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4 November 2021
Architecture Firm Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Payroll Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A West Virginia woman pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay over to the IRS employment taxes withheld from employees’ wages.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Diann Clark was an office manager and bookkeeper at Alpha Associates, an architectural firm in Morgantown 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 payroll taxes from its employees’ paychecks, Clark did not pay over these taxes to the IRS. As a result, Clark caused a total tax loss of $1,986,410.
Clark is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. She faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II of the Northern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon of the Northern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Alexandria Man Convicted of Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Alexandria man yesterday on charges of conspiracy, possession, and distribution of fentanyl and Eutylone, and being a felon in possession of a firearm during drug trafficking.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from in or around June 2020, through at least December 2020, Kibruysday Degefa, 29, conspired with others to distribute counterfeit, pressed pills containing fentanyl, as well as Eutylone, which is a designer drug similar in character to MDMA. Pills distributed by the conspiracy twice on December 20, 2020, contributed to the mixed drug overdose death of a 20-year-old female in Arlington, whose blood was later determined to contain fentanyl. A search warrant on the hotel room where Degefa was staying at the time revealed additional narcotics for distribution, including Eutylone, along with multiple firearms concealed in the bathroom ceiling tiles. Degefa was previously convicted of robbery in Alexandria in 2015.
Degefa faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when sentenced on February 18, 2022. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Andy Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the verdict.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Roberts and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Trump, Ryan Bredemeier, and Michael P. Ben’Ary are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-104.
Acting U.S. Attorney Chase Announces the Arrest of Three Beulah, ND, Men for Committing Financial Crimes While Employed at North Dakota BanksRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – Acting United States Attorney Nick Chase announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Brady Daniel Torgerson, age 34; Brent D. Torgerson, age 60; and Kelly M. Huffman, age 32, all three from Beulah, ND, for engaging in financial crimes while employed at North Dakota financial institutions located in Beulah and Glen Ullin, North Dakota. As cited in the Indictment, Brady Torgerson is charged with committing bank fraud, misapplication of bank funds, making false entries in bank records, and committing aggravated identity theft, while employed at two separate North Dakota financial institutions. Additionally, Brent Torgerson and Kelly Huffman are each charged with one count of misapplication of bank funds while employed at North Dakota financial institutions.
The Indictment unsealed today alleges that Brady Torgerson, while employed at two separate North Dakota financial institutions, engaged in a scheme to defraud both financial intuitions by issuing bank funds to individuals not entitled to these funds, failing to register banking transactions, creating fraudulent loan obligations, and taking actions to conceal his activities. The Indictment further alleges that Brent Torgerson, the father of Brady Torgerson, while employed at a North Dakota financial institution, misapplied bank funds by issuing a $724,558.48 cashier’s check to his son, Brady Torgerson,
without obtaining promissory notes and other necessary financial paperwork. Moreover, the Indictment alleges, Kelly Huffman, while employed at a North Dakota financial institution, misapplied bank funds by unlawfully issuing a $125,648.64 check advance to a separate North Dakota financial institution at Brady Torgerson’s request.
Brady Daniel Torgerson, Brent D. Torgerson, and Kelly M. Huffman have entered not guilty pleas to the matters alleged in the Indictment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Clare R. Hochhalter released all three defendants pending trial, which is scheduled to occur on December 7, 2021, before United States District Judge Daniel M. Traynor
An indictment is an accusation and notice of charges. The defendants are presumed innocent under the law unless and until proven guilty. Anyone with additional information in this case is encouraged to contact the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General through its tip line at 1-800-964-FDIC, Reference Number 58523 or the FDIC-OIG Hotline Portal at www.fdicoig.gov/oig-hotline.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General; the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General; and the Federal Reserve Board – Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek.
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3 November 2021
Woman Arrested at Chicago O’Hare Airport for Conspiring to Kill Her Mother and Placing Body in SuitcaseRead the Press Release
An Illinois woman was arrested today when she arrived at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, for allegedly murdering her mother on Aug. 12, 2014, while on vacation in Bali, Indonesia.
Heather Mack, 26, is alleged to have conspired with her boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, 28, to kill her mother, Sheila Von Weise, while Mack and Von Weise were on vacation in Bali. According to court documents, Mack and Schaefer discussed how and when to kill Von Weise, arranged for Schaefer to travel to Bali, committed the murder, and then placed Von Weise’s body inside a suitcase which they loaded into the trunk of a taxi.
Before the murder, Schaefer received advice from his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, about how to kill Von Weise. Bibbs pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Illinois in December 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national. Court documents reveal that Mack also asked Bibbs if he knew anyone who would kill her mother in exchange for money.
Mack and Schaefer were prosecuted and convicted in Indonesia in 2015 for Von Weise’s murder. Mack was sentenced to 10 years’ and Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment. Mack was released on Oct. 29, and deported to the United States. Schaefer remains incarcerated by Indonesian authorities.
Mack and Schaefer were indicted in the Northern District of Illinois with one count of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national, and one count of obstruction. Mack will make her initial court appearance today. If convicted, she faces a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment for counts one and two, and 20 years’ imprisonment for count three as well as a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie Jr. of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Kinney for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wise County Woman Sentenced for Failing to Disclose Information Regarding Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Norton, Virginia woman was sentenced today to 3 months in prison for failing to disclose information that would have affected her right to continue receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits.
According to court documents, Robin Annette Fultz, 50, received SSI disability benefits for which she was ineligible from July 1, 2009 through November 1, 2019. During this time, Fultz was married to Timothy Fultz, who had full-time employment. Following a brief separation that caused a temporary move to South Carolina in 2008, Robin and Timothy Fultz reconciled in July 2009 and lived together in Wise County from 2009-2019.
Despite this reconciliation, Robin Fultz knowingly and falsely stated on forms that she and her husband had been separated since 2006, that they had not lived together since that time, and that she lived alone while paying rent to a landlord in South Carolina.
In all, Robin Fultz received $85,867 in SSI disability benefits for which she was not eligible.
Fultz pleaded guilty in August 2021 to having knowledge of an event affecting her initial or continued right to receive any Supplemental Security Income as well as concealing or failing to disclose such an event with the intent to fraudulently secure such benefit.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Office of the Inspector General – Social Security Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Washington, DC Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a Gun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Washington, D.C., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Kela Stevenson, age 37, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on July 7, 2021, Stevenson, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm and ammunition in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Cook is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Whitaker Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Vandalia Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Bradley L. Matthews, 39, of Vandalia, Illinois, entered a plea of guilty to distribution of child pornography on November 2, 2021, in federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois.
According to court documents, Matthews came to the attention of law enforcement in February 2019 during an FBI undercover internet investigation of child pornography. During the investigation, an undercover officer engaged in a conversation with Matthews during which he sent the undercover officer three videos depicting child pornography.
In an interview with law enforcement on September 5, 2019, Matthews admitted distributing child pornography. When shown the printout of the conversation with the undercover officer that took place on February 5, 2019, Matthews identified himself as the person in the profile picture and admitted that he was the person who had engaged in the conversation with the undercover officer and distributed the child pornography videos.
Matthews faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years but not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 and the possibility of a lifetime term of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 24, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. in East St. Louis.
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.”The case was investigated by FBI Springfield Division. Assistant United States Attorney Angela
Scott is prosecuting the case.
