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Thursday 23 September 2021
Miami Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Committing $650,000 in Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber today sentenced Andre Moore (37, Miami) to eight years in federal prison for credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Moore to pay $650,145.03 in restitution and to forfeit $3,110.55, related to the counts on which he was convicted.
Moore had pleaded guilty on June 8, 2021.
According to court documents, Moore stole the identities of more than 100 individuals. Between September 2019 and May 2020, Moore used those stolen identities to make more than $650,000 in purchases at retail stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Moore used fraudulent driver licenses and ID cards to open store credit card accounts under the stolen identities and to re-open dormant store credit card accounts. Moore took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic, making thousands of dollars in purchases while people were in lockdown, including using the stolen accounts to purchase items that were scarce early on in the pandemic. Further, Moore committed the fraud while living under a fake identity and, upon his federal arrest, lied about his name and identity to both federal agents and the Court.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Suzanne C. Nebesky.
Maumelle Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Flight Attendant En Route to Little RockRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK – A Maumelle man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a flight attendant. Leon Anderson, 40, entered his guilty plea Wednesday afternoon before United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
On October 6, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Anderson with one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft. Yesterday, he pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with one count of interference with a flight attendant.
Anderson was a passenger on PSA Airlines flight 5686 from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Little Rock on February 11, 2020. Prior to takeoff, a flight attendant was walking through the aisle of the plane when a passenger grabbed his leg. Startled, the flight attendant turned around, and the passenger—Anderson—apologized and said it was a mistake. Moments later, Anderson put one arm around the flight attendant’s shoulder and attempted to put a hand around his waist while apologizing again. The flight attendant told Anderson he did not need to apologize further.
The flight attendant continued his duties, but Anderson made inappropriate, sexual comments to the flight attendant and ultimately grabbed the flight attendant two more times in a sexual manner. The flight attendant notified the captain, who notified law enforcement.
Judge Moody will sentence Anderson at a later date. Anderson’s crime is punishable by not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and not more than three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Benecia Moore.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Aurelia Stanton, 39, of Baltimore, Maryland, and formerly of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division Wayne A. Jacobs.
Stanton pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of bank fraud. The Honorable Trevor N. McFadden scheduled her sentencing for Dec. 10, 2021. Under federal sentencing guidelines, she faces a likely range of 27 to 46 months in prison, as well as financial penalties. She also has agreed to pay about $233,000 in restitution. She also has agreed to pay an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
Stanton worked as an office manager from approximately June 2014 through May 2017 for a business, identified in court documents as “Company A.” She was responsible for ensuring timely payment of bills and invoices, accurate bookkeeping, and managing the office. From August 2015 through May 2017, according to court documents, she embezzled more than $233,000 writing checks to herself on the company’s check stock. She used a computer software program to conceal the fraudulent disbursements by editing the company’s bank statements to remove references to the fraudulently drafted, forged, and negotiated checks. In total, she deposited 187 checks with forged signatures.
In announcing the guilty plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Jessica Mundi. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Derrick Williams, who investigated and indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.
Maryland Tax Preparers Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
Two Maryland tax return preparers were sentenced to prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and preparing false tax returns. Lenore Worthy was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison and Veronica Fortune was sentenced on Sept. 14 to 12 months and one day in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants used varying business names, including United Tax Services LLC and Fortune’s Professional Services LLC, to provide tax preparation services. For the tax years 2012 through 2018, the defendants and a third co-conspirator, Anita Fortune, fraudulently inflated their clients’ refunds by fabricating and exaggerating Schedule A itemized deductions and by engineering Schedule C business losses.
