40 caliber pistol, a Glock 34 9 mm pistol, a Stag Arms Stag 15 lower frame and cash from a family member’s locked safe, and then traded them for drugs. The family member holds a Federal Firearms License (FFL) and owns a firearms business.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Office; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Agawam Police Chief Eric Gillis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This prosecution 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.
18 November 2021
Yankton Man Charged with Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Yankton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
Dylan James Steffen, age 29, was indicted on November 9, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on November 17, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime of supervised release, and up $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about between January 22, 2021, and January 24, 2021, and again on or about between March 17, 2021, and March 18, 2021, Steffen knowingly received and distributed, and attempted to receive and distribute, any child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer.
The charges are merely accusations and Steffen is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Yankton Police Department, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Steffen was remanded to the custody of the State pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Wenatchee, Washington Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Wenatchee, Washington Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography Spokane – Today, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Jose A. Mendoza, age 32, of Wenatchee, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of production of child pornography on June 30, 2021. Senior United States District Judge Rosanna M. Peterson sentenced Mendoza to a 210-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to court documents, the Wenatchee Police Department executed a warrant to search Mendoza’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices that contained images of child pornography. Upon further review, Mendoza was found to have produced images of himself engaged in sexually exploitative conduct with female children.
United States Attorney Waldref said, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, in collaboration with its federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners, uses every resource and tool available to investigate and prosecute aggressively those involved in child exploitation. This Office will continue to do all we can to protect vulnerable child victims of these horrible crimes.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
· Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
· Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
· Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
· Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
· Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Wenatchee Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Wanblee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, and Obstruction of Justice, was sentenced on November 12, 2021, by District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Wicahpe “Chops” Milk, age 38, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Milk was indicted for all three charges by a federal grand jury in September 2016. He was found guilty at the close of a jury trial held June 28 – July 2, 2021.
Beginning in approximately January 2015, Milk obtained methamphetamine in California and transported it to South Dakota. He also recruited others to transport the methamphetamine. Milk sold the methamphetamine in western South Dakota and recruited at least 15 other people to do so for him. The communities where the methamphetamine was distributed included Rapid City, Wanblee, Pine Ridge, Kyle, Mission, Box Elder, Martin, and Allen. In August 2016, Milk was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Pennington County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Milk fled from the deputies and was arrested after a short foot pursuit. In the vehicle, Milk possessed a firearm and methamphetamine. Because of a prior felony conviction, Milk was prohibited from possessing any firearms. After his arrest, Milk repeatedly engaged in efforts to obstruct the case by writing letters to witnesses with content designed to affect their testimony, including threats, promises, and coercion.
This case was investigated by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Milk was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Walla Walla Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison After Fourth Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Spokane – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Monica Linker, age 32, of Walla Walla, Washington, was sentenced on October 21, 2021, after pleading guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Linker to 5 years in federal custody, to be followed by a 10- year term of court supervision after she is released. Chief Judge Bastian calculated Linker’s sentencing range under the United States Sentencing Guidelines at more than 12 years – in part because this was Linker’s fourth child pornography offense – but exercised his discretion to depart downward to 5 years. Linker’s sentence is 8 years shorter than the 13-year sentence the United States recommended.
According to court documents, an FBI Special Agent went online in an undercover role to locate people in the community who were trading child pornography. The agent downloaded more than 80 videos of child pornography from Linker’s residence in Walla Walla, which led to a search warrant and the removal of all digital devices from her home. A forensic review confirmed significant child pornography evidence on her devices. Then, approximately ten months later, FBI executed a second search warrant at Linker’s new residence, recovering new images of child pornography from Linker’s new digital devices. In all, FBI recovered a significant amount of child pornography, as well as other indicia of Linker’s sexual interest in children and technical sophistication. This evidence included peer-to-peer, cleaning, encryption, and hacking software, and a Japanese Anime child pornography comic book. FBI also found evidence that Linker had burned images of child pornography onto disks. By the time FBI located Linker online, she had sustained three child pornography offenses under Washington law. In fact, she was on supervision with the Washington Department of Corrections when FBI downloaded child pornography from her. During prior probation searches of Linker’s residences, officers recovered 25 pairs of girls’ panties, anime books and videos, anime pornography, and a book on child gynecology.
United States Attorney Waldref condemned the exploitation of children:
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington works closely with our local and federal partners to apprehend the most serious child exploitation offenders in our community. I commend the Walla Walla Police Department and the FBI, whose excellent investigation in this case has protected children by keeping a recidivist offender off the streets for years. Sadly, there is an entire community of people who use the Internet to collect and trade crime-scene photos of children’s abuse for their own sexual gratification. Those images often travel around the Internet forever, ensuring that child pornography victims are never truly free. To those who use peer-to-peer networks to exploit children while seeking to evade detection by law enforcement, today’s sentence puts you on notice: undercover FBI agents are online at all hours of the day and night looking for child pornography offenders. We will continue to prosecute child exploitation as vigorously as the law allows. I encourage anyone who sees or suspects any form of child abuse to contact law enforcement immediately.”
Donald Voiret, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Division, which encompasses the Spokane, Walla Walla, and Yakima areas, said “Ms. Linker is a repeat offender who has obviously not learned her lesson from her past convictions. Her compulsion to engage in this activity, even after being aware of law enforcement scrutiny, indicates the importance of keeping her away from the children in our communities.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood (“PSC”), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. PSC has five major components:
ꞏ Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases,
and to identify and rescue children;
ꞏ Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
ꞏ Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
ꞏ Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
ꞏ Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Detective (Ret.) Tim Hollingsworth led the investigation by the Walla Walla Police Department and Special Agent (Ret.) Lee McEuen led the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. David M. Herzog, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, prosecuted the case.
United States Settles Clean Water Act Claims Against Fishing Companies, Manager and Vessel Chief Engineer for Violations in American SamoaRead the Press Release
San Diego-based JM Fisheries LLC, G.S. Fisheries Inc., the companies’ manager, and the chief engineer of the commercial fishing vessel Capt. Vincent Gann have agreed to pay a total of $725,000 in civil penalties to settle federal Clean Water Act claims related to oil pollution violations on the vessel. The companies and their manager have also agreed to perform corrective measures to prevent future Clean Water Act violations.
Working with the Coast Guard, the Department of Justice filed a civil complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii against JM Fisheries LLC, G.S. Fisheries Inc., James Sousa, and Edward DaCosta, along with a proposed consent decree resolving the allegations in the complaint against the companies and manager and a stipulated settlement agreement resolving the allegations against the chief engineer. The United States alleges in the complaint that, on April 20, 2018, the defendants discharged oil and oily mixtures from the fishing vessel Capt. Vincent Gann’s engine room bilge into Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa, while performing repairs on the vessel. The Coast Guard responded to the discharge in the harbor and oversaw the cleanup efforts. The complaint further alleges a host of violations of pollution control regulations, including a failure to properly maintain and operate the vessel’s onboard oily water treatment system and a non-approved bypass modification to the system. JM Fisheries LLC subsequently reimbursed the Coast Guard for the cleanup work.
“The laws that these polluters violated protect vital marine resources for the good of the American people,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice commends the Coast Guard for the investigation that revealed these violations and allowed these polluters to be held accountable.”
“Being a steward to our environment is everyone’s responsibility,” said Captain Arex Avanni, Commander, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu and Captain of the Port of Coast Guard District 14. “We take any violation, no matter the size, extremely seriously and will use all resources available to prevent, investigate and hold violators responsible. With the assistance of partners and our maritime community, we can ensure our environment will be well protected.”
To resolve the claims in the complaint, the consent decree requires the companies and company manager James Sousa to perform corrective measures on all vessels they own or operate. These measures include:
(1) hiring an independent maritime consultant to conduct a top-to-bottom review of each vessel’s oil handling practices and operations,
(2) providing crewmembers with training on proper operation and maintenance of the oily water separator system and on the required recordkeeping associated with the system,
(3) documenting transfers of oil within and to each vessel, and
(4) submitting compliance reports to the Coast Guard and Department of Justice.
Additionally, the consent decree requires them to pay a joint civil penalty of $720,000. The stipulated settlement agreement requires the Capt. Vincent Gann’s chief engineer, Edward DaCosta, to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 to resolve the claims alleged against him in the complaint. This penalty amount is based on a demonstrated limited ability to pay a higher penalty.
Section 311(b) of the Clean Water Act makes it unlawful to discharge oil or hazardous substances into or upon the waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines in quantities that may be harmful to the environment or public health. Under the Act, the Coast Guard also has promulgated spill prevention and pollution control regulations for vessels and other facilities. Overboard discharges of oily mixtures, whether by directly pumping out oily bilge water that has not been properly treated, or by attempting to pump only the portion of the oily bilge water beneath a floating oil layer in the bilge (so-called “decanting”), has long been unlawful under federal law. Eliminating oil discharges into the ocean helps protect people, birds, fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and other natural resources.
The penalty paid for this discharge and other violations will be deposited in the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund managed by the National Pollution Funds Center. The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is used to pay for federal response activities and to compensate for damages when there is a discharge or substantial threat of discharge of oil or hazardous substances to waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines.
The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court review and approval. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles ADA Service Animal Dispute with Cedar Rapids Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
Midwest Petroleum & Convenience, Inc. (Midwest Petroleum), doing business as 7Star Liquor and Tobacco Outlet, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, convenience store, has agreed to settle a dispute under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding an allegation that it refused service to an individual with disabilities because of her service animal.
“People with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal are entitled to come and go freely in the community,” said Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry. “We are pleased that Midwest Petroleum has agreed to take steps to ensure that people who use service animals are welcomed and accepted.”
Under the settlement agreement, Midwest Petroleum agreed to adopt a service animal non-discrimination policy, provide relevant training to its employees regarding the ADA, post signage indicating service animals are welcome, and pay $1,000 in damages to the complainant.
As part of its investigation, the United States Attorney’s Office determined that, on December 26, 2020, the complainant entered 7Star Liquor and Tobacco Outlet with her service dog. A Midwest Petroleum employee told the complainant that dogs were not allowed within the store. Even after the complainant informed the employee that the animal was a service animal, the complainant was forced to leave.
