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4 November 2021
Morgantown woman admits to tax fraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Diann Carol Clark, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to a payroll tax fraud charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Clark, 59, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Employment Tax.” Clark was employed by Alpha Associates, Inc. in Morgantown. Clark was an office manager and bookkeeper at Alpha Associates, where she managed payroll between 2014 and 2018. Clark was responsible for collecting and paying over to the IRS Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes withheld from the wages of Alpha Associates employees. Despite knowing the firm withheld these payroll taxes from its employees’ paychecks, Clark did not pay over approximately $1,900,000, in such taxes to the IRS.
Clark faces up to five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon and Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The IRS investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Monroe County Man Charged with $450,000 in Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 2, 2021, Julian J. Levons, age 64, of Henryville, Pennsylvania, was charged in an indictment with perpetrating a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to obtain and attempt to obtain approximately $450,000 in COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
The EIDL program is designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Levons obtained two EIDL loans for a combined approximate $300,000, and attempted unsuccessfully to obtain a third EIDL loan for approximately $150,000. In applying for the loans, Levons falsified revenue and expense figures for two supposed small businesses that he and his wife owned. The money was allegedly used to pay down a high interest rate line of credit for Levons’s personal expenses, and to pay off a high interest rate mortgage on a rental property, despite prohibitions on the use of EIDL funds to refinance pre-existing debt. Investigators seized over $210,000 in fraudulently obtained EIDL funds from bank accounts under his control. Levons was charged with conspiracies to commit wire fraud and money laundering, five counts of wire fraud, and three counts of illegal monetary transactions.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo 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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offenses are 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Transporting 10 Lbs. of Methamphetamine and Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARTIN ALAMEDA-PINEDA, age 37, of Mexico, was sentenced on November 3, 2021 to 180 months in prison for transporting a large amount of methamphetamine into the Eastern District of Louisiana from Texas, while armed with a firearm. ALAMEDA-PINEDA was also sentenced to five (5) years of supervised release following imprisonment and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Earlier this year ALAMEDA-PINEDA pled guilty as charged to a three-count indictment that was pending against him. He was charged in Count 1 with possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)A); Count 2 with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c); and charged in Count 3 with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A).
According to the documents that were placed into the court record during his guilty plea, the defendant was arrested by St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Detectives after they conducted a lawful traffic stop of his vehicle and found 10 lbs. of methamphetamine in the back seat of his vehicle and a firearm in the center console. The detectives conducted the stop based on information obtained from Special Agents with the Department of Homeland Security, who had knowledge that the defendant would be transporting a significant amount of drugs to the Eastern District of Louisiana.
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office in working together to investigate this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.
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Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Bombmaking InstructionsRead the Press Release
MARSHALL, Texas – A Jefferson man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei today.
Beau Daniel Merryman, 20, pleaded guilty to distribution of information relating to explosives and destructive devices today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne.
According to information presented in court, between September and October 2019, Merryman engaged in a series of online conversations with covert FBI employees. During those conversations, Merryman provided detailed instructions on how to make multiple types of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), such as pipe bombs and pressure-cooker bombs. Merryman explained how to construct the IEDs, select explosives, pack shrapnel for maximum damage, and construct fuses or detonating devices. Merryman also directed that the IEDs be used to target federal law enforcement and critical infrastructure, such as electrical substations.
“This defendant had the knowledge, intent, and capability to inflict great harm on our East Texas community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Thanks to the extraordinary investigative work of our agency partners, he was stopped before any lives were lost or damage was done.”
“This defendant believed he was sharing his knowledge and expertise with individuals who would cause significant damage or injury to targets including federal law enforcement and critical infrastructure,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “The FBI is committed to protecting our communities from harm and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt violent activity. We ask the public to stay vigilant and to continue reporting suspicious or threatening behavior to law enforcement.”
Merryman was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 16, 2019. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tyler Resident Agency, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Cass County District Attorney's Office, Atlanta Police Department, and Tyler Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Coan and Ryan Locker.
Maplewood Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Minneapolis, Minn. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against a Maplewood man for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2021, Metro Transit Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a vehicle stuck on the light rail tracks in St. Paul. At the scene they found Deandre Lenier Neal-Hill, 34, unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a maroon Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle, with the engine still reviving, had a flat tire and was stuck in the tracks. Officers extracted an unresponsive Neal-Hill from the vehicle and began preforming life-saving measures until the paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital.
According to court documents, as officers extracted Neal-Hill from the vehicle, officers observed a black handgun on the floorboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle, which was later determined to be an FNH USA model 503 9mm semiautomatic pistol. The pistol had a round chambered, and carried a loaded magazine.
Because Neal-Hill has prior felony convictions, including convictions of drive-by shooting, assault, and drug sale, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
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.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Man Who Pointed Apparent Firearm at Police Officer Charged with Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Jeremiah Smith, 41, of Burlington, was charged today by criminal complaint with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Smith is scheduled to appear on the charge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on November 5, 2021.
According to court records, on November 3, 2021, Burlington Police received a report of a stolen pickup truck, which had been stolen from Pine Street in Burlington. The owner also relayed that a 9mm firearm had been in the truck at the time it was stolen. Burlington Police were able to determine the vehicle was located on Pearl Street in Essex, Vermont. Essex Police Officers responded to the location of the vehicle, and observed Smith as the sole occupant. Smith refused to roll down his window or exit the vehicle after repeated requests, requiring the responding officer to break the window of truck. As the glass broke, Smith pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the Essex Police Officer. The officer drew his service firearm, backed away from the pickup, and ordered Smith out of the vehicle. Smith continued to refuse commands, and attempted to drive the pickup, which had been remotely disabled. Smith then exited the pickup truck and began walking away from the officer. Essex officers approached Smith and detained him. While taking him into custody, officers located a Ruger 9mm pistol in Smith’s jacket pocket. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a realistic-looking pistol-style pellet gun from the driver’s side floorboard. Smith is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law due to a prior felony conviction.
If convicted of the charge alleged in the complaint, Smith faces a maximum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The Acting United States Attorney emphasized that the charge in the complaint is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the coordinated response of the Burlington Police Department and the Essex Police Department, and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their investigatory assistance. Acting United States Attorney Ophardt added: “Our law enforcement officers routinely risk their lives to protect our communities. The quick work of Burlington and Essex officers not only recovered a stolen truck, but disarmed a person alleged to be prohibited from possessing firearms. I am exceedingly thankful that this armed encounter did not result in serious injury to officers or the defendant.”
“Jeremiah Smith is accused of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Smith is alleged to have endangered the community by illegally possessing a gun and pointing what appeared to be a firearm at an officer. Fortunately, Smith was taken into custody without incident,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Kwak of the ATF Boston Field Division. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who illegally possess firearms and threaten the safety of our communities.”
“We are fortunate that this incident did not result in an officer involved shooting and that the subject was able to be taken into custody without persons being injured,” stated Essex Police Chief Ron Hoague. “This was solely due to the training and excellent judgment of our officers. They are to be commended for safely apprehending such a dangerous suspect.”
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman. Smith has not yet retained or been appointed counsel.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see http://www.justice.gov/projectguardian/.
Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Gregory Weymes, 58, an Australian national residing in Ridgeview, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Weymes was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to two identified victims.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Weymes previously admitted that he possessed child pornography on his cell phone on February 23, 2021. After receiving a CyberTip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for Weymes’ residence and seized the cell phone. Weymes admitted that he used various social media platforms, including MeWe, to view and trade child pornography and that investigators would find child pornography on his phone. A forensic review of Weymes’ cell phone uncovered numerous videos depicting child pornography on the device.