Uintah County Man to Serve 84 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Narcotics Causing Fatal Overdose and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY- Larry Gardner, 35, of Fort Duchesne, was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison, in addition to the 19 months in custody which Gardner has already served, after being convicted of distributing heroin and methamphetamine which resulted in the fatal overdose of an Uintah County woman and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
In the plea agreement, Gardner admitted that on February 3, 2019, in Uintah County, that his girlfriend overdosed and died after ingesting a fatal combination of heroin and methamphetamine which Gardner had supplied for her days earlier, at her request. Gardner also admitted that on the same day, he possessed a .22 caliber revolver and associated ammunition, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime that was a felony.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is focused on pursuing federal criminal charges against individuals who distribute illegal narcotics that result in fatal overdoses,” said Acting United States Attorney Andrea T. Martinez. “We hope that today’s sentence is a reminder to the community and narcotics dealers alike that distributing dangerous and illegal narcotics is not a victimless crime.”
“This case highlights the tragic consequences of the meth and opioid epidemic that is far-reaching in our country and here in Utah,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing our part to curb this crisis. When someone dies as a result of your actions, and if you illegally possess firearms, you will be held accountable.”
Assistant United States Attorneys from the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case against Gardner. Special Agents from the FBI and Deputies from the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
U.S. Attorney Announces Indictment Charging U.K. Citizen with Conspiracy to Commit Computer Intrusions and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JOSEPH JAMES O’CONNOR, a/k/a “PlugwalkJoe,” with conspiracy to commit computer hacking and other crimes in connection with a SIM swapping scheme that resulted in the theft of approximately $784,000 worth of cryptocurrency. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. O’CONNOR was previously arrested in Spain on other U.S. federal charges. The Government is also pursuing O’CONNOR’s extradition from Spain on the charges in this case.
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed yesterday[1]:
During a cyber intrusion known as a SIM swap attack, cyber threat actors gain control of a victim’s mobile phone number by linking that number to a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) card controlled by the threat actors, resulting in the victim’s calls and messages being routed to a malicious unauthorized device controlled by the threat actors. The threat actors then typically use control of the victim’s mobile phone number to obtain unauthorized access to accounts held by the victim that are registered to the mobile phone number.
Between approximately March 2019 and May 2019, JOSEPH JAMES O’CONNOR, a/k/a “PlugwalkJoe,” the defendant, and his co-conspirators perpetrated a scheme to use SIM swaps to conduct cyber intrusions in order to steal approximately $784,000 worth of cryptocurrency from a Manhattan-based cryptocurrency company (“Company-1”), which, at all relevant times, provided wallet infrastructure and related software to cryptocurrency exchanges around the world.
As part of the scheme, O’CONNOR and his co-conspirators successfully perpetrated SIM swap attacks targeting at least three Company-1 executives. Following a successful SIM swap attack targeting one of the executives on or about April 30, 2019, O’CONNOR and his co-conspirators successfully gained unauthorized access to multiple Company-1 accounts and computer systems. On or about May 1, 2019, through their unauthorized access, O’CONNOR and his co-conspirators stole and fraudulently diverted cryptocurrency of various types (the “Stolen Cryptocurrency”) from cryptocurrency wallets maintained by Company-1 on behalf of two of its clients. The Stolen Cryptocurrency was worth at least approximately $784,000 at the time of the theft and included approximately 770.784869 Bitcoin cash, approximately 6,363.490509 Litecoin, approximately 407.396074 Ethereum, and approximately 7.456728 Bitcoin.
After stealing and fraudulently diverting the Stolen Cryptocurrency, O’CONNOR and his co-conspirators laundered it through dozens of transfers and transactions and exchanged some of it for Bitcoin using cryptocurrency exchange services. Ultimately, a portion of the Stolen Cryptocurrency was deposited into a cryptocurrency exchange account controlled by O’CONNOR.
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O’CONNOR, 22, of the United Kingdom, is charged with conspiracy to commit computer hacking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term imposed on the other charges; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences set forth above are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs for its assistance in this matter.
This prosecution is being handled by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olga I. Zverovich is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two New Jersey, One New York Securities Claims Aggregators Arrested and Charged with $40M FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Joseph Cammarata, 47, of Monmouth Beach, NJ; Erik Cohen, 40, of Manalapan, NJ; and David Punturieri, 41, of Staten Island, NY; were arrested and charged by Indictment on charges of conspiracy to commit multiple counts of fraud in connection with a securities fraud claims scheme.
The Indictment alleges that the three defendants were the principals of Alpha Plus Recovery, a claims aggregator firm based in Old Bridge, New Jersey. The Indictment further alleges that the defendants used Alpha Plus Recovery to make false and fraudulent claims, including claims made in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to the proceeds of securities fraud class action and SEC enforcement action settlements. The defendants falsely claimed that corporate clients of Alpha Plus Recovery had purchased shares of securities that were the subject of the lawsuits and enforcement actions. In reality, the clients, which were entities actually controlled by the defendants, had not purchased the subject securities. To substantiate the false claims, the defendants created fraudulent brokerage and other financial documents to provide to claims administrators. The defendants then allegedly transferred the fraudulently obtained funds into accounts they controlled. The Indictment alleges that between 2014 and 2021, the defendants received approximately $40 million from these false claims.
“As alleged, these defendants manipulated complicated financial transactions for years in order to steal roughly $40 million,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Cammarata, Cohen and Punturieri committed fraud on top of fraud, filing claims on behalf of clients that didn’t actually exist and doctoring false financial documents to support those fraudulent claims. Their alleged scheme has now been uncovered and they will have to answer for their conduct.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Ignall and Paul G. Shapiro.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Troy Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sherrod Johnson, aka “Rod,” age 28, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to possessing heroin with intent to distribute it on two separate occasions in 2019 and 2020, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in 2020.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
In pleading guilty, Johnson admitted to possessing and intending to distribute heroin mixed with fentanyl discovered in his apartment on Seventh Avenue in Troy in March 2019. Over a year later, on April 1, 2020, law enforcement observed Johnson flash a handgun on Facebook Live and the following morning attempted to stop Johnson in the Corliss Park area of Troy. Johnson fled, and as he was pursued by police, placed a loaded .40 caliber handgun in a grill. Johnson was ultimately captured and in searching his Corliss Park apartment, law enforcement discovered 18 bundles of heroin and four digital scales. Johnson, who possessed over $5,600 in cash at the time of his arrest, admitted to possessing and intending to distribute the 18 bundles of heroin and to possessing the handgun to protect his heroin and drug proceeds.
At sentencing, Johnson faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison, a term of post-release supervision of between 3 years and life, and a fine of up to $1.25 million.
The case was investigated by the ATF, DEA, and the Troy Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
Traverse City Physical Therapy and Home Health Practices Resolve Civil Liability for Alleged Healthcare Fraud Against the United StatesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – Traverse City-based Defendants Great Lakes Therapy Housecalls, P.C., Great Lakes Home Healthcare Specialists, LLC, and their owner, James A. Harvey, have agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Program.
This settlement resolves allegations set forth in a complaint filed earlier this year by the United States in the U.S. District for the Western District of Michigan. The United States brought this case, captioned United States v. Harvey, et al., No. 1:21-cv-442, under the False Claims Act, which entitles the government to collect up to treble the amount of damages caused by a defendant, as well as civil penalties for each violation.
