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17 November 2021
Federal-State Clean Water Act Settlement Resolves Sewer Overflow Violations in Berkeley County, West VirginiaRead the Press Release
The Berkeley County Public Service Sewer District in West Virginia will pay a $518,400 penalty, make extensive improvements to its sewer and stormwater systems, and implement a state-directed supplemental environmental project valued at $1.14 million under a settlement with federal and state authorities, the Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) announced today.
The settlement, lodged today in federal court by the Department of Justice on behalf of EPA and WVDEP, resolves chronic alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act.
In a federal court complaint filed with the settlement, the United States and WVDEP cited Berkeley for exceeding pollution limits at its permitted wastewater treatment plants more than 1,300 times; allowing sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) more than 500 times; failing to properly operate and maintain its sewage collection systems; and failing to develop and implement an adequate Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program.
“This settlement, done in partnership with the state of West Virginia, will ensure that Berkeley attains compliance with environmental laws protecting our waters and the citizens of Berkeley County,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Under the settlement, Berkeley will implement a comprehensive solution that will improve wastewater treatment and mitigate stormwater pollution.”
“Today’s settlement is a victory for protection of human health and the environment,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement includes concrete requirements that will reduce discharges of sewage and other pollutants in Berkeley County, which directly translates to cleaner, safer water for local communities and communities downstream along the Potomac River.”
The settlement requires Berkeley to pay civil penalties of $432,000 to the United States and $86,400 to WVDEP. Berkeley will satisfy remaining penalties owed to WVDEP by implementing a supplemental environmental project. This project requires Berkeley to provide treatment for sewage from the White Bush Landing and Midway mobile home parks in Falling Waters, West Virginia, a project valued at $1,145,000.
In addition to the penalty, the settlement requires extensive improvements to Berkeley’s sewer and stormwater systems at an EPA-estimated cost of $50 million to ensure compliance with federal and state pollution control laws. Improvements include:
- Establishing a comprehensive MS4 program.
- Assessing capacity, mapping, and developing a medial measures plan for the sewage collection system.
- Evaluating and taking corrective actions at under-performing treatment systems.
- Training employees.
- Developing and implementing a pump station inspection program and corrective action plan.
- Conducting inspections and taking corrective actions to prevent stormwater and groundwater from entering sewer pipes.
- Educating the public on handling/disposal of fats, oil and grease.
- Requiring reports to keep EPA and WVDEP informed of problems and progress toward various consent decree milestones.
SSOs pose a substantial risk to public health and the environment, and include pollutants such as bacteria, pathogens, nutrients, untreated industrial wastes, toxic pollutants, soil and pesticides and wastewater solids and debris. Berkeley’s wastewater and MS4 facilities, which include approximately 245 miles of sewer pipes and multiple wastewater treatment plants, all discharge to the Potomac River or its tributaries, which are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. By improving water quality, the settlement will benefit communities in Berkeley, West Virginia, as well as communities downstream of Berkeley, including communities that are historically underserved and disproportionately impacted by pollution.
The proposed consent decree, which has been lodged with the U.S. District Court in Martinsburg, West Virginia, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final federal court approval.
For more information on the Clean Water Act, visit https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act.
For more information on sanitary sewage overflows, visit https://www.epa.gov/npdes/sanitary-sewer-overflows-ssos.
For more information on this settlement, visit https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/berkeley-county-public-service-sewer-district-west-virginia-clean-water-settlement.
Federal-State Clean Water Act Settlement Resolves Sewer Overflow Violations in Berkeley County, West VirginiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON- The Berkeley County Public Service Sewer District in West Virginia will pay a $518,400 penalty, make extensive improvements to its sewer and stormwater systems, and implement a state-directed supplemental environmental project valued at $1.14 million under a settlement with federal and state authorities, the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) announced today.
The settlement, lodged today in federal court by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of EPA and WVDEP, resolves chronic alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act.
In a federal court complaint filed with the settlement, the United States and WVDEP cited Berkeley for exceeding pollution limits at its permitted wastewater treatment plants more than 1,300 times; allowing sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) more than 500 times; failing to properly operate and maintain its sewage collection systems; and failing to develop and implement an adequate Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program.
“This settlement, done in partnership with the state of West Virginia, will ensure that Berkeley attains compliance with environmental laws protecting our waters and the citizens of Berkeley County,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Under the settlement, Berkeley will implement a comprehensive solution that will improve wastewater treatment and mitigate stormwater pollution.”
“Today’s settlement is a victory for protection of human health and the environment,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement includes concrete requirements that will reduce discharges of sewage and other pollutants in Berkeley County, which directly translates to cleaner, safer water for local communities and communities downstream along the Potomac River.”
The settlement requires Berkeley to pay civil penalties of $432,000 to the United States and $86,400 to WVDEP. Berkeley will satisfy remaining penalties owed to WVDEP by implementing a supplemental environmental project. This project requires Berkeley to provide treatment for sewage from the White Bush Landing and Midway mobile home parks in Falling Waters, West Virginia, a project valued at $1,145,000.
In addition to the penalty, the settlement requires extensive improvements to Berkeley’s sewer and stormwater systems at an EPA-estimated cost of $50 million to ensure compliance with federal and state pollution control laws. Improvements include:
- Establishing a comprehensive MS4 program.
- Assessing capacity, mapping, and developing a medial measures plan for the sewage collection system.
- Evaluating and taking corrective actions at under-performing treatment systems.
- Training employees.
- Developing and implementing a pump station inspection program and corrective action plan.
- Conducting inspections and taking corrective actions to prevent stormwater and groundwater from entering sewer pipes.
- Educating the public on handling/disposal of fats, oil and grease.
- Requiring reports to keep EPA and WVDEP informed of problems and progress toward various consent decree milestones.
SSOs pose a substantial risk to public health and the environment, and include pollutants such as bacteria, pathogens, nutrients, untreated industrial wastes, toxic pollutants, soil and pesticides and wastewater solids and debris. Berkeley’s wastewater and MS4 facilities, which include approximately 245 miles of sewer pipes and multiple wastewater treatment plants, all discharge to the Potomac River or its tributaries, which are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. By improving water quality, the settlement will benefit communities in Berkeley, West Virginia, as well as communities downstream of Berkeley, including communities that are historically underserved and disproportionately impacted by pollution.
The proposed consent decree, which has been lodged with the U.S. District Court in Martinsburg, West Virginia, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final federal court approval.
For more information on the Clean Water Act, visit: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act .
For more information on sanitary sewage overflows, visit: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/sanitary-sewer-overflows-ssos .
Federal Jury Finds Muskogee Resident Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Joseph Stanley Harjo, age 40, of Muskogee, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1151, 1153, 2241(c) and 2246(2)(D).
The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, November 15, 2021, and concluded on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, with the guilty verdict. Based on the jury’s verdict, the defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years up to life imprisonment.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in June 2016, Harjo sexually abused a six-year-old child. Five additional witnesses testified that Harjo sexually assaulted them when they were between four and twelve years of age.
The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant and child victim in this case are members of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Harjo was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich and Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Marek represented the United States.
Federal Indictments Charge Department of Veterans Affairs Employees with Pocketing Cash from VendorsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two employees of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pocketed cash from vendors in exchange for steering them orders for medical equipment, according to indictments returned in federal court in Chicago.
ANDREW LEE and KIMBERLY A. DYSON worked as Prosthetic Clerks in the Veterans Health Administration Prosthetics Service in Chicago. As part of their duties, Lee and Dyson selected vendors from which to order medical equipment for VA patients, and then paid the vendors using government purchase cards. In exchange for their efforts with certain vendors, Lee and Dyson allegedly received cash payments from individuals at the vendor companies.
Lee, 66, of Chicago, is charged with one count of wire fraud. Dyson, 49, of Chicago, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and four counts of bribery.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Gavin McClaren, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Manschreck.
“Schemes to fraudulently corrupt the procurement process cheat the government and deserving bidders,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will work aggressively with our law enforcement partners to safeguard our nation’s taxpayers.”
“The corruption of VA employees cannot be tolerated,” said Acting SAC McClaren. “These alleged fraudulent activities erode public trust and undermine the value of fair market competition. The VA OIG appreciates the US Attorney’s Office for its commitment in helping hold these defendants accountable.”
Lee and Dyson were charged in separate indictments returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
United States v. Lee, et al, 21 CR 703
The charges allege that Lee schemed with DARREN A. SMITH, who operated a medical distribution company in Bolingbrook, Ill., to place orders for medical equipment from Smith’s company in exchange for cash kickbacks to Lee. Lee allegedly placed orders with Smith’s company for unnecessary and more costly monthly rentals of certain medical equipment – instead of purchasing the equipment as VA physicians had ordered – so that the VA would pay more money to Smith’s company. The scheme fraudulently caused the VA to overpay Smith’s company by more than $1.38 million from 2016 to 2020. In exchange, Lee pocketed kickbacks from Smith of at least $220,000, the indictment states.
In addition to the wire fraud count against Lee, the indictment charges Smith, 57, of Hazel Crest, Ill., with seven counts of wire fraud.
United States v. Dyson, et al, 21 CR 705
The charges accuse Dyson of conspiring with IRVIN R. LUCAS, IV, who owned a medical supply company in Romeoville, Ill., to place orders for medical equipment from Lucas’s company in exchange for cash payments to Dyson. The indictment describes several instances in which Dyson placed orders with Lucas’s company and then sent text messages to Lucas asking for certain amounts of cash. Lucas allegedly paid Dyson by transferring money into her checking account or providing her with a debit card to withdraw the funds. From 2018 to 2020, Dyson accepted at least $39,850 from Lucas for steering the orders to his company, the indictment states.
In addition to the conspiracy and bribery counts against Dyson, the indictment charges Lucas, 40, of North Hollywood, Calif., with one count of bribery conspiracy.
Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- NovemberRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2021 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Osakwe Bandele Jr.; Marvin Leon Bowie Jr.; Larry Charles Hutton Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1,2 3, 9, 10); Possession of Phencyclidine with Intent to Distribute (Count 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5); Using, Carrying, and Possessing Firearms During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 6); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 7); Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 8) (superseding). Bandele, 31, Bowie Jr., 40, and Hutton, 47, all of Tulsa, are charged separately in counts 1-3 with being a felon in possession of a Beretta .40 caliber pistol, a Glock .357 caliber pistol, and a Llama .45 caliber pistol, and associated ammunition on Sept. 29, 2021. Bandele, Bowie, and Hutton are also charged with aiding and abetting one another to possess with intent to distribute Phencyclidine, also known as PCP. They are further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute the PCP and with carrying firearms during and in relation to their drug trafficking operation. Bowie is also charged with assaulting another individual by striking him in the head with a firearm on July 9, 2021. Bandele is charged in Count 9 with being a felon in possession of a Model AR-15 .223 caliber rifle, a Glock .40 caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and associated ammunition on May 7, 2020. In Count 10, he is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Ruger .223 caliber rifle and associated ammunition on May 13, 2020. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-466
Jacob Ancen Bell. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Bell, 45, currently incarcerated, is alleged to have put a child in a dangerous position by exposing the child to the manufacture of methamphetamine on Nov. 10, 2011. He also failed to protect the child from exposure to the use, possession, sale, and manufacture of illegal drugs, and the maintenance of a drug-involved residence on Nov. 11, 2011. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa Fire Department, and City of Tulsa Fire Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case.
Ashley Nicole Blizzard. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country; Child Endangerment in Indian Country. On Feb. 28, 2020, Blizzard, 33, of Claremore, is alleged to have put her 11-year-old child in danger when she struck him with her pick-up in a driveway and ran over his arm. The child was trying to stop her from driving under the influence with a 2-year-old in her vehicle. Blizzard further failed to protect her 2-year-old child from exposure to the use, possession, sale, and manufacture of illegal drugs and other illegal activities and failed to adequately supervise her by placing her on top of a broken meth pipe without a car seat or a seatbelt. Finally, she allegedly endangered her 2-year-old child by driving the car under the influence of an intoxicating substance while her toddler was inside the car. Deputies from the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office located the defendant, stopped her, then took her into custody after finding her license was revoked and locating drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. Blizzard is non-Indian; the children are citizens of the Eastern Shawnee Nation. The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case.
Valerie Bowman. Robbery in Indian Country (Counts 1, 3, 4, 5); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2); Attempted Robbery in Indian Country (Count 6). On Oct. 2, 2021, Bowman, 24, of Tulsa, allegedly used violence and intimidation to rob a Dollar General cashier, stealing cash from the store’s money drawer. During the crime, she assaulted the victim by spraying him in the eyes and face with bed bug spray and grabbed money from the open drawer. She is further charged with robbing a second cashier at a CVS Pharmacy on Oct. 8, 2021. She allegedly robbed a third cashier at another CVS Pharmacy on Oct. 10, 2021, and about eight hours later robbed a fourth cashier at a Walgreens Pharmacy. Finally, on Oct. 18, 2021, Bowman unsuccessfully attempted to steal an elderly woman’s purse at a Tulsa Walgreens. She fled the location but was stopped shortly after the crime by a Tulsa Police Officer. Bowman told the officer that she thought she was “untouchable” because she was a tribal citizen based on the McGirt v Oklahoma decision. She was wrong. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case.
Jonathon Lewis Kernaghan. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Kernaghan, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with breaking into a home while it was occupied by pushing open a bathroom window and climbing through it on Sept. 29, 2020. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
Jacob Dillon Long. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Long, 28, of Glenpool, is charged with sexually abusing a minor between 12 and 16 years of age on March 20, 2017. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra M. Urban and Chantelle D. Dial are prosecuting the case.
Winford Bruce Martin. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Martin, 61, allegedly struck the victim in the face with a fire log, breaking her nose and causing bruising and lacerations to her head and neck between Sept. 1, 2020 and Dec. 1, 2020. On Dec. 2, 2020, he is further alleged to have kidnapped the victim via false imprisonment, knocked out several of the victim’s teeth, struck her with a sword causing lacerations, and strangled the victim. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case.
Michael Martavious Pugh. Child abuse in Indian Country. Pugh, 20, of Tulsa, is charged with torturing a 23-month-old Native American victim on Sept. 29, 2021, by punching the child in the chest, causing significant bruising to his body, cardiac arrest and loss of blood to the brain. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case.
Stephen John Rose. Obstruction of Justice by Tampering with a Witness, Victim, or Informant by Intimidation, Threats, Corrupt Persuasion, or Misleading Conduct. Rose, 56, of Tulsa, allegedly tried to persuade three individuals to make false statements in a federal investigation, from Oct. 22 through Oct. 23, 2021, regarding a murder he was allegedly involved in. The FBI and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case.
Daelen Tate Space. Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. Space, 26, of Pryor, is charged with the abusive sexual contact of a minor. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies. State charges were dismissed based on the McGirt v Oklahoma decision and were refiled in federal court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case.
Vernon Leon Weaver. Obstruction of Justice by Tampering with a Witness, Victim, or Informant by Physical Force or Threat; Obstruction of Justice by Tampering with a Witness, Victim, or Informant by Intimidation, Threats, Corrupt Persuasion, or Misleading Conduct. Weaver, 49, of Tulsa, allegedly threatened a witness with physical violence on Oct. 18, 2021, with the intent to influence, delay, and prevent the witness’ testimony in an official proceeding about a murder Weaver was allegedly involved in. He is also charged with persuading the witness to make a materially false statement in an official proceeding. The FBI and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case.
Roy Edward Williams. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 1, 3, 5, 6, 8); Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 2, 4, 9, 10); Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor Between 12 and 16 Years Old in Indian Country (Count 7); Possession of Child Pornography (Count 11). Williams, 63, a former preacher in Vinita, was charged with sexually abusing five minors whose ages ranged from 7 to 16 years old at the time of the abuse. Williams allegedly paid or offered something of value to several victims immediately following the sexual abuse and threatened several victims to prevent them from telling others. Williams is alleged to have committed the sex crimes starting on or around November 2002 and as late as December 2018. Williams was further found in possession of child pornography on June 24, 2019. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI ask that any other possible victims come forward and contact the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office at (405) 290-7770. The FBI, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Paisner and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Eden Prairie Man Charged with Covid Relief Fraud, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie man has been arrested and charged for fraudulently applying for more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, Harold Bennie Kaeding, 72, applied for at least $2,182,625 in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program between April and December 2020. Kaeding used the name of close family members to submit the loan applications in the name of four Minnesota entities, Harbor Holdings Corporation; Harbor Corp; AutoPay Inc.; and Voyager Shipping Company. These entities filed no tax returns and did not report the payment of wages to a single employee for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Kaeding submitted false and fraudulent applications to various lenders that included fabricated supporting records, false statements about the number of employees and the amount of payroll expenses, and false statements about the intended use of the loan proceeds. As a result of his material falsehoods and omissions, Kaeding received approximately $658,490 in fraud proceeds, which he transferred to bank accounts that he controlled and for his personal use, including home mortgage payments and wire transfers to family and friends. Kaeding then fled to Colombia in an apparent attempt to evade prosecution.
Kaeding is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Kaeding was deported from Colombia on November 12, 2021, and ultimately arrested on November 14, 2021 in Miami, Florida. He made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and IRS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is 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.
Dominican National Charged with Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national recently residing in Lawrence was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a cocaine distribution conspiracy.
Michel Saredi-Munoz Morta, 21, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to charging documents, in or about August 2020, Morta conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine in Lawrence.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. The Lawrence Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and Leah B. Foley of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Marlin Santana Thomas sex trafficked six adult victims and one minor victim
DES MOINES, Iowa – On November 15, 2021, Marlin Santana Thomas, age 46, of Des Moines was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to life in prison for sex trafficking six victims by force, fraud, and coercion announced United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Thomas was ordered to pay $600 to the Crime Victims’ Fund and a restitution hearing was set for February 7, 2022.
Thomas pleaded guilty to sex trafficking six adult victims and admitted to trafficking a 14- year-old victim on May 12, 2021. Thomas admitted in his plea agreement to trafficking victims beginning in 2009, and as recently as February 28, 2018, when he was arrested as part of a separate federal drug investigation, for which he is currently serving a term of federal imprisonment. At sentencing, Des Moines Police Department Sergeant Brady Carney testified that he had interviewed an additional 11 women who Thomas had raped, attempted to sex traffic, and/or physical assaulted.
In the plea agreement, Thomas admitted using physical violence against all six adult victims to coerce them to engage in commercial sex acts, including punching one victim in the face and assaulting another in her home after she told Thomas she was done working for him. Thomas admitted to knowing one victim was a heroin addict and using her addiction to coerce her into engaging in commercial sex acts. Thomas also admitted to arranging for a 14-year-old to engage in commercial sex acts, knowing that she was not yet 18 years old. Thomas admitted to posting online escort advertisements of victims transporting them to hotels and motels in Iowa as well as Illinois, Missouri, and North Dakota, and keeping the proceeds from the commercial sex acts.
At sentencing, Sergeant Carney testified about tactics Thomas used to target vulnerable women, including approaching women living at residential treatment centers, providing drugs to women struggling with addiction, and feigning romantic interest. Sergeant Carney testified that Thomas assaulted, raped, and stalked victims who did not comply. Sergeant Carney located hotel receipts, police reports, phone records, online escort ads, medical records, photographs, and witnesses who verified the victim’s accounts. The United States presented victim impact statements on behalf of six women, recounting the harm inflicted by Thomas and its lasting effects.
When imposing sentence, Chief Judge Jarvey characterized Thomas’s crimes as depraved, stating that Thomas had treated humans like currency. He also found Thomas had engaged in serial rape and was a highly dangerous individual. He further noted that Thomas had not expressed any remorse for his crimes or the victims.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Jennings and Former Assistant United States Attorney Virginia Bruner prosecuted the case with the assistance of Victim Witness Specialist Charlotte Kovacs. Additional support for victims was provided by Sara McMillan with Polk County Crisis and Advocacy Services.
Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Defendant Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Arson Committed to Threaten Victim in “R. Kelly” CaseRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Michael Williams was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 96 months’ imprisonment for setting fire to a vehicle at the home of a victim-witness who was expected to testify at trial in United States v. Robert Sylvester Kelly, also known as “R. Kelly,” a case pending in the Eastern District of New York (“the Kelly case”). Williams set the car on fire in order to intimidate the victim-witness and prevent her from cooperating with the government’s investigation in the case. The amount of restitution will be determined by the Court at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“In a violent act designed to instill fear and stop a witness from testifying at trial, Williams set fire to the victim’s vehicle in the middle of the night while it was parked outside of a residence occupied by four adults and two children. Intimidating witnesses and threatening the safety of crime victims undermine the very fabric of our judicial system and will never be tolerated,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will bring all of its resources to bear against those who commit dangerous acts of violence to silence victims and interfere with the administration of justice.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the HSI Field Offices in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, Florida; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Field Offices in Savannah, Georgia, and Tampa, Florida; the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations; the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Florida; the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, Florida; the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Florida and the Valdosta Police Department, Georgia, for their assistance in this case.
“Williams attempted to use violence and intimidation to divert the course of justice and prevent a victim’s voice from being heard. HSI continues to stand alongside our partners to maintain the integrity of the judicial process and support the brave individuals who come forward to testify in criminal proceedings,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Patel.
On June 11, 2020, Williams poured gasoline around an SUV parked outside of a residence in Florida where a victim-witness in the Kelly case was staying and set fire to the vehicle. At the time the arson was committed, there were four adults, including the victim-witness in the Kelly case, and two children inside the home. Williams committed the arson to prevent the victim-witness from continuing to cooperate in the Kelly case. The victim-witness’s mother called 911 and told the 911 operator that her grandchildren, whose cries can be heard in the background of the call, were in the home and they were unsure if it was safe to remain in the house given the fire risk outside. The vehicle, leased by the victim’s father, was heavily damaged. Fire investigators also detected an accelerant along the outside perimeter of the residence. Williams had previously made internet searches about the detonation properties of fertilizer and diesel fuel, witness intimidation and witness tampering, and countries that do not have extradition agreements with the United States.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Cruz Melendez, Elizabeth Geddes and Nadia Shihata are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MICHAEL WILLIAMS
Age: 38
Valdosta, GeorgiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-395 (AMD)
D.C. Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Carrying Out Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Yohanness Ayechew, 49, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return and causing at least $250,000 of loss to the Internal Revenue Service.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Washington Field Office.
Ayechew pleaded guilty in August 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable John D. Bates. The judge also ordered him to pay restitution to the IRS as well as a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents, Ayechew, a Certified Public Accountant in Virginia, operated Endalk and Yohannes Associated, L.P. with a business partner, Endalkachew Asfaw, in the District of Columbia since 2011. From 2016 through 2019, Ayechew and Asfaw prepared approximately 10,000 tax returns.
According to court documents, Ayechew knowingly aided and assisted in the preparation of false income tax returns for years 2014 through 2017 on behalf of his clients. Ayechew did this by deliberately overstating unreimbursed employee business expenses on his clients’ Schedule A deductions, including uniforms and unreimbursed mileage expenses. As part of his plea, Ayechew also admitted to creating fraudulent Schedule C expenses and deducting exemptions for individuals that his clients were not entitled to claim. Ayechew admitted to fabricating these items to generate larger tax refunds for his clients.
As part of his plea, Ayechew admitted that he filed false tax returns resulting in a total tax loss of more than $250,000 to the U.S. government.
Asfaw, 38, of Alexandria, Va., also pleaded guilty in August 2021. Judge Bates sentenced Asfaw today to three years of probation, including a year to be spent on home detention. He also was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Waldon commended the work IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington Field Office, which investigated the case. They also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Mariela Andrade and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Goemaat, who prosecuted the matter.
Cyberstalker sentenced for child exploitation crimesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Emanuel Gray has been sentenced to prison for producing child pornography and cyberstalking two teenage girls he met online. After the girls broke off communications with him, Gray coerced them into sending sexually explicit photos and videos, and then retaliated against them when they refused to send him more.
“Gray stalked and threatened his victims after they rebuffed his demands,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “He terrorized these girls by threatening to post their photographs online if they did not comply. A jury has held Gray accountable for his inexcusable crimes, and he will now serve time in prison.”
“The facts of this case are disturbing but unfortunately all too common,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “This sentencing sends a message to Gray and any other predators that the FBI will go to any length to bring child predators to justice. We would like to remind the community to remain vigilant with online relationships and to never send compromising images of yourself to anyone, no matter who they say they are.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Between May 2017 and November 2018, when he was arrested, Emanuel Gray targeted at least two teenage girls who he had met online through various social media apps, including Kik and Snapchat. While chatting online, the girls—who both testified at trial but did not know each other—sent sexually suggestive images and/or videos of themselves to Gray.
One of the victims, who was 14 at the time, testified after meeting Gray online they were in a “relationship” for a short time. After she decided to end the relationship, Gray harassed and threatened her until she sent more sexually explicit photos. Gray not only threatened her directly but attempted to “expose her” by posting explicit photos of her on her high school band's Facebook page. The other victim, who was 16 at the time, described being threatened and harassed by Gray in similar manner. Gray sent multiple messages to her high school band's Facebook page and created multiple fake Instagram accounts to “expose her” as well. Both girls also testified that Gray would instruct them on what to show and what to do, including demanding that they masturbate for him.
Emanuel Gray, 22, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Gray will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. He was charged with two counts of producing child pornography, two counts of cyberstalking, and one count of possession of child pornography. A federal jury convicted him of these charges on July 14, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Schulenburg, Texas and Villa Rica, Georgia Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and L. Skye Davis, Deputy Chief of the Violent Crime & National Security Section, prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Cumberland County Man Admits Conspiring to Commit Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion in Connection with Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey, man today admitted to conspiring to commit wire and money laundering, and tax evasion, in connection with a romance fraud scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Rubbin Sarpong, 37, of Millville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud, conspiring to commit money laundering and tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2016 to Sept. 3, 2019, Sarpong and his conspirators, several of whom reside in Ghana, allegedly participated in an online romance scheme, defrauding victims in New Jersey and elsewhere. Sarpong and the conspirators set up dating profiles on various dating websites, using fictitious or stolen identities and posing as United States military personnel who were stationed overseas. They contacted victims through the dating websites and then pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with them. After establishing virtual romantic relationships with victims on the online dating platforms and via email, the conspirators asked them for money, often for the purported purpose of paying to ship gold bars to the United States. Although the stories varied, most often Sarpong and the conspirators claimed to be military personnel stationed in Syria who received, recovered, or were awarded gold bars. The conspirators told many victims that their money would be returned once the gold bars were received in the United States.
Sarpong and the conspirators used several email accounts and Voice Over Internet Protocol phone numbers to communicate with victims and instruct them on where to wire money, including recipient names, addresses, financial institutions, and account numbers. At least 40 identified victims wired money to Sarpong and others in the United States, including to 13 bank accounts controlled by Sarpong, some of which were in the names of his friends, relatives, and a fictitious business entity, Rubbin Sarpong Autosales. Occasionally, victims also mailed personal checks or cashier’s checks to the conspirators and also transferred money to the conspirators via money transfer services, such as Western Union and MoneyGram. The funds were not used for the purposes claimed by the conspirators – that is, to transport non-existent gold bars to the United States – but were instead withdrawn in cash, wired to other domestic bank accounts, and wired to other conspirators in Ghana.
While engaged in this fraud, Sarpong purchased property in Ghana and posted photographs of himself on social media showing him with large amounts of cash, high-end cars, designer clothing and expensive jewelry. Despite having received approximately $1.14 million in taxable income from the scheme during tax years 2016 through 2018, Sarpong filed no income tax returns and paid no income tax, resulting in a tax loss of $387,923.
The conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering charges to which Sarpong pleaded guilty each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest. The tax evasion charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. As part of the plea agreement, Sarpong agreed to make restitution for the full amount of the loss, which is estimated at $1.76 million, as well as to pay $387,923 in taxes owed to the IRS. In addition, Sarpong agreed to make full restitution to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of New Jersey for all monies paid in Medicaid and SNAP benefits for Sarpong and his children from September 2018 through August 2019. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark; and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Corrections Officer Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a former Alabama Department of Corrections Officer for unlawful possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in a state prison, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Gary Charles Dixon, Jr., 36, to 87 months in prison on one count of distribution of fifty grams or more of methamphetamine. Dixon pleaded guilty to the charges on July 20, 2021.
“Smuggling contraband into our state prisons compromises the safety of everyone in the facility,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “This type of conduct, especially by those sworn to protect the institution, will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute corrections officers who violate positions of public trust.”
“Corrections officers have the responsibility to serve the public and protect their communities. This defendant abused that responsibility and used his position to distribute drugs,” stated Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. “By doing so, he not only violated his duties as a corrections officer, but also endangered the health and safety of inmates and staff through his actions.”
According to the facts presented at the sentencing hearing, on November 15, 2020, Dixon attempted to smuggle 497 grams of methamphetamine into William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama, where he was employed as a corrections officer.
The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Cross prosecuted.
Convicted Felon Who Staged Robbery with Loaded Glock Sentenced to Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A South Florida federal district judge has sentenced 34-year-old Ft. Pierce resident and prior convicted felon Terry Burney Delion to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm during a robbery that he and others staged to try to game the United States immigration system.
On August 29, 2019, law enforcement responded to a 911 call regarding an alleged robbery that took place at a grocery store in Fort Pierce. The alleged victims told law enforcement they were just robbed at gunpoint while taking out the trash behind the grocery store and described the alleged robber as a tall male dressed in dark clothing wearing a ski mask and sweater.
