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12 November 2021
Stephen K. Bannon Indicted for Contempt of CongressRead the Press Release
Stephen K. Bannon was indicted today by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Bannon, 67, is charged with one contempt count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol. An arraignment date has not yet been set in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”
“As detailed in the indictment, on Sept. 23, 2021, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Mr. Bannon,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee. According to the indictment, Mr. Bannon refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena.”
In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that Bannon had information relevant to understanding events related to Jan. 6. Bannon, formerly a Chief Strategist and Counselor to the President, has been a private citizen since departing the White House in 2017.
Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of $100 to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Stephen K. Bannon Indicted for Contempt of CongressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephen K. Bannon was indicted today by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the United States Capitol.
Bannon, 67, is charged with one contempt count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. An arraignment date has not yet been set in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the Department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law, and pursues equal justice under the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s charges reflect the Department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”
“As detailed in the indictment, on Sept. 23, 2021, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Mr. Bannon,” said Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee. According to the indictment, Mr. Bannon refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena.”
In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that Bannon had information relevant to understanding events related to Jan. 6. Bannon, formerly a Chief Strategist and Counselor to the President, has been a private citizen since departing the White House in 2017.
Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of $100 to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for child pornography offenses.
Ross Lopata, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to five years in prison and five years of supervised release. On June 21, 2021, Lopata pleaded guilty to four counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Lopata received and possessed child pornography on various dates between Dec. 17, 2018 and June 11, 2020 by downloading image and video files from the internet that depicted prepubescent children engaged in sex acts.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Spencer Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Spencer man was arrested and charged on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in federal court in Worcester for possession of child pornography.
Joseph Michael Smith, 59, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. A detention hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessey.
According to the charging documents, a search of Smith’s residence revealed 35 videos depicting child pornography on Smith’s laptop. Smith also admitted ownership of three email addresses associated with usernames that uploaded child pornography to Kik Messenger groups between Oct. 7, 2020 and May 29, 2021.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Spencer Police Chief David Darrin made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man that conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed firearms was sentenced November 10, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Diego Ayala, 31, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on July 15, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of a prohibited person in possession of firearms.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from between September 2020 and continuing to on or about January 7, 2021, Ayala and others conspired to distribute more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine. Over the course of several weeks, in four separate transactions, one out-of-state source transported and sold more than ten pounds of methamphetamine to Ayala in Sioux City for further distribution. Another out-of-state source transported and sold more than five pounds of methamphetamine to Ayala for further distribution. On January 7, 2021, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of one pound of methamphetamine from Ayala. Subsequently, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ayala’s residence and seized four more pounds of methamphetamine and two guns, an unloaded 9mm handgun and a loaded MP-15, assault style rifle. Law enforcement also seized 68 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, 84 rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition, and 120 rounds of 5.56 ammunition from several different locations in Ayala’s residence. Ayala admitted he planned on distributing the methamphetamine seized to other persons. Ayala also admitted to being an unlawful user of methamphetamine while in possession of firearms.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ayala was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment and must serve three years of supervised release following the imprisonment. Ayala remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City Nebraska Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4002. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Shreveport Man with Lengthy Criminal History Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Ronnie G. Reddix, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 120 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on firearms charges.
Reddix was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as the result of a high-speed pursuit that resulted in the discovery of his firearms. On or about December 12, 2020, an officer with the Shreveport Police Department observed Reddix and another individual rolling a marijuana cigar in a vehicle. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the driver did not stop, prompting a high-speed pursuit by law enforcement officers which lasted approximately ten minutes. When the car finally stopped, Reddix and other occupants exited the vehicle and fled the area. Officers observed a firearm fall from Reddix’s lap onto the ground as he exited the vehicle. He was caught and arrested after a brief foot pursuit. Officers recovered a second firearm on the ground along the path taken by Reddix during the foot pursuit. He admitted to possessing the firearms, both which were loaded with ammunition.
Reddix has a long list of previous felony convictions and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. His prior convictions are for simple burglary (2018); possession with intent to distribute narcotics and possession of narcotics (2017); two counts of simple burglary (2017); simple burglary (2014); illegal use of a weapon (2014); possession of a schedule IV narcotic (2014); domestic abuse battery (2011); and illegal use of a weapon from a motor vehicle (2009).
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Sedro-Woolley, Washington, man charged with arson at Capitol Hill nightclubRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Sedro-Woolley area man will make his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, charged with the February 24, 2020 arson at Queer/Bar, a nightclub and event space in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Kalvinn Jay Garcia, 24, was transferred to federal custody today from Whatcom County where he served a jail sentence for theft. The grand jury returned the arson indictment on January 21, 2021.
According to filings in the case, Garcia was seen on surveillance video in the alley behind Queer/Bar on the night the blaze was set in a dumpster next to the building. The nightclub is across the alley from the Seattle Police East Precinct and the fire attracted immediate attention. Video from both the precinct and the neighboring businesses capture Garcia near the dumpster just as the flames caught and surged up the side of the building. Officers observed Garcia a short distance away. Garcia tried to run from officers but was apprehended.
There were more than 50 people in the club and its event room at the time of the fire. The blaze scorched the brick exterior and forced the cancelation of events planned at the nightclub over subsequent days.
Garcia was originally charged in King County Superior Court with arson and a hate crime. He was released from jail due to COVID-19.
Arson is punishable by a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of twenty years, and a maximum fine of $250,000.00
The charge contained in the indictment is only an allegation. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Cohen and Trial Attorney AeJean Cha of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.
Salem Man Pleads Guilty to Felony for ‘Buzzing’ Salem Firefighters with DroneRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Salem, Virginia man admitted to flying a drone near the fire station in the City of Salem on July 25, 2019 and “buzzing” a group of firefighters that stood outside. The drone flew directly at the firefighters who had to dive out of the way, and then flew into the garage of the fire station where it crashed into a pole.
James Russell Weeks, III pleaded guilty to operating an unregistered aircraft, a felony that is punishable up to three years in prison.
Because any drone weighing more than .55 pounds is considered an “unmanned aircraft” by the Federal Aviation Administration, it must be registered before being operated, and Weeks failed to register his drone with the FAA as required.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Salem Police Department and United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bassford is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Saint Louis Man Sentenced for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Lamondra Beckley, 43, of Saint Louis, Missouri, was sentenced to 147 months in prison on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, in federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois. Beckley had previously pled guilty in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
As part of the plea, Beckley acknowledged that on March 11, 2021, he possessed approximately 114 grams of methamphetamine, which he intended to sell to a customer at a gas station in Fairview
Heights, Illinois, before being arrested by DEA agents. At the time of his arrest, Beckley possessed a firearm and was a previously convicted felon.The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak prosecuted the case.
Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Christopher Truax, age 34, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was found guilty of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet as a result of a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on November 3, 2021.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Evidence at trial established that Truax was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple chats and text messages with a person Truax believed to be a 13 year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, he proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Truax went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Zachery Moore, age 28, was indicted on October 21, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on November 5, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody 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 charge stems from Moore, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Kimber Manufacturing Incorporated, model Micro 9, 9x19mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol in Rapid City in July 2021. The charge is merely an accusation and Moore is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Moore was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Puerto Man Apprehended on a Vessel with $ 316,930 in U.S. Currency Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement to Federal Agents; Vessel and U.S. Currency are ForfeitedRead the Press Release
ST. Thomas, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert of the District of the Virgin Islands announced that a Puerto Rico man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a false statement to agent of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an executive agency of the United States.
According to court documents, Blas Sebastian Panzardi Davila, age 38, was the sole individual operating a vessel traveling from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas. Onboard defendant’s vessel was a cooler containing $316,930 in United States currency. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Marine Interdiction (CBP-MI) officers questioned defendant regarding the contents of the cooler, and defendant responded that he did not know what the cooler contained. CBP-MI officers opened the cooler and discovered the currency, and defendant denied ownership.
HSI agents arrived and questioned defendant regarding ownership of the currency. Defendant then claimed the currency belonged to him. Asked how he earned the money, defendant stated that he earned it while giving tourists diving tours in Puerto Rico. Asked how much currency was in the cooler, defendant said that it was approximately $100,000. According to court documents, defendant made his false statements to agents of HSI, an agency of the Executive Branch of the government of the United States.