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by public accommodations, such as convenience stores. Among other things, public accommodations must allow people with disabilities the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, and facilities. They must make reasonable modifications of their policies, practices, and procedures to permit people with disabilities to be accompanied by service animals.
Individuals in the Northern District of Iowa that believe their civil rights may have been violated may submit their complaints by e-mailing the United States Attorney’s Office at [email protected] or by accessing https://civilrights.justice.gov/. For more information on the ADA, or to access publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Gillespie and the Disabilities Rights Section of the United States Department of Justice.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces $5.5 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio today announced that the Justice Department has awarded $5.5 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP) to four law enforcement agencies in the district. The awards provide direct funding to hire additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
Across the nation, the Justice Department announced that it has awarded more than $139 million in grant funding to 183 law enforcement agencies.
The following law enforcement agencies in the Northern District of Ohio received awards:
- Austintown Township, $250,000
- City of Canton, $1,000,000
- City of Cleveland, $3,750,000
- Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, $500,000
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.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron Announces Award of $3 Million in Federal Funds to Advance Community Policing in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron announced today that three cities in the District of Maryland have received grants totaling $3 million from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Department of Justice announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the program. The grants will provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals, including 24 officers in Maryland.
“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 local law enforcement partners are facing unprecedented challenges. I am happy that these grants from the Department of Justice will assist them to hire the officers needed to keep our communities safer and advance community oriented policing in our local police departments,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.
The following cities in Maryland received awards:
City of Cumberland received $375,000 to hire three officers; Town of Forest Heights received $500,000 to hire four officers; and
City of Seat Pleasant received $2,125,000 to hire 17 officers.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 response 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 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.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca Announces a $500,000 Grant Awarded to the City of Jackson Police Department for Additional Police OfficersRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca announced today that the City of Jackson Police Department (JPD) received an award totaling $504,310 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program.
Nationally, the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) awarded $139 million in new funding to 183 police departments across the nation, including $504,310 to JPD. The funding to JPD is to be used for the hiring of additional officers to fight violent crime in the City of Jackson.
“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.”
“This award will help the City of Jackson and it’s police department meet the need for additional police officers,” said U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca. “The fight against violent crime in the City does not end here. It is the beginning.”
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.
U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Two Iranian Nationals for Cyber-Enabled Disinformation and Threat Campaign Designed to Interfere with the 2020 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Bryan Vorndran, the Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Division (“FBI”), and Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian citizens and residents Seyyed Mohammad Hosein and MUSA KAZEMI (سید محمد حسین موسی کاظمی), a/k/a “Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazem,” a/k/a “Hosein Zamani,” and SAJJAD KASHIAN (سجاد کاشیان), a/k/a “Kiarash Nabavi,”for their involvement in a cyber-enabled campaign to intimidate and influence American voters, and otherwise undermine voter confidence and sow discord, in connection with the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. As part of this campaign, the conspirators obtained confidential United States voter information from at least one state election website, sent threatening email messages to intimidate voters, created and disseminated a video containing disinformation pertaining to purported but non-existent voting vulnerabilities, attempted to access, without authorization, several states’ voting-related websites, and successfully gained unauthorized access to a U.S. media company’s computer network that, if not for successful FBI and victim company efforts to mitigate, would have provided the conspirators another vehicle for further disseminating false claims after the election. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Kazemi and Kashian were part of a coordinated conspiracy in which Iranian hackers sought to undermine faith and confidence in the U.S. Presidential elections. Working with others, Kazemi and Kashian accessed voter information from at least one state’s voter database, threatened U.S. voters via email, and even disseminated a fictitious video that purported to depict actors fabricating overseas ballots. The United States will never tolerate any foreign actors’ attempts to undermine our free and democratic elections. As a result of the charges unsealed today, and the concurrent efforts of our U.S. government partners, Kazemi and Kashian will forever look over their shoulders as we strive to bring them to justice.”
Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division Bryan Vorndran.said: “The FBI remains committed to countering malicious cyber activity targeting our democratic process. Working rapidly with our private sector and U.S. government partners and ahead of the election, we were able to disrupt and mitigate this malicious activity – and then to enable today’s joint, sequenced operations against the adversary. Today’s announcement shows what we can accomplish as a community and a country when we work together, and the FBI will continue to do its part to keep our democracy safe.”
Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen said: “The Department is committed to using all tools at its disposal, including criminal charges, to expose and disrupt malign foreign influence efforts and bring the responsible actors to justice. The indictment reveals that Iranian actors sought to sow discord by targeting Republicans with messages claiming voter fraud, and Democrats with ‘false flag’ threats from the Proud Boys. Its detailed allegations provide unadulterated facts that will help further inoculate the U.S. public, regardless of political affiliation, from future tailored and targeted disinformation campaigns.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
The 2020 Election Interference Campaign
Starting in approximately August 2020, and proceeding until November 2020, KAZEMI, KASHIAN, and other co-conspirators began a coordinated, four-stage campaign to undermine faith and confidence in the 2020 Presidential Election (the “Election Interference Campaign”) and otherwise sow discord within U.S. society. The campaign had four components:
- In September and October 2020, members of the conspiracy conducted reconnaissance on, and attempted to compromise, approximately eleven state voter websites, including state voter registration websites and state voter information websites. Those efforts resulted in the successful exploitation of a misconfigured computer system of a particular U.S. state (“State-1”), and the resulting unauthorized downloading of more than 100,000 State-1 voters’ information.
- In October 2020, members of the conspiracy, claiming to be a “group of Proud Boys volunteers,” sent Facebook messages and emails (the “False Election Messages”) to Republican Senators, Republican members of Congress, individuals associated with the Presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, White House advisors, and members of the media. The False Election Messages claimed that the Democratic Party was planning to exploit “serious security vulnerabilities” in state voter registration websites to “edit mail-in ballots or even register non-existent voters.” The False Election Messages were accompanied by a video (the “False Election Video”) which purported, via simulated intrusions and the use of State-1 voter data, to depict an individual affiliated with the Proud Boys hacking into state voter websites and using stolen voter information to create fraudulent absentee ballots through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (“FVAP”) for military and overseas voters.[2]
- Also in October 2020, the conspirators engaged in an online voter intimidation campaign involving the dissemination of a threatening message (the “Voter Threat Emails”), purporting to be from the Proud Boys, to tens of thousands of registered voters, including some voters whose information the conspiracy had obtained from State-1’s website. The emails were sent to registered Democrats, and threatened the recipients with physical injury if they did not change their party affiliation and vote for President Trump.
- On November 4, 2020, the day after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, the conspirators sought to leverage earlier September and October 2020 intrusions into an American media company’s (“Media Company-1”) computer networks. Specifically, on that day, the conspirators attempted to use stolen credentials to again access Media Company-1’s network, which would have provided them another vehicle for further disseminating false claims concerning the election through conspirator-modified or created content. However, because of an earlier FBI victim notification, Media Company-1 had by that time mitigated the conspirators’ unauthorized access and these log-in attempts failed.
Background on Kazemi and Kashian
SEYYED MOHAMMAD HOSEIN MUSA KAZEMI and SAJJAD KASHIAN are experienced Iran-based computer hackers that worked as contractors for an Iran-based company called Eeleyanet Gostar, now known as Emennet Pasargad. Eeleyanet Gostar purported to provide cybersecurity services within Iran. Among other things, Eeleyanet Gostar is known to have provided services to the Iranian Government, including to the Guardian Council.
As part of his role in the Election Interference Campaign, KAZEMI compromised computer servers that were used to send the Voter Threat Emails, prepared such emails, and compromised the systems of Media Company-1. KASHIAN’s role was to manage the conspirators’ computer infrastructure used to carry out the Voter Threat Email campaign, and to purchase social media accounts in furtherance of the Election Interference Campaign.
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KAZEMI, 24, and KASHIAN, 27, are both charged with one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of voter intimidation, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison; and one count of transmission of interstate threats, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. KAZEMI is additionally charged with one count of unauthorized computer intrusion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of computer fraud: knowingly damaging a protected computer, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the assigned judge.
Concurrent with the unsealing of the indictment, the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated Emennet Pasargad, KAZEMI, KASHIAN, and four other Iranian nationals comprising Emennet Pasargad leadership pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, “Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election.” Additionally, the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on or about the KAZEMI and KASHIAN’s activities.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, including the work of the Cleveland FBI Field Office and the FBI Cyber Division.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Dina McLeod and Louis A. Pellegrino are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
[2] In actuality, the computer intrusions depicted in the False Election Video were simulated intrusions created by members of the conspiracy using their own server and data obtained during the State-1 exploitation. Further, the FVAP could not actually be leveraged in the manner implied by the False Election Video.
Two Prolific Delaware Valley-Area Pharmacy Burglars Sentenced to a Total of over 24 Years for Participating in Almost 50 Break-insRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Robert Hopkins, 26, and William Limper, 43, both of Philadelphia, PA, were sentenced to eight years and one month in prison, and 16 years and four months in prison, respectively, by United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone for their roles in a conspiracy to burglarize or attempt to burglarize 49 pharmacies in the City of Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs during a five year period. Hopkins was sentenced to a period of three years’ supervised release and Limper to five years’ supervised release following their terms of imprisonment.
In March 2021, Hopkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit pharmacy burglary; conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances; pharmacy burglary; attempted pharmacy burglary; and attempt to possess pharmaceutical controlled substances with the intent to distribute. In June 2021, Limper pleaded guilty to multiple counts of pharmacy burglary and attempted pharmacy burglary; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and related conspiracy, drug and gun offenses.
Limper, Hopkins, and two co-conspirators who were also indicted for their involvement in this conspiracy, Raul Rivera and Michael Dombrowski, also of Philadelphia, PA, burglarized pharmacies in order to steal controlled substances – primarily Schedule II opiates such as oxycodone and Percocet tablets – for the purpose of distributing them to others for profit from about November 2014 until April 2019. The defendants forced entry into the pharmacies at nighttime with burglary tools such as crow bars and Halligan bars (specialized forcible entry tools used by law enforcement and firefighters) when the pharmacies were closed. The defendants concealed their identities with clothing and masks over their faces, and they used scanners to monitor police activity and two-way radios to communicate with each other during the burglaries.