Weymes will serve a ten-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. Weymes also faces potential deportation to Australia as a result of this conviction.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00080.
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Madison Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement by a Bank OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Madison man pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank officer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Thomas King Robb, Jr., 37, used his position as a loan officer at a bank to approve fraudulent loans, and used the proceeds from those loans for his own benefit. Robb created false documents using his knowledge and experience as a loan officer and created fraudulent loans in the names of other people. Robb then used the money from those loans to pay off previous loans and to keep his personal business afloat.
Robb is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.
Lawrence Woman Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Unemployment Fraud Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was sentenced today in connection with her involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
Raquel Pena, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to three years in prison and one year of supervised release. Pena was also ordered to pay restitution for any money that the government is unable to recover from the fraudulent unemployment assistance, which is currently estimated at $360,700. On July 15, 2021, Pena pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
In March 2020, in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which among other things, created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The PUA program, which in Massachusetts was administered by the Department of Unemployment Assistance, provided unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits.
Pena possessed a notebook containing the names and personal information of others, which Pena and her co-conspirators used to file fraudulent PUA claims. Pena recruited acquaintances to receive the proceeds of the fraudulent claims into their bank accounts and give all or a portion of the cash to Pena. The investigation connected Pena and her co-conspirators to $360,700 in unemployment claims paid between May 2020 and March 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted 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.
Lawrence Man Arrested on Firearms and Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was arrested today and charged with firearms and drug offenses.
Miguel Mejia, 35, was indicted on one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams more of fentanyl. Following an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal, Mejia was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Nov. 10, 2021.
According to the indictment, between July 7, 2020 and Dec. 16, 2020, Mejia sold five privately made firearms, more commonly known as ghost-guns. Additionally, on July 31, 2020, it is alleged that Mejia sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lancaster County Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dillion Scott Schaffner, a/k/a “Trigger,” age 28, formerly of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 29, 2021, to 120 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine hydrochloride from August 2018 until August 2020, in York County, Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police revealed that Schaffner was trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the York and Lancaster County areas. On October 17, 2019, the Lancaster County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Schaffner’s residence. Law enforcement seized approximately 14.38 grams of cocaine, 232.3 grams of marijuana, 67.09 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 3.75 grams of LSD, and 3.08 grams of psilocyn, drug proceeds, and two firearms.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Lancaster County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daryl Bloom prosecuted the case.
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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Lafourche Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JONATHAN JOHNSON, age 31, a resident of Thibodaux, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 3, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to a one-count indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on March 31, 2021, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputies executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by JOHNSON on Highway 1 in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Deputies conducted a license check and learned that JOHNSON was driving with a suspended license. After noticing JOHNSON’S nervous demeanor, the deputies requested the assistance of additional units. When the other officers arrived and approached JOHNSON, they observed JOHNSON open the driver’s side door of the vehicle and discard approximately three hundred (300) grams of methamphetamine onto the ground. As a result of his plea, JOHNSON faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
Justice Department Settles with Transport Packaging Services Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced it has reached a settlement agreement with Rehrig Pacific Company (Rehrig Pacific), headquartered in California. The settlement resolves allegations that Rehrig Pacific discriminated against a non-U.S. citizen when, because of his citizenship status, it did not give him the opportunity to produce his choice of valid documentation proving his permission to work.
“It is unlawful for employers to restrict the documentation that workers can present to prove their authorization to work based on citizenship or immigration status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to safeguard the rights of workers who face unlawful discrimination.”
The department’s investigation began after a non-U.S. citizen filed a discrimination complaint. The investigation determined that when the company was checking his continued permission to work, it instructed him to produce a new document from the Department of Homeland Security. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) prohibits employers from limiting or specifying the types of documentation a worker is allowed to show to prove permission to work, because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. As a result, even when an employer has a legal requirement to check a worker’s continued permission to work, the employer should allow the worker to present whatever valid documentation the worker chooses.
Under the settlement, Rehrig Pacific will pay civil penalties to the United States and train its employees who are responsible for verifying workers’ permission to work in the United States. The settlement also requires Rehrig Pacific to be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. More information on how employers can avoid unfair documentary practices is available here. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER. View the Spanish translation of this press release here.
En Español
Justice Department Reaches Agreement Resolving Investigation of Religious Practice Policies and Procedures within Michigan Department of CorrectionsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached an agreement with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to resolve its investigation of MDOC, pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
The investigation and agreement addressed MDOC’s policy of a five-person minimum for group worship and religious activities, its policy of prohibiting group religious practice for certain religious groups, including Hindu, Yoruba, Hebrew Israelite and Thelema practitioners, and its restrictions limiting access to the kosher-for-Passover diet to those on the kosher diet year-round. These policies and procedures will be changed pursuant to the agreement reached today.
“The religious rights of all people, including those detained inside our nation’s jails and prisons, must be protected,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement will protect the religious practices of incarcerated persons across Michigan The Justice Department remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that the religious rights of prisoners are respected.”
“Federal law guarantees the right to freely exercise your religion to all Americans,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Saima Shafiq Mohsin for the Eastern District of Michigan. “We are pleased that this agreement makes it easier for prisoners in the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections to exercise this fundamental right.”
“My office is dedicated to protecting the fundamental right to exercise one’s religion, which includes the rights of institutionalized persons to practice their faiths and worship together,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Byerly Birge for the Western District of Michigan. “This agreement is an example of my office’s commitment to protecting religious freedom for all, and we are grateful for the MDOC’s willingness to work with us and implement new policies to ensure better protection for these rights.”
As part of the agreement, MDOC will make changes to its policies and practices. The new policies and practices will (1) remove the five-person minimum for religious services and activities; (2) remove the prohibition on group religious practice for Hindu, Yoruba, Hebrew Israelite and Thelema practitioners; and (3) remove the requirement that incarcerated persons must be on the kosher diet year-round to receive the kosher-for-Passover meal. MDOC will also provide training to staff and chaplains involved in implementing the revised policy. The Department of Justice will have access to documents and correctional facilities to assess compliance with the agreement.
For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in finding out more about RLUIPA may visit https://www.justice.gov/crt/religious-land-use-and-institutionalized-persons-act-0. The Department of Justice issued a report on the 20th Anniversary of RLUIPA in 2020 (https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1319031/download) and a statement on the Institutionalized Persons Provisions of RLUIPA in 2017 (/media/900231/dl?inline).
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the State of Texas to Protect Voting RightsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas and the Texas Secretary of State over certain restrictive voting procedures imposed by Texas Senate Bill 1, which was signed into law in September 2021. The United States’ complaint challenges provisions of Senate Bill 1 under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act and Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Our democracy depends on the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to use all the authorities at its disposal to protect this fundamental pillar of our society.”
“The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting the fundamental right to vote for all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Laws that impair eligible citizens’ access to the ballot box have no place in our democracy. Texas Senate Bill 1’s restrictions on voter assistance at the polls and on which absentee ballots cast by eligible voters can be accepted by election officials are unlawful and indefensible.”
The United States’ complaint contends that Senate Bill 1 violates Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act by improperly restricting what assistance in the polling booth voters who have a disability or are unable to read or write can receive. The complaint alleges that Senate Bill 1 harms those voters by barring their assistors from providing necessary help, including answering basic questions, responding to requests to clarify ballot translations or confirming that voters with visual impairments have marked a ballot as intended. The United States’ complaint also contends that Senate Bill 1 violates Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by requiring rejection of mail ballots and mail ballot request forms because of certain paperwork errors or omissions that are not material to establishing a voter’s eligibility to cast a ballot. The complaint asks the court to prohibit Texas from enforcing these requirements.