The $ 316, 930 in U.S. currency and the vessel operated by Davila were administratively forfeited by HSI.
Davila is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
This case was investigated by Customs Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Owners of Several Chicago-Area Convenience Stores Charged with Defrauding Low-Income Food Program for Women and ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owners of several Chicago-area convenience stores have been charged in federal court with scheming to defraud a low-income food program for women and children.
A 16-count indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that from 2010 to 2019 the store owners and several workers schemed to fraudulently redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program, a federally funded initiative designed to provide a nutritious diet to moderate and low-income infants, children up to five years of age, and pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women. The charges allege that the defendants knowingly allowed customers to provide their WIC checks as payment for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices. Most of the nine stores identified in the indictment redeemed millions of dollars in WIC checks.
Charged with fraud are HASSAN ABDELLATIF, also known as “Eric,” 33, of Chicago, owner of El Milagro Mini Market and Harding Grocery in Chicago; HAMDAN HAMDAN, also known as “Tony,” 32, of Chicago, owner of La Villita Food Market in Chicago; EHAB KHRAIWISH, 27, of Tinley Park, Ill., owner of Mercado La Estrella in Elgin, Ill.; WALEED KHRAWISH, also known as “Wally,” 34, of Melrose Park, Ill., who worked at a convenience store in Melrose Park; ALAA HAMDAN, 35, of Chicago, who worked at Supermercado El Grande in Addison, Ill.; ERSELY ARITA-MEJIA, 39, of Arlington Heights, Ill., who worked at Star Mini Market in Mt. Prospect, Ill.; FORTINO HERNANDEZ, 38, of Addison, Ill., who worked at Supermercado El Grande in Addison; JEHAD KHRAWISH, 24, of Chicago, who worked at a convenience store in Melrose Park, Ill.; and MARISOL ZAVALA, 29, of McHenry, Ill., who worked at a convenience store in Elgin, Ill.
The indictment also charges Abdellatif with two tax offenses for allegedly willfully failing to file two years of corporate tax returns for Harding Grocery.
Most of the defendants made their initial appearances Wednesday in federal court in Chicago.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Anthony Mohatt, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; and Justin Campbell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri L. Wong.
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 a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Ottawa County Man Pleads Guilty to Securities FraudRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Joshua Louis Rupp, 37, previously of West Olive, Michigan, pled guilty to a felony information alleging securities fraud before the Honorable Sally J. Berens, United States Magistrate Judge. As part of the plea agreement, Rupp has agreed to be ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of his crime. Rupp faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced next year by the Honorable Hala Y. Jarbou, United States District Judge. The Court has not yet set a sentencing date.
According to the plea agreement and felony information, from 2015 to 2019, Rupp recruited investors by posing as a licensed broker or trader who worked at one of two different brokerage firms. Rupp told investors that he worked under the supervision of fictitious persons at those firms, one of whom he claimed was his uncle. Rupp also told investors that the principal of the investments could not be lost for various reasons, including his choice of investments, trading strategy, and insurance. Rupp fabricated documents as part of the scheme, including false account statements, a fraudulent securities license, and business documents bearing the logos of the companies for which he claimed to work. Some of the documents stated that he had passed a securities trader qualification examination or that he was registered with the State of Michigan. These claims, and others he made to induce and retain investments, were false. In total, Rupp obtained more than $2.7 million from at least 19 investors, misappropriated more than $500,000 of investors’ funds, and lost most of the remaining funds trading securities.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Rupp on July 28, 2021, related to some of the conduct charged in the felony information. That case was stayed on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s motion pending entry of final judgment in the criminal matter.
“Securities trading is a risky business, and for good reason the professionals who do it are licensed and specially trained,” said U.S. Attorney Birge. “This defendant misrepresented his qualifications to trade on behalf of investors in order to obtain money, lied about the performance of their investments, and misappropriated significant portions of the investments for his own personal gain. He has taken the first step toward making amends by accepting responsibility for this serious crime.”
“The defendant fabricated nearly everything about himself as a broker—his license, experience, and business connections—to induce investors to trust him with their money. He then betrayed that trust by taking a portion of the money for his personal use and fabricating false account statements,” said Timothy Waters, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Michigan. “Financial crimes are not victimless, and I’d like to thank the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in providing a measure of justice to the victims impacted by Mr. Rupp’s crimes.”
It is possible that Rupp defrauded victims who have not yet come forward. Any person who believes that he or she is a victim of the charged scheme to defraud, and who has not yet communicated with federal law enforcement, should contact the Victim and Witness Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (616) 808-2034. Case updates will be available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/vw-large-cases.
The FBI conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant is prosecuting the case.
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Ontario Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – An Ontario, Oregon man was sentenced to 76 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine.
According to court records, in August and September 2019, Oliver "Juice" Yardley, 46, of Ontario, and his wife, Ashley Cates Yardley, 33, on four occasions, sold methamphetamine to another person in a parking lot in Fruitland, Idaho. In total, the amount of methamphetamine they sold was approximately six ounces. During the last sale, Yardley and Cates sold three ounces of methamphetamine and two firearms to the other person. Yardley was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony criminal convictions.
Yardley’s criminal history spans more than two decades and includes several convictions for controlled substance offenses and carrying concealed weapons. Yardley has also been documented as a member of the Vagos Motorcycle Club.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Yardley to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. For her role in the offense, Cates was sentenced to five years in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release on July 31, 2021 by U.S. District Judge David C. Nye.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and credited the efforts of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which led to charges. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction, Bureau of Probation and Parole.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Timothy Fox, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court for distribution and receipt of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Fox to 128 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Fox will serve 15 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
In August 2020, members of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducting undercover investigations into peer-to-peer file sharing of child exploitation materials identified an IP address associated with a residence in Omaha, Nebraska, as sharing files of child pornography. In December 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence of Fox and co-defendant Kevin Jacoway and seized several electronic devices. More than 4,000 images and 700 videos depicting child pornography were located on devices that Fox claimed as his own. Co-defendant Jacoway is scheduled for sentencing on January 14, 2022.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force
OCDETF Operation “Tiny Toons” Leads to the Successful Prosecutions of Members of the Gangster Disciples Including One of the Largest Heroin/Fentanyl Suppliers in WilmingtonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Unit (FBI), Wilmington Police Department’s Gang and Narcotics Units, the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Narcotics Units, and the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute violent Gangster Disciple gang members and a high-volume heroin/fentanyl operation supplying the New Hanover and Brunswick County areas from New York. The ensuing investigation, named Operation Tiny Toons, led to the successful investigation, prosecution, and conviction of 18 defendants.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other information is some of the defendants and information related to this investigation.
Darion “Pluck” Graham, 31, was sentenced on February 16, 2021, to 365 months imprisonment for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 1000 grams or more of heroin; (2) two counts of Distribution of a quantity of heroin (aiding and abetting) and (3) Possess with Intent to Distribute of 100 grams or more of heroin (aiding and abetting).
Between October 2015 and May 2017, the Brunswick and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Offices with the Wilmington Police Department made several controlled purchases of more than 90 grams of heroin from Graham and persons working at his direction in various locations in Wilmington, North Carolina. On August 29, 2017, the Wilmington Police Department and the ATF served a search warrant on Graham’s residence on Summertime Lane in Wilmington. Graham was on house arrest at the time of the search for pending North Carolina state charges. Law enforcement found a small quantity of heroin and fentanyl, packaging material for narcotics distribution, and more than $13,000. Graham was detained exiting the bathroom with the toilet running. Law enforcement determined that Graham had managed to flush a large quantity of heroin down the toilet while they were making a forced entry into the residence. From February until May 2019, the Wilmington Police Department and the FBI made several controlled purchases totaling 30 grams of heroin from Graham. On June 28, 2019, the Wilmington Police Department and the FBI served a search warrant on a River Front Place Apartment. The apartment was rented in the name of Kayla Jackson’s mother. Graham and Jackson arrived at the residence and fled upon seeing the police. They were arrested in a wooded area near the apartment. Law enforcement found 761 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture and more than $16,000. Jackson had pending heroin charges in state court at the time of her arrest. Qwanelle Ruffin was also staying at the apartment and was arrested on the same day. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Graham had more than 10 people distributing heroin and/or fentanyl for him. Graham was supplying and working with members of the Gangster Disciples in Wilmington. Graham’s heroin was coming primarily from New York. Graham was responsible for the distribution of more than 7 kilograms of heroin, more than 750 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and a quantity of a heroin/methamphetamine mixture. According to law enforcement, Graham was one of the largest heroin/fentanyl suppliers in New Hanover County at the time of his federal indictment.