The conspirators thoroughly planned and executed these burglaries with great precision. For example, in order to facilitate quick getaways in the event that they were detected by witnesses or law enforcement, the defendants used stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT sport utility vehicles (SUV) with powerful engines. When they were not using the stolen vehicles to perpetrate burglaries, the defendants concealed the vehicles in garages in a commercial storage lot, where they also hid their tools and the clothing they wore during the burglaries to avoid detection by law enforcement. After each of the burglaries, the defendants divided the stolen narcotics among themselves for the purpose of selling them to others.
Dombrowski and Rivera also pleaded guilty to similar charges and are awaiting sentencing in December 2021 and March 2022, respectively.
“Limper, Hopkins and their co-conspirators were able to carry out their years-long burglary spree using careful, calculated tactics,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “They terrorized communities and small businesses across the Philadelphia region, all while compounding the impact of the opioid epidemic for their own benefit. I want to thank the large group of law enforcement partners who worked together in a highly coordinated effort using targeted investigative techniques to bring these defendants to justice.”
“Limper, Hopkins, and crew were a crime wave unto themselves,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “We’re talking about a long-term criminal operation involving many dozens of pharmacy burglaries, with the stolen pills then sold out on the street amid this area’s raging opioid crisis. The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force worked with our law enforcement partners in and outside of the city to make the case that led to today’s sentencings, and we’re all gratified to see such prolific criminals held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Bristol Township Police Department, the Upper Southampton Police Department, the Chester Police Department, the Lower Merion Police Department, the Upper Chichester Township Police Department, the Upland Borough Police Department, the Folcroft Police Department, the Sharon Hill Police Department, the Central Bucks Regional Police Department, the Hatboro Police Department, the Upper Darby Police Department, the Haverford Township Police Department, the Ridley Township Police Department, the Bristol Borough Police Department, the Lower Southampton Township Police Department, the Falls Township Police Department, the Springfield Township Police Department, the Marple Township Police Department, and the Warrington Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Two Local Men Plead Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Production IndictmentsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael J. McClure, 44, of DeFuniak Springs, and Jeffrey W. Boone, Jr., 32, of Shalimar, pled guilty this past week to federal charges related to the production and distribution of child pornography, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Though the two cases are similar in nature, the federal indictments were independently handed down by a grand jury in Pensacola earlier this year.
In McClure’s case, an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation witnessed McClure distributing images of child pornography online to a group of like-minded individuals on the social media platform Kik Messenger. McClure was personally producing child pornography of a minor who was less than ten years old. During his guilty plea, McClure admitted to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise with others on Kik Messenger who were working together to victimize multiple minors across the country. McClure was engaged in such activity during 2020 to 2021.
“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Acts of such depravity are horrific and will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted. Our law enforcement partners are to be commended for the swift, collaborative efforts, which resulted in the rescue of these children.”
In Boone’s case, another undercover agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation witnessed Boone distributing images of child pornography that he was creating in real time and distributing to others online. His victim was also less than ten years of age. Law enforcement was able to immediately identify Boone and execute a search warrant on his residence to stop the illegal activity. Boone was also using Kik Messenger to engage in such crimes during 2021.
"These cases represent the FBI's relentless pursuit of those who seek to exploit the most innocent members of our community," said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "Together with our law enforcement partners, we will never waver in our efforts to protect our children from harm."
Both McClure and Boone are scheduled to be sentenced in January 2022. McClure faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ up to life imprisonment, and Boone faces a mandatory minimum 15 years’ up to 30 years’ imprisonment.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg, Jennifer H. Callahan, and Amanda Gordon.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Two Iranian Nationals Charged for Cyber-Enabled Disinformation and Threat Campaign Designed to Influence the 2020 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed in New York today charging two Iranian nationals for their involvement in a cyber-enabled campaign to intimidate and influence American voters, and otherwise undermine voter confidence and sow discord, in connection with the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
According to court documents, Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazemi (سید محمد حسین موسی کاظمی), aka Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazem, aka Hosein Zamani, 24, and Sajjad Kashian (سجاد کاشیان), aka Kiarash Nabavi, 27, both of Iran, obtained confidential U.S. voter information from at least one state election website; sent threatening email messages to intimidate and interfere with voters; created and disseminated a video containing disinformation about purported election infrastructure vulnerabilities; attempted to access, without authorization, several states’ voting-related websites; and successfully gained unauthorized access to a U.S. media company’s computer network that, if not for successful FBI and victim company efforts to mitigate, would have provided the conspirators another vehicle to disseminate false claims after the election.
“This indictment details how two Iran-based actors waged a targeted, coordinated campaign to erode confidence in the integrity of the U.S. electoral system and to sow discord among Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The allegations illustrate how foreign disinformation campaigns operate and seek to influence the American public. The Department is committed to exposing and disrupting malign foreign influence efforts using all available tools, including criminal charges.”
“As alleged, Kazemi and Kashian were part of a coordinated conspiracy in which Iranian hackers sought to undermine faith and confidence in the U.S. presidential election,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Working with others, Kazemi and Kashian accessed voter information from at least one state’s voter database, threatened U.S. voters via email, and even disseminated a fictitious video that purported to depict actors fabricating overseas ballots. The United States will never tolerate any foreign actors’ attempts to undermine our free and democratic elections. As a result of the charges unsealed today, and the concurrent efforts of our U.S. government partners, Kazemi and Kashian will forever look over their shoulders as we strive to bring them to justice.”
“The FBI remains committed to countering malicious cyber activity targeting our democratic process,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Working rapidly with our private sector and U.S. government partners and ahead of the election, we were able to disrupt and mitigate this malicious activity – and then to enable today’s joint, sequenced operations against the adversary. Today’s announcement shows what we can accomplish as a community and a country when we work together, and the FBI will continue to do its part to keep our democracy safe.”
According to the allegations contained in the indictment unsealed today:
The Voter Intimidation and Influence Campaign
Starting in approximately August 2020, and proceeding until November 2020, Kazemi, Kashian, and other co-conspirators began a coordinated, campaign to undermine faith and confidence in the 2020 presidential election (the “Voter Intimidation and Influence Campaign”) and otherwise sow discord within U.S. society. The Campaign had four components:
- In September and October 2020, members of the conspiracy conducted reconnaissance on, and attempted to compromise, approximately 11 state voter websites, including state voter registration websites and state voter information websites. Those efforts resulted in the successful exploitation of a misconfigured computer system of a particular U.S. state (“State-1”), and the resulting unauthorized downloading of information concerning more than 100,000 of State-1’s voters.
- In October 2020, members of the conspiracy, claiming to be a “group of Proud Boys volunteers,” sent Facebook messages and emails (the “False Election Messages”) to Republican Senators, Republican members of Congress, individuals associated with the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, White House advisors, and members of the media. The False Election Messages claimed that the Democratic Party was planning to exploit “serious security vulnerabilities” in state voter registration websites to “edit mail-in ballots or even register non-existent voters.” The False Election Messages were accompanied by a video (the “False Election Video”) carrying the Proud Boys logo, which purported, via simulated intrusions and the use of State-1 voter data, to depict an individual hacking into state voter websites and using stolen voter information to create fraudulent absentee ballots through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) for military and overseas voters.[1]
- Also in October 2020, the conspirators engaged in an online voter intimidation campaign involving the dissemination of a threatening message (the “Voter Threat Emails”), purporting to be from the Proud Boys, to tens of thousands of registered voters, including some voters whose information the conspiracy had obtained from State-1’s website. The emails were sent to registered Democrats and threatened the recipients with physical injury if they did not change their party affiliation and vote for President Trump.
- On Nov. 4, 2020, the day after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the conspirators sought to leverage earlier September and October 2020 intrusions into an American media company’s (Media Company-1) computer networks. Specifically, on that day, the conspirators attempted to use stolen credentials to again access Media Company-1’s network, which would have provided them another vehicle for further disseminating false claims concerning the election through conspirator-modified or created content. However, because of an earlier FBI victim notification, Media Company-1 had by that time mitigated the conspirators’ unauthorized access and these log-in attempts failed.
Background on Kazemi and Kashian
Kazemi and Kashian are experienced Iran-based computer hackers who worked as contractors for an Iran-based company formerly known as Eeleyanet Gostar, and now known as Emennet Pasargad. Eeleyanet Gostar purported to provide cybersecurity services within Iran. Among other things, Eeleyanet Gostar is known to have provided services to the Iranian government, including to the Guardian Council.
As part of his role in the Voter Intimidation and Influence Campaign, Kazemi compromised computer servers that were used to send the Voter Threat Emails, drafted those emails, and compromised the systems of Media Company-1. Kashian managed the conspirators’ computer infrastructure used to carry out the Voter Threat Emails campaign and he purchased social media accounts in furtherance of the Voter Intimidation and Influence Campaign.
Kazemi and Kashian are both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, intimidate voters, and transmit interstate threats, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of voter intimidation, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison; and one count of transmission of interstate threats, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Kazemi is additionally charged with one count of unauthorized computer intrusion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of computer fraud, namely, knowingly damaging a protected computer, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Concurrent with the unsealing of the indictment, the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Emennet Pasargad, Kazemi, Kashian, and four other Iranian nationals comprising Emennet Pasargad leadership pursuant to Executive Order 13848, “Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election.” Additionally, the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on or about the Kazemi and Kashian’s activities.
The FBI’s Cyber Division and Cleveland Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dina McLeod and Louis A. Pellegrino and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
[1] In actuality, the computer intrusions depicted in the False Election Video were simulated intrusions created by members of the conspiracy using their own server and data obtained during the State-1 exploitation. Further, the FVAP could not actually be leveraged in the manner implied by the False Election Video.
Two Aryan Circle Gang Leaders Convicted on Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Texas man and a Missouri man on Tuesday of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charges stemming from their membership in the white supremacy prison gang, the Aryan Circle, between 2010 and 2021.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aryan Circle is a race-based, violent prison gang with hundreds of members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, assaults, and murder.