The department also filed a statement of interest today in a Texas federal court, in litigation brought by private plaintiffs challenging Senate Bill 1. The statement of interest addresses issues related to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, including explaining that Section 2 permits private plaintiffs to file suit to remedy racially discriminatory voting practices.
More information about the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot. Complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be reported to the Voting Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division through the internet reporting portal at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
View a list of the department’s actions to protect voting rights here.
Jury Convicts Wise County Man of Trafficking Methamphetamine from Atlanta into Southwest VirginiaRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Wise County man this week of trafficking methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Daniel Rowland, 46, had been trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine from a source in Atlanta, Georgia, to southwest Virginia for further distribution. Rowland was arrested in possession of over two pounds of methamphetamine, $32,500 in U.S. currency, and a loaded 9mm pistol. Rowland had been wiring money from the Food City grocery in Wise, Virginia, directly to Mexico to pay for methamphetamine he purchased in Atlanta.
A federal jury convicted Rowland of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, money laundering, use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug crime, and two counts of distributing methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, and the Virginia State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Council Bluffs Man of Sex Trafficking Omaha Victims by Force, Fraud, and CoercionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that on November 4, 2021, after a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Jesse Cody, 33, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, of Sex Trafficking multiple Omaha victims by force, fraud, or coercion, as well as coercing one of the victims, who was then in foster care and a ward of the Sate of Nebraska, to travel to multiple states outside of Nebraska where the defendant forced her to have sex with men for money for the defendant’s financial gain.
The victim testified that the defendant beat, raped, and choked her when she would refuse to comply with the defendant’s demands. The defendant defrauded another victim, a recent college graduate, into sex trafficking by misrepresenting to the victim the money that she could make prostituting herself and then the defendant took most of the money for himself. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. presided over the trial and accepted the jury’s verdict before setting Cody’s sentencing hearing for January 28, 2022, at 2:00 pm. At sentencing, Cody faces mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years on two of the counts and up to ten years of imprisonment each on the remaining two counts. There is no parole in the federal system.
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 Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.
Jefferson Davis County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Jefferson Davis County man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court records, On September 23, 2020, Enoch Ben Buckley III, 36, was found in possession of multiple firearms during the execution of an arrest warrant in Hattiesburg. Buckley has been previously convicted of multiple felonies, but was most recently convicted of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon in Jefferson Davis County Circuit Court in 2018, where he was sentenced to serve a term of ten years imprisonment.
Buckley was originally indicted for this offense on October 20, 2020. He pled guilty on April 15, 2021.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Prentiss Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s crime reduction efforts, PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Indian National Pleads Guilty in Fraudulent Social Security Scam Targeting Elderly Beaumont ResidentRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – An Indian national residing in Seattle, WA, has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Aakash Gandhi, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, throughout the month of October 2020, a Beaumont resident received multiple phone calls from an individual—later identified as Gandhi—falsely purporting to be a special agent with the Social Security Administration. Gandhi demanded the victim send large sums of cash through the mail so they could receive a new social security number and avoid alleged criminal liability. The elderly Beaumont resident fell victim to the scam and sent more than $20,000 in cash through the mail as requested to a UPS store in Seattle. Gandhi received those packages in Seattle and forwarded a portion of those funds to his co-conspirators.
“There can be no doubt that phone scams are not merely a nuisance, but a genuine threat to the financial livelihood of all Americans,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Although phone scams continue to increase in number, EDTX is scaling up through staffing and training to meet and defeat this challenge.”
“Criminals continue to exploit the elderly and vulnerable populations in search of a profit. HSI is committed to bring these fraudsters to justice and return hard earned money.” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This should serve as a reminder that the U.S. Government will never call and ask you to send cash in the mail.”
Gandhi was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 8, 2021. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
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Hudson County Man Admits Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously having been convicted of a felony, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Nathan Miller, 32, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 28, 2020, law enforcement officers saw Miller with a suspected firearm near the intersection of Oak Street and Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City. Miller then entered a vehicle and appeared to place the firearm in the glove compartment. Law enforcement officers stopped the vehicle and found a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson semiautomatic handgun, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, in the glove compartment. Miller was previously convicted in the Superior Court of Hudson County, New Jersey, of possession of a controlled dangerous substance on school property, a felony punishable by more than one year in prison.
The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sophie E. Reiter of the Cybercrime Unit and Sarah A. Sulkowski of the Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
Hattiesburg Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court records, on February 6, 2020, Julius Daniels, 34, was driving a vehicle which was stopped by a Hattiesburg Police officer. Based on an odor of marijuana, the vehicle was searched and a firearm was found in the glove compartment. Daniels had previously been convicted of sale of a controlled substance in Forrest County.
Daniels was indicted for this offense on May 11, 2021. He will be sentenced on February 15, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Hattiesburg Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s crime reduction efforts, PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Harrisburg Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 3, 2021, Wezley Floyd, age 29, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce Brandler, the indictment charges Floyd with distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number on October 11, 2021.
The matter was investigated by the Swatara Township Police Department, the Harrisburg Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Gretna Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 28, 2021, DASHAWN LEWIS, age 43, of Gretna, was sentenced by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously pleading guilty to drug offenses.
Specifically, LEWIS previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846.
According to court records, LEWIS and others conspired to distribute heroin in the New Orleans metropolitan area and elsewhere.
Judge Fallon sentenced LEWIS to a term of imprisonment of 60 months, 4 years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Jonathan L. Shih are in charge of the prosecution.
Georgia Bookkeeper Guilty of Defrauding Small Business Clients of $650k+Read the Press Release
Athens, Ga. – A Bogart, Georgia, bookkeeper pleaded guilty to wire fraud after FBI investigators discovered she stole hundreds of thousands of dollars of her clients’ money to pay for her living expenses and luxury items.
Suzanne Brooks, 42, of Bogart, Georgia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal. Brooks faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has not been scheduled.
“These small business owners believed their family companies to be less lucrative, when in fact their trusted bookkeeper was skimming off some of the profit to pay for her lifestyle,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Fraud has a negative ripple effect which too often results in the downfall of a small business, leaving people unemployed and destroying years of effort and hard work. Our office, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will hold fraudsters accountable for their crimes and the harm they cause.”
“Brooks violated the trust placed in her by her clients and will now have to pay the price for those actions,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is dedicated to protecting our citizens and will pursue anyone who defrauds innocent victims for their own personal greed.”
According to court documents, Brooks was a bookkeeper from 2013 to 2018 for two individuals who both owned real estate companies in Georgia. Brooks was entrusted with access to paper checks and online banking logon credentials for their businesses at multiple FDIC-insured institutions. Brooks ultimately used business bank accounts to make multiple payments towards personal credit card balances for her and her husband with various credit card companies, without authorization from the victims. Brooks used the money to pay for her living expenses, including utilities for her home, insurance payments, restaurants, first-class travel, online shopping, retail purchases, fine jewelry and to purchase inventory for her side business selling clothing with a multi-level marketing company. When her personal credit cards developed balances, Brooks repeatedly used the victims’ funds to pay off those balances at her discretion and without their authorization. Brooks concealed her theft by falsifying Profit & Loss statements and other files in the accounting software used by the businesses, resulting in both victims believing their businesses to be less profitable than they actually were. Brooks also altered bank statement records and wrote dozens of unauthorized checks to herself. In total, Brooks caused at least $659,106.38 of intended losses to the victims.
The case was investigated by FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndie Freeman prosecuted the case.