Kayla “Lady K” Jackson was sentenced on November 9, 2021, to 85 months imprisonment for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; (2) Possession with Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin and (3) Possession with Intent to Distribute 100 grams or more of heroin (aiding and abetting). On March 6, 2017, a Wilmington Police Officer stopped Jackson for a traffic violation. The officer asked her to exit the vehicle due to the odor of marijuana. Instead, Jackson fled at a high rate of speed, lost control of her car and crashed into another car. Jackson then fled on foot. Law enforcement found heroin and PCP in the car. Law enforcement received information during the investigation that Jackson drove Graham to deliver heroin including a “golf ball” sized amount of heroin to Qwanelle Ruffin.
Qwanelle “El Patron” Ruffin 28, was sentenced on April 23, 2021, to 132 months in federal prison for: (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute (100) Grams or more of Heroin; (2) Three Counts of Distribution of a Quantity of Heroin and Aiding and Abetting; (3) Seven Counts of Distribution of a Quantity of Heroin; and (4) Possession With Intent to Distribute One Hundred (100) Grams or More of Heroin and Aiding and Abetting. Between November 2018 and June 2019, the Wilmington Police Department, assisted by the FBI, conducted numerous controlled purchases of heroin and a heroin/fentanyl mixture from Ruffin and co-conspirators that he had deliver for him. Ruffin had people delivering for him in part because he was recovering from a gunshot wound. The investigation uncovered that Ruffin had also been packaging and storing heroin for distribution at residences on Spring Street and 13th Street in Wilmington. Ruffin had been robbed of heroin on two occasions but continued to distribute heroin. Ruffin was also arrested for his role in the heroin/fentanyl mixture that was seized on June 28, 2019. According to a civil injunction, Ruffin was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Maurice “Gotti” Bellamy, 29, was sentenced on April 23, 2021, to 132 months in prison for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin and (2) Distribution of a Quantity of Heroin. On June 11, 2019, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of heroin from Bellamy. The investigation uncovered that Bellamy was involved in the distribution of more than 2 kilograms of heroin. According to a civil injunction filed in 2017 against the Folk Nation-720 Gangster Disciples in New Hanover County Superior Court, Bellamy was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Alphonso “Trick Rick” McClendon, 27, was sentenced on April 23, 2021, to 66 months imprisonment for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 100 grams or more of heroin (2) Distribution of a quantity of heroin and (3) Possession with Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin. In May 2019, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of a mixture of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine from McClendon. On June 26, 2019, the Wilmington Police Department served a search warrant at McClendon’s residence. Law enforcement found 35 grams of a mixture of heroin/fentanyl, paperwork related to the Gangster Disciples, and a Glock magazine. According to law enforcement and the civil injunction, McClendon was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Corbin Juran was sentenced on February 27, 2020, to 84 months’ imprisonment for (1) Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, (2) Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin and (3) Distribution of a quantity of heroin. On May 1, 2019, the Wilmington Police Department responded to a call at a motel. Officers observed Juran and a female walking from the dumpster behind the motel. While speaking with Juran, law enforcement confirmed that he had an active arrest warrant from Onslow County. Juran fled as officers attempted to pat him down for weapons. Officers recovered a .22 revolver that had been in Juran’s waistband and a small quantity of methamphetamine, which he had thrown down. Juran told law enforcement that he was a member of the Folk Nation. On May 24, 2019, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Narcotics Units received information that Juran was going to pick up heroin from a source of supply at a mini-mart in Wilmington. Law enforcement observed Juran enter the store and exit quickly. Detectives performed a traffic stop on the car, and Juran was found in possession of 500 bags containing a mixture of heroin, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. Juran told detectives that he had picked up heroin from this source multiple times over the last couple of months. According to law enforcement, Juran was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Terrance Fisher was sentenced on August 27, 2020, to 112 months imprisonment for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin; (2) Distribution of a quantity of heroin; and (3) Possession with Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin. On February 19, 2019, the FBI Safe Street Task Force and the Wilmington Police Department’s Narcotics and Gang Units conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Fisher in the area of Market Street in Wilmington. On February 20, 2019, the FBI Task Force and Wilmington Police Detectives conducted a search of a room at the Suburban Extended Stay in Wilmington where Fisher had been staying. Law enforcement found a quantity of heroin in the room. Fisher was not present at the time of the search; instead, Fisher was visiting his North Carolina State Probation Officer. Law enforcement arrested Fisher when he left the visit with his probation officer and found heroin that he had given someone to hold for him during the visit. According to law enforcement, Fisher was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Shamon “Toe” Kinston, 41, was sentenced on August 23, 2019, to 90 months’ imprisonment, for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine, (2) Distribution of a quantity of heroin and (3) Possession with the Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin and a quantity of crack cocaine. On August 20, 2018, the Wilmington Police Department searched Kinston’s residence and found 71 grams of heroin, approximately a half an ounce of crack cocaine, and more than $6,000 in cash. Prior to the search of the residence, Wilmington Police Officers attempted to perform a traffic stop on Kinston. Kinston refused to stop and took police on a high-speed chase. Kinston ultimately wrecked his motorcycle and was arrested. During the investigation, law enforcement learned that the items seized were a part of a kilogram of cocaine and 200 grams of heroin that Kinston had been provided for distribution in New Hanover County.
Miguel Angel Ramos, 31, was sentenced on February 17, 2021, to 156 months imprisonment for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl. The Wilmington Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Unit made two controlled purchases from Ramos in July 2019. Ramos had prior state convictions for possession with the intent deliver a controlled substance and trafficking in heroin/opium.
Latwon “Birdy Bird” James, 40, was sentenced on December 1, 2020, to a total of 288 months in prison for (1) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), (2) Distribution of a quantity of heroin and fentanyl, (3) Possession with the Intent to Distribute a quantity of heroin, fentanyl and more than twenty-eight (28) grams of cocaine base (crack). From July 2018 to July 2019, law enforcement made controlled purchases from James on multiple occasions involving heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. In addition, James possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, fentanyl and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack). James was on federal supervised release at the time that he committed these offenses.
A target of the investigation, Sherrod Crum, was murdered in Greensboro in May 2017.
The New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office filed a civil injunction against members of the Gangster Disciples (17 CVS 4184) in 2017. This court filing contained a great deal of information collected by the Wilmington Police Department Gang Unit.
This is part of operation “Tiny Toons” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Section, the Wilmington Police Department Gang and Narcotics Sections and the Brunswick and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 19-CR-00126.
Nine Indicted in Counterfeit Promethazine-Codeine Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal grand jury in Beaumont has returned a three-count indictment charging nine individuals in drug trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
The indictment was returned on Nov. 3, 2021, and charges the defendants with conspiracy, trafficking in drugs with a counterfeit mark, and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment remained sealed until the defendants were arrested this week.
The following individuals have been indicted and arrested:
- Tunji Campbell, a/k/a Mike, 43, of Webster;
- Byron A. Marshall, a/k/a Robert Griffin, a/k/a Dr. Griffin, 43, of Houston;
- Cheryl A. Anderson, 43, of League City;
- Ashley A. Rhea, a/k/a Ashley A. Johnson, 35, of Houston;
- Chauntell D. Brown, a/k/a Juan Brown, 49, of Manvel;
- Willis Reed, 60, of Richmond;
- Kalpen D. Patel, 36, of Richmond;
- Jonathan R. Shaver, 35, of Richmond; and
- Gina Acosta, 40, of Fresno.