Evidence presented at trial showed that William Glenn Chunn, aka Big Head, 39, of Conroe, Texas, is one of the five highest-ranking Aryan Circle leaders in the nation. He used his leadership role to order violent stabbings against rival gang members and other victims, as well as to seek out and retaliate against individuals he believed were cooperating with law enforcement. Evidence presented at trial showed that Jesse Paul Blankenship, aka JP, 38, of Stratford, Missouri, “put in work” by committing violence on behalf of the gang, including shooting at two victims inside their home and participating in a kidnapping and removal of another member’s patch, or gang tattoo, by burning it from the victim’s skin using a metal rod heated with a blowtorch. After committing these crimes, Blankenship moved up in rank in Aryan Circle and has since ordered additional acts of violence.
Chunn was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, including an enhanced sentencing factor for an attempted murder he ordered relating to a violent stabbing. Blankenship was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering. Both defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison. 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 following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County (MO) Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Trial Attorneys Beth Lipman and Rebecca Dunnan of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Two Aryan Circle Gang Leaders Convicted of Racketeering Charges in Beaumont Federal TrialRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Texas man and a Missouri man were convicted at trial of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charges stemming from their membership in the white supremacy prison gang, the Aryan Circle, between 2010 and 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aryan Circle is a race-based, violent prison gang with hundreds of members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, assaults, and murder.
A federal jury convicted a Texas man and a Missouri man on Tuesday of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charges stemming from their membership in the white supremacy prison gang, the Aryan Circle, between 2010 and 2021.
Evidence presented at trial showed that William Glenn Chunn, aka Big Head, 39, of Conroe, Texas, is one of the five highest-ranking Aryan Circle leaders in the nation. He used his leadership role to order violent stabbings against rival gang members and other victims, as well as to seek out and retaliate against individuals he believed were cooperating with law enforcement. Evidence presented at trial showed that Jesse Paul Blankenship, aka JP, 38, of Stratford, Missouri, “put in work” by committing violence on behalf of the gang, including shooting at two victims inside their home and participating in a kidnapping and removal of another member’s patch, or gang tattoo, by burning it from the victim’s skin using a metal rod heated with a blowtorch. After committing these crimes, Blankenship moved up in rank in Aryan Circle and has since ordered additional acts of violence.
“This case exemplifies great collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement to not only stop gang violence in prison, but also to protect innocent persons when that activity overflows into our communities, said Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who advocate harm to others, and to specifically target the leaders of violent gangs.”
“Today’s verdicts keep two violent white supremacists from wreaking havoc and hate on the streets of America,” said ATF SAC Fred Milanowski. “This marks the 36th and 37thconviction under Operation Noble Virtue, which began in Houston and culminated with racketeering prosecutions in six states. This far-reaching national investigation serves as a model for what can be achieved through strong collaboration with our federal, state and local partners”
Chunn was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, including an enhanced sentencing factor for an attempted murder he ordered relating to a violent stabbing. Blankenship was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering. Both defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison. 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 following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County (MO) Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp of the Eastern District of Texas along with Trial Attorneys Beth Lipman and Rebecca Dunnan of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting these cases.
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Texas Woman Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Texas woman was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for her role in a child sex trafficking conspiracy to recruit and exploit a child in multiple states.
“This conviction and sentence demonstrates our office’s and our law enforcement partners’ unwavering commitment to combating sex trafficking and child exploitation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada. “Through our ongoing collaboration and expanded partnerships, we will keep working to hold accountable in federal court those who use fraud, force, or other illicit means to victimize children.”
“This sentencing is a success in the fight against those who exploit the vulnerable and illustrates our dedication to bring these criminals to justice,” said Aaron C. Rouse, FBI Las Vegas Special Agent in Charge.
After a six-day jury trial in May 2021, Demecia Shontres Washington (42, of Dallas, Texas) was found guilty of one count each of: conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; sex trafficking; conspiracy to transport for prostitution or other criminal sexual activity; transportation for prostitution or other criminal sexual activity; conspiracy to sexually exploit children; sexual exploitation of children; and distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the trial and sentencing hearing.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from August 2018 to September 2018, Demecia Washington conspired with co-defendant Jimmy David Washington Jr. (36, of Lubbock, Texas) to recruit and coerce a child to engage in commercial sex acts and to produce child pornography. Demecia Washington and Jimmy Washington Jr. transported the child from Texas to New Mexico and Nevada with the intent that she engage in prostitution.
Co-defendant Jimmy Washington Jr. previously pleaded guilty to transportation of a minor for purposes of prostitution. In April 2021, he was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Burton, Bianca Pucci, and Elham Roohani prosecuted the case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Texas Man Charged with Commercial Bribery and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 17, 2021, Mark Holmes, age 66, of Hughes Springs, Texas, was charged in a criminal information with honest services wire fraud and failing to remit employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the information alleges that from 2014 through 2017, Holmes, as the General Manager of a Pennsylvania food services company, accepted approximately $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks from two temporary staffing companies, in exchange for their hiring employees. The two temporary staffing companies, in turn, received approximately $7,800,000 from Holmes’s employer.
Holmes also was charged with failing to remit employment taxes to the IRS for a separate temporary staffing company, Encore Staffing Solutions LLC, that he owned and operated with other coconspirators. From March 2018 through December 2020, Holmes and his coconspirators allegedly failed to pay approximately $135,000 in employment taxes owed by Encore Staffing Solutions LLC to the IRS.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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 the most serious offense is 20 years of 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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Texas Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Texas doctor was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $857,127.24 in restitution for failing to pay income taxes for 10 years.
According to court documents, Mark B. Reimer, 69, is a physician who operated his own medical practice in Texas from 2003 through 2007 and then, from 2007 through 2015, worked as a physician for a private employer in Minnesota. From 2003 through 2012, Reimer earned an annual salary of more than $440,000. Reimer and his wife, Ana C. Reimer, 69, filed joint tax returns admitting that he had earned more than $4.3 million during that 10-year period, and that he owed more than $1.2 million in federal income taxes. In addition, Reimer owed a $20,000 personal penalty because he had failed to pay employment taxes arising out of his Texas medical practice between 2005 and 2007.
According to court documents, despite having the ability to pay them in full, Mark and Ana Reimer willfully evaded the payment of their tax liabilities. The defendants withdrew more than $337,000 in cash from bank accounts they controlled for the express purpose of preventing the IRS from collecting it. Instead of paying their tax liabilities, Mark and Ana Reimer transferred more than $353,000 to their four adult children and spent more than $251,000 on airline, furniture, and other retail purchases. In 2013 and again in 2015, the defendants jointly filed for bankruptcy for the sole purpose of evading the IRS. During the bankruptcy proceedings, the defendants falsely testified under oath that they had made no monetary transfers or gifts to their children prior to filing for bankruptcy, when, in fact, they had.
On January 13, 2021, the defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Mark Reimer was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Ana Reimer was sentenced to 24 months of probation. The defendants were jointly ordered to pay $857,127.24 in restitution.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. MacLaughlin.
Tech Company and CEO Plead Guilty to Twenty Counts of Wire Fraud Mid-TrialRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Micfo, LLC, a tech company located in Charleston, and its chief executive officer (CEO), Amir Golestan, 38, of Charleston, have both pleaded guilty to twenty counts of wire fraud. Specifically, both defendants pled mid-way through a federal trial after evidence presented in the case showed Golestan, acting through Micfo, created fictitious persons and companies to sell fraudulently obtained Internet address rights for millions of dollars.
“Corporate and executive malfeasance can be difficult to detect and even harder to prosecute, and this case is an excellent example of the success we can achieve in spite of this difficulty when we work with our federal and agency partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “This office greatly appreciates the hard work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) on this case. I want to especially recognize the efforts of ARIN’s Chief Customer Officer John Sweeting, General Counsel Michael Abejuela, and their outside counsel Steve Ryan and Sam Neel from McDermott Will & Emery LLP.”
“Corporate wrongdoers often avoid accountability by obscuring their criminal conduct through complicated business procedures or by operating in areas unfamiliar to most people,” said Criminal Chief Nathan Williams, who prosecuted the case alongside Assistant United States Attorney Amy Bower. “The world of Internet resources is one of those areas. However, this case shows that the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with other agency partners, are capable of detecting complex crimes and prosecuting corporate and executive criminals.”
“Like many corporate fraud criminals often do, Golestan made the mistake of assuming his scheme would not be discovered,” said Susan Ferensic, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Make no mistake, the FBI along with our local, state, and federal partners, will work nonstop to uncover and pursue charges for criminals who adversely affect our Internet infrastructure.”
“ARIN is grateful for the hard work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina and the FBI to hold Mr. Golestan and Micfo accountable for the complex fraud perpetrated against ARIN,” said John Curran, ARIN’s President and CEO. “Mr. Golestan’s scheme harmed ARIN and our community of Internet registry customers, and we hope that this outcome will send a clear message to any other parties contemplating fraudulent schemes to obtain or transfer Internet resources”
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Golestan started Micfo in Charleston in 1999. The company represented itself as providing web hosting and other Internet-based services. From February 2014 until the federal indictment in this case in May 2019, Golestan, as CEO of Micfo, created ten separate and fictitious companies which he referred to as “Channel Partners.” The purpose of these Channel Partners was to obtain address rights to Internet Protocol (IP) version 4 addresses (IPv4) from ARIN.
IPv4 addresses are numerical labels assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet for communication. ARIN is a nonprofit organization that administers IP address rights, allocations, and transfers in the United States, Canada, and parts of the Caribbean. To obtain an IP address allocation from ARIN, per its policies, an entity must provide a need-based justification. ARIN’s pool of IPv4 addresses has been depleted so there has been an increasing demand, which has resulted in a secondary market where prices for a single IPv4 address have increased dramatically.
Golestan created the fictitious Channel Partners, which would sometimes include creating web pages and fictional employees, to make the companies look legitimate and meet ARIN’s need-based justification policies for allocation of IPv4 addresses. Golestan, using the fake companies, was granted the rights to hundreds of thousands of IPv4 addresses from ARIN worth tens of millions of dollars. Once Golestan had fraudulently obtained the IPv4 address rights, he began to sell those rights for millions of dollars.
As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Golestan pocketed approximately $3.5 million dollars, with another $6.2 million dollars waiting in escrow that would have went to Golestan had he not been caught. Although Golestan and his company initially went to trial, after two days and testimony from eight Government witnesses, both Micfo and Golestan pleaded guilty to all twenty counts of wire fraud without a plea agreement.