Four of Five Individuals Indicted in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Also Indicted for Allegedly Kidnapping a U.S. Postal Service Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court today that charges five individuals with allegedly participating in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving numerous packages containing kilogram quantities of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico, also charges four of the co-conspirators with allegedly kidnapping a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier at gunpoint as they searched for cocaine they claimed was missing from a delivered package, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
The indictment charges Edgar Medina, 36, of Johnston, and Alijah Parsons, 29, Irving Medina, 31, Andres Garay, 35, and Ronald Hall, 39, all of Providence with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; Edgar Medina, Alijah Parsons, Irving Medina, and Andres Garay with aiding and abetting kidnapping; and Irving Medina with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The indictment alleges that in the days prior to the June 1, 2021, abduction of the postal carrier, some members of the drug trafficking conspiracy surveilled U.S. Postal employees in an effort to identify and follow a postal worker they mistakenly believed had delivered a parcel in Pawtucket. Members of the conspiracy then allegedly kidnapped the letter carrier at gunpoint and drove him at gunpoint to his home, interrogating him about missing cocaine. After it became obvious he knew nothing about the missing cocaine, and after the men learned that the letter carrier did not have a key with him to allow them to enter his locked home to search for cocaine, the letter carrier was returned unharmed to an area near where his postal truck was parked.
According to court documents, during the investigation into the abduction, Postal Inspectors learned of several packages that had been previously shipped from fictitious people and addresses in Puerto Rico to actual addresses in Pawtucket, Cranston, Johnston, and Providence. As the investigation continued, agents intercepted three additional packages that a Rhode Island State Police K-9 alerted for the presence of narcotics. Court-authorized searches of the packages resulted in the discovery of a total of more than three kilograms of cocaine.
Postal Inspectors arranged for controlled deliveries of the packages on June 8, 2021, while recipient addresses were under surveillance by U.S. Postal Service Inspectors, members of the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Rhode Island State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force. As the packages were delivered, Edgar Medina, Andres Garay, and Ronald Hall were arrested. Court-authorized searches of vehicles and residences associated with the defendants resulted in the seizure of, among other things, masks and a winter cap fitting the description of items worn by the individuals involved in the kidnapping, as well as batons, a set of brass knuckles, and a Taser.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R Hebert.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney Myrus and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service thank Pawtucket Police for their assistance in the investigation of these matters.
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Former Soldier Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A former Ft. Campbell soldier was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Chase Bowman-Raines, 24, of Oak Grove, Kentucky, possessed child pornography between February 15, 2019, and April 20, 2020, while in the Western District of Kentucky. In April of 2020, after receiving multiple online cyber-tips concerning child pornography, several search warrants were executed, including one at Bowman-Raines’s home. Bowman-Raines was arrested after he was found to be in possession of multiple images and videos depicting child pornography.
“I commend HSI and Army CID for their combined effort in investigating this case,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “Fighting child exploitation is a priority in the Western District of Kentucky and we will continue to lead the effort to identify, locate, arrest, and prosecute those who sexually exploit the most vulnerable of victims, our children.”
“The victims of predators who exploit children experience long-term negative effects,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. “Our agents work tirelessly to investigate perpetrators like this defendant to ensure they are punished for their reprehensible actions.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Fort Campbell, Kentucky investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office 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. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Former Property Manager Sentenced to Prison for Stealing from Federally Subsidized Housing ComplexesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ALICIA GARDNER, 51, of Griswold, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to eight months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling money from federally subsidized housing complexes that she had managed.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gardner was employed by Garden Homes Management Corporation with responsibilities that included managing the Salem Village I and II housing complexes in Brooklyn, Connecticut, and the St. Mary’s housing complex in East Hartford. The housing complexes principally catered to elderly and disabled citizens receiving federal rental subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Between approximately 2009 and 2018, Gardner diverted rental payments and other tenant fees to a separate account she had set up for cable fees, and then diverted those payments to pay more than $400,000 in personal expenses. Gardner also overcharged tenants a total of more than $60,000 for cable expenses, which increased the amount of money available to be diverted. In addition, Gardner embezzled at least $70,000 in rental payments paid by St. Mary’s tenants.
Judge Bolden ordered Gardner to pay $501,656.17 in restitution.
Gardner pleaded guilty to the offense on June 3, 2021.
Gardner, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 3, 2022.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Former Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty yesterday to racketeering charges.
Luis Mendez, a/k/a “King Primo,” 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Feb. 2, 2022.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
Mendez admitted to participating in a May 2018 shooting that targeted two victims who objected to Latin Kings members dealing drugs in one of the victim’s driveway. According to court documents, as the victims exited their residence and entered a vehicle, Mendez and other Latin Kings members surrounded the vehicle, slashed the tires and kicked the doors of the vehicle. Another Latin Kings member fired at least four gunshots into the vehicle striking both victims. The victims escaped and were treated for life-threatening injuries at a nearby hospital. Communications between Mendez and other members of the New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter were later intercepted discussing how the victims had been successfully intimidated and coerced into not attending court proceedings or cooperating with the prosecution. In addition to the May 2018 shooting, Mendez also participated in the Latin Kings drug distribution conspiracy based in New Bedford in multi-family apartment buildings known as “trap houses.”
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Mendez is the 55th defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Lynchburg Attorney Sentenced on Wire Fraud, Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A former Lynchburg, Virginia attorney, who specialized in elder law and estate planning, was sentenced today to 24 months for wire fraud and making false statements.
Cherie Anne Washburn, 45, engaged in a scheme to defraud and obtain money or property by fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises from elderly victims. Evidence showed that Washburn used the ill-gotten monies to enrich herself, including purchasing real estate and making donations to charities that her boss owned in order to curry favor.
“This defendant took the trust a client places in their attorney to always act in their best interest and betrayed it,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “Many of the victims in this case were older members of our community, making Washburn’s fraud scheme more egregious. I am grateful to Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison and the FBI for their work on this case, and hopeful that the victims have some level of closure today.”
“Ms. Washburn gained the trust of her clients to commit her criminal activity. With this guilty plea, Ms. Washburn has finally accepted responsibility for her actions; and those who were manipulated and suffered losses because of her deceit will see justice served,” Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division said. “FBI Richmond appreciates the partnership of the Lynchburg City Police Department and the Western District of the United States Attorney’s Office during this investigation. If you suspect fraud, please report it to tips.fbi.gov or to your local FBI office.”
“Cherie Washburn’s calculated and predatory behavior was rightfully punished with a 24 month active sentence in a federal prison. Outcomes like this are the result of agencies working together to bring criminal activity like this to light. I am very appreciative for the resources dedicated to this prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI,” said Bethany Harrison, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Lynchburg.
In 2015 and 2016, a senior care management service company referred elderly clients to Washburn for the purpose of obtaining elder-related legal services. Washburn subsequently entered separate Power of Attorney (POA) agreements with each of her victims. Under the terms of these POAs, Washburn was entitled to reasonable compensation and reimbursement for reasonable expenses for services rendered but could not use the personal property of any client to benefit herself.
Despite these agreements and her ethical obligations, Washburn wrote multiple checks and made wire transfers from her victims’ accounts to herself for personal benefit. These checks and transfers ranged in value from $3,025 to $45,000. Additionally, in 2017, Washburn attempted to improperly make herself the beneficiary of two investment accounts held by one of her victims. At the time, these accounts had a combined approximate value of $288,000.