In the complaint, the United States alleged that the Defendants submitted hundreds of false claims to the government by knowingly billing Medicare for additional units of physical and occupational therapy services that they never provided. Additionally, the United States alleged that the Defendants falsely submitted claims for physical therapy services under the name of an employee while she was on maternity leave, knowingly hired an unqualified person as a medical social worker and billed Medicare for episodes of care provided to homebound Medicare beneficiaries that included this individual’s services, and altered the dates of physician signatures on certifications of beneficiary eligibility for home health services.
In September 2021, the United States also reached a civil settlement with Daniel R. McGoran, the former office manager at Great Lakes Therapy Housecalls, for his role in the fraud scheme involving billing additional units of physical and occupational therapy. Mr. McGoran agreed to pay the United States $75,071.
“Lying to the government when seeking Medicare reimbursement and falsifying patient records cheats taxpayers everywhere who support the Medicare Program,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge. “My office will come after false billing like that not only for the civil penalties but also for the treble damages as well to deter future cheating.”
“When medical providers increase profits by submitting false claims to Medicare, they unjustly enrich themselves and undermine the public’s trust in the medical profession,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”). “We will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of Medicare and the beneficiaries served by such federal health care programs.”
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, HHS-OIG, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Hull and Ryan D. Cobb represented the United States.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Tigard Man Indicted for Insurance Fraud Scheme and Obtaining Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for Time in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned a two-count indictment charging a Tigard man with perpetrating separate insurance and COVID-relief fraud schemes while on federal supervised release.
Johnell Lee Cleveland aka “Bankroll Johnny”, 40, a resident of Tigard, has been charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
Cleveland’s co-conspirator, Tanya Renee Morrow, 33, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is also named in the indictment for her role in the insurance fraud scheme.
According to the indictment, in 2018, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation of Cleveland, a suspected distributor of counterfeit oxycodone pills in the Portland Metropolitan Area. On March 7, 2018, federal agents arrested Cleveland and seized hundreds of oxycodone pills containing fentanyl; a ballistic vest; seven firearms, including a machine gun; more than $180,000 in cash and more than $100,000 in jewelry from his Portland residence.
On April 2, 2019, Cleveland pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cyclopropyl fentanyl, possessing an unregistered firearm, and money laundering and, on July 11, 2019, he was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. At Cleveland’s sentencing, a federal judge signed a forfeiture order, forfeiting items previously seized from Cleveland, including multiple pieces of jewelry.
In the summer of 2020, Cleveland sought and obtained a compassionate early release from prison based on the health risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and was released on August 4, 2020. Later the same month, Cleveland and Morrow submitted a personal articles insurance policy application to State Farm Insurance for nine pieces of jewelry previously seized by law enforcement. On October 9, 2020, State Farm issued Cleveland and Morrow a policy valued at more than $100,000 without a physical examination of the insured jewelry.
On February 8, 2021, Morrow submitted a burglary report to the Las Vegas Police Department claiming that her Mercedes-Benz C300 sedan and items from her Las Vegas residence had been stolen, including the nine pieces of insured jewelry. Two weeks later, Cleveland emailed State Farm a notarized statement of loss signed by both him and Morrow. Over the next several months, Cleveland and Morrow submitted additional documents and made affirmative statements to State Farm in support of their loss claim.
Beginning in October 2020, while the insurance fraud scheme involving Morrow was ongoing, Cleveland devised a separate scheme to fraudulently obtain Covid-relief funds authorized under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) act. The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provided unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation. PUA claims in Oregon are received and processed by the State of Oregon’s Employment Department.
On October 14, 2020, Cleveland applied for PUA benefits beginning on April 11, 2020 and continuing through September 12, 2020, claiming he was unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In reality, Cleveland was unemployed due to having been incarcerated during the period of time for which he was seeking employment benefits. Despite these false claims, Cleveland’s application was approved and, between October 2020 and August 2021, he received thousands of dollars in PUA payments.
Cleveland was arrested today and made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a 4-day jury trial scheduled to begin on January 4, 2021.
If convicted, Cleveland faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, 5 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
Morrow was also arrested today and will make her first appearance in federal court on November 4, 2021 in Las Vegas.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI, with assistance from the Portland Police Bureau and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Sax is prosecuting the case.
Cleveland and Morrow’s insurance fraud scheme was first discovered by a State Farm insurance claim specialist who alerted federal authorities for further investigation.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Three Men Sentenced to Prison for their Roles in a Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Three men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a methamphetamine distribution ring in greater Minnesota.
According to court documents, From May 2020 through September 2020, Aaron Michael Stenquist, 50, of Isanti, Gerald Allen Jensen, 58, of Brook Park, and Juan Jose Paniagua, 25, of West Covina, California, and others conspired together to sell methamphetamine in the Twin Cities as well as Pine and Kanabec Counties.
Over the summer of 2020, members of the East Central Drug and Violent Offenders Task Force (ECDVOTF) began developing information that Jensen was selling large amounts of methamphetamine out of his Brook Park residence. On July 29, 2020, Stenquist was stopped by a Minnesota State Trooper near East Bethel. During a subsequent search of Stenquist’s vehicle, the Trooper found approximately 355 grams of methamphetamine, which he had purchased from Jensen. On September 16, 2020, ECDVOTF agents searched Jensen’s home and seized approximately 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside PVC pipes. On September 18, 2020, Paniagua along with alleged co-conspirator Miguel Eduardo Del Real, 26, arranged for a methamphetamine delivery from the Twin Cities to Jensen at the Grand Casino in Hinkley. The attempted delivery was brought by co-defendant Ivan Lopez, 26, and was intercepted by ECDVOTF agents. The agents arrested Lopez at the scene. Paniagua and Del Real fled the scene. After a 90-minute manhunt involving police canine and thermal imaging, law enforcement found Paniagua and arrested him. Agents separately recovered approximately seven kilograms of methamphetamine in vacuum sealed bags from within the trunk of Lopez’s vehicle.
Defendants Lopez, Stenquist, Jensen, and Paniagua each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Stenquist was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison, Jensen was sentenced on July 14, 2021, to 112 months in prison, and Paniagua was sentenced on October 8, 2021, to 80 months in prison. Lopez is awaiting sentencing. On November 2, 2021, alleged co-conspirator Del Real was arrested in San Diego, California, pursuant to a federal warrant.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendants.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the East Central Drug and Violent Offender Task Force, the Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office, the Pine County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter.
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Three Defendants Sentenced in the Western District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the resolution of three cases today in the Western District of Louisiana. The cases sentenced today are as follows:
Allen Jackson, 32, of Pineville, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 72 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on drug charges.
Jackson pleaded guilty on August 4, 2021 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charge was the result of an investigation by law enforcement agents in connection with a package that was delivered to a house in Jonesville, Louisiana on August 21, 2020. The package contained approximately 1,490 grams of methamphetamine and was delivered to the house of one of Jackson’s relatives. Law enforcement officers learned during their investigation that Jackson conspired with others to have the package of methamphetamine delivered to his relative’s address. He provided the address of the relative’s house to his co-conspirators with the understanding that he would be compensated in cash and/or methamphetamine in exchange for providing the delivery address.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Nickel prosecuted the case.