According to the indictment, from April 2014 until August 2021, the defendants conspired to traffic misbranded and counterfeit drugs, specifically promethazine-codeine cough syrup. The indictment alleges the conspiracy resulted in approximately $52,736,000 in drug trafficking proceeds.
“Food and drug products, particularly pharmaceuticals, undergo rigorous testing and inspection by federal authorities to ensure their safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “When producers evade those inspection and certification requirements, the innocent consumer could potentially be put at risk. EDTX is committed to ensuring public safety and upholding public trust through the vigorous prosecution of those that skirt these safety requirements.”
“These arrests send a strong and unified message that the illicit sales of misbranded and counterfeit drugs will not be tolerated in our communities and those who commit these offenses will be brought to justice,” said Daniel C. Comeaux, Special Agent in Charge Houston Division. “The DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to commit significant resources to the identification and investigation of those who are distributing fraudulently labeled drugs in our neighborhoods and communities.”
“Selling illegal prescription drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts all consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Houston Police Department, Galveston Police Department, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, Dickinson Police Department, League City Police Department, Pearland Police Department, Pasadena Police Department, Texas City Police Department, Harris County Precent #2, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas National Guard. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ross and Jonathan C. Lee, with assistance from the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New Orleans Man Charged with Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and False StatementsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that COREY THOMAS, age 49, from New Orleans, was indicted on October 7, 2021 for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements to a federal agent, all stemming from alleged fraudulent charges made in someone else’s name at local stores. To protect the integrity of the investigation, the indictment remained sealed until now.
The grand jury returned a five-count indictment. The indictment charged THOMAS with one count of wire fraud, involving conduct in January of 2019. According to the indictment, THOMAS used a victim’s personal identifying information in an effort to make fraudulent charges at Best Buy and several Lowe’s Home Improvement locations. It is alleged, that THOMAS attempted the purchases on behalf of other actual customers, offering to charge the goods on a store credit card in exchange for a cash payment that was less than the purchase price. THOMAS is also charged with three counts of aggravated identity theft, corresponding to three fraudulent charges at Lowe’s locations in New Orleans and Slidell. THOMAS is also charged with one count of lying to federal agents, by denying that he was present at Lowe’s during a successful fraudulent charge and falsely stating that he did not know the customer who received the fraudulently obtained goods in that transaction.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of the wire fraud charge, THOMAS faces up to twenty years in prison. THOMAS faces a consecutive sentence of two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft. For the false statement, THOMAS faces up to five years in prison. Following any term of imprisonment, THOMAS faces up to three years of supervised release for the wire fraud and false statement counts, and up to one year of supervised release for each aggravated identity theft count. For all five counts, THOMAS faces a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain to THOMAS or the gross loss to any victims, as well as a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Fraud Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in connection with his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
Omar Thompson, 39, of Paterson, N.J., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2022. Thompson was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 19, 2021.
In March 2020, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The CARES Act created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which in Massachusetts is administered by the Department of Unemployment Assistance. This program provides unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits.
According to the charging documents, Thompson and his co-conspirator submitted more than 100 fraudulent PUA claims resulting in more than $1.2 million in payments. It is alleged that approximately half of the PUA claims were made on behalf of individuals residing outside of Massachusetts. In some instances, Thompson recruited individuals from other states to apply for PUA in Massachusetts, submitted claims on their behalf, and received kickback payments for doing so.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years 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; Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, Newark Field Office; and New Jersey State Police provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican National Extradited from Brazil to Face International Cocaine Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
A Mexican national was extradited from Brazil to the United States on Nov. 10 to face international drug trafficking charges. Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, aka Jafett Arias-Becerra, aka La Chepa, aka Camaron, and aka Santy, 46, arrived in the United States on Wednesday and made his initial court appearance yesterday in Washington, D.C. Superior Court. He is detained pending his appearance on Friday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather in D.C. District Court.
According to court documents, beginning in as early as 2006, Gonzalez-Valencia conspired with others to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from a foreign country. According to court documents, Gonzalez-Valencia is alleged to be a high-ranking leader of the Los Cuinis drug-trafficking organization (DTO), which is based in Jalisco State in Mexico. Los Cuinis is closely aligned with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). Together, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the largest, most dangerous, and prolific drug cartels in Mexico. They have been and continue to be responsible for trafficking ton quantities of illegal drugs into the United States and employing extreme violence to further that objective. The close alliance between Los Cuinis and CJNG is strengthened by familial ties between the criminal organizations: Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, aka Mencho, the leader of CJNG, is married to Rosalinda Gonzalez-Valencia, who is the defendant’s sister.
“The United States will continue to work with global partners to pursue those who seek to import illegal drugs into our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “U.S. law enforcement can, and will, target individuals who are responsible for funneling large quantities of illegal and dangerous drugs into our communities here at home.”
“Today’s extradition of Jose Gonzalez-Valencia showcases the commitment of Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) agents and prosecutors to bring alleged international drug traffickers to justice,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Gonzalez-Valencia will face a jury in the United States after allegedly trafficking cocaine for more than a decade.”
A grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against Gonzalez-Valencia on Oct. 26, 2016. In December 2017, Gonzalez-Valencia was arrested by Brazilian police in Fortaleza, Brazil, at the request of the United States, where he remained detained pending his extradition.
Gonzalez-Valencia is charged with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing and intending that it will be unlawfully imported to the United States. If convicted, Gonzalez-Valencia faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of “Operation Stir the Pot,” which was supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division is investigating with the assistance of DEA Brasilia.
Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef and Kaitlin Sahni of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of Enforcement Operations and Office of International Affairs have also provided significant assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican Meth Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Mexican drug trafficker was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham.
Hector Burgos Saucedo, a 49-year-old citizen of Mexico in the U.S. unlawfully, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay.
According to his plea papers, Mr. Saucedo admitted that in October 2020, he delivered 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, packed inside a brown U-Haul box, to an individual at a meat market on Spring Valley Road in Dallas. He was arrested before he could collect his $65,000 fee.
Mr. Saucedo will face deportation proceedings after serving his sentence.
The Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.\
Memphis Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Mail Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Shamari Johnson, 42, has been sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2019, Johnson was charged in a two-count information with theft of mail and identity theft. The charges arose out of an incident in which the defendant was stopped by Collierville police after a Collierville resident observed him stealing mail out of his mailbox.
Listed below is a summary of Johnson’s activities:
• On August 27, 2019, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service received a mail theft complaint from victim K.M., who stated that he had mailed a check earlier in the month which had never made it to its destination. K.M. later learned that the check had been altered and passed at a Wal-Mart in Ashland City, TN. Law enforcement contacted Wal-Mart, which sent photos of a male suspect, later identified as Shamari Johnson.
• On December 23, 2019, the U.S. Postal Inspectors Office received a report from Collierville, TN police regarding a suspect driving a BMW taking mail from mailboxes. Collierville detective said that victim R.B. had witnessed a male suspect driving a white BMW removing mail from his mailbox. Law enforcement captured the license plate of the BMW 530I using a license plate reader, which revealed that the BMW was registered to Hertz Rental Car.
• On January 3, 2020, investigators in Collierville received information from Hertz Corporate Security documents indicating that the BMW was currently being rented by Shamari Johnson.
• On January 23, 2020, investigators learned of a mail theft from the Arlington Crime Facebook page showing a suspect driving a white BMW pulling up to a mailbox and removing the contents on January 21, 2020. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was informed and aware of this post regarding the incident in Arlington. Law enforcement discovered that Johnson had utilities at an address on Morning Hill Dr. Cordova, TN. Hertz Rental Car Investigator provided documentation that Johnson was still in possession of the BMW.
• That same day, law enforcement also learned of an investigation by Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) involving the fraudulent purchase of a Porsche valued at $45,998 from CarMax. Johnson was identified as the subject because he used his driver’s license photo on the fraudulent ID.
• On January 29, 2020, investigators conducted surveillance at the Morning Hill Dr. address and discovered the white BMW 530I parked in front of the address. A search warrant was obtained.
• That same day, law enforcement discovered hundreds of pieces of opened stolen mail containing personal identifying information of over 100 individuals, check stock, counterfeit checks, and fake IDs in the Morning Hill Dr. residence. Investigators further discovered a debit card in the name of victim R.S., in whose name the Porsche was purchased, as well as an ID and paperwork from CarMax. Investigators found a receipt for a certain storage unit located at Sentry Self Storage in Cordova, TN.