In April 2018, Washburn entered into an agreement to purchase a residence in Lynchburg for approximately $219,000 using monies belonging to another one of her victims and a mortgage lender. In order to complete the home purchase, Washburn submitted a letter to Quicken Loans falsely stating that Washburn was this elderly victim’s great-niece and that this victim provided Washburn with a gift of $40,000 for the purchase of the residence. The next day, Washburn deposited $45,000 from this victim’s SunTrust Account to Washburn’s Wells Fargo account.
In addition to surrendering her license to practice law, Washburn pleaded guilty in July 2021 to two counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a mortgage lender.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Baudinet and Daniel P. Bubar, as well as Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison, prosecuted the case.
Former Louisiana State Police Trooper Sentenced to 210 Months Imprisonment After Pleading Guilty to Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JASON BOYET, age 42, a resident of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, and a former trooper with the Louisiana State Police, was sentenced on November 3, 2021 to 210 months imprisonment by United States District Judge Sarah Vance. BOYET previously pleaded guilty to a one-count Bill of Information charging him with distribution of images depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including children as young as three (3) years old, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2252(a)(2). As part of his sentence, BOYET will also be obligated to serve a period of five (5) years of supervised release after his term of imprisonment, register as a sex offender, and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Judge Vance scheduled a restitution hearing for February 2, 2022.
According to court documents, in about February 2020, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation operating in an undercover capacity (Agent 1) in the State of Texas accessed a chat room within an instant messaging mobile application known to be a haven for purveyors of digital files depicting the sexual victimization of children. Agent 1 was introduced to an individual, subsequently determined to be BOYET, who distributed to him sexually suggestive and sexually explicit photographs of minors, including a prepubescent female (Victim 1), over whom BOYET claimed to have custody and control.
On February 12, 2020, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a federal search warrant at BOYET’s residence. Based on a voluntarily interview with BOYET and a review of digital evidence seized during the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement authorities confirmed that BOYET took sexually explicit images of Victim 1 at his residence using his Apple iPhone XR on at least three dates between December 19, 2019, and February 11, 2020, some of which he distributed to third parties as described above. Agents also confirmed that BOYET accessed a link to an online file storage account containing numerous videos depicting the sexual victimization of children and, further, received at least 151 images and 195 videos depicting children as young as approximately one (1) year old engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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 Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Correction Officer Charged with Using Excessive Force Against Inmate at Green Haven Correctional FacilityRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Anthony J. Annucci, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (“DOCCS”), announced today the unsealing of a federal indictment, charging former correction officer AARON FINN with violating the constitutional rights of an inmate in the custody of the DOCCS. FINN is alleged to have willfully used excessive force amounting to cruel and unusual punishment against a restrained inmate by striking and thrashing him, causing bodily injury to that inmate, in violation the inmate’s rights under the United States Constitution. FINN was arrested this morning, and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court this afternoon. This case been assigned to U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Correction officer Aaron Finn allegedly assaulted an inmate whom he was sworn not only to guard—but also to protect. The manner in which a country treats its incarcerated is indicative of its values, and today’s indictment underscores that incarceration should not result in undue loss of human dignity. Unfair and illegal abuses to those serving their debt to society cannot and will not be tolerated by this Office.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Those charged with maintaining a stable environment within the prison system are not exempt from facing charges themselves if their conduct crosses constitutional lines. Today we allege Finn did just that when he applied excessive force against an inmate. Allegations of this type will always be investigated and never be tolerated.”
DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci said: “The Department is overwhelmingly comprised of dedicated, professional staff who take their jobs seriously and carry out their duties in a professional manner, and those few who choose to violate their oath of office, are not welcome among our ranks. The message here is loud and clear: criminal behavior will not be tolerated and those who break the law will be held accountable and prosecuted. I am proud that the Department’s Office of Special Investigations was able to partner with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this arrest and the pursuit of justice.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in White Plains federal court:
Green Haven Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison located in the town of Stormville, New York, and is maintained by the DOCCS. At the time of the deprivation of the inmate’s constitutional rights, FINN was employed at Green Haven as a correction officer. On March 19, 2020, while working at Green Haven, FINN struck an inmate in DOCCS custody (“Inmate-1”) multiple times, and thrashed Inmate-1’s body and head while Inmate-1 was restrained.
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AARON FINN, 35, of Hyde Park, New York, is charged with one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI, and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Office of Special Investigations.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division and Civil Rights Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles S. Jacob and Lindsey Keenan are in charge of the prosecution.
The allegations in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Boston Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Overtime Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer pleaded guilty today in connection with an ongoing investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse.
Thomas Nee, 64, of Quincy, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 17, 2022. Nee was charged on Oct. 4, 2021.
From at least February 2015 through February 2018, Nee submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime hours that he did not work at the evidence warehouse. The “purge” overtime, was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. “Kiosk” overtime involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned.
For the “purge” shift, Nee claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he and, allegedly, other members of the unit, routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier. For the “kiosk” shift, Nee submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he and, allegedly, other members of the unit, only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts. As a result, between February 2015 and February 2018, Nee personally collected approximately $16,642 for overtime hours he did not work.
To date, 15 Boston Police officers have been charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse. Nee is the ninth officer to plead guilty.
From 2015 through 2019, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.
The charge of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, 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; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Five individuals charged in multi-million dollar money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A fifth individual has surrendered to authorities in relation to a multi-year, multi-million dollar money laundering conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Michael Dean Richards, 33, Frisco, is expected to appear for his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy at 10 a.m. today. Authorities arrested Branden Denver Richards, 29, and Douglas Paul Michael Davis, 27, both residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, last week. They are also set to appear this morning. Vinh Quang Phan, 56, and Diana Le Phan, 44, both of Houston, are scheduled to appear in federal court next week.
A federal grand jury returned an 11-count superseding indictment Oct. 6 charging all five with conspiring to launder monetary instruments and conspiring to engage in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. The Phans are additionally charged with six counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property, operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business and conspiracy to do so. Diana Le Phan has an additional charge of laundering monetary instruments.
According to the indictment, the Phans operated an unlicensed money transmitting business that transmitted funds received in the form of U.S. currency aka bulk cash. At least some of this money, including bulk cash received from Michael and Brandon Richards and Davis, allegedly constituted proceeds from the trafficking, distribution and sale of controlled substances.
During the course of the approximately 21-month conspiracy, the unlicensed money transmitting business received and transmitted more than $32 million, according to the charges.
After receiving the bulk cash, the indictment alleges the Phans either drove those funds across the country or introduced them into the banking system for transmission through bank accounts, virtual currency accounts and the purchase and transfer of virtual currency. To carry out the conspiracy, Vinh and Diana Phan allegedly used bank accounts and virtual currency accounts in their names, in the names of three businesses they registered with the state of Texas or in the names of co-conspirators. They did not register their money transmitting business with the Department of the Treasury, nor did the state of Texas license them to engage in money transmission, according to the charges.
All five face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and a maximum of 10 years for conspiring to engage in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. The Phans also face up to five years in prison if convicted of conspiring to operate or operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Financial Crimes Task Force. 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Richard W. Bennett are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Idaho Falls Man for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – A federal jury sitting in Pocatello convicted an Idaho Falls man of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and deported alien found in the United States.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 26, 2017, Jose Luis Cruz-Delgado, 29, of Idaho Falls, and a co-conspirator were stopped in San Bernardino, California, with 28 pounds of methamphetamine. Cruz-Delgado admitted the methamphetamine was his. He also admitted he was returning to Idaho Falls. He was later released on bond following his California arrest.