Jose Luis Sosa-Almontes, 47, an immigrant illegally in the United States, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 210 months (17 years, 6 months) in prison, on drug trafficking charges. Sosa-Almontes is subject to deportation after serving his sentence.
On January 21, 2020, law enforcement agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Monroe, Louisiana were contacted by DEA in Houston, Texas in reference to methamphetamine being transported from Houston to Atlanta. DEA agents had information that Sosa-Almontes was the transporter and would be traveling through the Monroe area. Deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office stopped the vehicle which Sosa-Almontes was driving for a traffic violation and found him to be the lone occupant inside. When asked for his driver’s license, Sosa-Almontes provided a passport from Mexico but stated he did not have a valid driver’s license. Deputies asked for consent to search his vehicle and a K-9 officer positively alerted on a generator in the bed of the truck. Deputies located nine individually wrapped bags that contained approximately nine kilograms of methamphetamine. The bags field tested positive for methamphetamine. Sosa-Almontes was illegally in the United States, having previously been removed at or near Laredo, Texas on September 12, 2012.
The DEA and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Francisco Portillo-Martinez, a native of Guatemala, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 16 months in prison, for re-entry of a removed alien. Portillo-Martinez is subject to deportation after serving his sentence.
Portillo-Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury on the charge and pleaded guilty on June 28, 2021. This charge is the result of the arrest of Portillo-Martinez on April 4, 2021 by deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office near West Monroe, Louisiana. He had previously been deported from the United States three times from Alexandria, Louisiana: on June 25, 2009, March 18, 2010, and September 17, 2013. Following his last removal, Portillo-Martinez illegally re-entered the United States in 2016 near Laredo, Texas. He had not received consent from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for admission to the United States since his previous deportations. Portillo-Martinez has a previous felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance from March 5, 2009 in Pearl River, Mississippi.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
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Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Taphonie Prince (25, Brandon) has pleaded guilty to two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 14 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Prince’s criminal history includes prior state court convictions for burglary and robbery.
According to the plea agreement, in the early morning hours of November 23, 2018, Prince entered the Circle K convenience store located at 2820 U.S. Highway 301 South in Riverview and pointed a handgun at a store employee. He demanded that she give him all the money in the store’s cash register. Prince took the money, a total of $50, and forced the employee to the back of the store before he fled the scene.
Late in the evening on December 12, 2018, Prince committed the second armed robbery. He entered the BP gas station convenience store located at 6459 U.S. Highway 301 South in Riverview and pointed a gun at a store employee and demanded all the money in the register. Fearing for his life, the store employee complied, handing Prince approximately $200. Despite his compliance, Prince struck the store employee with his gun. He then ordered the victim to move to the back of the store and fled the scene.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 6 Years for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tylor Combs, 41, of Sacramento, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to six and a half years in prison for two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 17, 2020, Combs and co-defendant Michael Garcia, 33, sold 10 firearms to another felon. In an attempt to conceal his crimes, Combs conducted this illegal firearms transaction in a stash house. During subsequent search warrants in this case, officers discovered an additional six firearms, as well as drugs and money, in a safe that Combs controlled. Combs is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition on account of a 2004 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon.
Charges of methamphetamine distribution are pending against Michael Garcia and his wife Nancy Garcia, 32, both of Sacramento. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Rhode Island Priest Appears in Federal Court on Charges of Distributing, Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Father James W. Jackson, 66, arrested on October 30, 2021, by the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force on state child pornography charges, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with distributing child pornography, and possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography.
According to court documents, on September 4, 2021, an East Providence Detective assigned to the ICAC Task Force identified an IP address allegedly being utilized to share files of child sexual abuse material on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. It was determined that the IP address was assigned to the rectory at St. Mary’s Church in Providence, where Jackson served as a priest. The IP address was allegedly used multiple times between September 26 and October 17, 2021, to view and share videos consistent with child sexual abuse material.
On October 30, 2021, the East Providence Detective and other members of the ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search of two rooms inside St. Mary’s rectory used by Jackson. An on-scene forensic preview of a two-terabyte external digital storage device allegedly belonging to Jackson was found to contain videos to include prepubescent females, including infants and toddlers, engaged in various sexual acts.
Jackson, who had been free on bail having been charged by Rhode Island State Police with possession of child pornography, transfer of child pornography, and child erotica prohibited, appeared today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan on a federal criminal complaint charging him with distributing child pornography and possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography. He was released on unsecured bond with electronic monitoring, and allowed to travel to Kansas to live with a family member.
Distributing child pornography is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to twenty years in federal prison, with a minimum mandatory term of incarceration of five years. Possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography is punishable by up to twenty years of incarceration.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone who would like to provide additional information should contact Homeland Security Investigations at (401) 734-8114.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit and detectives from the Warwick, East Providence, North Kingstown, Portsmouth, Cranston, and Bristol Police Departments, and agents from Homeland Security Investigations and United States Postal Inspection Services.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to Five Years on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime was sentenced on October 28, 2021, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Damion Goings, age 30, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Goings was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 17, 2020, and pleaded guilty on July 9, 2021. Between June 2010 and August 2020, Goings carried a firearm while distributing methamphetamine to others. Goings also received and possessed firearms as payment for methamphetamine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Meade County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Goings was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Previously Deported Alien Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Elmer Nahun Agustin-Arita, age 24, of Honduras, was indicted today by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Agustin-Arita was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in September 2018. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after September 2018 and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Agustin-Arita faces a maximum penalty of 10 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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Preston County woman sentenced for role in drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tiffany Groves, of Kingwood, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 100 months of incarceration for her role in methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Groves, age 43, pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Groves admitted to distributing methamphetamine in April 2020 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI's Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff's Office; and, the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City Police Departments. The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department's Multi Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and, the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.
This case 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.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Preston County residents indicted on charges involving insurance fraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four Preston County residents are facing wire fraud charges, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
The four are charged in eight-count indictment involving wire fraud. Those charged are:
- Cynthia Miller, 36, of Newburg, West Virginia
- Dustin Miller, 41, of Reedsville, West Virginia
- Markitta Miller, 28, of Reedsville, West Virginia
- Stacey Moreland, 34, of Tunnelton, West Virginia
The four are accused of working together to stage a vehicle accident, fabricate injuries, and file false insurance claims. The crimes allegedly occurred from March to July 2019 in Taylor and Preston Counties.
Each of them faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. 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 Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. ATF and the West Virginia Insurance Commission Fraud Unit investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Preston County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG WEST VIRGINIA – Michael C. Meade, Jr., of Masontown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 40 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Meade, 27, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of “Possession by a Prohibited Person.” Meade, who had previously been convicted of a domestic battery charge in Marion County, admitted to having a semi-automatic pistol in February 2019 in Marion County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Possession of child pornography sends Missoula man to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man who admitted to having child pornography on his mobile phone was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by seven years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Aaron Charles Fritsch, 50, pleaded guilty in July to possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents filed by the government, in June 2020, the Montana Department of Corrections’ Probation and Parole Division was supervising Fritsch when his probation officers conducted a home visit. The probation officers saw evidence indicating that Fritsch was violating his probation conditions. Fritsch consented to a search of his mobile phone. Officers saw several images of nude children and contacted Homeland Security Investigations. Fritsch admitted to investigators that they would find child pornography on his phone. A search of his phone found almost 200 images of child pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Montana’s Probation and Parole Division.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Pittsburgh Man Indicted on Murder and Firearms Charges following Killing of Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of murdering an employee of the United States and using a firearm to do so, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Eric Kortz, 53, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on October 7, 2021, Kortz shot and killed a United States Postal employee while he was working as a letter carrier.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of death or a term of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Collier Township Police Department, and the Carnegie Borough Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to over 22 Years for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Maurice Xavier Hollins, 25, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 270 months in prison. Hollins previously pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child. After Hollins finishes serving his term in federal prison, he will be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life.