• That same day, Johnson agreed to speak with investigators and admitted to purchasing the Porsche using the identity of victim R.S. Johnson stated that he obtained the driver’s license through mail theft and he was also able to obtain a credit card in victim R.S.’s name.
• On January 30, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Johnson’s rented storage unit at Sentry Self Storage and discovered additional pieces of stolen mail, counterfeit checks, and fake IDs. That same day, investigators also executed a search warrant on the white BMW 530I and discovered materials used to make fake IDs and several counterfeit checks.
• Additional evidence seized included approximately 140 counterfeit checks drawn on 35 different banks, which appeared to have been passed at Wal-Mart stores. The total for the 140 checks was $59,247.
• On March 3, 2020, investigators received security camera footage from Wal-Mart Corporate Security from several Wal-Mart locations on January 18, and 19, 2020 which showed Johnson making purchases using checks which were identified as being counterfeit.
"A large part of the Postal Inspection Service’s mission is to ensure the public’s trust and the sanctity of the U.S. Mail. These types of crimes against postal customers compromise that trust. This sentence reflects the serious nature of the offense and will hopefully be a deterrent to others," said Tommy D. Coke, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Collierville Police Department.
On October 28, 2021, U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Johnson to 75 months in federal prison; three years supervised release; and restitution and criminal forfeiture of $105,245. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cotten prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Manhattan Man Who Identifies as an “Incel” or “Involuntary Celibate” Pleads Guilty to Carrying Out Hoax Bomb Threat at RestaurantRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MALIK SANCHEZ, a/k/a “Smooth Sanchez,” pled guilty to making a hoax threat to detonate a bomb at a restaurant in the Flatiron neighborhood in New York, New York, on or about February 13, 2021. SANCHEZ pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox in Manhattan federal court. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Colleen McMahon.
According to the Indictment, Complaint, and other public documents in the case, as well as statements made during the plea proceeding:
SANCHEZ self-identifies as an “Involuntary Celibate” or “Incel,” which refers to a group of individuals with an active online community, mostly men, who believe that society unjustly denies them sexual or romantic attention to which they are entitled. Through online activity and in some instances violence, Incels target those who they believe are unjustly denying them sexual or romantic attention, which in most cases are women.
SANCHEZ has posted multiple videos to social media accounts depicting SANCHEZ harassing, threatening, and in several instances harming individuals whom SANCHEZ encountered in Manhattan, while expressing support for Incel ideology, including for carrying out violence against women in the name of the group.
For example, on or about February 7, 2021, SANCHEZ posted online a video with a caption including “INCEL ARMY RISE UP.” The video depicts SANCHEZ yelling at two women walking on a street in Manhattan that SANCHEZ has “Incel rage”; that he supports Incel’s unofficial founder, Elliot Rodger, who attacked a sorority house and pedestrians in California in 2014, killing six victims and injuring 14 others; and that Rodger’s victims “deserved to be run over and hit by a truck. They deserved to be slaughtered.”[1] On or about March 20, 2021, SANCHEZ posted another video filmed in Manhattan, which depicts SANCHEZ approaching multiple women at an outdoor seating area. In the video, SANCHEZ again proclaimed his support for Incels and Elliot Rodger, while making hand gestures mimicking pointing a gun. After multiple individuals attempted to get SANCHEZ to stop, SANCHEZ sprayed pepper spray in the face of one of those individuals. SANCHEZ was arrested by responding law enforcement officers and charged with state offenses, and was thereafter released on bail.
On or about February 13, 2021, SANCHEZ posted a video that depicts him perpetrating a hoax bomb threat at a restaurant in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood. The video shows SANCHEZ approaching an outdoor seating area in front of the restaurant and stating: “Let’s enhance their meal.” SANCHEZ then positioned himself close to two women seated at one of the tables, and conveyed that he was about to detonate a bomb. SANCHEZ loudly stated: “Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. Bomb detonation in two, in two minutes. I take you with me and I kill all you. I kill all you right now. And I kill all you for Allah. . . . I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna fucking do it for Allah. I’m gonna do it, for, Allah, Allah, Allahu Akbar, Come on. I do it, bomb now, bomb now.” The two women appeared startled, gathered their belongings, and went into the restaurant; approximately four other individuals in the seating area grabbed their belongings and ran away. SANCHEZ then stated: “Yo, all of them scattered” and “Holy shit boys. That was fucking five stars. That was five stars.” At least one individual called 911 in connection with the bomb threat, and law enforcement responded to the scene. By that point, SANCHEZ had left the area.
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SANCHEZ, 19, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conveying false and misleading information and hoaxes, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1038, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
SANCHEZ is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge McMahon on February 8, 2022, at 3:00 p.m.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Kaylan E. Lasky is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Elisabeth Poteat of the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
[1] Statements discussed and quoted herein are described in substance and in part.
Long Island Doctor Pleads Guilty to Covid-19 Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Konstantino Zarkadas, a Glen Cove-based medical doctor, pleaded guilty to disaster relief fraud and wire fraud in connection with his receipt of millions of dollars in small business loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDLP). Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown. When sentenced, Zarkadas faces up to 30 years in prison, as well as forfeiture of $3,796,849.50 and a fine of up to $250,000.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant, a medical professional, admits to diverting millions of dollars in COVID-19 disaster relief funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury watches and vehicles, and the down payment on a yacht,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will vigorously prosecute those who steal from government programs that are designed to help struggling small businesses and families stay afloat during the pandemic.”
“It’s always a shame to see the rampant abuse of programs designed to help ordinary people struggling through the pandemic. Dr. Zarkadas chose greed over honesty by financing a luxury lifestyle on the backs of America’s taxpayers. This case, along with many others, demonstrate IRS-CI is constantly working to weed out financial fraud wherever it may be found. IRS-CI would like to thank the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their partnership and investigative efforts on this case,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso.
As set forth in court filings, between March 2020 and July 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Zarkadas fraudulently applied for, and received, at least 11 PPP and EIDLP loans totaling approximately $3.7 million, on behalf of corporate entities he controlled. Zarkadas laundered the loan proceeds through various bank accounts he controlled, ultimately using the funds for extravagant personal purchases and other impermissible purposes. For example, in July 2020, Zarkadas used approximately $194,915.42 in PPP funds intended for distressed small businesses affected by the pandemic to finance the down payment on a $1.75 million yacht. To conceal the fraudulent nature of the purchase, Zarkadas made the check payable to a family member who was not the ultimate beneficiary of the funds and, in the check’s memo line, falsely indicated that the funds were “repayment for payroll.” Zarkadas also withdrew tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of loan proceeds in cash and used some of the proceeds to satisfy more than $1 million in judgments against him, to lease luxury vehicles, and to make personal purchases, including several Rolex and Cartier wristwatches which he has agreed to forfeit in today’s proceeding.
Congress created the PPP and EIDLP as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Enacted on March 29, 2020, the CARES Act provided emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the allocation of funds for the issuance of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses to receive unsecured loans on favorable terms, which they were required to use for specified expenses, including payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP provided for forgiveness of the loan if the recipient businesses spent the proceeds on these specified expenses within a limited time period and used a certain percentage for payroll costs.
Another source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the EIDLP, which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. Under the program, EIDLP recipients were eligible to receive advances of up to $10,000 for small businesses within three days of applying for an EIDL (EIDL Advance). The amount of an EIDL Advance was determined based on the number of employees working for the applicant. The EIDL Advance did not have to be repaid.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Bagnuola is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
KONSTANTINO ZARKADAS
Age: 48
Glen Cove, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-363 (GRB)
Lehigh County Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Attempted Online Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Philip Schmaldinst, age 45, of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 10, 2021, to 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for using the internet to attempt to entice a 12-year-old minor female to engage in prohibited sex acts.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, on September 24, 2020, during an on-line communication with a law enforcement officer posing as the mother of a minor female, Schmaldinst agreed to pay money to the mother in exchange for receiving oral sex from the minor and having other sexual contact with the minor and then traveled to a location in Tannersville, PA for the purpose of meeting the mother and minor and paying for sex. Schmaldinst was arrested on scene.