According to information in the record, the IRS expelled Worthy from its e-filing program after she and Anita Fortune, who was using Worthy’s e-filing credentials, each prepared false returns for undercover IRS agents. Worthy and Anita Fortune subsequently used Veronica Fortune’s e-filing credentials to conceal their identities from the IRS and continue preparing false returns. The IRS later expelled Veronica Fortune from the e-filing program, but she obtained new credentials from a third party and again shared them with her co-conspirators. All three continued to prepare fraudulent returns through the 2019 filing season, causing a total tax loss to the IRS of $189,748.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm ordered Worthy to serve three years of supervised release and pay approximately $189,748 in restitution to the United States. Judge Grimm ordered Fortune to serve three years of supervised release and pay approximately $86,590 in restitution.
Anita previously was sentenced to 30 months in prison on June 4 for her role in the scheme.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Kathryn Carpenter of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Marshall County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – James M. Renforth, of Cameron, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Renforth, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Renforth admitted to selling methamphetamine in April 2021 in Marshall County.
Renforth faces up to 20 years of incarceration and 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 Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Man Who Shot New Haven Restaurant Employee During Attempted Robbery in 2015 Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Acting New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez announced that TREIZY LOPEZ, 24, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a charge stemming from the attempted robbery of a New Haven restaurant, during which he shot an employee, in April 2015.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 11, 2015, Lopez, Tythrone Ford and another man entered the Smokin’ Wings restaurant, located on Congress Avenue in New Haven, and demanded money at gunpoint. Lopez subsequently discharged a firearm and shot a female employee in the stomach. Lopez, Ford and their associate then fled the restaurant. Responding New Haven Police officers subsequently located a .22 caliber revolver in a nearby trash can.
Approximately eight hours prior to the Smokin’ Wings robbery, Lopez and another individual, armed with handguns, entered Sapiaos Market, located on Lexington Avenue in Bridgeport, and demanded money. During the attempted robbery, the owner of the market, Jose Salgado, was shot and killed. Ford was waiting in a car outside of the market during the attempted robbery.
Forensic analysis of the revolver found in the trash can in New Haven, and projectiles collected from the scene of both attempted robberies, revealed that the gun was used in both shootings. DNA collected from the gun revealed that both Lopez and Ford possessed the gun.
Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2021.
Ford pleaded guilty to the same charge on September 21, 2021, and awaits sentencing.
Lopez is currently incarcerated in state custody after being convicted of offenses related to his role in the robbery and homicide at Sapiaos Market.
This matter stems from a cold case investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, and Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity,
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
Man Sentenced to 35+ Years for Pornographic Images of Six-Year-OldsRead the Press Release
A Grand Prairie man who sexually exploited two six-year-old girls has been sentenced to 430 months in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Juan Navarro, Jr., 38, pleaded guilty in January to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman.
In plea papers, Mr. Navarro admitted that in 2019, he enticed a female child into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of such conduct. He also admitted that he stored multiple sexually explicit images of children on his cell phone.
According to court documents, the investigation began when Yahoo reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of their email clients had uploaded child pornography. Law enforcement traced the email account in question to Mr. Navarro.
During a search of his residence, agents found a Samsung Galaxy phone containing multiple images of child pornography, including several images of little girls that appeared to have been created on the phone. In interviews with law enforcement, Mr. Navarro admitted that he sometimes emailed himself child porn, but initially denied knowing the girls.
However, the children’s mother confirmed that her daughters knew Mr. Navarro, and recognized the seat of his car in the images of her daughters, who have since received appropriate psychological and medical care.
“My girls are not physically here, but I am. I’m hear so my voice can be their voice and the voice of all of those other innocent victims,” their mother testified at sentencing. “We need our voices to be heard.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Grand Prairie Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Copan man was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty in January 2021 to Count 2 of a federal indictment- felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Thomas Jason Smith, 41, to 78 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
On Aug. 8, 2020, Smith was picked up by a friend in a stolen vehicle and taken to a hotel where they met up with several others. Tulsa Police Officers located the stolen vehicle at the hotel, observed several individuals exit the vehicle and enter a room, and then made contact with the group. In the hotel room, narcotics and multiple firearms were found. After a search of the stolen vehicle, officers discovered a .12 gauge shotgun in the back seat. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that he knowingly possessed a Tri-Star.12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun. He stated that he knew that his possession of the firearm was prohibited due to his criminal history.