In early 2020, Hollins sexually abused the victim while staying with the victim’s family on the Navajo Nation. The victim is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Jason Crowley, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-08083-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021- 078_Hollins# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Illegal Kickback Scheme and Evading Taxes on over $33 Million of IncomeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The former co-owner of a Union City, New Jersey, pharmacy was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for his role in a scheme to pay bribes to health care professionals and evading taxes on $33.9 million in income, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Igor Fleyshmakher, 59, of Holmdel, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with conspiring to violate the federal anti-kickback statute and tax evasion. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Prime Aid Pharmacies – now closed – operated as “specialty pharmacies” out of locations in Union City, New Jersey, and Bronx, New York. They processed expensive medications used to treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Igor Fleyshmakher was a co-owner of Prime Aid Union City. Samuel “Sam” Khaimov was the other co-owner of Prime Aid Union City and the lead pharmacist of Prime Aid Bronx. Yana Shtindler was Khaimov’s wife and managing director of Prime Aid Union City. Ruben Sevumyants was Prime Aid Union City’s operations manager, and Alex Fleyshmakher worked at Prime Aid Union City and was an owner of Prime Aid Bronx. Eduard “Eddy” Shtindler (Yana Shtindler’s brother) was a Prime Aid Union City employee.
Starting in 2010, to obtain a higher volume of prescriptions, Igor Fleyshmakher, Khaimov, Sevumyants, Alex Fleyshmakher, Eddy Shtindler, and other Prime Aid employees paid bribes to doctors and doctors’ employees to induce doctors’ offices to steer prescriptions to the Prime Aid Pharmacies. The bribes included expensive meals, designer bags, and payments by cash, check, and wire transfers. The bribes and kickbacks were paid to, among others, doctors and doctors’ employees in New Jersey and New York.
As part of his plea agreement, Igor Fleyshmakher agreed that the improper benefit conferred as part of the conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute was between $3.5 million and $9.5 million.
In addition, between 2012 and 2014, Igor Fleyshmakher diverted a substantial amount of Prime Aid Union City income into a secret bank account that he opened and controlled. He concealed the account from the pharmacy’s tax preparers and did not report any of the funds he deposited into it on his personal income tax returns. In total, he diverted $33.9 million of income into the secret account, all of which he failed to report to the IRS. As a co-owner of the pharmacy, his conduct resulted in a $5.8 million tax loss to the IRS on his share of that income for tax years 2012 through 2014.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Fleyshmakher to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $5.8 million in restitution and a $100,000 fine.
Khaimov, Yana Shtindler, and Sevumyants have been charged together by superseding indictment with health care fraud offenses and violations of the anti-kickback statute, and that matter is pending. In addition, the following individuals associated with the Prime Aid Pharmacies have pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the kickback and bribery scheme described above: Joel Grimshaw, a former Prime Aid sales representative, Yudelka “Vicky” Ayala, a doctor’s employee who received over $200,000 in bribes and kickbacks as part of the scheme, and Alex Fleyshmakher, who also pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS, resulting in losses to the IRS of over $9,000,000. Eddy Shtindler also pleaded guilty for his role in a related kickback conspiracy. These four defendants have not yet been sentenced.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez; special agents of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; and the N.J. Office of the State Comptroller, under the direction of Acting Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
The charges against and allegations in the information pertaining to Khaimov, Yana Shtindler, and Sevumyants are merely accusations, and those three defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Perry County Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Todd Franklin Stydinger, age 40, of Elliotsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with child pornography offenses.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment charges Stydinger with attempting to produce child pornography, attempting to distribute child pornography, receiving child pornography, and possessing child pornography in Potter and Perry Counties.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting 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."
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 combined maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 80 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime 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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Penfield Man Going to Prison for Bilking Investors Out of Hundreds of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brian L. Schumacher, 57, of Penfield, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to serve eight months in prison and pay restitution totaling $170,000 by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that between April and December of 2016, the defendant conspired with others to defraud two investors, located in Massachusetts and California, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The investors wired significant amounts of funding to Schumacher’s company, Integra Diamonds, located in Rochester, NY, to enable Integra Diamonds to purchase diamonds in Africa.
Victim 1, a resident of Massachusetts, wire transferred $100,000.00 from his bank account to an account in the name of Integra Diamonds. During the course of the conspiracy, $30,000 was returned to Victim 1, but not the remaining $70,000 of his initial investment nor any of the promised return on the investment. Victim 2, a resident of California, invested $100,000.00 in Integra Diamonds after receiving a promise for a significant return on the investment. Schumacher used Victim 2’s money to purchase, among other things, 1,211.85 carats of industrial diamonds for $30,296.25. Schumacher then resold those diamonds to a U.S. diamond broker for $11,514 and failed to return any of the proceeds of the sale to Victim 2 notwithstanding Victim 2’s multiple requests for status updates and a return of his funds. These requests by Victim 2 resulted in Schumacher making a number of excuses for the failure of the investment. Integra Diamonds did not repay Victim 2 any portion of the $100,000 loan principle, or interest.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge.
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Pelahatchie Woman Arrested in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pelahatchie woman was arrested yesterday in a murder-for-hire plot, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Jessica Leeann Sledge, 39, of Pelahatchie, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with use of interstate commerce facility in the commission of murder-for-hire.
The complaint alleges that between September 2021, and November 1, 2021, Sledge used facilities of interstate commerce with the intent to hire an assassin to murder an individual in Mississippi. Unknown to Sledge, the “hitman” she hired via the internet to commit a murder was in fact an FBI Special Agent. The intended victim was unharmed.
Sledge will make her initial appearance in federal court in Jackson this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. before United States Magistrate Judge F. Keith Ball. If convicted, she faces up to ten years in federal prison.
This arrest resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Violent Crime Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Dave Fulcher.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Past President of Broward County Democratic Black Caucus Guilty of Defrauding Covid-19 Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Today, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before the Honorable Judge Rodolfo Ruiz, 28-year-old Fort Lauderdale, Florida resident Damara Holness pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with lying on a coronavirus relief loan application and fraudulently obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to help small businesses financially survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of her guilty plea, Holness admitted that in June 2020, she applied for a $300,000 forgivable, federally-guaranteed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on behalf of Holness Consulting, Inc., a Florida company that she owned. To justify the requested loan amount, Holness claimed in the on-line loan application, and through supporting fraudulent payroll tax forms, that her company employed 18 people and spent an average of $120,000 each month on payroll. In fact, Holness Consulting had zero employees and no payroll expenses. A bank endorsed by the Small Business Administration to fund PPP loans approved Holness Consulting’s PPP loan application based on the lies and wired $300,000 to the company’s bank account in Florida.