Golestan faces of maximum penalty under each count of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, and restitution. Micfo, the company, faces a maximum fine under each count of $500,000. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence Golestan after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Amy Bower are prosecuting the case.
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Tallahassee Doctor Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Performing Unnecessary Surgical Procedures on Patients and Defrauding Health Insurance Providers of $29 MillionRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dr. Moses de-Graft Johnson, 47, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, for committing health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The sentence, following the defendant’s guilty plea on December 18, 2020, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents reflect, for almost four years, beginning in early 2016 until his arrest in February 2020, deGraft-Johnson performed hundreds of unnecessary, invasive surgical procedures of his patients in the Tallahassee area. deGraft-Johnson solicited his victims by establishing relationships with churches, nursing homes, a hospital, and an outreach organization. In addition to subjecting his patients to unnecessary surgical procedures, deGraft-Johnson victimized others by falsifying their medical records – reflecting surgical procedures that he did not perform. This conduct resulted in the creation of erroneous and misleading records that could cause future doctors to determine a mistaken course of medical treatment for many of his patients.
“This physician compromised the health and safety of his patients in favor of illegal profit,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “His acts not only violated the law, but the trust of his patients. With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we remain vigilant to investigate and prosecute all who defraud our citizens for their own personal gain.”
“It's disturbing that a physician would be so driven by greed and indifferent to the well-being of his patients that he would perform medically unnecessary, invasive procedures and steal medical identities to boost profits," said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. "With our law enforcement partners, we will hold accountable individuals who perpetrate such egregious fraud and violate their oaths as physicians and Medicare providers.”
In addition to the term of imprisonment, the sentence included the forfeiture of assets in the United States and overseas, including luxury vehicles; jewelry; and homes in Manhattan, Southampton, New York, Miami, and Houston; as well as an order of $28,423,846 in restitution.
"This case is a direct result of the commitment by the FBI and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who willingly defraud American citizens,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Instead of caring for his patients, this defendant targeted vulnerable members of our community, subjected them to unnecessary surgical procedures, and falsified documents so he could line his pockets with millions of taxpayer dollars. Fraud, like this, reduces the availability of critical resources and contributes to the rising cost of healthcare for all. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate these crimes and prosecute all those who defraud the American public for their own personal gain."
This conviction was the result of the collaborative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Grogan prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Stroudsburg Man Charged with Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 16, 2021, Keith Parson, age 49, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking offenses.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Parson with two counts of distributing heroin and fentanyl on October 25 and November 1, 2021, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl on November 10, 2021, in Monroe County.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its state and local law enforcement partners in Monroe County. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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 these offenses is 20 years 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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Stroudsburg Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 16, 2021, Malik Adoyi, age 24, of Stroudsburg, PA, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Adoyi with five counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl between July 16 and November 10, 2021, in Monroe County, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm on November 10, 2021.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its state and local law enforcement partners in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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 these offenses is 40 years 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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St. Tammany Parish Traffic Stop Results in Florida Man Being Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KENNIE SANTOS-PAYANO, age 26, a resident of Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon for possession with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride. Additionally, SANTOS-PAYANO was ordered to serve five (5) years of supervised release and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. No fines were imposed in this case.
According to court records, on September 25, 2019, a Louisiana State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop in Madisonville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, on Interstate 12 eastbound on a vehicle bearing a Florida license plate. The stop was based on a traffic violation. The trooper identified the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle as SANTOS-PAYANO.
Shortly after the traffic stop, troopers deployed a trained and qualified K-9 drug detection dog, and the dog performed a free air sniff test on the exterior of SANTOS-PAYANO’s vehicle. The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 8.5 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride.
The Office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Bayonle Osundare is in charge of the prosecution.
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Southern California Man Charged in Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ryan Mark Ginster was arrested today in Los Angeles on federal charges filed in San Francisco of wire fraud and money laundering, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Ginster will appear in Los Angeles federal court, the first step in a procedure to obtain Ginster’s appearance in United States District Court in San Francisco.
The complaint’s affidavit alleges that Ginster, 34, of Corona, California, engaged in an online investment fraud scheme that began as early as February 2018 and continued to February 2021. During this time, Ginster ran multiple websites, including one he created and operated named Socialprofimatic.com. Socialprofimatic.com offered a high-yield investment program that promised outlandishly high returns on investments with little or no risk to investors. Investors could only invest with cryptocurrency, which creates transactions that are irrevocable even in instances of fraud. The complaint describes that the Socialprofimatic.com website falsely represented that investors’ funds would be used to support social media marketing campaigns, that the invested funds would generate returns of 8% per day, and that investors could withdraw funds at any time. Socialprofimatic.com received approximately $844,667 from investors, and then it shut down without warning after only 38 days of operation. The complaint affidavit describes that Ginster used proceeds of this fraud for his own personal benefit.
Ginster ran other similar investment websites during the fraud scheme time period, according to the complaint. Those websites included MyMicroProfits.com, Automaticbitcome.com, eProfithub.io, and YourNetProfits.com. As did Socialprofimatic.com, each website promised enormously high yields on investments and required individuals to invest only with cryptocurrencies. Also like Socialprofimatic.com, the websites were short-lived, shutting down or ceasing to communicate with investors within weeks after taking in the investors’ cryptocurrency. Lastly, as with Socialprofimatic.com, Ginster diverted investors’ funds to himself.
The cryptocurrency received from investors in the above five websites, including Socialprofimatic.com, was valued at the time at more than $5 million.
Ginster is charged by a federal complaint with one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and six counts of engaging in monetary transactions to conceal or disguise (money laundering), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i). Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Both statutes carry a fine as well as mandatory restitution. Any sentence following conviction, however, would be imposed by a judge only after its consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing sentencing, 18 USC § 3553.
Charges contained in a criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI Washington D.C. Cyber Crimes Unit.
The Los Angeles Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission also announced today the filing of a civil enforcement action against Ginster in the Central District of California.
If you believe you have been a victim of this fraud scheme, please contact IRS-Criminal Investigation at [email protected]. The criminal complaint in this matter can be viewed on PACER and by visiting the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.
South Side Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Drugs for Darccide/Smash 44 Street GangRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Henry Johnson, age 30, formerly of the South Side, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge William S. Stickman.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, initiated an investigation primarily targeting the Darccide/Smash 44, or DS44, neighborhood gang, and drug-trafficking activity in and around the South Side area of Pittsburgh. As part of this large-scale narcotics and firearms investigation, from approximately February 2019 through June 2019, the United States received authorization to intercept communications on 9 telephones as part of the investigation, including the phone belonging to lead defendant Christopher Highsmith. During the investigation, the United States intercepted Henry Johnson over the tapped phone line of Christopher Highsmith.
The investigation revealed that in this conspiracy, Highsmith and other co-defendants worked together to distribute controlled substances, including but not limited to heroin and fentanyl, in and around the South Side of Pittsburgh. Customers who wanted to purchase heroin and fentanyl would make contact with Highsmith or a co-defendant, either by phone call or text message. Highsmith and co-defendants would sometimes physically distribute the quantity of heroin and fentanyl to the customer, and other times, would direct a runner to physically distribute the fentanyl and heroin and/or to collect the money for the drugs from customers.
Between March and April 2019, physical surveillance and intercepted communications revealed that Highsmith supplied the defendant with controlled substances for distribution. For example, on March 11, 2019, physical surveillance observed the defendant briefly enter Highsmith’s vehicle before exiting to conduct a hand-to-hand transaction in the South Side of Pittsburgh. Additionally, in an April 3, 2019 interception, the defendant asked Highsmith if he could get “30 at one forty.” Highsmith agreed to do so after making another “transaction.” Later that day, Highsmith texted the defendant an address in Verona, Pennsylvania, and the defendant responded that he would see him in 20. Subsequently, physical surveillance observed Highsmith exit that Verona residence and enter the driver’s seat of a parked BMW. Physical surveillance then observed the defendant exit a different vehicle, enter the parked BMW where Highsmith was waiting, and exit approximately two minutes later holding a bag. Finally, in a series of interceptions on April 8, 2019, Highsmith agreed to sell the defendant 15 bricks and later complained that the defendant “shorted” him on the payment of “1900.” The defendant agreed to pay the defendant an additional “buck an a quarter.”
In addition to the interceptions and physical surveillance, on December 6, 2018, the West Homestead Police Department responded to reports of drug trafficking at a hotel in West Homestead. Upon arrival, law enforcement observed the defendant throw two bags from his hotel balcony onto the parking lot. The bags contained 17 bricks of a fentanyl and heroin mixture, approximately 12 grams of cocaine base, and approximately 6 grams of cocaine. Some of the bricks bore the same stamp as other bricks seized in the investigation into the defendant’s coconspirators. A search of the defendant incident to his arrest resulted in the seizure of $693.00 and a cellular phone. The phone contained texts indicative of drug trafficking.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded Johnson back into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney’s Brendan J. McKenna and Carolyn Bloch are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Adult
Probation, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. Other assisting agencies include the Green Tree Police Department, New York City Police Department, Mount Oliver Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Yonkers Police Department, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Slidell Woman Sentenced Two Years of Probation After Guilty Plea to Conspiracy to Alter Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHASITY DOTEY a/k/a “CHASITY PINES”, age 27, of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced to two (2) years of probation after she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to alter U.S. Postal Money Orders before United States District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon today.
According to court records, DOTEY cashed two altered U.S. Postal Money Orders in the amounts of $530.00 each at a U.S. Post Office located in Slidell, Louisiana. The two Postal Money Orders had been purchased in California for minimal value and then altered to reflect a higher amount by unknown co-conspirators.
In addition to probation, DOTEY was given three (3) years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to the government in the amount of $7,540. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera was in charge of the prosecution.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced for Concealing Person from ArrestRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Concealing Person from Arrest was sentenced on November 17, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol.