Shortly after that, law enforcement recovered a sweatshirt, loaded Glock, Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, and ski mask from a carport less than mile from the grocery store. A law enforcement K-9 tracked the scent from the sweatshirt recovered from the carport to the parking lot of a nearby dollar store, where Delion was arrested. DNA recovered from the sweatshirt and ski mask matched Delion’s profile.
Delion admitted to law enforcement that he possessed the Glock, Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic pistol on August 29, 2019. Delion explained that he was paid by the wife of one of the alleged victims to stage the robberies so that the alleged victims, neither of whom were United States citizens, could obtain status as crime victims and remain in the United States.
Delion has prior felony convictions out of the Southern District of Florida for bank robbery (2010) and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (2010).
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Christopher Robinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the sentenced imposed by U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham.
ATF Miami (Port St. Lucie Office) investigated the case with assistance from Fort Pierce Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated 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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cr-14028.
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Con Man Defrauds Two Friends Out of over $390,000Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Glenn Lee Dobbs, Jr., 51, of DeBerry, Texas, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 33 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on wire fraud charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Dobbs was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $391,241.
Dobbs was indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud and pleaded guilty to the charge on April 15, 2021. According to information presented to the court, Dobbs represented to two victims that he owned and operated a commercial roofing business. In March 2017, Dobbs falsely represented to one of these victims that his company had a contract with Roadrunner Rubber Company, a tire and wheel manufacturer in Houston, Texas, to roof its building. Dobbs asked the victim for money to pay the materials cost associated with the falsely represented contract and in exchange, they would split the profits. The victim believed that Dobbs did in fact have a contract with Roadrunner and paid him $212,348.
Further investigation by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that in April 2017, Dobbs solicited money from a second victim for another roofing job that did not exist. Dobbs falsely represented to the victim that he had a contract with the Tomball ISD in Tomball, Texas to roof a building. Dobbs asked the victim to pay the materials cost associated with the falsely represented contract and told the victim that in exchange, they would split the profits from the roofing job. The victim paid him $178,893. Neither of these victims were ever repaid the money that they provided to Dobbs.
Dobbs defrauded the victims in the Western District of Louisiana while already under federal indictment in the Eastern District of Texas for carrying out a similar scheme there.
The FBI was the investigative agency in this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten prosecuted the case.
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Chinese National Arrested and Charged with CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against a Chinese national living in Los Angeles for harassing and cyberstalking a Minnesota college student, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, since January 4, 2020, continuing through the present, Ki Cheung Yau, 27, created multiple online accounts on various websites, including social media platforms, dating websites, and pornography websites, using the name, photos, and personally identifying information of the victim. Yau, posing as the victim, used the accounts to communicate with others, seek sexual relationships, and advertise invitations for violent sexual encounters.
According to court documents, on two separate occasions in January 2021, a man went to the victim’s residence and asked for the victim by name, presumably because he believed he was meeting the victim for a sexual encounter. In February 2021, the victim discovered that multiple social media profiles had been created using her name and her likeness, including accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and other dating, and sexually-focused websites. As a result of Yau’s stalking and harassment, the victim has received numerous contacts from men she does not know and has been forced to move to a new residence and change her phone number.
Yau has been charged by complaint in the District of Minnesota with one count of cyberstalking. Yau made his initial appearance yesterday afternoon before Magistrate Judge Gail J. Standish in the Central District of California, who ordered that Yau be detained and removed to Minnesota, where he will make his initial appearance at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer announced that Darryl Damon Leach, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced yesterday to 94 months in prison and three years of supervised release for a firearms offense.
Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making this announcement.
According to filed documents and statements made in court, on March 5, 2020, CMPD officers responded to a service call at a Shell gas station located at 1125 Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte. The gas station clerk told officers responding to the scene that during his encounter with Leach, the defendant, who was accompanied by a female witness, produced a Hi-Point semiautomatic pistol and proceeded to punch the store clerk until the clerk fell to the ground. Leach and the female witness then fled the scene. Court records show that Leach has two prior convictions of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Second Degree Kidnapping and Burglary convictions and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
According to court records, Leach was arrested on March 14, 2020. When law enforcement apprehended Leach, they also recovered from his vehicle the firearm he used during the gas station incident. At the time of Leach’s arrest, the defendant was with the same female witness who was with Leach during his encounter with the gas station clerk. Leach was subsequently charged with state offenses and released on bond. While on bond, Leach and an accomplice assaulted the female witness, in an attempt to intimidate and induce her to claim that the firearm seized from Leach belonged to her. Court records show that Leach and his accomplice viciously beat, punched, and put the witness in a headlock. As a result, the witness sustained extensive injuries and required medical attention.
On December 20, 2020, Leach pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a result of Leach’s assault on the female witness, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. enhanced Leach’s sentence for attempting to obstruct justice.
The investigation was handled by the ATF and CMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Stout of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charlotte Man Indicted for Straw Purchasing Firearms Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man charged with straw purchasing firearms and dealing in firearms without a license appeared in federal court in Raleigh, N.C. today, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A federal grand jury in Charlotte indicted Thomas Evans Kelly, 28, in October. Federal agents arrested Kelly in Durham, N.C. on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.
Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, in August 2019, Kelly purchased three firearms from a licensed firearms dealer in Charlotte. Over the course of the transaction, Kelly made false and fictitious statements to the firearms dealer and falsely certified on federal forms associated with the purchase of the firearms that he was the actual buyer/transferee of the firearms. The indictment also alleges that between July 29, and October 1, 2019, Kelly engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
Kelly was released on bond after the hearing. The charge of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. Dealing in firearms without a license has a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The ATF led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Lindahl of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Carlsbad trio facing life in prison following trial for carjacking resulting in deathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Nov. 12 a federal jury in Las Cruces convicted two defendants of carjacking resulting in death following a nearly two-week trial.
On the night of May 27, 2019, Stetson Shane Barnes, 29, of Loving, New Mexico, Donald Alfred Busch, 33, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and a third person traveled to the victim’s home in Loving with an accomplice, Jehra Lynn Hedgecock, 33, of Carlsbad. The group had conspired to steal a motorcycle from the victim, identified in court records as J.S.
Upon the group arriving at the victim’s residence in Hedgecock’s truck, Hedgecock knocked at the front door in an attempt to lure J.S. outside. Meanwhile, Busch located the motorcycle he wanted to steal under the victim’s carport and began pushing it away. As the victim emerged from his home, Barnes, Busch and Hedgecock all pointed firearms at him. Jurors heard testimony that Busch ordered J.S. back into his home while holding him at gunpoint.
While Busch continued to push the motorcycle off the victim’s property, Hedgecock and Barnes got into Hedgecock’s truck. As they began to drive away, Barnes fired twelve shots from the truck into the residence, the last of which struck and killed J.S. The victim’s father testified that J.S. called him to ask for help, and that he was on the phone with J.S. when he heard gunshots ring out. According to courtroom testimony, J.S. was taking cover in the back room of his home when he was struck by the last bullet fired by Barnes.p
After the shooting, Hedgecock stopped the truck on the side of the road where Barnes helped Busch to load the motorcycle in the back of the truck, and the conspirators fled. Hedgecock’s truck was found burning in a ravine outside Carlsbad the following day and J.S.’s motorcycle was later recovered from Barnes’ property.
Hedgecock pleaded guilty on July 22 to one count of conspiracy, one count of carjacking resulting in death and one count of using, brandishing and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of such crime.
Barnes and Busch were found guilty of conspiracy to commit carjacking, carjacking resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Busch was also found guilty of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Barnes, Busch and Hedgecock remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. The maximum statutory penalty for all three defendants is up to life in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from New Mexico State Police and the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting this case.
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Caregivers Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding 73-Year-Old Homebound VictimRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Tagle Santos, 34, and Cherry Mae De Los Reyes-Santos, 28, most recently of Tucson, Arizona, were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps for defrauding a 73-year-old homebound victim. Santos received 33 months in prison and De Los Reyes-Santos received 16 months in prison. The Court also ordered the married couple to pay restitution to the victim. Santos previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and De Los Reyes-Santos pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
During the time of the scheme, Michael Santos and De Los Reyes-Santos worked as caregivers for the victim, who was disabled. Between 2013 and 2018, Michael Santos and De Los Reyes-Santos made unauthorized transfers of the victim’s funds. Santos admitted that he and his wife fraudulently disguised the transfers to make them appear as wage advances, gifts, and reimbursements for medical and grocery expenses of the victim. De Los Reyes-Santos was aware that these transactions were not legitimate reimbursements. The couple used the fraudulently-obtained proceeds to fund their lifestyle, paying for expensive cars, trips to Las Vegas, high end jewelry, and home remodeling.
The United States Secret Service and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2707-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-083_Santos# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Camden Man Admits Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A shift manager of a Camden drug-trafficking organization today admitted his role in conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jose Diaz, 29, of Camden, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram of a mixture containing heroin, 280 grams or more of a mixture containing crack cocaine, a mixture containing cocaine and a mixture containing fentanyl.
A total of 19 defendants were arrested in late 2018 on drug-trafficking charges based on the FBI’s investigation of a drug-trafficking organization that ran the open-air narcotics trade on the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden for several months in 2018. The investigation used video surveillance, confidential informants, consensual recordings, controlled drug purchases, and several court-authorized wiretaps to uncover the inner workings of the drug-trafficking organization. The organization included street-level sellers, who worked various shifts selling drugs to customers and collecting drug proceeds. These sellers were supervised by different layers of managers, including Diaz, who, in turn, supplied them with pre-packaged heroin, some of which was mixed with fentanyl, as well as cocaine and crack cocaine. The FBI and other law enforcement officers recovered multiple firearms from different locations connected to the drug organization at the time of the 2018 arrests.