Cruz-Delgado subsequently continued trafficking methamphetamine to Idaho from California up until his arrest in Idaho in August 2018. One co-conspirator testified that he received and later distributed approximately 30 to 40 pounds of methamphetamine from Cruz-Delgado during the course of the conspiracy. When arrested in Idaho, Cruz-Delgado admitted to being previously deported from the United States.
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine are punishable by ten years to life in federal prison. The charge of deported alien found in the United States is punishable by up to twenty years in federal prison. The methamphetamine charges are also punishable by a fine of up to ten million dollars and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sentencing is set for February 15, 2022, before Senior U.S. District Judge Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., commended the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Idaho State Police, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department which led to charges. “This conviction is the result of tremendous cooperation and teamwork between all levels of law enforcement in Idaho and San Bernardino," said Gonzalez. "I'm incredibly proud of these dedicate attorneys and staff in our office and their partner federal agents and state detectives, who work tirelessly together to defeat the scourge of methamphetamine in Idaho."
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.
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Federal Jury Convicts Chicago Man of Sex Trafficking Several ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted a Chicago man on sex trafficking charges for recruiting several children to engage in sex acts for money.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted LENNIE PERRY, 47, on all seven counts of sex trafficking. The conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber did not immediately set a sentencing date. A status hearing was scheduled for Jan. 12, 2022, at 9:30 a.m.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The case was investigated by the FBI Chicago Child Exploitation Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Mulaney and Kelly Guzman.
According to evidence presented at the week-long trial, Perry trafficked seven minors under the age of 18. One of his victims was under 14 years old when Perry caused her to engage in a commercial sex act. Perry used websites such as Backpage and Facebook to advertise commercial sex acts and recruit the young victims to work for him. Perry also required that each of his victims have sex with him before he would traffic them to others.
Perry arranged for the victims to meet individuals for the commercial sex acts in hotels and the individuals’ homes in Illinois, Minnesota, and Mississippi. Six of Perry’s victims testified at trial about their ordeals.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 8 Additional Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute K2 Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Paris Wilson was sentenced to 8 months in prison for conspiring to distribute K2 controlled substances (Schedule I synthetic cannabinoids) while serving a federal prison sentence in 2017, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Wilson, age 29, formerly of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan directed that the prison sentence be served consecutively to the prison sentence Wilson was serving at the time of the crime. Judge Ranjan also directed that Wilson serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Wilson was incarcerated at the federal prison in Loretto, Pennsylvania, when he conspired to distribute K2 controlled substances (Schedule I synthetic cannabinoids). He was serving a prison sentence at that time for conspiring to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin, using a minor to commit drug crimes, and conspiring to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Theft of Mine EquipmentRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man, Stuart Dotson, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Stuart Dotson, 56, of Mount Hope, worked with others to steal many pieces of specialized mining equipment from a local mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
“My office takes the prosecution of mine theft cases very seriously,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “These crimes are devastating to both the victim companies and their employees. I applaud the investigation conducted by the FBI and the West Virginia State Police, and particularly commend First Lieutenant Anthony Perdue of the West Virginia State Police for his tireless work.”
Dotson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on February 2, 2022.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00182.
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El Paso Man Sentenced for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso man was sentenced on Tuesday to 41 months in prison for dealing firearms without a license.
According to court documents and testimony at trial, between December 2019 and August 2020, Jose Luis Garcia Jr., 34, purchased at least 49 firearms from Federal Firearm Licensees located in El Paso. Agents observed that Garcia, who was living in Mexico at the time, would often cross into the U.S. for just a few hours to purchase firearms and then return to Mexico. On August 8, 2020, Garcia was interviewed by federal agents and asked if he currently owned any of the 49 firearms he had purchased. Garcia responded he did not own any firearms at the time.
On August 11, 2021, a federal jury found Garcia guilty of one count of dealing firearms without a license.
“As this case readily demonstrates, our office will aggressively prosecute federal firearms violations, particularly when firearms are being placed in the hands of prohibited persons or trafficked to Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) prioritizes the safety of our community as well as security along the Southwest Border. The trafficking of illegal firearms and ammunition in the United States oftentimes results in weapons falling into the hands of Transnational Criminal Organizations in Mexico. This illicit activity fuels not only crime but aids in sparking violence on both sides of the border,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho, El Paso Division.
“Firearms trafficking is a top priority for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and we will continue to leverage both human resources and crime gun intelligence to tackle the issue. We know that violence does not stop at the border and by leveraging the partnerships that law enforcement has we can continue to address the dangerous and illicit activity of firearms trafficking,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II, Dallas Division.
HSI and ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory McDonald and Ellen Denum prosecuted the case.
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El Departamento de Justicia Llega a un Acuerdo Con una Agencia de Servicios de Embalaje de Transporte Que Resuelve una Denuncia de Discriminación Relacionada Con la InmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con Rehrig Pacific Company (Rehrig Pacific), con sede en California. El acuerdo resuelve acusaciones de que Rehrig Pacific había discriminado a un no ciudadano de los EE. UU. cuando, por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía, no le dio la oportunidad de presentar la documentación válida de su elección para demostrar su permiso para trabajar.
«Es ilegal para los empleadores restringir la documentación que sus trabajadores pueden presentar para demostrar su autorización para trabajar por motivos de su estatus migratorio o ciudadanía», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles. «El Departamento de Justicia seguirá protegiendo los derechos de trabajadores que se enfrenten a discriminación ilegal».
La investigación del Departamento comenzó después de que un no ciudadano de los EE. UU. presentó una demanda de discriminación. La investigación determinó que la compañía, a la hora de comprobar que él seguía contando con permiso para trabajar, le había indicado que presentase un nuevo documento del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional. La Ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) prohíbe que los empleadores restrinjan o especifiquen los tipos de documentación que se le permiten al trabajador presentar para demostrar que cuenta con permiso para trabajar, por motivos de la ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen de tal trabajador. Como resultado, incluso cuando un empleador tiene el requisito legal de comprobar el permiso continuo para trabajar de un trabajador, el empleador debe permitir al trabajador presentar la documentación válida que él mismo elija.
Conforme el acuerdo, Rehrig Pacific pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos y capacitará a sus empleadores responsables de la verificación del permiso para trabajar en los EE. UU. de los trabajadores. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que Rehrig Pacific se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Hay más información aquí sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar las prácticas documentales injustas. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
Para ver el texto original, ir a: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-transport-packaging-services-company-resolve-immigration-related
East Moline Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Rock Island, Ill. – A East Moline, Illinois, man, Douglas Christensen, 56, of the 800 block of 15th Avenue, was sentenced on November 3, 2021, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, in November 2020, Christensen arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old child to engage in oral sex. After traveling to a nearby location to meet with the intended victim, Christensen was arrested by federal agents and local law enforcement officers.
Christensen was subsequently charged in an indictment with one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of soliciting an obscene visual depiction of a minor. In July 2021, Christensen pleaded guilty to the attempted enticement of a minor count.
At Christensen’s sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow noted that the applicable penalties, including the statutory minimum of 10 years in prison, reflected the seriousness of the offense conduct. The judge further commented that she hoped Christensen’s sentence would have a deterrent effect on others and potentially save children from harm.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are at least 10 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated as part of an operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the East Moline Police Department, the Galesburg Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Mathew and Grant Thomas Hodges represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Dunbar Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Dunbar man was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison for a federal gun crime. David Wayne Watson, 37, previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to a call for shots fired near the Go-Mart in North Charleston in November 2019. Watson was outside an apartment building nearby. Officers made contact with him, and Watson agreed to let the officers inside the building to check the welfare of the residents. While walking up the stairs, an officer observed a firearm in Watson’s pocket. Watson admitted that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery and fleeing from police causing injury.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00141.