Kristina Ann Fuller, age 27, was sentenced to two years of probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Fuller was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 2, 2021. She pled guilty on August 23, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from incidents starting on an unknown date through on or about February 25, 2020, when Fuller harbored and concealed a person who was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Fuller knew that person had an active arrest warrant.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Sioux Falls Area Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Salt Lake City Estate Planning Attorney Pleads Guilty to Embezzling at least 9.5 Million Dollars from ClientsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Attorney Calvin Curtis, 61, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty in federal court today to two counts involving wire fraud and money laundering for his role in embezzling at least $9.5 million dollars from clients of his estate planning law firm based in Salt Lake City, known as Calvin Curtis Attorney at Law PLLC, and Curtiselderlaw.com. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have agreed to recommend a sentence of 73 months in federal prison during Curtis’s sentencing which is scheduled to occur on March 15, 2022.
In the plea agreement, Curtis admitted that he is an attorney who specializes in special needs trusts and that beginning in January 2008, he began a fraudulent scheme to defraud a client known as “G.M.” out of money. Curtis admitted that due to his role, he had access to millions of dollars in two different trust accounts belonging to victim G.M. and that he transferred at least $9,500,000 intended for the care of G.M. into his own accounts and then used this money for his own personal use. Curtis admitted that he also created fake financial statements and submitted these to the court ordered conservator of G.M. to conceal the fraud.
In pleading guilty to the wire fraud charge, Curtis admitted that on January 25, 2018, that he caused a wire communication from a Schwab Investment Account to his own Wells Fargo account, resulting in a transfer of $1,485,000. Curtis admitted that he used the money for his own personal benefit to make mortgage payments on his combined home and office located on South Temple Street in Salt Lake City, Utah; to support a lavish lifestyle with frequent travel; to purchase tickets to basketball and football games; to give lavish gifts to others; and to support the operations of his law firm.
In pleading guilty to the money laundering count, Curtis admitted that he fraudulently caused $135,000 to be transferred online from G.M. to his own Wells Fargo account, and that he used these funds to wire $95,000 to The Fechtel Company for the remodel of his home in Tampa, Florida. Curtis admitted that he knew these transactions were illegal at the time they occurred, and that the money was not used for the benefit of G.M
At this time, it is alleged that Curtis embezzled funds from at least 22 additional trusts in amounts more than $9,500,000. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of this crime is encouraged to call the FBI at (801) 579-1400 to file a report.
“Defrauding vulnerable and elderly adults is a reprehensible and greedy act that is deserving of federal prison time,” said Acting United States Attorney Andrea T. Martinez. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting and holding those accountable who defraud elderly and vulnerable clients. Our concern is with the victims of these crimes and their ability to obtain basic needs moving forward.”
“Calvin Curtis’ greed had devastating consequences for his clients, who placed their trust and money in his hands,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Sadly, financial fraud cases like this are not limited to a few victims. We hope this case sends a strong message that the FBI will do what it takes to make sure such crimes don’t go unpunished.”
"The IRS is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to combat the seemingly ever present fraud in Utah,"¬ stated IRS Phoenix Field Office Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. "This plea brings the United States one step closer to justice for the many victims who have serious losses in this unfortunate case."
Assistant United States Attorneys are prosecuting the cases against Curtis and Special Agents from the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigations are conducting the investigation.
Rogersville Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Rogersville, Missouri, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the sexual exploitation of three child victims.
Jake Ethan Patterson, 26, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, November 17. The federal indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Patterson on November 2, 2021. Patterson has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on the complaint.
The indictment charges Patterson with three counts of the sexual exploitation of a child, each involving a separate child victim. Patterson allegedly used each of the child victims to produce child pornography. Patterson is also charged with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began in June 2021 when Canadian law enforcement authorities seized two cell phones belonging to a citizen of Canada. Investigators found Snapchat conversations with Patterson, who was sharing images and videos of child pornography. There were multiple pornographic images and videos of the three child victims, the affidavit says, two of whom were approximately three to five years old and one of whom was approximately 12 years old.
During the Canadian investigation, Snapchat submitted a Cyber Tip on July 4, 2021, alleging that Patterson had uploaded a child pornography file the previous day. A review of the file found that this image was a commonly traded child pornography video often found in child pornography collections and does not depict the three victims in this case.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Repeat Sex Offender Is Sentenced to 25 Years for Receipt and Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jonathan Wheeler Johnston, 40, of Norman, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. As part of his sentence, Johnston was also ordered to register as a sex offender, and to pay $5,900 in restitution and $40,100 in special assessments.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Division, joins Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents, in April 2019, Johnston began communicating with a 15-year-old minor female located in the Western District of North Carolina, whom he met in an online chatroom for teenagers. After chatting with the teenager online, Johnston mailed the minor a cellphone, for the purpose of exchanging sexually explicit images and engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Court records show that the minor’s parent contacted law enforcement after discovering the cellphone and finding texts and other sexually explicit exchanges between the minor and Johnston. A subsequent forensic analysis of the minor’s cellphone by the FBI revealed that Johnston had repeatedly asked the minor for sexually explicit photos and videos, and had sent the minor links to pornographic material, including videos containing bestiality. In addition, over the course of their communications, Johnston sent the minor sexually explicit images of himself and instructed the minor not to disclose to anyone his name or age because he could get in trouble.
Court records show that when the minor informed Johnston that law enforcement were aware of their communications, Johnston attempted to cover his conduct by wiping his devices of evidence concerning his exchanges with the minor.
According to court records, in 2013, while Johnston was serving in the U.S. Army, he was convicted of possession, manufacture and distribution of child pornography. As a result of that conviction, Johnston was sentenced to six years in prison, was dishonorably discharged and was required to register as a sex offender for six years. His parole from that conviction ended in March 2018, just a little over a year before he began communicating with the 15-year-old minor located in the Western District of North Carolina.
Johnston is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the FBI, the Huntersville Police Department, and the Norman Police Department in Oklahoma for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark T. Odulio, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
The case was brought by Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Woonsocket man previously convicted in Rhode Island state court on child molestation and child pornography charges, and later found to be in possession of images and videos of child pornography while serving a term of state probation, was sentenced today to more than nineteen years in federal prison on charges of access with intent to view child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
In November 2015, less than two years after being sentenced in state court to a five-year suspended sentence for possessing child pornography, Jason D. Boudreau, 47, was found by law enforcement to be in possession of cell phone on which he had accessed and viewed over 600 images and videos of child pornography. That phone was seized by law enforcement and a month later, he was again found to be in possession of another cell phone with more than 100 images of child pornography.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2015, following a tip that a child pornography video was uploaded to the internet from his home, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations agents, and Woonsocket Police Detectives executed a court-authorized search of Boudreau’s residence. Several digital media storage devices and a cellular telephone were seized. A forensic examination of the devices revealed that during an approximately two-month period, Boudreau had accessed and viewed 677 images of child pornography on his cell phone. The images depict adult males using infants, toddlers, and other prepubescent girls for sexual acts, and included images of sex acts of children involving bondage. A month later, after a criminal complaint and warrant issued for his arrest, law enforcement located Boudreau in Branford, CT. At the time of his arrest, he was found to be in possession of another cell phone containing more than 100 images of child pornography.
Boudreau was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 235 months of incarceration in federal prison to be followed by lifetime federal supervised release. Additionally, the court ordered that Boudreau is subject to searches by U.S. Probation and/or members of law enforcement of his residence, automobile, workplace, computer, and other electronic communication or data storage devices or media with or without reasonable suspicion of a violation of the terms of his supervised release.
According to court records, Boudreau was convicted on a charge of simple assault in Rhode Island State court in December 2009, and that case involved his assault on an eleven-year-old child. Boudreau was next convicted in Rhode Island state court in March 2012 on a charge of 2nd degree child molestation. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, two years to serve, 6 years suspended. In January 2014, Boudreau was convicted in Rhode Island state court for possession of child pornography and sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence with probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. Additionally, in November 2013, Boudreau was arrested on a charge of felony risk of injury to a child filed in Connecticut Superior Court in Danielson, CT based on conduct involving a 14-year-old girl.
The case in federal court in Providence was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
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Rapid City Man Indicted for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Galen Cleveland Iron Cloud, age 30, was indicted on September 14, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on November 16, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 40 years in federal prison, a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between August 3, 2018, and May 14, 2021, in South Dakota and North Dakota, Iron Cloud knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The charge is merely an accusation and Iron Cloud is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, Oglala Sioux Tribe Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Corson County Sheriff’s Office, Mobridge Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Iron Cloud was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date was set for June 21, 2022.
Queens Man Charged with Making Hoax Bomb Threat at New York FBI HeadquartersRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director‑in‑Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that GERARDO MANUEL CHECO NUNEZ has been charged with making a hoax bomb threat yesterday, November 17, 2021, to FBI personnel at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building (the “Javits Building”), located at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, which houses the headquarters of the New York Field Office of the FBI and other federal agencies. CHECO NUNEZ was arrested yesterday after making the alleged bomb threat and was presented before United States Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang in Manhattan federal court this afternoon.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant’s bomb threat caused an immediate mobilization by the FBI and the NYPD appropriate for a real explosive device. Hoax or not, a bomb threat requires the diversion of valuable law enforcement and public safety resources, and causes genuine fear in the public. The defendant now faces a serious federal charge for his alleged conduct.”
FBI Assistant Director‑in‑Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “While Nunez’s alleged threat to our federal building was deemed a hoax, his actions called for the resources of law enforcement, which were expended in response to one man’s personal gripe. Aside from the fact that these types of hoax threats divert resources and cost taxpayer dollars, they put law enforcement in harm’s way regardless of their intended purpose. Make no mistake about it, this case will be taken as seriously as any other.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “In a city that has experienced more than 50 terrorist plots and four attacks, making a claim that you have a bomb at a government building is no joke. Mr. Checo Nunez faces serious charges which should serve as an example to others who believe making threats is an effective way to get attention.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court[1]:
On November 17, 2021, CHECO NUNEZ entered the Javits Building and approached a security booth staffed by members of the uniformed security police of the FBI (the “FBI Police”). The security booth is protected by a transparent security screen. CHECO NUNEZ slammed against the security screen a copy of a written complaint he had previously filed through the FBI’s website alleging that a foreign government had hacked his accounts and was trying to extort him.[2] CHECO NUNEZ then stated to the FBI Police that he had an improvised explosive device (“IED”) in his vehicle (“Vehicle‑1”), and that he wanted to turn himself in. The FBI Police asked CHECO NUNEZ to confirm that there was an IED in Vehicle‑1, and CHECO NUNEZ responded affirmatively. FBI Police took CHECO NUNEZ into custody, and alerted members of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force (the “JTTF”).