Sixteen other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy have previously pleaded guilty in this case. The charges against two other defendants, Juan Figueroa and Christopher Vasquez, remain pending. Their trial is scheduled for May 9, 2022.
The count to which Diaz pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. She also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
For the defendants whose charges remain pending, the charges and allegations are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Byram Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Mail by a Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Byram woman pleaded guilty to embezzling mail, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Scott Pierce, Inspector in Charge with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field Office.
According to court documents, Jeanetta N. Williams, 38, of Byram, was a Rural Carrier Assistant and delivered mail along a rural route in Hinds County. After receiving complaints of mail going missing along Williams’ route, Postal Service agents investigated. On July 11, 2019, agents found Williams in possession of opened mail she did not deliver.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting the case.
Bronx Man Charged with Trespassing at Albany International AirportRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Stan Johnson, age 23, of the Bronx, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with unlawfully breaching a perimeter fence, entering an unoccupied aircraft, and entering the terminal at the Albany International Airport on May 24, 2021.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The charge filed against Johnson carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Johnson was arraigned today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and ordered detained pending trial.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping.
Bridger Pipeline to pay $2 million to settle civil lawsuit over oil spill into Yellowstone River near GlendiveRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Bridger Pipeline, LLC, a Wyoming corporation, has agreed to settle a civil lawsuit with the United States and the State of Montana with a $2 million payment to help recover natural resource damages from a pipeline break that spilled crude oil into the Yellowstone River near Glendive, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said today.
The United States and the State of Montana filed a civil complaint, along with a proposed consent decree, alleging violations of the Oil Pollution Act and state law. The complaint also seeks damages and costs for injuries to natural resources resulting from the discharge of oil from the Bridger Pipeline’s Polar pipeline when it ruptured on Jan. 17, 2015 where it crosses underneath the Yellowstone River, about 6.5 miles upstream from Glendive. Bridger Pipeline estimated that 758 barrels of oil were released.
“This settlement holds Bridger Pipeline accountable for its oil spill and provides funds to restore damage caused to the Yellowstone River’s waters, fisheries, birds and riparian habitat, ecosystems and related human activities,” U.S. Attorney Johnson said. “This agreement also provides for a restoration plan, which could include a variety of projects to restore aquatic habitat and improve or restore recreational sites along the river corridor. As the longest, free-flowing river in the Lower 48 states, the Yellowstone River is prized not only for its diverse ecosystems, fisheries and recreational opportunities, but also as a vital economic resource for local communities and the state. Protecting the environment is a high priority of the Department of Justice, and we will work with industry and our state and federal partners to ensure that happens.”
The proposed consent decree requires Bridger Pipeline to pay $2 million to resolve claims. Of this amount, $1,739,795 will be placed into a natural resource damages fund to be managed by the State of Montana and used to address injuries alleged in the complaint. Natural resources injured or damaged by the discharge include surface water, migratory birds and their supporting ecosystems, fish, including the pallid sturgeon, and associated riverine aquatic habitat and human service losses. Restoration actions or projects will be evaluated and selected by federal and state natural resource damages trustees in a future restoration plan before the funds will be spent. The restoration plan will be subject to public comment.
The remaining $260,205 portion of the settlement funds will be deposited in the U.S. Department of Interior Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Fund as reimbursement for the United States’ natural resource damage assessment costs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith, for the District of Montana, and John Sither, senior counsel, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice, prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Montana Department of Justice’s Natural Resources Damage Program investigated the case.
The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court review and approval. A copy of the settlement and proposed consent decree is available here: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees
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Baltimore Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for a Murder for Hire Plot and Distribution of CocaineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Rudy Adonaldo Chavez, age 31, of Guatemala to 97 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit murder for hire and for distribution of cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to his plea agreement, on September 6, 2019 HSI investigators arranged a cocaine transaction between a confidential informant and Chavez. The confidential informant purchased 2 ounces of cocaine from Chavez for $2,500.
Three days later, investigators arranged a controlled meeting between the confidential informant and Chavez, who was in the country illegally. During the meeting, Chavez solicited assistance from the confidential informant to murder another individual. As agreed to in the statement of facts, Chavez stated that the intended victim had previously killed two of Chavez’s friends and shot his brother, as a result of an unsuccessful drug deal that took place in Guatemala.
On September 11, 2019, the confidential informant called Chavez on the phone to introduce him to an undercover officer posing as a “hitman”. During the conversation with the hitman, Chavez explained why he wanted to murder the intended victim, that the intended victim fled from Guatemala, illegally entered the United States, and settled in California. He further explained that he had an associate (co-conspirator 1) that was willing to lure the intended victim from California to Baltimore to execute the murder. Chavez also informed the undercover officer that co-conspirator 1 was aware of the plan to murder the intended victim.
Furthermore, Chavez and the undercover officer discussed pricing for the murder. Specifically, Chavez agreed to pay the undercover officer $5,000 “up front” and the remaining $5,000 after the victim was murdered. As a result of the meeting, Chavez and the undercover officer exchanged phone numbers to arrange future meetings regarding the murder for hire.
In a controlled meeting with the undercover officer on September 19, 2020, Chavez provided the undercover officer with approximately $2,000 as a down payment for the murder. Prior to the meeting, Chavez and the undercover agent agreed that the undercover agent would use the $2,000 to pay for an apartment that would be used as a location to lure the intended victim. Chavez also provided the undercover officer with co-conspirator 1’s phone number.
As stated in his plea agreement, on September 26, 2019, in a meeting with the undercover officer, co-conspirator 1 gave the intended victim’s phone number to the undercover officer to communicate with co-conspirator 1. Chavez also provided the undercover officer with a picture of the intended victim.
Law enforcement was able to identify the intended victim with the information provided by Chavez and the co-conspirator and detained the intended victim in California in order to prevent the murder.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Oldham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted the case.
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Baltimore County Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Obtaining Two Kilograms of Cocaine to Distribute and for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Ian Carlton Alexander a/k/a “Shawn Alexander”, age 50, of Towson, to 61 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division (DEA); Postal Inspector in Charge Daniel A. Adame of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on October 3, 2019, Alexander travelled from his Towson, Maryland residence to New York to acquire 1,990 grams of cocaine that he intended to distribute to a potential narcotics customer in Maryland. The following day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Alexander as he was returning from New York to Maryland. Law enforcement recovered approximately two kilograms of cocaine in the passenger compartment and a 9mm handgun in the vehicle’s center console. Law enforcement also recovered approximately $3,357 from Alexander’s person at the time of the arrest.
As detailed in his plea agreement, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Alexander’s Towson, Maryland residence. As a result of the search warrant, law enforcement seized 28 grams of heroin, an assault rifle, and two AR-15 box magazines loaded with armor piercing ammunition.
Alexander knew that as the result of a previous felony conviction, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the DEA, USPIS, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin R. Cottingham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Coreen Mao, who prosecuted the case.
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Armed Nash County Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Rocky Mount, North Carolina man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 1,000 grams or more of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and fentanyl; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, James Otis Davis, Jr., 33, was named in an Indictment filed on December 16, 2020. On September 21, 2021, Davis entered a plea of guilty.
In July 2019, agents learned that the defendant was selling heroin and fentanyl from hotel rooms in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
On September 16, 2019, agents conducted a controlled purchase of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine from Davis.
Agents then executed a search warrant at the hotel room where the controlled purchase took place. Davis and his 8-month-old child were present. During the execution of the search warrant, agents seized 33 bindles of heroin and fentanyl, cocaine, a digital scale, currency, and a loaded .380 caliber handgun.
On May 6 and June 4, 2020, agents conducted additional controlled purchases of heroin from Davis. On June 4, 2020, agents executed a search warrant on the hotel room Davis was using, and the agents seized 14.52 grams of heroin, cocaine, and a 9mm handgun.
On July 2, 2020, a traffic stop of Davis’s vehicle was conducted. Davis was found in possession of six bindles of heroin and fentanyl.
Davis admitted that he had trafficked more than a kilogram of heroin over the course of approximately six years.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For additional information about this initiative, click here https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
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 number 5:20-CR-538-M-1.
Albany Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Albany, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing heroin and methamphetamine in and around Linn County, Oregon.
Anthoni Joseph Bassetti, 28, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in January 2020, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Bassetti, a mid-level drug dealer who sold heroin and methamphetamine in and around Linn County. The same month, agents arranged and conducted two undercover drug deals with Bassetti. Following these operations, on March 6, 2020, agents executed a federal search warrant on Bassetti’s Albany residence, seizing user quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine and seven firearms.
On March 3, 2020, Bassetti was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of methamphetamine and heroin. Later, on August 27, 2020, he was charged by criminal information with distribution of methamphetamine. On August 9, 2021, he waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the single charge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from the Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE), which consists of investigators from the Albany, Lebanon, and Sweet Home police departments, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, and Oregon Army National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. Additional assistance was provided by the Corvallis Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren prosecuted the case.
Heroin is a leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8am and 11pm Pacific Time daily.
16 November 2021
White Plains Investment Adviser Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal Prison for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GREGG BRIE, an investment adviser in White Plains, New York, was sentenced yesterday in White Plains federal court to 63 months in prison for fraud in connection with his embezzlement of more than $640,000 from three clients. BRIE had previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.
According to the allegations in the Information to which BRIE pled guilty and other court documents:
BRIE embezzled funds from three victims, two of whom lived in his White Plains apartment complex. He advised his first victim, a disabled man on a fixed income and confined to a wheelchair, to buy shares in Alaska Air Group, Inc. Bank records show that this victim gave BRIE more than $480,000. BRIE told his victim that he had opened accounts for him at a brokerage firm and that his stock had increased in value to approximately $8 million. When the victim asked for his money, BRIE told him that his accounts were frozen because the stockbrokers had done something “sketchy” in order to buy the shares at a lower price. When the victim attempted to contact the brokerage firm, BRIE told him that he would “murder [him]” if the victim attempted to contact the firm again. BRIE repeated this threat at least two more times, noting that he meant his threats to be taken “literally, not metaphorically.”