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Delaware County Woman Sentenced to 14 Years for Distributing Child Pornography OnlineRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Bryanna Miller, 23, of Upper Darby, PA, was sentenced to fourteen years in prison, ten years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Gene E. K. Pratter for distributing and possessing child pornography.
In January 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. These charges arose from Miller’s re-blogging and uploading child pornography to various Tumblr blogs from February 2016 to November 2018, and from Miller’s possession of child pornography on two laptop computers which the FBI seized from her bedroom in December 2018. In total, the FBI recovered more than 2,600 images and videos of horrific child pornography from the defendant’s blogs and laptop computers, most of which involved prepubescent girls and very young children, including dozens of infants and toddlers, and some involving sadism/masochism.
“The danger this defendant poses to the community cannot be understated, since she has openly admitted that she is sexually aroused by young children,” said Acting United States Attorney Williams. “By seeking out and sharing these horrific depictions, Miller only added to the demand for these types of images to be produced and more children to be victimized. Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding people like this defendant accountable, no matter their age, gender or status in the community.”
“Images of children being sexually abused aren’t just documenting a moment in time. They’re a window into the horrific ongoing reality for many of these kids,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “People who collect this material perpetuate the demand for it, which means more children will be exploited. That’s something the FBI simply won’t stand for. We will never stop working to protect the most vulnerable among us.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Grigsby.
Defendant Sentenced for Violence Against a Railroad CarrierRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - William Curry Brown, following a guilty plea entered on January 13, 2020, was sentenced in federal court today for terroristic attacks and violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation on land, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§1992(a)(5) and (a)(10) and 2.
United States District Court Judge Donetta W. Ambrose sentenced Mr. Brown, 28, of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, to three years’ probation with standard and additional conditions.
In connection with the earlier entered guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about November 1, 2017, Brown knowingly and without lawful authority or permission did and did attempt to remove an appurtenance from, damage or otherwise impair the operation of a railroad signal system. Specifically, at one railroad location near Braddock, William Brown detached four railroad signal antennas by unscrewing them. Additionally, Brown used a pair of bolt cutters and cut the railroad signal cables which were housed in a signal bungalow, which caused a complete signal failure. At another location near McKeesport, Brown used the same bolt cutters to sever multiple bond strand signal wires that were attached to tracks along the rail line. The damage Brown caused to the rail lines resulted in significant financial loss. Further, the railroad system that was damaged was engaged in mass transportation, and carries both passenger and freight cars. The court was advised that the offense involved recklessly endangering the safety of this mass transportation facility.
As part of the defendant’s sentence, Judge Ambrose also ordered that the defendant pay restitution in the amount of $1,425.95 to CSX Transportation.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Cook is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CSX Transportation Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Current and Former Metropolitan Correctional Center Employees and Inmates Indicted for Bribery, Contraband Smuggling, Narcotics Distribution, and Obstruction of Justice OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General New York Field Office (“DOJ-OIG”), and Frank Russo, Director of Field Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New York (“CBP”), announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging three current or former Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) employees, as well as eight former inmates of the Metropolitan Correctional Center (“MCC”), of conspiring to smuggle contraband such as drugs, alcohol, and cellphones to inmates at the MCC. Two of the BOP employees were also charged with obstructing justice. Four of the defendants were arrested today and will be presented before Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave later today. The additional defendants are already in federal custody and will be presented in this District at a later date. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, MCC corrections officers Perry Joyner and Mario Feliciano, and MCC unit secretary Sharon Griffith-McKnight, undermined the institution they swore to serve by conspiring with the very inmates they are charged to protect by smuggling contraband into the MCC and, in the case of Joyner and Griffith-McKnight, by obstructing the pursuit of justice. This Office is committed to rooting out corruption in our jails and prisons.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Federal law enforcement officers take an oath to defend the laws of the United States and protect its citizens. We allege the guards we've arrested today acted like nothing more than the criminals in their charge and assisted incarcerated offenders in committing more crimes. Our FBI/NYPD Joint Violent Crimes Task Force is working with our partners to root out the corruption we've uncovered; they will find everyone who should be held accountable for their blatant disregard for the law.”
DOJ-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Ryan T. Geach said: “The defendants allegedly engaged in an extensive scheme to introduce dangerous contraband into MCC New York, threatening the safety and security of the institution, inmates, staff, and the public.”
CBP Director of Field Operations Frank Russo said: “As public servants, we are naturally held to a higher standard of conduct and subject to the same laws and rules that apply to private citizens. CBP will fully assist the Department of Justice in any and all investigations involving alleged unlawful conduct by our personnel, including cases that involve conduct which occurred prior to employment with CBP.”
According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today:
The defendants participated in an extensive scheme involving bribery and smuggling of contraband, and the distribution of contraband within the MCC. The defendants include two current employees of the BOP, PERRY JOYNER and SHARON GRIFFITH-MCKNIGHT, and one former employee of the BOP, MARIO FELICIANO, as well as eight former MCC inmates: DONNELL MURRAY, a/k/a “Don P,” MARKEEN JORDAN, a/k/a “Kingo,” ANTHONY ELLISON, a/k/a “Harv,” TYRELL SUMPTER, a/k/a “Rell,” KEVIN CROSBY, a/k/a “Sama,” DAVID VALERIO, a/k/a “Santana,” a/k/a “Bando,” VIRGILIO ACEVEDO DE LOS SANTOS, a/k/a “Jairo Taveras,” a/k/a “Junior,” and STARLIN NUNEZ, a/k/a “Chino,” a/k/a “Junior.”
The contraband that JOYNER, FELICIANO, and GRIFFITH-MCKNIGHT smuggled into the MCC included controlled substances, cellphones, alcohol, and cigarettes. For their efforts, JOYNER and FELICIANO agreed to receive, and did receive, bribes from the inmate-defendants.
During the course of the scheme, in an effort to obtain a lesser sentence for ELLISON, GRIFFITH-MCKNIGHT submitted a letter to the District Judge responsible for sentencing inmate and co-defendant ELLISON that falsely described ELLISON as a “model inmate” even though at the time GRIFFITH-MCKNIGHT was smuggling contraband to ELLISON and therefore knew he was anything but a “model inmate.” Relying on this letter from GRIFFITH-MCKNIGHT, the District Judge who presided over ELLISON’s sentencing remarked that ELLISON’s purported good behavior in prison was “impressive” and that “[u]nless this is some sort of Grisham novel, and people are all corrupt and making all of this up about [ELLISON], it seems to me that it’s unavoidable that [ELLISON’s] trajectory at the MCC contains a lot of good.”
JOYNER obstructed justice by intimidating and threatening an inmate—an inmate that JOYNER was charged with protecting—whom JOYNER believed was providing the Government with information about JOYNER’s participation in the charged scheme.