At sentencing, Judge Mannion also ordered Schmaldinst to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division and its state and local law enforcement partners in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St. John prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Justice Department Requires Substantial Divestitures and Waiver of a Non-Compete for S&P to Proceed with its Merger with IHS MarkitRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it will require S&P Global Inc. (S&P) to divest three of IHS Markit Ltd.’s (IHSM) price reporting agency (PRA) businesses to resolve antitrust concerns arising from their proposed $44 billion merger. PRAs provide critical price discovery for numerous commodity markets, including markets where trades are done off-exchange in private transactions that are not subject to reporting obligations. The divestitures of Oil Price Information Services (OPIS), Coals, Metals, and Mining (CMM), and PetrochemWire (PCW) will maintain competition in PRA services and protect customer access to essential pricing information. In addition, the department will require OPIS to end a 20-year non-compete with GasBuddy, a popular crowd-sourced retail gas price information app that has long provided OPIS with pricing data for resale to commercial customers. This non-compete has effectively prevented GasBuddy — a company well positioned to enter the retail gas price data market — from launching a data service that would compete with OPIS.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed merger and to prevent OPIS from enforcing its non-compete with GasBuddy. At the same time, the department filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive harms alleged in the complaint.
“Without these significant divestitures, the proposed merger would have led to higher prices and lower quality for PRA customers throughout the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The divestitures will preserve competition for PRA services, which are vital to the proper functioning of commodity markets and promote transparency in the financial markets. The remedy also demonstrates the department’s commitment to curtail the anticompetitive use of non-compete agreements.”
According to the complaint, as originally proposed, the merger would eliminate significant head-to-head competition between S&P’s Platts division and IHSM’s OPIS, CMM, and PCW businesses in providing PRA services for refined petroleum products, coal and petrochemicals. In these markets, PRA price assessments are often used as a price term in supply agreements and as the basis for settling hedging instruments like futures contracts. In the United States, S&P and IHSM are two of the three largest competitors in PRA services for refined petroleum products and coal; similarly, S&P and IHSM are two of the four largest competitors in PRA services for petrochemicals.
The complaint also alleges that the 20-year non-compete contained in OPIS’s exclusive data license with GasBuddy has effectively prevented GasBuddy from launching a data service that would compete with OPIS. The waiver of this horizontal restraint will remove a barrier that has prevented healthy competition in the sale of retail gas price data.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, S&P and IHSM must divest OPIS, CMM, and PCW to Dow Jones. Dow Jones is a provider of business and financial news and related data products and services. The proposed settlement also requires S&P and IHSM to waive the exclusivity and non-compete provisions contained in the data license agreement between OPIS and GasBuddy.
The department expresses thanks to its enforcement partners in the European Commission, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority, and Canada’s Competition Bureau for their close and constructive collaboration on this matter, which enabled a thorough investigation and resulted in remedies that will preserve competition throughout North America and Europe.
S&P and IHSM are both financial and commodity information conglomerates, providing data, indices, pricing assessments, news and analytics to participants in various financial and commodity markets around the world. S&P is a New York corporation, headquartered in New York City, with reported global 2020 revenues of $7.4 billion. IHSM is a Bermuda corporation, headquartered in London, with reported global 2020 revenues of $4.3 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement during a 60-day comment period to Owen M. Kendler, Chief, Financial Services, Fintech, and Banking Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 4000, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Jury Finds Bridger Man Guilty on Multiple Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Bennett Belt, age 48, of Bridger, South Dakota, was found guilty of three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child, as a result of a four-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on November 5, 2021.
The convictions carry a maximum mandatory minimum of 30 years, up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, a $500 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution may be ordered.
Belt was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020.
Between July 2003 and September 2017, in Bridger, Belt engaged in multiple sexual acts with minors with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, and degrade the victims, and to arouse and gratify Belt’s own sexual desire.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Pennington County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay Miller and Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation report was ordered and a sentencing date is to be set. Belt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after the jury announced its verdict.
Judge sentences St. Louis man for his role in carjacking and weapons violationsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Jody Brison to 114 months in prison today. Brison had previously pleaded guilty for his role in a carjacking and weapons charges.
On November 21, 2019, a driver for the Medicine Shoppe was delivering medicine to an apartment in the City of St. Louis, within the Eastern District of Missouri. Upon returning to her vehicle, two men with guns got out of a nearby car. The suspects took the victim’s vehicle at gunpoint and drove away.
A short time later, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department patrol officers located the vehicle. Observing police, Brison attempted to run from the carjacked vehicle but was caught after a brief foot pursuit. During the attempt to evade police, Brison discarded a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine along with the victim’s cell phone which was left in the carjacked vehicle. Brison was previously convicted of crimes that prohibit his possession of said handgun.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
International Money Launderer and Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than Seventeen Years’ Imprisonment and Ordered to Forfeit over $1 MillionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Diego Fernando Cardona Lozano (46, Cali, Colombia), also known as “El Doctor” and “Pomada,” to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and conspiring to commit international money laundering. The court also ordered Cardona Lozano to forfeit approximately $1.4 million, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.
Cardona Lozano had pleaded guilty on December 20, 2019.
According to court documents, Cardona Lozano was the leader of a transnational criminal organization that used the port of Buenaventura, Colombia, to distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine worldwide and launder drug proceeds from other countries back to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange. The organization concealed cocaine within legitimate shipping containers bound for ports of entry worldwide by obtaining shipping manifests to identify particular destinations where associates could retrieve the cocaine with the assistance of corrupt port employees and officials. More than 2,000 kilograms of cocaine were seized in Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica in connection with this conspiracy. In addition, money laundering activities carried out in North America, Australia, and the Netherlands were tied to the organization.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Inmate admits to assault charge, sentencedRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Irvin Johnson, an inmate at Federal Corrections Institution Hazelton in Preston County, has admitted to an assault charge and was sentenced to 15 additional months of incarceration, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Johnson, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Assault of a Correctional Officer Involving Physical Contact.” Johnson admitted to assaulting a correctional officer in April 2020 in Preston County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Prisons investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 10 was:
Robert Kyle Reed, 34, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Reed faces a mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug count and a mandatory five years in prison consecutive to any other sentence on the firearms count. Reed was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-95.
Appearing on Nov. 9 was:
Fermin Joseph Vasquez, 39, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Vasquez faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Vasquez was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-66.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Nov. 10 was:
James Joseph Sanofsky, 60, of Lewistown, on charges of possession of firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Sanofsky faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Sanofsky was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Belgrade Police Department, Lewistown Police Department, Fergus, Gallatin, Garfield and Judith Basin counties sheriff’s offices and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-80.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Idaho Falls Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – An Idaho Falls man was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court records, on October 16, 2020, police officers with the Idaho Falls Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a car in downtown Idaho Falls. The car was driven by Shawn Thomas Cortez, 35, of Idaho Falls. After identifying Cortez, law enforcement officers learned that Cortez had an active felony warrant and that Cortez was in possession of a firearm. Law enforcement officers recovered a 9mm Sig Saur pistol from Cortez’s waistband. Cortez had previously been convicted of a felony offense and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which led to charges.
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.
The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.
This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 186 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 40 have been indicted on prohibited gun possession charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 7,586 months (approximately 632 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 53.4 months (4.45 years). Defendants indicted for prohibited gun possession offenses serve, on average, approximately 41 months (3.42 years) in federal prison.
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Hudson Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Hudson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Aidan Gianni Carl Bratt, age 21, was indicted on August 3, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on November 5, 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, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between October 11, 2020, and January 12, 2021, Bratt, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under State Law, and having traveled in interstate commerce, failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Bratt is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Bratt was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for January 11, 2022.
Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to over 14 Years in Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 175 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
According to court records, on February 11, 2019, Amos Blanks, 40, distributed approximately 224 grams of methamphetamine to another drug dealer, who then sold the drugs to an individual. Pursuant to forensic analysis by the DEA, the methamphetamine was determined to be 99% pure.