According to written loan agreements drafted by BRIE, the second victim made three loans to BRIE in a total amount of approximately $157,000 “for the purpose of producing and distributing a proprietary, composite unimold commode for use within indigent venues of the African nation of Uganda.” The third victim loaned $2,000 to BRIE on BRIE’s representation that he was illiquid because he had put all of his cash into the unimold commode project.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) analysis of bank accounts controlled by BRIE showed that BRIE spent the money he obtained from his victims primarily on credit cards and a Mercedes Benz lease. The evidence showed that there was no brokerage account.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Seibel ordered BRIE, 54, of White Plains, New York, to serve three years of supervised release and to pay forfeiture and restitution, each in the amount of $642,333.33.
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Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys James McMahon and Shiva Logarajah are in charge of the prosecution.
Wakpala Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Wakpala, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Fabian Carlo Rodriguez, age 30, was indicted on November 9, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on November 15, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to ten years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Rodriguez was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in November 2014. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. It is alleged that between February 6, 2021, and July 28, 2021, Rodriguez, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Rodriguez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Rodriguez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Wyoming Man Sentenced to Prison and Fined $10,000 for Threatening State and Federal Elected OfficialsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that CHRISTOPHER KENT PODLESNIK, 52, of Laramie, Wyoming, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to four counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. The sentence also includes three years of supervised release with special conditions, a fine of $10,000, and special assessments totaling $400.
A federal grand jury charged Mr. Podlesnik with leaving voicemail messages threatening various elected officials on January 28, 2021, including United States Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso; United States Representative Matt Gaetz; and Wyoming State Senator Anthony Bouchard. His messages included profanity-laced and threatening language constituting true threats. As defined by the Supreme Court, true threats are “statements where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to a particular individual or group of individuals.”
In a voicemail left for United State Senator Cynthia Lummis, Podlesnik said, among other things, “You are going to [expletive] get shot in the [expletive] back of the head.” In a voicemail to Wyoming State Senator Anthony Bouchard, Podlesnik said, among other things, “You're a[expletive] traitor, and you deserve to be shot.”
“As Americans, we cherish the freedoms secured by our Bill of Rights, including our freedom of speech,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Murray. “However, the criminal threats Christopher Podlesnik made with the intent to place multiple victims in fear of injury or death are not free speech protected by the Constitution. Rather, those threats cost him a hefty fine and 18 months in federal prison.”
“The FBI vigorously pursues all credible threats directed at our elected officials,” said Michael Schneider, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Denver Division. “I am extremely proud of our Wyoming agents who successfully investigated this case and worked within the justice system to hold Mr. Podlesnik accountable for his actions. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who also worked on this matter to include the U.S. Capitol Police, Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Laramie Police Department.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Szott.
Case 0:21-cr-00029-SWS
Vermont Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Trevor Allen, 29, of Bellows Falls, Vermont, pleaded guilty in federal court to bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 28, 2018, Allen walked into a bank in Charlestown, New Hampshire and handed a teller a note demanding him to empty the money in his drawer. Allen claimed he was armed. Allen was given a total of $2,485 in cash by the teller. Investigators later found Allen’s fingerprint on the note.
Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2022.
“Bank robberies are violent crimes that can present a real risk of danger to anyone inside or near the bank,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “As part of our effort to combat violent crime in New Hampshire, we work closely with the FBI and our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit bank robberies and other violent offenses in the Granite State.”
“When anyone enters a bank intent on robbing it, even if a weapon isn’t shown, there is always a chance someone could get hurt, or worse. Trevor Allen instilled fear in innocent employees and bystanders while committing armed robbery, and today, he has finally accepted responsibility for his actions,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate anyone who targets our financial institutions for their own personal benefit.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Charlestown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
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Two Sentenced in Lottery Scams that Defrauded SeniorsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Jamaican citizens who participated in lottery scams that defrauded U.S citizens, primarily senior citizens in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and several other states, of more than a half-million dollars, have been sentenced to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Unsuspecting victims were contacted by scammers and told they had won large sums of money in a lottery but were required to pre-pay taxes or fees in order to collect their winnings. In some instances, tens, and even hundreds of thousands of dollars were paid by unsuspecting victims into bank accounts controlled by Jason Wedderburn, 41, and Kayan Kitson, 38.
Wedderburn was sentenced today by U.S District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to a term of incarceration of 36 months to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release. Kayan was sentenced on October 12, 2021, to 30 months of incarceration to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release.
According to information presented to the court, an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service determined that beginning in May 2018, Wedderburn and Kitson conspired together and with others in Jamaica and in the United States to defraud U.S. citizens through a lottery scam. As part of the conspiracy, Wedderburn opened and controlled at least four bank accounts through which victim funds passed. Kitson opened at least one bank account for the same purpose. Once ill-gotten funds were deposited, members of the conspiracy in the United States and in Jamaica withdrew cash or transferred proceeds to other accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy.
No lottery winnings were ever paid to any of the individuals contacted by the scammers. According to court documents, some victims were bilked out of tens of thousands of dollars. One Massachusetts victim was defrauded of more than $325,000. In total, victims were defrauded of more than $700,000. Wedderburn and Kayan, detained since their arrest in Florida in August 2020, pleaded guilty in July in U.S. District Court in Providence to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine D. Lowell.
Acting United States Attorney Myrus thanks the FBI for its assistance with this case.
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Two Orlando Men Indicted for over $12 Million in FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Keith Ingersoll (45, Orlando) and James Adamczyk (64, Orlando) for their roles in an over $12 million fraud scheme and conspiracy. Ingersoll and Adamczyk are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, twenty counts of wire fraud, and nineteen counts of money laundering. Ingersoll is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Ingersoll and Adamczyk are facing up to 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy count and each wire fraud count, and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count. Ingersoll also faces a minimum mandatory of 2 years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft count.
According to the
indictment , Ingersoll, Adamczyk, and others obtained more than $12 million from a victim. Specifically, the conspirators falsely represented that the funds provided by the victim would be used as refundable deposits for specific real estate transactions, that they would be held in escrow by an attorney or by an attorney as an escrow agent and, that the funds would be returned to the victim upon request. In fact, the funds were sent to two conspirators who were not licensed attorneys: a suspended attorney and, after the suspended attorney died, Adamczyk. Rather than retain the funds as had been promised, the suspended attorney and Adamczyk diverted portions of the funds for their own personal benefit and transferred other funds to Ingersoll.As part of the conspiracy, Ingersoll, Adamczyk, and other conspirators provided the victim with real estate purchase contracts and other documents that were not executed by the owners of the properties but that contained forged signatures or were executed using the names of fictitious individuals and that falsely represented the entities that owned the properties. Ingersoll, Adamczyk, and other conspirators also falsely claimed that specific entities and individuals had expressed interest in purchasing the real estate but those potential buyers did not exist, had never been contacted about purchasing the real estate, or had declined to pursue a transaction. When the victim requested a return of some of the funds, Ingersoll and Adamczyk provided false excuses why the funds could not be returned, including false claims that Adamczyk was not allowed to leave Costa Rica due to having COVID-19 and that Adamczyk needed to be at the bank in person to return the funds to the victim. Ingersoll, Adamczyk, and other conspirators spent the proceeds received as a result of their fraud on themselves and for their own personal benefit, including for luxury car rentals, travel, and adult entertainment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, Jennifer M. Harrington, and Amanda Daniels.
Three Florida Residents Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment Benefits from State of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three women from South Florida have been sentenced to federal prison for participating in a scheme that defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits in the names of California identity theft victims, the Justice Department announced today.
Bonia Bon and Bonize Bon, who are 32-year-old twin sisters residing in North Miami, and Eldia Dieujuste, 32, of Miami, each were sentenced Monday afternoon to one year and one day in federal prison. United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder also ordered the defendants to pay $104,570 in restitution to EDD.
The Bons and Dieujuste each pleaded guilty last year to mail fraud in connection with their scheme to defraud EDD. In a sentencing memorandum filed with the court, prosecutors noted that the Bons and Dieujuste stole “monies that were intended to be used to help persons who had lost their jobs through no fault of their own” by exploiting “the mechanisms put in place by EDD to help unemployed workers more easily apply for these benefits – for example, on-line applications and rapid processing of applications.”
From January 2018 through June 2019, the Bons and Dieujuste used the personal information of California residents to file 34 fraudulent claims seeking at least $494,190 in unemployment benefits. The Bons and Dieujuste provided their own home addresses in Florida as the mailing addresses for the benefits, which caused the debit cards that allowed access to $104,570 in unemployment benefits to be mailed to them. ATM surveillance photos captured images of the Bons and Dieujuste using the fraudulently obtained debit cards to withdraw the unemployment benefits in cash.
A fourth South Florida resident, Gregory Bon, 29, of Miami, brother of the Bon twins, faces conspiracy and mail fraud charges in this scheme. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial on December 14 before Judge Snyder.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, EDD’s Investigations Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Secret Service investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein, Chief of the Major Frauds Section, prosecuted this case.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Chinese-Made Military Helmets and Body Armor to Federal AgenciesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Celeste, Texas, man pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud scheme involving the selling of Chinese-made military helmets, body armor, and other products to the United States Department of State and other federal agencies while falsely claiming that his company manufactured the goods in Texas.
According to court documents, from approximately June 2017 through approximately December 2020, Tanner Jackson, 32, operated Top Body Armor, LLC USA, and a related entity, Bullet Proof Armor LLC, from his residence in a rural part of Texas. Jackson was the lowest bidder on contracts to supply the Department of State with helmets and body armor, including to personnel guarding the United States Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and to foreign law enforcement partners in Latin America. The equipment was removed from service after concerns about its quality came to light.