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A chart containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge assigned to each case.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI, DOJ OIG, Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and CBP.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption and Narcotics Units. Assistant United States Attorneys Aline R. Flodr, Jonathan E. Rebold, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
21-313 ###
Count
Defendant(s)
Max. Term of Imprisonment
Count One:
Perry Joyner (age 30)
Sharon Griffith-McKnight (age 35)
Mario Feliciano (age 30)
Donnell Murray (age 42)
Markeen Jordan (age 28)
Anthony Ellison (age 34)
Tyrell Sumpter (age 27)
Kevin Crosby (age 25)
David Valerio (age 34)
Virgilio Acevedo de Los Santos (age 44)
Starlin Nunez (age 45)
5 years
Count Two: Honest Services Wire Fraud Conspiracy
(18 U.S.C. § 1349)
Perry Joyner
Mario Feliciano
Donnell Murray
Markeen Jordan
Anthony Ellison
Tyrell Sumpter
Kevin Crosby
David Valerio
Virgilio Acevedo de Los Santos
Starlin Nunez
20 years
Count Three: Narcotics Conspiracy
(21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), 841(b)(1)(E), and 841(b)(2))
Perry Joyner
Donnell Murray
Markeen Jordan
Anthony Ellison
Tyrell Sumpter
Kevin Crosby
David Valerio
Virgilio Acevedo de Los Santos
Starlin Nunez
20 years
Count Four: Obstruction of Justice
(18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(b)(3))
Perry Joyner
20 years
Count Five: Obstruction of Justice (18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(a)(2)(C) and 2)
Sharon Griffith-McKnight
20 years
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Colombian from Houston Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced EDER QUINONES, age 36, a Colombian citizen who was living in Houston, Texas, on November 3, 2021 to 75 months in the Bureau of Prisons for violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the court records, QUINONES conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute a kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. QUINONES admitted to being the source of supply for a high-level drug trafficker who was moving kilogram quantities of heroin from Houston to New Orleans and serving as a high-level supplier for New Orleans. QUINONES acknowledged being captured on recorded calls as part of a lengthy Title III wire intercept and being arrested by the FBI in possession of a kilogram he was attempting to deliver to a New Orleans dealer. QUINONES admitted that he trafficked between 10 and 30 kilograms of heroin as part of the conspiracy.
United States District Judge Vance sentenced QUINONES to 75 months in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by three years of supervised release. QUINONES was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
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Cleveland Man Sentenced for Laundering Drug Trafficking Proceeds by Purchasing and Leasing VehiclesRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Kenneth Slaughter, 43, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 3, 2021, by Judge Solomon Oliver to 26 months in prison and a $5,000 fine after Slaughter pleaded guilty in July of 2021 to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
According to court documents, from April of 2015 to March of 2019, Slaughter purchased or leased several high-end motor vehicles for known drug traffickers in return for cash payments made directly from drug trafficking proceeds. To conduct the scheme, Slaughter provided false information to car dealerships and on credit applications to obtain financing to purchase the vehicles. Slaughter then registered the vehicles in his name, his girlfriend’s name and in the name of his businesses to conceal that the traffickers, who ultimately took possession and control of the vehicles, were the true owners.
Slaughter made payments on the vehicles using drug trafficking proceeds funneled through his business bank accounts. Some of the vehicles Slaughter purchased include a Mercedes Benz GLC 300 C4, Infiniti QX80, Jaguar F-PACE, Land Rover Range Rover and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat.
These vehicles were later used to conduct drug trafficking activities in the Cleveland area.
In total, Slaughter laundered between $95,000 and $150,000 of drug trafficking proceeds through the scheme.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Cartel Gang Narcotics and Money Laundering Task Force, IRS Criminal Investigation and Westlake Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney.
Cedar Rapids Man Charged with Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Clyde Bell, age 40, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The charge is contained in an Indictment unsealed on October 29, 2021, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in October 2020, Bell possessed a pistol while being a prohibited person. The Indictment alleges that Bell previously was convicted of two felonies, that he previously was convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and that he was an unlawful user of marijuana, cocaine, and MDMA.
If convicted, Bell faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Bell appeared for a detention hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was released on bond. Bell’s next appearance for trial is set for January 3, 2022.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 21-46.
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Augusta woman admits to participation in child sex trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: An Augusta woman has admitted participating in a child sex trafficking conspiracy in which her former husband awaits trial.
Amanda Gunn, 34, a/k/a “Amanda Howard,” of Augusta, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Sex Trafficking Conspiracy, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Gunn to a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. The plea agreement comes just after a pre-trial conference.
“As this disturbing case continues to move forward, we continue to be determined to find justice for the victim and hold accountable those guilty of this horrific exploitation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “This plea is an unmistakable message that our law enforcement partners established a significant and undeniable body of evidence establishing Amanda Gunn/Howard’s culpability.”
“By pleading guilty, Amanda Gunn/Howard admits that she was involved in one of the most heinous crimes that we investigate as a law enforcement agency, and for that she will be punished,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI has zero tolerance for the sex trafficking of children and will continue to work tirelessly to protect children and to prosecute those involved in exploiting them.”
Still awaiting trial is Gunn’s former husband, Michael Gunn, 36, of Evans, who originally was indicted in March 2020 by a U.S. District Court Grand Jury charging him with four counts of Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. A superseding indictment earlier this year added charges of Sex Trafficking Conspiracy; Sex Trafficking of a Child; Coercion and Enticement of a Child to Engage in Sexual Activity; and Obstruction of a Child Sex Trafficking Investigation. Michael Gunn is scheduled for a jury trial Nov. 15 before U.S. District Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, and is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
As described in court documents and testimony, an FBI investigation in Texas led agents to Michael Gunn at his Evans home as a source of child pornography, resulting in the discovery of multiple images and videos of child exploitation on electronic devices in his possession.
In a related case, Jonathan Eugene Grantham, 45, of Graniteville, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity. FBI agents initiated the investigation of Grantham, a former Aiken County high school teacher, with information derived from the Gunn investigation. Agents determined that Grantham, in July 2019, traveled from South Carolina to Columbia County to engage in sexual activity with a victim who was under age 18. In his plea agreement, Grantham acknowledged contacting the victim through the Internet to coerce the victim “to engage in sexual activity for which the defendant could be charged with a criminal offense, that is, child molestation.”
The continuing investigation is being conducted by the FBI and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Asheville Woman Is Sentenced to 14 Years for Trafficking in NarcoticsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer announced today that Krissy Marie Biddix, 43, of Asheville, was sentenced to 14 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for trafficking in narcotics.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on January 7, 2020, at approximately 8:50 p.m., an officer with the Weaverville Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Biddix’s vehicle for driving with an expired license plate. Over the course of the traffic stop, the officer determined that Biddix had three outstanding state warrants for probation violations and failure to appear in court. Court records show that Biddix was taken into custody and during a subsequent search of the Biddix’s vehicle law enforcement seized trafficking quantities of several types of controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, as well as hydrocodone, Xanax and marijuana. Law enforcement also seized six doses of Narcan, which is used to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, a loaded firearm, and more than $4,300 in cash.
On January 22, 2021, Biddix pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. She is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Asheville Post of Duty, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Weaverville Police Department, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
Armed Brunswick County Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Supply, North Carolina man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and a quantity of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack) and aiding and abetting; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Shawn Deontae Hewett, 37, was named in an Indictment filed on October 8, 2020. On August 2, 2021, Hewett entered a plea of guilty.
In May 2019, agents learned that the defendant was selling large amounts of cocaine base (crack) from his residence in Supply, North Carolina.
On July 24, 2019, agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and seized cocaine, MDMA pills, currency, a 9mm firearm loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition, and a .38 caliber revolver. Hewett admitted he had been distributing cocaine base since approximately 2015.
On November 5, 2020, agents returned to the residence to arrest Hewett on federal warrants. In the residence, agents seized marijuana and cocaine base. In a baby bassinette, agents seized 4.5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 10 MDMA tablets, and a plastic bag that contained 0.8 grams of methamphetamine.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the case.
Valuable assistance was also provided by the District Attorney’s office for Brunswick, Columbus, and Bladen counties.
Operation Hell Swamp is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is also part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For additional information about this initiative, click here https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 7:20-CR-00162-D-1.