Judge Kern further ordered the defendant to pay $500 in restitution to a victim under count 1 of the indictment- burglary in the third degree in Indian Country. Smith stole the victim’s cell phone from a pickup that was parked at a Tulsa convenience store on Aug. 3, 2020.
The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Jeffrey A. Gallant prosecuted the case.
The 2150 Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as those responsible as the “source” of the firearms to prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community.
Macon Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation in Social Media Child Pornography InvestigationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident has pleaded guilty to child sexual exploitation after investigators discovered multiple juvenile victims across the country ranging in age from 10-years-old to 16-years-old who he contacted on social media, coercing them to send him sexually explicit and pornographic images and videos.
Deon M. Moore, 37, of Macon, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. Moore is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by not less than five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. In addition, Moore will have to pay restitution ordered by the Court to any victim listed in the indictment and to a list of 14 additional victims to be filed under seal with the court. Moore will also register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
“Deon Moore aggressively sought young victims online, intent on manipulating and deceiving them to fulfill his sick desires,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “A dangerous child predator is no longer able to harm the children he was targeting on social media thanks to the investigators who unraveled his web of lies. Our office will pursue the full measure of justice against adults who seek to harm the most vulnerable people in our society.”
“Predators like Moore are another example for parents to keep a close eye on their children’s activity on-line and on their phones,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to one mother who called police, a vast web of child exploitation was uncovered and now Moore will be held accountable for his abhorrent behavior.”
According to court documents, the investigation was begun by the Fairborn, Ohio, Police Department (FOPD) on May 21, 2017, after the agency was contacted by the mother of a 12-year-old female victim, who had been communicating with Moore on Facebook and by text messages. Moore sent nude photos and requested to meet with the victim. Investigators discovered that Moore had changed his Facebook name to “Nathaniel Ellis,” and that he had numerous Facebook friends who appeared to be teenage females. The FBI and FOPD detectives determined that Moore used Facebook to find victims, using the false identities of Sharod King, Nathaniel Ellis, Jazmine Ellis and Sharde Carter. He sometimes represented himself to be a female and between the ages of teens to 30s, depending on the targeted victim. Moore was seeking young, black female girls, and Facebook transcripts indicate that he would ask them their ages. His victims ranged in age from 10 to 16, and he knew they were minors. Moore’s victims were from multiple states, and he would discuss sex in explicit terms with his victims and would request that they send him nude pictures of their breasts and genitalia. To coerce and induce victims to send sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, Moore would send them explicit pictures and videos.
Investigators discovered that a 10-year-old girl in the fourth grade began communicating with Moore on Facebook in May 2018. Moore represented himself to be a 14-year-old female living in Atlanta, and sent fictitious photos of himself, posing as female. He asked the 10-year-old victim to send pictures, which she did. Moore then asked the child victim for an explicit video, and he sent her a video to demonstrate what he was looking for her to send. The 10-year-old victim then sent him three explicit videos of herself.
During the time and scope of this investigation, Moore began conversation threads with a total of 1,306 individuals on Facebook, engaging 80 people in sustained conversations, 30 of which were juveniles. Four of these juveniles sent child pornography to Moore, and others sent explicit photographs of themselves, such as pictures of their breasts. Almost all of these victim received explicit sexual material from Moore, which he sent to induce, coerce and “educate” them.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Fairborn, Ohio, Police Department (FOPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCommon is prosecuting the case.
Louisiana State Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting ArresteeRead the Press Release
Jacob Brown, 31, a former trooper with the Louisiana State Police, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, for using excessive force against an arrestee.
The indictment charges Brown with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on May 30, 2019, Brown assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as A.B., by repeatedly striking him in the head and body with a dangerous weapon (a flashlight modified with a metal tactical cap designed for breaking glass). The indictment further alleges that the incident resulted in bodily injury to A.B.