Blanks was originally indicted for this offense on January 15, 2020. He pled guilty on July 23, 2020.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Harrison County man sentenced for his involvement in bank robberyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Blaine Allen Ash, of Bristol, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 49 months of incarceration for his involvement in the robbery of Summit Community Bank in November 2020, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Ash, 38, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of “Accessory After the Fact – Bank Robbery.” Ash admitted to assisting Clinton Monroe Utter with concealing his involvement in the robbery of the bank. Utter was sentenced earlier this month for robbing the Summit Community Bank in Salem, West Virginia, of $69,100 on November 17, 2020.
Ash, along with the other two defendants in this case, was ordered to pay $69,100 in restitution to the bank.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Hamilton man sentenced to 12 years in prison for distributing meth to a minor and receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Hamilton man who admitted to supplying methamphetamine to a minor girl and to receiving sexually explicit images of her after making repeated requests for such photos or videos was sentenced today to 12 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Robert Brandon Callison, 32, pleaded guilty in March to distribution of meth to a person under the age of 21 and to receipt of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in the summer of 2019, Callison met the victim, identified as Jane Doe, who was under the age of 18. Doe told Callison that she was a minor. Callison provided Doe with meth and repeatedly requested she take nude photographs and videos of herself and send them to his phone. Doe ultimately complied and sent Callison sexually explicit images of herself using her cellular phone.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Grand Jury indicts two individuals accused of fraud involving Paycheck Protection Program and the Small Business Grant ProgramRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Dionneshae Forland with four counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of theft of government property and five counts of aggravated identity theft. The indictment also charges Dwayne Times with one count of wire fraud, and one count of theft of government property.
The indictment alleges that Forland and Times submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications and a fraudulent Missouri Small Business Grant Program application that falsely inflated the number of employees and payroll costs of various businesses Forland and Times operated in order to receive loan proceeds. The indictment alleges that Forland and Times received in total over $700,000 in fraudulent loan proceeds.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Franklin County Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Adam Neftali Santana, age 37, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted on November 10, 2021, following a three-day trial before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson of conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, attempted possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the investigation uncovered a drug trafficking operation where at least eight boxes that contained cocaine was mailed from Puerto Rico to Santana’s residence. A search warrant was then executed at Santana’s residence where authorities seized a digital scale, a Glock 9mm pistol, numerous pistol magazines and ammunition were located in the master bedroom. Additional packaging consistent with a seized parcel was also found which indicated earlier cocaine deliveries.
The case was investigated jointly by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Ford and Christian Haugsby are prosecuting the case.
Santana faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Fourth Sentenced for Violent Shooting in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty sentenced a fourth member of “2500,” a Fort Wayne street gang, for committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. These charged violent crimes were committed during 2500’s “beef,” or ongoing dispute, with a rival Fort Wayne street gang. In committing these crimes, 2500 members were assisted by “Grit Gang,” a street gang based in Bloomington, Indiana.
This fourth gang member, Demetri D. Beachem, 27 of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced to 288 months (24 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, gang members of 2500 and Grit Gang were engaged in drug and firearms trafficking and were responsible for violent criminal gang activity. On October 4, 2014, the defendants received an insulting video, posted on social media, from rival gang members. In reaction to this post, they located rival gang members at a residence in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Upon seeing their rivals exiting the house, the defendants began shooting, striking that house and a neighboring house with gunfire. Defendants fired approximately 50 rounds, endangering the lives of people in both houses and many bystanders. One person, in fact, suffered a minor wound.
All four defendants entered pleas of guilty to two counts of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; and three counts of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The other members sentenced were:
William D. Beamon, aka “Lil’ Will,” 28, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, who was sentenced to a total of 360 months (30 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release;
Kyombe D. Bolden, “aka Pudge,” 30, of Bloomington, Indiana, who was sentenced to a total of 324 months (27 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release; and
Ronnie D. Burrus, “aka Ronnie Robinson, Ronnie Burris and Yung Ron,” 28, of Fort Wayne and Bloomington, Indiana, who was sentenced to a total of 360 months (30 years) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
“The Attorney General has instructed U.S. Attorneys to prosecute violent criminals who, too often, imperil the lives and safety of law-abiding citizens. This prosecution shows that this Office will vigorously prosecute persons who commit violent crimes in the Northern District of Indiana”, said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
“This defendant and his fellow gang members terrorized innocent community members through their violent activity and this sentence not only makes clear the serious consequences of participating in gang activity, but also ensures their reign of terror is over,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “It also should send a clear message that if you are peddling guns and drugs in our communities, the FBI and our partners are coming for you.”
This multi-agency investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force in Fort Wayne, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allen County Police Department, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Indiana State Police. Also assisting with this investigation were the Bloomington Police Department, the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, and the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Detective Bureau and Gang and Violent Crimes Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Stacey R. Speith.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Fort Pierre Woman Charged with Bank EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Fort Pierre, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Bank Embezzlement.
Bailey Ricketts, age 26, was indicted on November 9, 2021. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on November 12, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 30 years in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution may be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about between August 27, 2019, and January 26, 2021, Ricketts knowingly and intentionally embezzled more than $1,000 from Dakota Prairie Bank in Fort Pierre.
The charge is merely an accusation and Ricketts is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Ricketts was released pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office Captain Sentenced for Defrauding the Sheriff’s Office and Other BusinessesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 9, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) captain KEVIN STIMAGE to twelve (12) months and one day imprisonment, one (1) year of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. STIMAGE had pled guilty to Theft from Programs Receiving Federal Funds.
According to court documents, in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, STIMAGE reported having worked, on average, 40 hours per week at the TPSO, approximately 40 hours per week at an off-duty work detail at a motor vehicle dealership, and, beginning in 2018, approximately 30 hours per week at an off-duty work detail at an apartment complex, for a total of approximately 110 hours per week. However, STIMAGE only worked a portion of the claimed hours, thereby defrauding the TPSO, the vehicle dealership, and the apartment complex out of a total of $241,086, which Judge Vitter ordered STIMAGE to repay as the restitution portion of his sentence.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans stated, “We want to assure the public that with the continued assistance from our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this Office will identify and prosecute any individual who commits an act of public corruption,”
"Public corruption occurs when a public official conducts an official act in exchange for money, goods or services. It also includes public officials who fraudulently or illegally take something of value for their own personal gain. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that law enforcement officers like Kevin Stimage will be held responsible and that no one is above the law,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. "We thank our partners at the United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Louisiana for their strong partnership and pursuit of justice."
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Myles Ranier and Chandra Menon prosecuted the case.
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Former Pharmacy Chief of VA Medical Center in Erie Pleads Guilty to Diverting PainkillersRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Matthew Camera, 50, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from January 2017 to June 2020, while Camera was employed as the Pharmacy Chief at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Erie, he unlawfully obtained multiple dosage units of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone from pill bottles awaiting delivery to Veterans Affairs patients.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 4 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.
Pending sentencing, the court placed Camera on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Camera.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Killing Man in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joshua Young, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for fatally stabbing a man earlier this year in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Young pleaded guilty in August 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Yvonne M. Williams. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Young did not know the victim, Walter Rogers. In the early morning hours of Feb. 21, 2021, Young was riding a bike south on Minnesota Avenue NE while the victim, Mr. Rogers, was traveling north on the same sidewalk. After the two passed, Young dismounted his bike, tackled Mr. Rogers to the ground, and then stabbed him while Mr. Rogers was laying on his back on the sidewalk. After the stabbing, Young left Mr. Rogers on the sidewalk and continued riding his bike home. The Metropolitan Police Department responded minutes later at approximately 8:25 a.m., and Mr. Rogers, 50, was pronounced dead a hospital a short time later.
Young was arrested on March 1, 2021 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, Litigation Technology Specialist Aisha Keys, and Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ganjei, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for His Role in Bringing Methamphetamine from Mexico to IowaRead the Press Release
A Des Moines man, who was involved in the importation and distribution of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced today to 16 years in federal prison.