As part of the scheme, Jackson altered or falsified ballistics laboratory test reports that he provided to the government. On one occasion, after his products failed testing at a legitimate laboratory, Jackson created his own fake ballistics laboratory— “Texas Ballistics LLC” —and simply produced fake reports giving himself passing scores. To conceal the Chinese origin of the products and associated delays in shipping the products to the government, Jackson created and controlled numerous email accounts in the names of supposed shipping company employees. Jackson would author email exchanges between himself and the bogus employees, while copying government contracting officers, to explain away shipping delays from China with cover stories such as truck accidents and COVID outbreaks at the warehouse. Jackson also won similar contracts with the Department of the Air Force and various national guard units.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Diana Shaw, Acting Inspector General for the Department of State, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-238.
Superseding Indictment Charges Penn Hills Man with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - An Allegheny County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charges of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The two-count Superseding Indictment named Jerome Frank Brown, age 50, formerly of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on August 19, 2021, Brown possessed with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possessed a firearm after he had been convicted of an offense punishable by more than one year of incarceration. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and U.S. Postal Inspectors Service (USPIS) conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Spearfish Woman Charged with Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Spearfish, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Theft of Government Funds.
Christi Marie Johnson, age 36, was indicted on November 9, 2021. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on November 10, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between on or about June 15, 2017, and May 7, 2018, Johnson willfully and knowingly embezzled, stole, purloined, and converted to her own use money from departments and agencies of the United States, namely Title II program benefits payments made to her deceased stepfather, to which Johnson knew she was not entitled. Title II is administered by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Johnson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Johnson was released on bond pending trial which has been set for January 18, 2022.
Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A registered sex offender who was the subject of three separate law enforcement investigations for possessing and distributing child pornography was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Thomas Andreozzi, 60, of North Providence, convicted in Rhode Island state court in November 2014 for possessing child pornography, and ordered to register as a sex offender, was found by Homeland Security Investigations in May 2020 to be using an IP address and at least five different accounts on a social media platform to upload child pornography. Andreozzi communicated to another person via the app that “I have lots of young stuff.” “I have little girls,” and “I have lots.”
Separately, in June 2020, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Massachusetts ICAC that an individual in Rhode Island uploaded 14 files of child pornography. Further investigation determined that the IP address used belonged to Thomas Andreozzi.
Additionally, in July 2020, the FBI and the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Sherriff’s Department investigated the sharing of child pornography via a social media platform by a user who claimed to be a 30-year-old in California and who was actively molesting a young female. The FBI traced the IP address that was used to share the child pornography to Andreozzi’s North Providence apartment.
At the time of Andreozzi’s arrest in July 2020, a cell phone in his hand was found to be opened to an electronic media storage service. A Rhode Island ICAC analyst observed numerous files containing child pornography stored in Andreozzi’s storage account. Also located on the phone was the social media application and user account brought to the attention of the FBI and the Winnebago County Sherriff’s office.
At sentencing today, Andreozzi, who pleaded guilty in August to possession of child pornography, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
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Seven Members of Los Angeles-Based Fraud Ring Sentenced for Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Relief SchemeRead the Press Release
Seven members of a Los Angeles-based fraud ring were sentenced for a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds.
On Nov. 15, Judge Stephen V. Wilson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California sentenced Richard Ayvazyan, 43, to 17 years in prison; Marietta Terabelian, 37, to six years in prison; and Artur Ayvazyan, 41, to five years in prison, all of Encino, for engaging in the scheme.
Previously, Judge Wilson sentenced Manuk Grigoryan, 28, of Sun Valley, to six years in prison on Oct. 25; Edvard Paronyan, 41, of Granada Hills, to 30 months in prison on Sept. 27; Vahe Dadyan, 42, of Glendale, to one year and one day in prison on Oct. 18; and Arman Hayrapetyan, 39, of Glendale, to 10 months of probation on Oct. 18. Tamara Dadyan, 42, of Encino, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a June 2021 trial, the defendants used dozens of fake, stolen, or synthetic identities — including names belonging to elderly or deceased people and foreign exchange students who briefly visited the United States years ago and never returned — to submit fraudulent applications for approximately 150 PPP and EIDL loans. In support of the fraudulent loan applications, the defendants also submitted false and fictitious documents to lenders and the Small Business Administration (SBA), including fake identity documents, tax documents, and payroll records. The defendants then used the fraudulently obtained funds as down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale, and Palm Desert. They also used the funds to buy gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, fine imported furnishings, designer handbags, clothing, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The conspirators sought to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
“The defendants engaged in a scheme to steal critical relief funds intended to assist small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case, involving an egregious example of pandemic relief fraud, was the first in the country to go to trial. The Department of Justice, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to use every available tool to combat and prevent criminals from exploiting national emergencies for their personal benefit.”
“The defendants used the COVID-19 crisis to steal millions of dollars in much-needed government aid intended for people and businesses suffering from the economic effects of the worst pandemic in a century,” said U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison for the Central District of California. “These sentences reflect our office’s determination to root out and punish wrongdoers who use national emergencies to defraud the government and the American taxpayer.”
“The defendants in this case flagrantly defrauded government aid programs at the expense of struggling small businesses, and then used the illicit funds on luxuries for themselves,” said Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This sentencing demonstrates the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners in bringing to justice individuals who use national emergencies as an opportunity for criminal activity.”
“Conspiring to rob victims of their identities and subsequently, taxpayer funds vital to the survival of the nation’s small businesses will be met with justice,” said SBA Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “The Office of Inspector General (OIG) will work tirelessly with its law enforcement partners to unmask those responsible. I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“This criminal syndicate pilfered millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds that were intended to aid small businesses during this unprecedented pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “When our nation was at its most vulnerable, these individuals thought only about lining their own pockets. These sentences reflect the seriousness of these crime. The IRS and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue these deplorable frauds and put the perpetrators in prison where they belong.”
“The Office of Inspector General is proud to work with our partners in law enforcement to prevent, detect, and deter attempts to perpetrate fraud in the Federal Home Loan Bank System and steal the assistance intended for small business owners and employees under this important part of the CARES Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay N. Johnson of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General’s Western Region. “The fact that the team was able to investigate this case during the height of the pandemic, at great risk to themselves and their loved ones, is a testament to their commitment to this country and federal service.”
Defendants Richard Ayvazyan, Terabelian, Artur Ayvazyan, and Vahe Dadyan were convicted after a jury trial on June 25. Prior to the verdict, Grigoryan pleaded guilty on June 7 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft; Paronyan pleaded guilty on June 11 to one count of wire fraud; and Hayrapetyan pleaded guilty on June 21 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Tamara Dadyan pleaded guilty on June 14 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft but has since moved to withdraw her plea. That motion is still pending.
Richard Ayvazyan and Terabelian absconded prior to sentencing and were sentenced by Judge Wilson in absentia. They remain fugitives. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ayvazyan and Terabelian.
Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Paetty, Brian Faerstein, and Catherine Ahn of the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Boyle of the Central District of California is handling forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Second DC Solar Defendant Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Billion Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joseph W. Bayliss, 46, of Martinez, was sentenced today to three years in prison and ordered to pay $481.3 million in restitution for participating in a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme involving DC Solar, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Bayliss was an electrician that DC Solar hired to pose as a licensed engineer who inspected newly constructed mobile solar generator units (MSG) that were mounted on trailers and were promoted as able to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting events. The MSGs were sold to investors who were given generous federal tax credits. But in fact, DC Solar had become a fraud scheme that took new investor money to pay older investors. As DC Solar lost vast sums of money with this fraudulent model, the owner of DC Solar, Jeff Carpoff, and other conspirators stopped building the MSGs altogether, selling thousands of MSGs that did not even exist to investors.
According to court documents, Bayliss played a key role in the fraud scheme orchestrated by Carpoff and others. To cover up the fact that no new MSGs were being built, Carpoff provided false reports that newly constructed MSGs had been inspected and tested. In reality, at least half of the approximately 17,000 mobile solar generators claimed to have been manufactured by DC Solar did not exist. From 2016 to 2018, Bayliss personally signed thousands of reports stating that new units had been inspected and tested. He knew the reports were false and he knew they would be used to induce millions upon millions of investor payments. In turn, Carpoff paid Bayliss approximately $1 million. In addition to the reports, Bayliss helped to deceive investors by removing and replacing vehicle identification number (VIN) stickers that were affixed to the MSGs. Finally, after the 2018 search warrants executed at DC Solar, at Carpoff’s direction, Bayliss traveled to a DC Solar warehouse in Nevada and scraped off approximately 200 replacement VIN stickers and destroyed at least 1,000 VIN stickers stored in boxes in the warehouse.
On Nov. 9, 2021, Jeff Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $790.6 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. His wife, Paulette Carpoff, 47, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2022.
Other defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal offenses related to the fraud scheme and are scheduled for sentencing: Ronald J. Roach, 54, of Walnut Creek, is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 15, 2022. Robert A. Karmann, 54, of Clayton; Ryan Guidry, 44, of Pleasant Hill; and Alan Hansen, 50, of Vacaville, are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14, 2021.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher S. Hales and Kevin C. Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
Paulette Carpoff, Hansen, Karmann, and Guidry face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. Roach faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years prison. The actual sentences, however, will 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.
Sanford Man Sentenced for Making False Statements to Firearms DealersRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Sanford man was sentenced today in federal court for providing false information to firearms dealers while purchasing firearms, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Allen Sinclair Bowman, 26, to 18 months in prison and 18 months of supervised release. Bowman pleaded guilty in August 2021.
According to court records, in October and November 2018, Bowman purchased 10 firearms from three different federal firearm licensees in Cumberland and York counties. While purchasing the firearms, Bowman responded “Yes” to a question on an ATF form which asked if he was purchasing the firearms for himself. Bowman was actually purchasing the firearms for a drug dealer in Massachusetts to settle a drug debt. It is against federal law to provide false information to federal firearm licensees when purchasing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sanford Police Department investigated the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
PSN is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. PSN is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources. Across all districts, PSN follows four key design elements of successful violent crime reduction initiatives: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability.