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
The department has previously acknowledged that it has open and ongoing criminal investigations into incidents involving the Louisiana State Police that resulted in death or bodily injury to arrestees. Those investigations remain ongoing.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook of the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Long Island MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murdering a 15-Year-Old Boy in FreeportRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Eduardo Portillo, also known as “Firuli” and “Tito” (Portillo), a member of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the “MS-13,” pleaded guilty to racketeering charges relating to his participation in the murder of 15-year-old Javier Castillo, and to conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The guilty plea was entered before United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Stuart Cameron, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, the defendant, an MS-13 gang member, admits to an utterly depraved and heinous crime, of taking turns with a machete to hack a teenage boy to death, simply because he believed the boy belonged to a rival gang,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis. “This Office and its law enforcement partners in New York and El Salvador are committed to stopping the violence of MS-13 gang members and bringing an end to their reign of brutality and murder in this district. It is my hope that today’s plea brings some measure of closure to the family members of the young victim.” Ms. Kasulis expressed her grateful appreciation to the investigators and analysts from the FBI’s Transnational Anti-Gang (TAG) Unit in El Salvador, the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force for their outstanding collaboration in locating and apprehending this fugitive, as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their partnership in this case.
“Eduardo Portillo violently participated in taking the life of another teen as well as fed the drug epidemic plaguing our community,” stated SCPD Acting Commissioner Cameron. “This guilty plea is another step in the fight against gang violence and drug addiction in our county. Members of the department will continue to work with the Eastern District of New York and our law enforcement partners to put violent criminals behind bars and bring justice to the victims and their families.”
As set forth in prior court filings and the defendant’s statements during his guilty plea, Portillo and his fellow MS-13 members targeted Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang, one of MS-13’s principal rivals. On October 10, 2016, Portillo and other Brentwood-based members of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of the MS-13 convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to go with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana. They lured Castillo to an isolated marsh area in Cow Meadow Park in Freeport, where they attacked him, taking turns hacking the victim with a machete. Afterwards, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in October 2017.
Portillo also pleaded guilty to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy, admitting that between April 2016 and March 2017, he and other members of the Sailors clique conspired to distribute cocaine and marijuana in the Brentwood area to raise money for the MS-13 and fund its operations.
Portillo was arrested in Morazán, El Salvador on February 23, 2019 and extradited to the United States on November 6, 2020.
Today’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States, comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 60 murders in the Eastern District of New York and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, Megan E. Farrell, and John J. Durham are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
EDUARDO PORTILLO (“Firuli” and “Tito”)
Age: 24
Residence: San Francisco Gotera, Morazán, El Salvador; formerly of Central Islip and Brentwood, New YorkLeader of ‘Oxy Bandits’ Crew Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree of 15 Southern California PharmaciesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Lynwood man who organized and led a crew – dubbed the “Oxy Bandits” by law enforcement – that committed 15 armed robberies of independent “mom-and-pop” pharmacies throughout Southern California was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison.
Tyrome Lewis, 26, a.k.a. “Boobie,” was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt. After a two-day bench trial in April, Judge Kronstadt found Lewis guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and two counts of knowingly using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
From May 2018 to July 2019, Lewis conspired with others to commit 15 armed robberies. Lewis selected the pharmacies to be robbed, targeting smaller pharmacies to steal oxycodone and other similar prescription medication. He also assigned the roles from the crew members, and then he served as a lookout while co-conspirators committed the robberies. Following the pharmacy robberies, Lewis and others would sell the stolen prescription medication on the black market.
The Lewis-led armed crew robbed pharmacies in Glendale, Bellflower, Paramount, Cerritos, Hawthorne, South Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, Huntington Park, Claremont, Westminster, Fullerton, Anaheim, and Riverside.
Each of the robberies shared a common modus operandi, including targeting smaller pharmacies, placing the stolen prescription drugs into the pharmacy’s trash bags or trash cans, using a black semi-automatic handgun to threaten and intimidate store employees, and forcing employees to open the medication vault.