Rogelio Lemus Hernandez, age 21, from Des Moines, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 6, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, in 2017, law enforcement began investigating a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring operating out of Mexico. The head of the organization, Mario Hernandez, was based in Mexico and worked with others, included Lemus Hernandez, to transport kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into Iowa. Lemus Hernandez was intercepted on a wiretap investigation speaking with Mario Hernandez. The two arranged for the transportation of methamphetamine into Iowa. In June 2020, law enforcement stopped a car occupied by Lemus Hernandez. The stop took place outside of Des Moines, Iowa. The car had travelled to Iowa from Texas. Inside the car, officers found nearly 5,000 grams of pure “ice” methamphetamine. Lemus Hernandez and an associate picked up the methamphetamine in Texas and drove it back to Iowa for the purpose that it be redistributed. In total, Lemus Hernandez’s role in the group involved over 43,000 grams of methamphetamine.
Lemus Hernandez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lemus Hernandez was sentenced to 192 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery. This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Mid-Iowa Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department), Iowa National Guard and Counter Drug Program, Tri-County Task Force (Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2034.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing Loaded RevolverRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilson man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon. On August 26, 2021, Quarmaine Devonta Daniels pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Daniels, 26, was found in possession of a loaded .38 caliber revolver during a traffic stop in Wilson, North Carolina. Daniels had previously been convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon in federal court in 2016.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Wilson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Dodson and John Parris prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-228-BO.
Convicted Bank Robbers Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that three defendants convicted of armed bank robbery have been sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell.
Larcentursa Mayweather a.k.a. “Cent” a.k.a “Lacenturia,” 50, of Winnfield, Louisiana, was sentenced to 188 months (15 years, 8 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Paul Nash, Jr., 44, of Jonesboro, was sentenced to 124 months (10 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Tabitha Lee Gray, a.k.a. “Tabitha White,” 45, of Jonesboro, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Mayweather, Gray and Nash were also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.
Mayweather was convicted by a jury in federal court in Alexandria on May 28, 2021. Nash and Gray each pleaded guilty and agreed to testify truthfully about their involvement in the robberies. During Larcentursa Mayweather’s trial, evidence revealed that he conspired with his two co-defendants, Paul Nash, Jr., and Tabitha Lee Gray a.k.a. “Tabitha White” to rob two banks in the Western District of Louisiana in April 2019.
During the trial, evidence was produced that Mayweather helped plan the bank robberies and instructed Nash and Gray on how to carry out the robberies and what to do and he acted as the getaway driver. On April 2, 2019, Mayweather drove Nash and Gray to Campti, Louisiana and dropped them off at the City Bank. There Nash and Gray entered the bank with firearms drawn and ordered tellers to give them money. After Nash and Gray left the bank with the stolen money, they fled in a stolen vehicle to meet Mayweather at a predetermined location and discarded the stolen vehicle. In an effort to divert the attention of law enforcement officers from the robbery, Mayweather provided Nash with a cell phone and instructed him to make a false report to law enforcement by conveying a bomb threat on the Lakeview High School property in Campti. The money stolen from the Campti bank was divided between the co-defendants.
The second armed robbery occurred on April 16, 2019 at the Bank of Montgomery in Castor, Louisiana. Again, Mayweather helped plan the robbery and instructed Nash and Gray on how to carry out the robbery. Instead of calling in a false report of a bomb threat, this time the co-defendants committed arson by setting a house on fire in another attempt to divert the attention of local law enforcement from the robbery. Mayweather dropped Nash and Gray at the bank and again they entered with firearms drawn pointing them at the tellers. After the money was stolen, Nash and Gray ran out of the bank intending to find Mayweather, who had promised he would be waiting to pick them up. Once they exited the bank, Mayweather saw law enforcement officers in the area and instead of picking them up, he accelerated and left Nash and Gray to fend for themselves. Nash and Gray ran into a nearby wooded area and were later apprehended. Mayweather was seen leaving the area of the Bank of Montgomery and was stopped and arrested by law enforcement officers. Gray’s purse and a receipt belonging to Nash were found in his vehicle.
Testimony at trial revealed that a glove belonging to Mayweather was found in the parking lot of the City Bank in Campti, Louisiana. After laboratory analysis, it was determined that Mayweather’s DNA was on the glove. Further, testimony at trial revealed that Mayweather provided the firearms and clothing including gloves, hoodies, and masks to Nash and Gray to complete the robberies.
The FBI, Louisiana State Police, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Fire Marshal conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille Gilreath and Robert F. Moody prosecuted the case.
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Colorado Man Sentenced to Two Consecutive Life Sentences on Murder ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Denver, Colorado, man convicted of First Degree Premeditated Murder, First Degree Felony Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Assault, Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on November 5, 2021, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Francisco Villanueva, age 43, previously convicted of murder in Colorado in the mid-1990s, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in federal prison and ordered to pay a $500 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Villanueva was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 22, 2017, and was convicted of the charges by a federal jury following a two-week long trial in September 2021.
The conviction stems from the October 16, 2016, shooting death of Vincent Von Brewer III in front of the SuAnne Big Crow Center in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Villanueva, along with Adan Corona, shot Brewer 15 times with an assault rifle and a 9mm handgun as Brewer attempted to flee from the defendants.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations, and the Denver and Aurora, Colorado, Police Departments. The investigation was also supported by numerous other state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Collins and Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Villanueva was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Colchester Man Sentenced to 34 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing MachinegunRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on November 10, MICHAEL SHERIDAN, 27, of Colchester, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 34 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sheridan purchased an untraceable machinegun (“ghost gun”) from an associate for $2,000, and then sold it another individual for $3,000. On January 29, 2021, Sheridan transferred the machinegun to the purchaser at a parking lot in Cromwell.
Sheridan’s criminal history includes multiple felony state convictions, and he was on probation at the time of this offense.
Sheridan pleaded guilty on August 9, 2021.
Sheridan, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on January 4, 2022.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Penobscot County (Maine) Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Edward Chang, with the assistance of Law Student Intern Lara Markey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Charleston, S.C., man admits sex trafficking, cocaine crimes stemming from scheme to coerce women and girls into prostitutionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Charleston, South Carolina, man accused in a large sex trafficking scheme of coercing women and girls into prostitution for him in Montana and other states admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Louis Gregory Venning, also known as “December,” 41, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of a minor, transportation of a person with intent to engage in prostitution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Venning faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, five years to life of supervised release and a $5,000 special assessment on the most serious crime of sex trafficking.
A plea agreement reached in the case calls for nine other counts of sex trafficking, transportation for prostitution and drug trafficking crimes charged in a second superseding indictment to be dismissed at sentencing if the court accepts the agreement. The government agrees not to seek additional charges. Restitution is mandatory, and Venning agrees to be responsible for complete restitution relating to all counts in the second superseding indictment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Judge DeSoto said she would recommend that Venning’s plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, who will sentence Venning. Sentencing was set for March 15, 2022. Judge Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Venning was detained pending further proceedings.
In courts documents and in statements in court, the government alleged that at various times from 2012 to 2020, Venning trafficked women and girls for commercial sex and also distributed illegal narcotics, including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. Venning employed coercion and force, violence and threats of violence and the widespread use of drugs to advance his criminal goals. Venning recruited and coerced more than a dozen women and girls, identified as Jane Does, and forced them to engage in commercial sex for him in Billings and other Montana communities. Venning took some of the Jane Does from Montana to other states, including Wyoming, Missouri and Georgia, for commercial sex work.
The government further alleged that in 2019, Venning met Jane Doe 9 in a motel in Missoula after responding to one of Jane Doe 9’s own ads for commercial sex. Venning discussed how she would work for him and ultimately she did. Venning became abusive toward Jane Doe 9, including physically assaulting her. In August 2018 in Billings, Venning coerced a girl, identified as Jane Doe 8, who was under the age of 18, to engage in commercial sex. In 2012, Venning transported another victim, identified as Jane Doe 5, from Montana to Georgia and Missouri to engage in prostitution.
In addition, Venning possessed with intent to distribute cocaine. Jane Does 3 and 4 told law enforcement that while working for Venning in commercial sex, they received cocaine from him. Social media posts collected during the investigation show Venning bragging about and sending cocaine to various individuals.
Co-defendant Destiny Lachelle Nilsen, also known as “Diamond,” pleaded guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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