Once the money hit the bank account in July 2020, Holness spent the next few months creating a paper trail to make it appear as if Holness Consulting had employees and was spending the PPP money on legitimate, approved expenses, it is alleged. Holness issued checks from the company bank account made out to others who agreed, for a fee, to help with the fraud. At Holness’ direction, the people receiving the checks would endorse and return them to Holness. Then, Holness would cash the checks at the company’s bank, give a few hundred dollars to the check endorsers, and keep the rest of the cash for herself – about $1,000 per check.
At or around the time of the alleged fraud, Damara Holness served as President of the Broward County Democratic Black Caucus.
The information to which Holness pled guilty charged her with conspiring to commit wire fraud. The sentencing is scheduled for January 20, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. She faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Kaplan is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who suffered financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-60229.
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Passaic County Woman Admits Role in Drug Conspiracy and Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, woman today admitted participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Nysifah Deaveareaux, 28, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin and one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2020 through Aug. 13, 2020, Deaveareaux conspired to distribute heroin and fentanyl. On June 11, 2020, Deaveareaux transported approximately 12,500 glassines of heroin and fentanyl from New Jersey to Vermont, where she distributed them to another person.
Each count carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a fine of at least $5 million. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents and task force officers with the DEA in New Jersey and New England, under the direction of Special Agents in Charge Susan A. Gibson and Brian D. Boyle, respectively, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori, of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
Passaic County Man Admits Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic 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.
Harold Mickens, 56, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 8, 2019, law enforcement officers received a tip that a male wearing a black coat and black sweatpants was standing next to a blue Cadillac Escalade on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City and holding a gun in a green plastic bag. Law enforcement officers responded to the area and identified Mickens as matching the description provided by the tipster. They searched the green plastic bag Mickens was holding and found it to contain a Rossi .357 revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition. Mickens had previously been 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.
Pinedale Man Fined $15,000 for Unlawful Grazing on Federal LandsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that PHILIP SELBY, 67, of Pinedale, Wyoming pleaded guilty on October 18, 2021 in front of Chief United States Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin for providing false information to a forest officer, allowing unauthorized livestock on national forest land, and violating the terms and conditions of a grazing permit. He was ordered to pay $15,000 in fines.
A multi-state investigation initiated in 2017 involving alleged fraud, embezzlement, and theft of livestock in California, resulted in evidence of grazing violations occurring in the Upper Green River Cattle allotment on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The investigation revealed a suspect in California had shipped livestock to the Rendezvous Ranch in Pinedale, Wyoming. The case was referred to U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations when the state uncovered information indicating a significant number of illegally rebranded cattle had been moved into the national forest.
The Rendezvous Ranch possessed a term grazing permit that required the ranch to graze only cattle that it owned on national forest lands. The investigation revealed that Selby, then manager of the Pinedale based Rendezvous Ranch, acknowledged the terms of the grazing permit in writing and admitted he had been engaged in a business relationship with the suspect in California. Records obtained by U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement revealed multiple payments issued from the California suspect to Selby in connection with the cattle even though the ranch legally owned no cattle.
Evidence obtained during the investigation revealed that numerous head of cattle, shipped to the Rendezvous Ranch, were illegally rebranded, giving the appearance of a legitimate transfer. Rebranded cattle were released onto the Bridger-Teton National Forest in violation of several permit provisions aimed at protection of range resources, and utilization of public land range allotments. The cattle were seized by the state in the fall of 2017, at which time Selby signed an affidavit disavowing ownership of approximately 370 head. The Rendezvous Ranch changed ownership in the months that followed.
“The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to protection of Rangeland resources and upholding the integrity of the livestock industry in the state of Wyoming,” said Acting United States Attorney, Bob Murray.
This case was investigated by U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations with assistance from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in California and the Wyoming Livestock Board. Assistant United States Attorney Christyne M. Martens.
Owner and Principal of Investment Fund Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Insider Trading and Investment FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that DONALD BLAKSTAD, the owner and principal of a California-based investment fund, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 36 months in prison for committing insider trading and orchestrating a securities offering fraud scheme. In June 2021, a jury found BLAKSTAD guilty of conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud offenses following a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, who imposed today’s sentence.
According to the Indictment, evidence presented at trial, and statements made in connection with sentencing:
BLAKSTAD was a stock trader and the owner and principal of an investment fund known as Midcontinental Petroleum Inc. (“Midcontinental Petroleum”), which purported to be in the business of soliciting investments in the energy industry. Martha Bustos was a former certified public accountant who worked in the finance department at Illumina, Inc. (“Illumina”), a San Diego-based biotechnology company whose securities trade on NASDAQ. By virtue of her employment at Illumina, Bustos had access to material nonpublic information about Illumina’s financial condition, including its earnings.
On several occasions, from 2016 through 2018, BLAKSTAD obtained inside information about Illumina’s financial condition from Bustos before Illumina publicly announced its earnings and financial results. As BLAKSTAD knew, Bustos owed a duty to keep inside information about Illumina confidential.
BLAKSTAD, aware of Bustos’s breach of duty to Illumina, used this inside information to make profitable trades in Illumina securities shortly before Illumina’s earnings announcements. At times, BLAKSTAD tipped his associates so that they could trade Illumina stock and options based on the inside information. At other times, in order to avoid detection, BLAKSTAD arranged for his associates to purchase Illumina securities for BLAKSTAD’s benefit in accounts controlled by his associates.
Following the public announcement of Illumina’s earnings, BLAKSTAD and his associates sold the Illumina securities at a significant profit, sometimes exceeding more than 2,000 percent. In total, BLAKSTAD and his associates made more than $6 million in profits from purchasing and selling Illumina securities.
In addition, from at least in or about 2015 through at least in or about 2019, BLAKSTAD devised and operated a securities offering fraud to fraudulently obtain more than a $1 million from a number of investors. BLAKSTAD fraudulently induced victim investors to make up-front, lump-sum investments for securities issued by Midcontinental Petroleum, which funds BLAKSTAD then misappropriated, in substantial part.
To facilitate the scheme, BLAKSTAD made false and misleading representations to investor victims regarding how their investment funds would be utilized. During the scheme, at BLAKSTAD’s direction, victims transmitted their funds, including by wire transfer, into bank accounts that were controlled by BLAKSTAD. Once he obtained these investor funds, BLAKSTAD did not use them for the purposes he had represented to investors. Instead, BLAKSTAD diverted a substantial portion of victims’ funds to himself and to co-conspirators. For example, BLAKSTAD used the funds to pay for a variety of personal expenses and for purposes that were unrelated to the business of Midcontinental Petroleum.
BLAKSTAD also made a series of false and misleading statements to victims designed to avoid detection, perpetuate the scheme, and keep the victim funds he received as a result of the fraud.
In total, BLAKSTAD’s schemes yielded more than $7 million in criminal profits.
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In addition to his prison term, BLAKSTAD, 62, of San Diego, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to victims in the amount of $669,000.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which brought a separate civil action.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward A. Imperatore and Jared Lenow are in charge of the prosecution.
Ohio men indicted on drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Grand Jury in Clarksburg, West Virginia, indicted two Ohio men on drug charges, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Reuben Jahmell Dauntez Donald, of Akron, Ohio, and Darion Davon Isimemen Ojezua, of Dayton, Ohio, were each indictment on methamphetamine charges in separate cases.
Donald, 35, was indicted on one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Donald is accused of selling methamphetamine near Jensen Playground on Wheeling Island in October 2021.