“Over the course of more than a year…Lewis led a violent spree of armed robberies that terrorized numerous innocent individuals in order to obtain dangerous pharmaceutical drugs that he and others then sold,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “[Lewis’s] conduct subjected numerous innocent civilians (employees, customers, and bystanders), law enforcement (who engaged in at least two high speed chases with defendant’s crew members), and robbery crew members to profound danger.”
The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter, with assistance from the Claremont Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Peter Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Justice Department Awards $270,782 to State of Louisiana to Aid Victims of Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded $270,782 collectively to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. and the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, Inc. to assist victims of sexual assault.
Nationwide, OVW is making 56 awards totaling $28.2 million through the Fiscal Year 2021 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program.
The SAS Formula Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers (including governmental rape crisis centers not in territories and tribal governmental programs) and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age. Funds provided through the SAS Formula Program are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial levels. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations, such as dual programs providing both domestic violence and sexual assault intervention services, play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
Judge sentences St. Louis man to drug and weapon chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Terrell D. Smith of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. on today’s date and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. Smith previously pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On or about June 19, 2019, members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were conducting surveillance on a vehicle being operated by Smith pursuant to an on-going Assault 1st Degree investigation. As police approached, Smith fled the scene in the vehicle. Surveillance of Smith was continued with a police helicopter to a residence in which Smith dropped off two firearms which were later recovered and seized by police. Smith was previously convicted of a felony preventing him from possession of a firearm.
On September 12, 2019, law enforcement arrested Smith pursuant to the previous incident after a federal warrant was obtained. At the time of the arrest, Smith was found in possession of 142 capsules containing over 7 grams of fentanyl, a schedule II-controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
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Judge sentences St. Louis County man for firearms charge and activity connected to the 2020 civil disorderRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Justin Cannamore of St. Louis County, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on September 22, 2021. Cannamore pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and for demonstrating a technique capable of causing injury to persons during the civil disorder in the summer of 2020.
On the night of June 1, 2020 during a period of civil unrest, the 7-11 located at 201 N. 17th Street, St. Louis, Missouri was set ablaze after rioters smashed windows and broke into an ATM machine. Cannamore assisted an unidentified individual by spraying a bottle of lighter fuel on the 7-11 building. In so doing, Cannamore was demonstrating a more effective technique to apply and disperse the lighter fluid to the building in furtherance of the attempt to burn the building. Cannamore also entered the business and ignited a fire in the aisle that self-extinguished when a firework exploded in the same location.
Days later, on June 5, 2020, Cannamore was stopped by the St. Louis County Police Department for a traffic violation. During the stop, police located and seized a .22 caliber revolver, which Cannamore knowingly possessed. The firearm was stolen and Cannamore, a previously convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing the weapon due to his conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Itasca County Man Sentence to 160 Months in Prison for Vehicular Assault on White Earth ReservationRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Itasca County man was sentenced today to 160 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting an individual with his vehicle, resulting in serious bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
“Mr. Doerr is a danger to the community, his actions caused pain and suffering for both the victims and for the White Earth community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “I hope today’s sentence offers a sense of relief and an opportunity to heal.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 7, 2020, Kevin Doerr, 35, was driving erratically through Elbow Lake Village on the White Earth Indian Reservation. Neighbors called 911 to report that a silver Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by Doerr, was trying to run people over and chasing people through the neighborhood. When law enforcement arrived, they found a chaotic scene with neighbors outside and badly injured victims. Law enforcement took Doerr into custody and the victims were airlifted to the hospital.
Doerr was convicted by a federal jury on May 20, 2021, on one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced Doerr to serve 80 months in prison for each count, to be served consecutively, followed by three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department, the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force and the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina L. Allery and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad tried the case.