Members of the JTTF asked CHECO NUNEZ if there was an IED in Vehicle‑1. CHECO NUNEZ responded that there was not an IED in Vehicle‑1, and that he had told the FBI Police that there was an IED in Vehicle‑1 because the FBI had ignored his hacking complaints, and he wanted the FBI to pay attention to those complaints. CHECO NUNEZ provided a description of Vehicle‑1 and its approximate location outside the Javits Building.
Members of the JTTF located Vehicle‑1, which is a full‑size cargo van. Vehicle‑1 was parked on Worth Street near the intersection of Worth Street and Lafayette Street, which is approximately across the street from the Javits Building. Vehicle‑1 was parked in the immediate vicinity of a closed coffee shop and an apartment building in which numerous individuals reside. Law enforcement evacuated the area around Vehicle‑1, including the apartment building, and closed the area to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. At least one law enforcement helicopter began surveilling the scene.
FBI bomb technicians searched Vehicle‑1 and determined that it did not contain an IED or any other type of explosive device or materials. During subsequent searches of Vehicle‑1, members of the JTTF found at least approximately several rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, as well as written materials regarding weapons of mass destruction and the detection of IEDs. From approximately 2006 to 2013, CHECO NUNEZ was enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, including as an Engineer Equipment Operator.
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CHECO NUNEZ, 33, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conveying false information and hoaxes in connection with the alleged bomb threat, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1038, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York JTTF, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Woodside Schrier is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
[2] Communications and statements discussed herein are described in substance and in part.
Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Cocaine to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERTO MUNIZ, 37, of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today via videoconference by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut through the U.S. Mail.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service developed evidence regarding a drug trafficking organization that was sending USPS parcels containing kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Connecticut and Massachusetts. Between July and December 2018, law enforcement intercepted and seized five suspect parcels that were being mailed to addresses in Bristol, Meriden and Burlington, Connecticut, and in Worcester, Massachusetts. All five of the suspect parcels contained multiple kilogram-sized bricks of cocaine. On several occasions, investigators conducted surveillance of the delivery of suspect parcels and the scheduled delivery of seized parcels. During surveillance, investigators observed Miguel Freytes, Marcos Mendez, Omar Mendez and others picking up or attempting to pick up parcels that had been seized. The investigation revealed that the cocaine was being sent from Puerto Rico by Muniz and others.
On January 9, 2019, investigators arrested several members of this drug trafficking organization and seized approximately 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics, and more than $150,000 in cash. Muniz was arrested in Puerto Rico on January 15, 2019.
On January 23, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging, Muniz, Freytes, Marcos Mendez, Omar Mendez, and two others with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related offenses.
Muniz pleaded guilty on July 20, 2020.
Freytes, Marcos Mendez and Omar Mendez, all of Bristol, also pleaded guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. The DEA Puerto Rico Caribbean Corridor Strike Force and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Newark Division, San Juan (P.R.) Office, have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Professor-Arsonist Indicted for Setting Fires Behind Firefighters Fighting Dixie FireRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Gary Stephen Maynard, 47, of San Jose, charging him with arson to federal property and setting timber afire, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Maynard engaged in an arson spree in the vicinity of the then ongoing Dixie Fire in areas of the Shasta Trinity National Forest and the Lassen National Forest. Some of the fires Maynard set were new fires behind the firefighters fighting the Dixie Fire. Maynard is charged with setting the following fires during this arson spree: the Cascade Fire (July 20), the Everitt Fire (July 21), the Ranch Fire (Aug. 7), and the Conard Fire (Aug. 7).
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, which received assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, CalFire, the California Highway Patrol, and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Anderson is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Maynard faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of arson. Arson to federal property carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Previously Deported Alien Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 17, 2021, Hector Bienvenido Amador-Medina, age 34, was sentenced to time-served of two months and seven days followed by one year of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Amador-Medina previously pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States sometime after his last removal in June 2018 after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson prosecuted the case.
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Previously Deported Alien Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 3, 2021, Salvador Dionisio-Guillermo, age 42, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Dionisio-Guillermo was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in November 2008. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after November 2008 and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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.
Dionisio-Guillermo faces a maximum penalty of two years of 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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Pottsville Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 16, 2021, Casian Amir Jackson-Flowers, age 21, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Flowers with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. The indictment also charges Flowers with possessing a Ruger P89 8mm pistol, with an obliterated serial number, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pottsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan is 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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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 these 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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Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to violation federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Doug Austen, age 40, of the Carrick section of the City of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Crisswell Wiegand. Austen was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 9, 2021, Austen sold another individual 84 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered the defendant remain in custody.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss.- A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, in 2017, Chaddis Demond McAfee, 39, sold methamphetamine to individuals and stored methamphetamine and other narcotics inside his residence. McAfee also possessed a firearm in support of his drug trafficking. This case is the result of an extensive investigation dubbed “Operation Highlife,” which targeted illegal methamphetamine distribute in central Mississippi.
This Operation 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.
The case is part of a joint investigation by the United States Immigration, Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from US Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Philadelphia Police Department, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, Neshoba County District Attorney’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Flowood Police Department, Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Carthage Police Department, Union Police Department, Louisville Police Department, and Mississippi Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Trafficking Endangered and Invasive FishRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today in the Western District of Pennsylvania to five years’ probation, including 180 days of home detention and 225 hours of community service, for trafficking in endangered and invasive fish in violation of the Lacey Act.
Anthony Nguyen, aka JoJo Nguyen and Jackie Lee, 49, of Pittsburgh, previously entered guilty pleas on July 20, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Nora B. Fischer to counts one and two of the indictment returned against him on Nov. 13, 2020, alleging that he trafficked in endangered Asian arowana and invasive snakehead fish. Nguyen owned and operated a Pittsburgh business, Ichiban Tropical Fish, specializing in the sale of rare and exotic freshwater tropical fish species.
During his plea hearing, Nguyen admitted to violating the Lacey Act in 2016 when he sold illegally imported Asian arowana, which are native to Southeast Asia and are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Arowana, also known as “dragon fish” or “Asian bonytongue fish,” are considered the most expensive freshwater fish on earth, with highly sought-after specimens selling for tens of thousands of dollars. Arowana are also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), which is reserved for the most endangered species of fish and wildlife.
Nguyen also admitted to violating the Lacey Act for selling invasive and injurious snakehead fish in 2019, in violation of Pennsylvania law. Snakeheads are native to Asia, but have been introduced into freshwater habitats in the U.S. Pursuant to the terms of Nguyen’s plea agreement, he will also accept responsibility for falsifying documents related to the snakehead shipment.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department also provided assistance during the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan and Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section.
Oregon Man Charged with Possessing Counterfeit OxyContin Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jose Antonio Nunez De Jesus, 27, of Portland, Oregon, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, a law enforcement officer on routine patrol saw that the vehicle being driven by Nunez De Jesus had committed a traffic violation. After pulling the vehicle over, a narcotics K-9 alerted to the odor of a controlled substance in the vehicle. Officers found approximately 34,020 counterfeit OxyContin pills that weighed a total of 7.5 pounds. Nunez De Jesus told the officer that he had picked up what he believed to be drugs in Los Angeles at the request of a friend and was returning to Oregon with the pills. A presumptive test of the pills showed that they were fentanyl.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno High Intensity Investigation Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Nunez De Jesus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ontario Man Who Ran Multimillion-Dollar Unlicensed Bitcoin Exchange Business Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A San Bernardino County man was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for operating an unlicensed business that exchanged at least $13 million in Bitcoin and cash, often for drug traffickers.
Hugo Sergio Mejia, 50, of Ontario, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney. Mejia pleaded guilty on July 1 to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and one count of money laundering.
From May 2018 to September 2020, Mejia operated a virtual currency business that exchanged Bitcoin for cash, and vice versa, charging commissions for these transactions. Mejia never registered his business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau with the United States Department of the Treasury that collects and analyzes information to combat financial crimes, including money laundering.
During the nearly 2½-year period, according to the plea agreement, Mejia exchanged at least $13 million.
Mejia also established companies to mask his true activity, including Worldwide Secure Communications LLC, World Secure Data, and The HODL Group LLC. Mejia advertised his business online and was referred to customers by word of mouth, communicating with them via encrypted messaging services and meeting them in person at coffee shops.
On several occasions between May 2019 and March 2020, Mejia met with a client, who was working with law enforcement, to exchange Bitcoin for tens of thousands of dollars in cash. On March 12, 2020, Mejia met with the client at a coffee shop in Irvine and facilitated the exchange of 14.273 Bitcoin for $82,150 in cash plus fees. During this meeting, the client informed Mejia that his primary customer was a methamphetamine buyer in Australia who purchased methamphetamine every four to six weeks and sold it in Australia for five times more than the average price in the United States.
Mejia and the client who was working with law enforcement conducted five Bitcoin-cash transactions that cumulatively exceeded $250,000.
“[Mejia] knew about the applicable regulations governing his money exchange business and purposefully flouted them,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “That is because [Mejia] structured his money exchange business with the intent to establish an anonymous conduit for money laundering of drug trafficking proceeds.”
As part of his plea agreement with the government, Mejia agreed to forfeit all assets derived from the illegal conduct, including $233,987 in cash seized from residences in Santa Ana and Ontario, silver coins and bars, and approximately $95,587 in various cryptocurrency seized.
IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter and received assistance from the Costa Mesa Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Whittlesey of the Asset Forfeiture Section handled the asset forfeiture portion of this case.
Officials Celebrate Five-Year Anniversary of Program that Gives Veterans a Second ChanceRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 18, 2021
SAN DIEGO – Federal judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, court personnel and veterans’ advocates gathered in U.S. District Court today to celebrate the five-year anniversary of a program that offers a second chance to veterans who are facing criminal charges.
The Veterans Diversion Program, which began in 2016, allows qualified veterans to plead guilty, and that plea is set aside until completion of the year-long program. During the year participants are continually evaluated by U.S. Pretrial Services and monitored by the court. That can involve drug, alcohol and mental health testing and treatment, plus employment and education counseling. Participants are required to actively seek or maintain employment or schooling and appear before a magistrate judge at least once a month to discuss progress and monitor compliance.