Ojezua, also known as “Dee,” 25, was indicted on one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” and one count of “Possession with intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Ojezua is accused of having and selling methamphetamine in October 2021 in Wetzel County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the Ojezua case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case Donald case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Orleans Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Loaded Ak-47 Found During Traffic Stop and to Possessing with Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BLAKE MONROE, age 31, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 2, 2021 to being a felon in possession of a loaded AK-47 seized during a New Orleans Police Department traffic stop and to possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine that was hidden on his body during this stop and found by an Orleans Parish Sheriff deputy during MONROE’s booking at jail.
MONROE is facing a sentence of up to twenty years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release upon leaving prison, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for the crack cocaine offense, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). MONROE is facing up to ten years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release upon leaving prison, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). MONROE has felony convictions for domestic abuse by strangulation and battery, among other criminal offenses.
According to court records, during a December 11, 2019 traffic stop, NOPD officers observed in plain sight a loaded AK-47, with the selector switch in the fire position, on the back floor of a white Mercedes driven by MONROE. NOPD officers had pulled MONROE over after two NOPD officers who had been conducting undercover surveillance on Chef Menteur Highway in New Orleans East observed MONROE conduct a suspected hand-to-hand crack sale.
During his booking at jail that same afternoon, an Orleans Parish Sheriff Office deputy found approximately 24 grams of crack cocaine that MONROE had hidden on his body. U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter will sentence MONROE on February 15, 2022.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Police Department, New Orleans Police Department, and Slidell Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Britain Man Admits Stealing U.S. Postal Service PropertyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STEVEN KNOX, 45, of New Britain, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to theft government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of May 19, 2021, the tire shed at a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) vehicle maintenance facility in Hartford was burglarized and approximately 43 tires were stolen. The facility’s surveillance video showed a pickup truck pulling up to the tire shed at approximately 1:30 a.m. Knox and another individual then broke into the shed, loaded tires into the bed of pickup, and then drove off. Knox was formerly employed by a USPS towing contractor and possessed a key card to access the vehicle maintenance facility’s gate. Knox then sold the stolen tires, which had a value of approximately $3,836, to a tire shop in New Britain for $1,500.
Knox was arrested on June 8, 2021.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for January 27, 2022, at which time Knox faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Knox is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the New Britain Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
Middleton Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Accessing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Michelle Marone, 52, of Middleton, pleaded guilty in federal court to access device fraud, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Marone’s boyfriend went missing in April 2019. Her boyfriend was receiving Social Security Disability Insurance payments that were deposited onto a debit card. The Social Security Administration was unaware of the boyfriend’s disappearance and continued to deposit funds onto the card each month. In June of 2020, Marone entered her boyfriend’s personal identifying information into an automated dialing system and obtained a replacement debit card, which she used over the next year to access the stored funds. She withdrew most of the funds from ATMs in Farmington and Rochester. Overall, Marone obtained $23,591.50 in benefits that she was not entitled to receive.
Marone is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2022.
“This defendant fraudulently obtained thousands of dollars in Social Security Disability benefits that she was not entitled to receive,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “By accessing benefits that she was not entitled to, she committed a serious federal crime. We work closely with the Social Security Administration’s Inspector General to identify and prosecute those who steal Social Security benefits that are intended for individuals with disabilities.”
“After her boyfriend went missing, Ms. Marone intentionally took steps to redirect his Social Security benefits for her own personal gain,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “We will continue to pursue and hold those accountable who defraud SSA. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen for prosecuting this case.”
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Heroin Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CONSTANTINO ACOSTA-BANDA, 43, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Chula Vista, California, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 70 months of imprisonment for trafficking heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force began investigating an organization that was distributing heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine in an around Bridgeport. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that the organization had a connection to Mexican drug cartel traffickers, and that members of the organization were eager to receive a steady supply of narcotics from the west coast of the U.S.
In December 2019, members of the organization traveled to a parking lot in San Diego and purchased from their suppliers 1.1 kilograms of fentanyl in exchange for $27,000. After this successful transaction, they arranged to purchase five kilograms of heroin from their suppliers. On February 10, 2020, Acosta-Banda and three other individuals were arrested after they arrived at the same parking lot to conduct the transaction and investigators seized from them a box containing approximately 4.9 kilograms of heroin. A related search of a storage locker in San Diego revealed approximately six kilograms of cocaine.
Acosta-Banda has been detained since his arrest. On March 4, 2021, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
Acosta-Banda, who has been deported to Mexico at least 17 times since 2002, faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. In 2017, while driving under the influence in California, Acosta-Banda was involved in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a six-year-old boy.
This matter has been investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the DEA San Diego Field Division. The DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Lauren C. Clark through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl that Caused Death of Monmouth County WomanRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for distributing fentanyl that caused the death of a Monmouth County, New Jersey, woman, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Quasaan Bethea, 35, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before Chief District Court Judge Freda L. Wolfson to one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, which Bethea admitted caused the death of a Monmouth County woman. Chief Judge Wolfson imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 15, 2018, a woman from Englishtown, New Jersey, referred to in court as Victim-1, sought out Bethea and his conspirator, Tarashanna Blake, to purchase a particular “brand” or “stamp” of heroin the pair sold known as “CAMEL.” Bethea and Blake agreed. The packages Victim-1 purchased from Bethea and Blake, however, contained fentanyl, and not heroin. Shortly after Bethea and Blake distributed the CAMEL-stamped fentanyl to Victim-1, Victim-1 died of a fentanyl overdose.
Later that same day, law enforcement officers, in an undercover capacity, used Victim-1’s cell phone to purchase more heroin from Bethea and Blake. Blake spoke with an undercover law enforcement officer and agreed to the sale. At the agreed upon time and location, the undercover officer advised Blake that he/she had arrived. Blake responded “park” and “my [boyfriend] gonna walk to you.” Bethea parked his vehicle behind the undercover vehicle and exited. As the officer approached Bethea, Bethea discarded objects packaged like heroin and stamped “CAMEL,” which were later determined to be fentanyl.
In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Wolfson sentenced Bethea to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey; the Englishtown Police Department under the direction of Peter S. Cooke Jr.; and Trenton Police Department’s Narcotics Task Force, under the direction of Acting Police Director Steve Wilson, for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan L. O’Neill of the Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit.
Mechanicville Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gary Ryan, age 50, of Mechanicville, New York, pled guilty today to aggravated sexual abuse and transportation of minors to engage in sexual activity. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Colonie Police Department Chief Michael Woods.
As part of his guilty plea, Ryan admitted that in April or May 2003, he took Victim 1, a then 5-year-old child, with him to Florida. While in Florida, Ryan masturbated Victim 1’s penis, performed oral sex on Victim 1, and anally raped Victim 1. In 2004, Ryan took then 6-year-old Victim 1 to Massachusetts and Nevada. During both trips, Ryan anally penetrated Victim 1. Ryan also admitted to providing Victim 1 with drugs and alcohol.
Ryan admitted that in 2007, he took Victim 2, then 14 years old, to Florida. There, Ryan rubbed Victim 2’s penis. That same year, Ryan also took Victim 2 to Massachusetts where he showed Victim 2 pornography and rubbed Victim 2’s penis.