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Individual Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of A Minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Denton Sumka, 27, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 2243(a)(1), 2246(2)(A), 1151, and 1153, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that from May 2017 until August 2020, Sumka knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a person who had attained 12 years of age but not yet attained 16 years of age, and who was at least four years younger than Sumka.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jose Ramon Gutierrez, 33, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 United States Code Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) and 2, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years to life, a fine of $10,000,000.00, or both, a mandatory term of supervised release of at least 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 12, 2021, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper observed a white Mazda CX-9 speeding eastbound on I-40 near Sallisaw, Oklahoma. The trooper stopped the Mazda (which had a driver and passenger in it) for the traffic violation, and the trooper smelled marijuana when speaking with the driver of the car, which was a rental car. Due to the smell of marijuana, a search of the vehicle was conducted, and the search led to the recovery of two THC vape pens, four cell phones, and a gray Oakley backpack from the rear cargo area. Inside the backpack, twenty vacuum-sealed clear packages containing a crystalline substance were found. A presumptive field test indicated that the substance contained methamphetamine weighing approximately 10.5 gross kilograms (including packaging). During a subsequent interview, the defendant admitted that he rented the car and had travelled to Alabama with the driver on a previous occasion.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Eduardo Angel, 32, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 United States Code Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) and 2, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years to life, a fine of $10,000,000.00, or both, a mandatory term of supervised release of at least 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 12, 2021, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper observed a white Mazda CX-9 speeding eastbound on I-40 near Sallisaw, Oklahoma. The trooper stopped the Mazda (which had a driver and passenger in it) for the traffic violation, and the trooper smelled marijuana when speaking with the defendant, who was driving the rental car. Due to the smell of marijuana, a search of the vehicle was conducted, and the search led to the recovery of two THC vape pens, four cell phones, and a gray Oakley backpack from the rear cargo area. Inside the backpack, twenty vacuum-sealed clear packages containing a crystalline substance were found. A presumptive field test indicated that the substance contained methamphetamine weighing approximately 10.5 gross kilograms (including packaging). During a subsequent interview, the defendant confirmed his knowledge of the methamphetamine as well as his intent to transport it to Birmingham, Alabama.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Possessing Contraband in A PrisonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Hurl Lemmon, 48, entered a guilty plea to Possessing Contraband in a Prison, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 1791 (d)(1)(F), punishable by imprisonment for a period of one year and/or a fine of up to $100,000.00, a term of supervised release of up to one year, and a special assessment in the amount of $25.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 12, 2021, an FBI Task Force Officer (TFO) received a report of a disturbance in the X-Pod at the Okmulgee County Jail. The X-Pod houses Federal inmates in accordance with a contract between the United States Marshals Service and the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority. Upon arrival, the TFO was informed the disturbance had been ongoing and had escalated into a riot situation. When additional law enforcement arrived, a team was formed to enter the pod and restore order. As the officers entered the pod, a group of inmates begin throwing pieces of concrete at the officers. The riot lasted approximately two and one-half hours before order was restored, and some of the inmates (including Lemmon) used cellular phones during the riot. A total of nine inmates (including Lemmon) were charged with federal offenses.
The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Okmulgee Police Department, the Okmulgee County Jail, and the Henryetta Police Department.