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San Fernando Valley Family Members Sentenced to Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Tens of Millions of Dollars in COVID ReliefRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three members of a San Fernando Valley family have been sentenced – two of them in absentia after they fled justice following their convictions at trial – to years in federal prison for scheming to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds.
On Monday, United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson handed down prison sentences to the Encino residents:
- Richard Ayvazyan, 43, who was ordered to serve 17 years;
- Marietta Terabelian, 37, Richard Ayvazyan’s wife, who was sentenced to six years; and
- Artur Ayvazyan, 41, Richard Ayvazyan’s brother, who was ordered to serve five years in federal prison.
At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Wilson said he could not recall a fraud case conducted in such a “callous, intentional way without any regard for the law.” Judge Wilson further described Richard Ayvazyan as “an endemic, cold-hearted fraudster with no regard for the law” and someone who “views fraud as an achievement.”
“The defendants used the COVID-19 crisis to steal millions of dollars in much-needed government aid intended for people and businesses suffering from the economic effects of the worst pandemic in a century,” said United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “These sentences reflect our office’s determination to root out and punish wrongdoers who use national emergencies to defraud the government and the American taxpayer.”
“The defendants engaged in a scheme to steal critical relief funds intended to assist small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case, involving an egregious example of pandemic relief fraud, was the first in the country to go to trial. The Department of Justice, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to use every available tool to combat and prevent criminals from exploiting national emergencies for their personal benefit.”
“The defendants lived a lavish lifestyle by defrauding the government at the expense of small businesses and American taxpayers already facing financial and pandemic-related hardship," said Kristi K. Johnson, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is actively investigating the whereabouts of fugitives Terabelian and Ayvazyan and will pursue them until they are taken into custody to pay for their crimes.”
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of Richard Ayvazyan and Terabelian, who allegedly cut their tracking bracelets on August 29 and went on the run while awaiting sentencing in this case. Judge Wilson sentenced them in absentia, and they remain fugitives from justice.
At the end of an eight-day trial, a federal jury on June 25 found Richard Ayvazyan, Terabelian, and Artur Ayvazyan guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Richard Ayvazyan and his brother were also convicted of aggravated identity theft.
On June 28, the jury further found that Richard Ayvazyan and Terabelian must forfeit bank accounts, jewelry, watches, gold coins, three residential properties and approximately $450,000 in cash.
Judge Wilson previously sentenced four defendants in this case:
- Manuk Grigoryan, 28, of Sun Valley, was sentenced on October 25 to six years in prison;
- Edvard Paronyan, 41, of Granada Hills, was sentenced on September 27 to 30 months in prison;
- Vahe Dadyan, 42, of Glendale, was sentenced on October 18 to 12 months and one day in prison; and
- Arman Hayrapetyan, 39, of Glendale, was ordered on October 18 to serve 10 months of probation.
Tamara Dadyan, 42, of Encino, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, but Judge Wilson has not yet ruled on a motion to withdraw her guilty plea.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants used dozens of fake, stolen or synthetic identities – including names belonging to elderly or deceased people and foreign exchange students who briefly visited the United States years ago and never returned – to submit fraudulent applications for approximately 150 PPP and EIDL loans. In support of the fraudulent loan applications, the defendants also submitted false and fictitious documents to lenders and the Small Business Administration (SBA), including fake identity documents, tax documents and payroll records. The defendants then used the fraudulently obtained funds as down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale and Palm Desert. They also used the funds to buy gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, fine imported furnishings, designer handbags, clothing and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The conspirators sought to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
“This criminal syndicate pilfered millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds that were intended to aid small businesses during this unprecedented pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “When our nation was at its most vulnerable, these individuals thought only about lining their own pockets. These sentences reflect the seriousness of these crime. The IRS and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue these deplorable frauds and put the perpetrators in prison where they belong.”
“Conspiring to rob victims of their identities and subsequently, taxpayer funds vital to the survival of the nation’s small businesses will be met with justice,” said SBA Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “OIG will work tirelessly with its law enforcement partners to unmask those responsible. I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“The Office of Inspector General is proud to work with our partners in law enforcement to prevent, detect, and deter attempts to perpetrate fraud in the Federal Home Loan Bank System and steal the assistance intended for small business owners and employees under this important part of the CARES Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay N. Johnson of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General’s Western Region. “The fact that the team was able to investigate this case during the height of the pandemic, at great risk to themselves and their loved ones, is a testament to their commitment to this country and federal service.”
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Paetty and Catherine S. Ahn of the Major Frauds Section, Assistant United States Attorney Brian R. Faerstein of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section, Assistant United States Attorney Daniel G. Boyle of the Asset Forfeiture Section, and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Registered Child Sex Offender Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Vermont man was sentenced today to 200 months, or more than 16 years, in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of children and possessing child pornography. As part of his sentence, he will also pay $37,199.00 in restitution.
Ryan Beaulieu, 45, of Underhill, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography on March 29, 2021. According to court documents, Beaulieu used an anonymous video chat website to contact multiple prepubescent children and directed them to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Beaulieu used screen recording software to create videos of those children displaying their genitals while he sent sexually explicit messages. A search of Beaulieu’s digital devices revealed thousands of images of child sexual abuse material and contained records of his active participation in numerous online groups dedicated to producing and trafficking child sexual abuse material. Beaulieu was previously convicted in 2013 for sexually abusing a prepubescent child and was registered as a sex offender at the time of his offenses.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont made the announcement.
The Office of the Vermont Attorney General, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Registered Child Sex Offender Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Vermont man was sentenced today to 200 months, or more than 16 years, in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of children and possessing child pornography. As part of his sentence, he will also pay $37,199 in restitution.
Ryan Beaulieu, 45, of Underhill, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography on March 29. According to court documents, Beaulieu used an anonymous video chat website to contact multiple prepubescent children and directed them to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Beaulieu used screen recording software to create videos of those children displaying their genitals while he sent sexually explicit messages. A search of Beaulieu’s digital devices revealed thousands of images of child sexual abuse material and contained records of his active participation in numerous online groups dedicated to producing and trafficking child sexual abuse material. Beaulieu was previously convicted in 2013 for sexually abusing a prepubescent child and was registered as a sex offender at the time of his offenses.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont made the announcement.
The Office of the Vermont Attorney General, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Prior Felon Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Steven Michael Krpata, Jr., 43, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Krpata hid a camera in the women’s restroom of a North Central Florida restaurant and had been recording images from July 2018 through early August 2020. The camera was hidden in an air conditioning vent above the handicap stall. A search of Krpata’s computer revealed files of nude women and children using the restroom. At the time of his arrest, Krpata was serving probation in connection with his 2008 conviction for possession of child pornography.
“Today’s sentence acknowledges the deviant acts of a child predator and the associated harm,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we remain vigilant to investigate and prosecute those who would seek to harm our most vulnerable.”
Krpata will be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions.
“HSI hopes the sentence imposed on this admitted child predator brings a small measure of peace and recovery to his victims,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “HSI Gainesville will continue to focus on providing support to his victims.”
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams 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 United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and Possessing with Intent to Distribute NarcoticsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man with six prior felony convictions was sentenced today to 100 months in prison for firearms and distribution of controlled substances offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Alfred Donaldson, 39, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to an information charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Jan. 4, 2019, law enforcement officers arrived at Donaldson’s residence to execute two arrest warrants issued for his failure to appear for his sentencing hearings on unrelated charges at the Mercer County Superior Court. They lawfully entered the residence and recovered a 9-millimeter Taurus handgun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition, 27 bricks of heroin, and more than one ounce of cocaine. At the time of the firearm and narcotics possession, Donaldson had sustained several convictions, including three convictions for controlled substance offenses. As a previously convicted felon, Donaldson is not permitted to possess firearms under federal law.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Donaldson to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Newark Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; officers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John A. Kemler; and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo Onofri, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray A. Mateo of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Postal Worker Indicted for Delay or Destruction of MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARIUS PATIN, age 33, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on November 12, 2021 in a one-count indictment for delay or destruction of mail.
According to court documents, PATIN was employed by the United States Postal Service as a City Carrier and was assigned to work at Carrollton Station, New Orleans, LA. The indictment alleges that on or about April 28, 2021, PATIN secreted, destroyed, detained, and delayed approximately 1,377 pieces of mail that were recovered from a dumpster in an apartment complex. PATIN also unlawfully secreted, detained, and delayed approximately nine First Class letters, eight standard letters, four standard flats, and two periodicals in his personal vehicle.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of up to five (5) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachal Cassagne is in charge of the prosecution.
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Pittsfield Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Pittsfield man pleaded guilty on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021 in federal court in Springfield to failing to register as a sex offender.
Jarrett Woodruff, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni who scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2022. Woodruff was charged in November 2020.
In August 2018, Woodruff was convicted in Pittsfield District Court of three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age and was sentenced to 251 days in prison. Because Woodruff had already served 251 days during pre-trial detention, he was placed on probation with conditions and was required to register as a Level 3 sex offender. While on probation, Woodruff fled from Massachusetts to Ohio without notifying authorities of his whereabouts and did not register as a sex offender in Ohio.
In February 2019, a Massachusetts state court issued an arrest warrant for Woodruff on a new child sexual abuse charge. Woodruff subsequently fled from Ohio to Georgia, where he again did not register as a sex offender. In October 2020, he was located and approached by federal agents at an apartment in Dunwoody, Ga. Woodruff attempted to evade arrest by climbing into the adjoining neighbors’ apartment balconies before jumping to the ground where he was apprehended.
The charge of failure to register as a sex offender provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Douglas Bartlett, Acting United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Distribution and Receipt and Attempted Distribution and Receipt of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Minor, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
David Saban, age 46, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on August 16, 2020, Saban knowingly distributed and attempted to distribute visual depictions, namely, videos in computer graphic and digital files, the production of which involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2022 at 2:15 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five (5) years and not more than twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of $250,000, 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Saban. 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.justice.gov/psc.