Between 1998 and 1999, Ryan took Victim 3, then 14 or 15 years old, to Massachusetts with other teenagers. Ryan provided Victim 3 with alcohol. While Victim 3 was asleep, Ryan rubbed Victim 3’s penis to try to arouse him and shaved Victim 3’s genitals. Ryan instructed another teenager to videotape it.
In his plea agreement, Ryan agreed to be sentenced to 30 years in prison. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino will sentence him on March 1, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, the Colonie Police Department, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Kopita as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Massachusetts Man Convicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Massachusetts man was convicted today by a federal jury of five child pornography offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
William H. Noble, 56, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was convicted of conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography, receiving child pornography, distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography, and accessing with intent o view child pornography on federal property following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Between Nov. 1, 2016, and April 26, 2017, while an inmate at FCI-Fort Dix, Noble participated in a conspiracy with other inmates to receive and distribute images of child sexual abuse. Noble was serving an 81-month sentence following his guilty plea in the District of Massachusetts to transportation and possession of child pornography. He was scheduled to be released on March 8, 2018.
While in prison, Noble and his conspirators accessed images of child sexual abuse on the “dark web” using cell phones that had been smuggled into the prison. They then stored the images on micro SD cards, which they shared amongst the conspirators.
On April 19, 2017, Noble transferred a micro SD card containing over 2,400 images and nearly 100 videos of child sexual abuse to a government informant. Many of the images and videos depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers. At the time of the transfer, Noble was recorded describing the child sexual abuse images and videos to the informant. Noble’s conspirators were also recorded describing Noble’s role and conduct in furtherance of the conspiracy. When Noble was arrested on Feb. 5, 2018, he confessed to the FBI.
Due to the defendant’s prior convictions, the counts of receiving and distributing child pornography and conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography are each punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The counts of possessing and accessing child pornography on federal property each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2022, before Judge Rodriguez.
The charges against Noble stem from a long-term investigation by the FBI, which led to similar charges against seven other FCI-Fort Dix inmates. All of the other defendants have already pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr, with the investigation leading to today’s verdict. She also thanked officials of the Bureau of Prisons and FCI-Fort Dix for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew B. Johns and David E. Malagold of the Criminal Division.
Martinsburg man admits to role in drug trafficking and firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Antoine Paul Brown, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Brown, 38, pleaded guilty today to one count of “False Statement During Purchase of Firearm.” Brown admitted to falsifying a form to purchase a firearm for someone else in April 2019 in Berkeley County.
Brown faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Harpers Ferry Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. investigated. The EPDTF consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Marstons Mills Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Marstons Mills man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to charges of distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography.
Steven Carme, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2022. Carme was indicted in February 2019 and released by the Court on conditions.
Between Feb. 2, 2017 and Feb. 5, 2019, Carme downloaded and distributed numerous image and video files depicting child pornography via peer-to-peer file sharing software. During a search of Carme’s residence, a laptop and an external hard drive were seized. Forensic review of the external hard drive revealed approximately 7,881 images and 616 videos of child pornography. During an onsite interview, Carme admitted that the laptop and hard drive were his and that he downloaded, stored and distributed child pornography.
The charges of distribution and receipt of child pornography each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Each charge also provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Marshall County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Alex R. Lee, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to a methamphetamine charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Lee, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Lee admitted to selling methamphetamine in February 2021 in Marshall County.
Lee faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Man who ran from police heads to federal prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to prison for possession with intent to deliver cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Don Neal Devon Cobb pleaded guilty Aug. 2.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered him to serve 88 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, Cobb admitted he had a drug problem.
Cobb first caught the attention of law enforcement when they pulled him over for a traffic violation. He soon fled the scene and led officers on a high speed pursuit before wrecking his vehicle. At the scene of the crash, authorities located a substantial amount of meth.
The investigation led to the discovery that he was dealing narcotics. On May 28, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Cobb’s residence. Inside, they found cocaine, heroin, illegal mushrooms, marijuana, THC wax, a loaded firearm and items associated with drug trafficking.
Cobb has been in custody since the time of his arrest where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety and Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison for Straw Purchasing Handguns in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for straw purchasing handguns in the Chicago suburbs.
On four occasions in 2019 and 2020, ISMAEL SENE purchased a total of seven handguns from licensed firearms dealers in the Chicago suburbs of Oak Lawn and Merrionette Park. In one of the transactions, Sene falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer. In reality, Sene purchased at least one of those guns on behalf of an individual whom Sene had reason to believe was a convicted felon who was prohibited by federal law from purchasing or possessing a firearm. In addition, Sene in each transaction falsely told the firearms dealer that he was not an unlawful drug user, when, in fact, Sene regularly used marijuana, which was a violation of federal law.
Sene, 25, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in June to making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman on Oct. 29, 2021, sentenced Sene to a year and a day in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance.
“Straw purchasers, like the defendant, perpetuate the cycle of violence that is terrorizing this city,” Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Durkin argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The tools that drive that mayhem are firearms in the hands of dangerous people who are often legally prohibited from purchasing and possessing them.”
Man Charged with Threatening to Assault and Kill Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for threatening to injure a federal judge, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jonathan D. Williams, 46, of Newark, New Jersey, is charged by criminal complaint with making a threat to assault and murder a United States judge. Williams is scheduled to have his initial appearance Nov. 4, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 1, 2021, Williams called a U.S. District Court judge in the District of New Jersey at least two times at the judge’s chambers phone number. The first call was answered by the courtroom deputy for the judge in the judge’s chambers. Williams spoke to the courtroom deputy concerning a civil suit that Williams filed and that is presently before the judge. Williams stated that he needed to get the case in front of a jury immediately in order “to get my settlement.” Williams called the judge’s chambers a second time and spoke to one of the judge’s law clerks. While discussing issues related to his case, he stated: “Before the snow starts falling on my head, I’m gonna put a bullet in the Judge’s brain . . . he’s a scumbag.”
On Nov. 1, 2021, Williams again contacted the judge’s chambers phone number. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service were present when this call was made and overheard Williams’s conversation with an employee who works in the judge’s chambers. Williams directed sexually-explicit, profane, and racially-disparaging remarks at that employee. Williams then stated: “You’ll see! You’ll lose your job when I kill your boss.” Williams then repeated the threat a second time before the call ended.
On Nov. 2, 2021, Williams arrived at the entrance of a law firm office in Newark. When he entered the lobby, two security guards who were present denied Williams entry into the law office. Williams pulled down a protective mask he was wearing over his mouth and nose and identified himself by name as “Jonathan Williams.” Williams told the security guards that he was “going to blow the judge’s brains out.” Williams then repeated the threat before leaving the law office lobby.
The charge of making threats to assault and murder a federal judge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited the U.S. Marshals Service for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., with the investigation leading to the arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Sovolos of the Office’s National Security Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Charged with Federal Offenses Stemming from Alleged Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced the unsealing of a federal criminal complaint charging CHRISTIAN VELEZ, 23, with federal robbery and firearm offenses.
Velez is currently being sought by law enforcement for his alleged involvement in a series of robberies throughout Connecticut beginning in September 2021. In addition to a federal arrest warrant, multiple state arrest warrants have been issued for Velez.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Velez. Individuals with information concerning this case are encouraged to contact the FBI’s New Haven Field Office at (203) 503-5580, or by submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The complaint charges Velez with Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The complaint affidavit remains sealed.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Burau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.