Since 2016, almost 60 veterans have participated in the Veterans Diversion Program. Thirty-three veterans have graduated so far, and 21 are currently participating. Not everyone graduates; the program is vigorous and requires hard work and accountability. The program continued despite the pandemic.
“I feel strongly that many who have sacrificed so much for their country should be afforded a second chance when possible,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Because of their sacrifices, the country owes them a debt. And being part of the Veterans Diversion Program is our office’s small part in repaying that debt.”
Getting accepted into the program is not easy. The U.S. Attorney’s Office receives dozens of applications every year. Those applications are then presented to a committee of 10 federal prosecutors who are also veterans themselves, representing every service. One the committee votes to admit the veteran, that veteran’s application is forwarded to pretrial for an assessment. This is a complete team effort: The Veteran’s Administration, Pretrial Services, Courage to Call, Wounded Warrior, the mentors, the Court and defense attorneys.
Nine Veterans - from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the National Guard - graduated in 2021. They were all facing felony convictions for a range of crimes. Some faced mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in prison. Like the graduates before them, these nine veterans worked hard, embraced treatment, and then saw their charges dismissed.
The Veterans Diversion Program has its roots in the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s original “Diversion Program,” a groundbreaking effort which was started in 2010 in San Diego County through a collaboration between a criminal defendant, a federal prosecutor, a criminal defense attorney, U.S. Pretrial Services and the U.S. District Court. Under that program, certain non-violent offenders who pleaded guilty to human smuggling charges were afforded the opportunity to go through the program and eventually erase their felony conviction. At the time the program was a first-of-its-kind.
Grossman thanked Magistrate Judges William Gallo and Andrew Schopler for dedicating many hours of their valuable time, in addition to their regular duties as Magistrate Judges, to hold monthly court hearings, roundtables, change of plea hearings, bond revocation hearings, and participate in e-mails and phone calls at all hours to help these veterans succeed.
Grossman said: “This program would not be successful without strong leadership and the unwavering commitment from multiple people and organizations who deserve special thanks. This includes Magistrate Judges Gallo and Schopler; Chief U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw; as well as several dedicated people from the Veteran’s Administration, particularly Joy Villavicencio; Lori Garofalo and her team of outstanding Pretrial Services Officers including Zena Ajou and Justin Garcia; RanDee McLain and her teams from Courage to Call and Wounded Warrior Project; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Blair Perez and Jennifer McCollough; as well as the many defense attorneys including Jami Ferrera, Hector Tamayo, Gary Burcham, and Leila Morgan. Thank you all for making this program a success.”
Grossman thanked the Veterans Diversion Program supporters who attended today’s celebration: Dr. Robert Smith, VHA Regional Director; Dr. Vito Imbasioni, CalVet Secretary; Virginia Wimmer, CalVet Deputy Secretary- Women Veteran Affairs; Mental Health Systems Inc. CEO Jim Callaghan and Vice President Delrena Swaggerty.
North Carolina E-Waste Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Storing Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Greenville man pleaded guilty yesterday to Knowing Storage of Hazardous Waste Without a Permit, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 6928(d)(2)(A).
According to the Criminal Information, and information provided in open court today, Lee Vann Crawford, 51, of Greenville, owned and operated Eastern Electronics Recycling, USA in eastern North Carolina. Eastern Electronics was a company that purported to be engaged in the responsible collection and disposal of e-waste, such as televisions, computer monitors, and other electronic equipment.
Old televisions and computer monitors contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs) which, when improperly maintained and stored, can release toxic levels of lead. Waste containing lead content of five milligrams per liter is considered “hazardous waste.”
As early as 2012, Crawford began collecting and storing large volumes of e-waste, including large amounts of CRTs, at 800 W. Green Street in Robersonville, NC, within Martin County. Much of the waste at this location had been scrapped or otherwise broken down into smaller parts. CRTs had also been shattered, releasing lead. Crawford did not obtain or maintain a permit from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or from the State of North Carolina, to store the CRTs at this location. Crawford also did not recycle or otherwise properly dispose of the CRTs.
In June of 2019, the EPA executed a search warrant at Crawford’s storage location found a large quantity of shattered CRTs. Samples of waste were extracted from various locations on the property, yielding findings of hazardous amounts of lead -- 102 to 188 milligrams per liter.
The maximum punishment for Knowing Storage of Hazardous Waste Without a Permit is up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 per day of the violation. The sentencing for the Crawford is scheduled to occur in February of 2022.
“The illegal storage and disposal of Cathode Ray Tube waste (CRT) containing hazardous amounts of Lead contamination needlessly put the lives of the resident of Martin County, NC, and general public at an increased risk to Lead exposure,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Atlanta, GA. “Today’s plea agreement related to that illegal activity demonstrates that anyone who intentionally violates the law and puts the public at risk will be held responsible for their actions.”
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigative Division and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represents the United States.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-245-1D(2).
Non-profit Agency Operator Indicted for Falsely Claiming to Hire Ex-ConsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who operates a non-profit agency has been indicted by a federal grand jury for falsely claiming to employ convicted felons who were on federal court supervised release.
Michael A. Green, 50, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
According to the federal indictment, Green operates Kansas City Community Source, Inc., a non-profit corporation that purports to employ convicted felons after release from incarceration. Various individuals under court-ordered supervision reported KCCS as their employer in order to fulfill their employment obligations. These individuals provided federal probation officers with paystubs purporting to indicate wage earnings from employment at KCCS. The officers subsequently called the phone number provided for KCCS to conduct employment verification. Green told the officers that the various supervisees were in fact employed by KCCS.
KCCS did not in fact employ convicted felons, the indictment alleges. Green allegedly created fictitious employment verification documents, including paystubs, and provided these to individuals under court supervision for a fee. As part of the service provided for this fee, Green allegedly responded to calls and written inquiries from the federal probation officers, and falsely verified the supervisees’ employment with KCCS.
In addition, the indictment says, Green sold fraudulent documents and identifications, including fraudulent state driver’s licenses.
Green is charged with three counts of making false statements to probation officers in relation to three separate individuals, one count of transferring a false identification document (a fraudulent driver’s license) and one count of providing false documents to a probation officer.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Blackwood. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
New Jersey Resident Pleaded Guilty to Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in a Sexual Act with A Minor ChargesRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – A Manalapan, New Jersey resident pleaded guilty yesterday to interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.
Mohsin was joined in the announcement by James C. Harris, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations field offices in Michigan and Ohio.
Jose Ricardo Gomez, 39, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty on November 17, 2021, to one count of interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor before United States Magistrate Judge Patricia Morris. Gomez will be sentenced in February 2022.
According to court documents, in or about July and August, 2020, Gomez used his phone and the internet to knowingly persuade, induce, entice and coerce a 13-year-old minor and a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity for which he could be charged with criminal sexual conduct in the third degree under Michigan state law. Gomez communicated with the minors via Snapchat and traveled to Michigan from New Jersey. He met them at a hotel in Houghton Lake, Michigan, where he sexually abused the two minors on several occasions during that time. He provided alcohol to the victims before the abuse. Gomez also recorded numerous videos with his iPhone of the 13-year-old minor in various states of undress engaging in sexual acts. For the purpose of persuading the victim to engage in the sexual acts and for the purpose of producing the sexually explicit material, Gomez misrepresented his name, age, and residence. Gomez saved these visual depictions to his Snapchat account’s memories folder. Moreover, between May and August, 2020, Gomez, using Snapchat, distributed multiple videos and photographs depicting minor girls lasciviously exposing their genitalia to other Snapchat users. Gomez also solicited and received from minor girls sexually explicit images of themselves or images lasciviously depicting their genitalia, and distributed some of these images back to the minor girls depicted in those images for the purpose of coercing them to continue to produce and send such images of themselves to Gomez. Gomez threatened to post those images in public forums and to expose them to friends, relatives or classmates of the victims. The day after his arrest, Gomez, using the jail telephone system, directed another unknown individual to destroy and conceal evidence material to this investigation stored in Gomez’s online accounts. Soon thereafter, an unknown individual deleted the images stored in Gomez’s iCloud account.
This case was investigated by agents of the Homeland Security Investigations and Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department and is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anca Pop.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TREA FRASER, 27, of New Haven, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2020, the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the West Haven Police Department began investigating the narcotics trafficking activity of Fraser and another individual. Between October and December 2020, investigators made controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Fraser. On February 9, 2021, a search of Fraser’s residence revealed quantities of crack cocaine and heroin, ammunition and $3,900 in cash. A search of his vehicle revealed approximately 100 grams of cocaine and a loaded .45 caliber Glock 41 handgun.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for February 11, 2022, at which time Fraser faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
Fraser has been detained since his arrest on a federal criminal complaint on March 1, 2021.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Nevada Vacuum Distributor and Salesman Both Convicted by Jury in Conspiracy to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted two Nevada men, Saud Alessa and Jeffrey Bowen, yesterday for conspiring to defraud the IRS. A third co-conspirator, Jackie Hayes, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge on Oct. 15. The jury also convicted Alessa today of tax evasion and filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2010 through approximately March 2014, Alessa, Bowen and Hayes conspired to defraud the IRS relating to more than $500,000 in tax liabilities that Alessa owed for tax years 1998 to 2007. As part of the scheme, Hayes entered into a payment arrangement with Bowen, the owner of a vacuum cleaner distributor, J&L Distributing Inc. (J&L), where commissions earned by Alessa for his work at J&L were falsely recorded in J&L’s books as commission earned by Hayes. Hayes and Bowen then submitted tax forms and filings to the IRS that falsely reported Hayes had earned the income. This scheme allowed Alessa to evade IRS collection efforts and the payment of his outstanding federal tax debt. To further conceal his income and assets, Alessa filed false 2012 and 2013 individual tax returns, and in February 2013, he filed a bankruptcy petition falsely reporting no income.
Bowen and Alessa are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22, 2022. Hayes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2022. All three face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Alessa also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the tax evasion charge and three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting Special Agent in Charge C. Darren Lian of IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting Special Agent in Charge Lian also thank the U.S. Trustee’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Michael Landman and Eric Taffet of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.