The Honorable Steven Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Felony Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Melvin James Battiest, 60, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felony Murder in Indian Country, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 1111, 1151 and 1153, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than life, a fine of $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 23, 1984, deputies of the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a body that was found in the Wahoo Bay in the Fort Gibson Lake area. An autopsy revealed that the person found (Donald Cantrell) died of blunt force trauma to the head and chest. During a subsequent investigation, the defendant admitted that he and another man robbed and murdered Mr. Cantrell at Wahoo Bay and stole his truck and burned it. The defendant took detectives to the crime scene and showed them where everything took place.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, the Muskogee Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Timothy D. Degiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Assault with A Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country and Discharge of Firearm in Relation to A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shylow Shane Young, 37, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 113(a)(3), 1151 and 1153, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00, and to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 United States Code Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i)(ii)(iii), punishable by a term imprisonment of not less than 10 years in addition to the punishment provided for such crime of violence, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about September 5, 2020, officers of the Sallisaw Police Department responded to a trespass call at a horse barn in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, where they discovered the defendant and repeatedly instructed him to leave. The defendant refused to do so, and the police informed him that he was under arrest. During the arrest the defendant began physically resisting arrest and engaged in an extended physical confrontation, during which, the defendant grabbed one of the officer’s firearms and discharged a round which travelled through the officer’s holster and caused bodily injury to an assisting officer after ricocheting off the ground.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Bucca represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Arson of A Dwelling in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dillion McClain, 32, entered a guilty plea to Arson of a Dwelling in Indian Country in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 81, 1151 and 1153, punishable by imprisonment for any term of years or for life and/or a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release not more than 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 27, 2021, the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a private residence in Ada, Oklahoma for a house fire, and four separate smoldering fires were extinguished and there was a haze of smoke inside the home. The defendant is the son of the owner/renter of the home, and the defendant posted a video with audio on Facebook of him burning property inside the home. A review of the audio of the Facebook posting revealed that the defendant states on the audio that the “whole house is fixing to go up into flames in about 30 minutes.”
The charges arose from an investigation by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Hogansburg Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Marijuana ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Tyren Terrance, age 26, of Hogansburg, New York, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for conspiring to distribute, and possessing with intent to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his May 2021 guilty plea, Terrance admitted that on August 20, 2020, he and a co-conspirator used two pickup trucks to transport 10 hockey bags containing approximately 200 kilograms of marijuana through the Northern District of New York with the intent to distribute the drugs in the New York City area.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Terrance to serve 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release and forfeit $35,000 as proceeds of Terrance’s offenses.
This case was investigated by the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal.
Hartford Man Charged with Narcotics Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment yesterday charging LUIS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ, 23, of Hartford, with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
As alleged in the indictment, on November 19, 2020, a search of Rodriguez’s Hartford residence revealed distribution quantities of crack cocaine and fentanyl, two loaded semi-automatic handguns, and $9,436 in cash.
It is further alleged that Rodriguez’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for larceny and burglary offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Rodriguez with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and fentanyl, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rodriguez has been detained in state custody since November 19, 2020.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Correction Division of Parole and Community Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gresham.
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.
Hancock County Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Shooting Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Hancock County man was sentenced today to 257 months in federal prison for assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to court documents, on July 21, 2020, a member of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force (USMS agent) was shot in the neck by Joseph Dale Sonnier, while executing an outstanding arrest warrant. Sonnier, 32, had an outstanding arrest warrant from the Hancock County Circuit Court for two counts of kidnapping, armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The shooting occurred at the Siegel Select Gautier, an extended stay hotel in Gautier. After multiple attempts knocking on Sonnier’s hotel room door and announcing their presence, a woman opened the door and told the USMS agents there was another person (Sonnier) in the room. The USMS agents, from outside of the hotel room doorway, identified themselves as USMS agents and attempted to call Sonnier out. Sonnier, who was sitting in the hotel room bathroom, shot two rounds from a High-Point .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol at the USMS agents. One round fired by Sonnier struck the USMS agent in the neck. Sonnier was taken into custody unharmed. The USMS agent was transported to the hospital and treated for the gunshot wound to his neck.
Sonnier pled guilty on April 1, 2021 to assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shundral H. Cole.
Hampton Falls Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kelley Bevin, 53, of Hampton Falls, pleaded guilty in federal court to theft of government funds, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bevin’s mother passed away in May 2016. At the time of her death, Bevin’s mother was receiving monthly Social Security benefits in a bank account. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) was not informed of her death until April 2020, resulting in an overpayment of $80,826. Several weeks before her mother’s death, Bevin acquired the bank card for her mother’s account. Over the course of four years, Bevin used the card to access her deceased mother’s bank account and spent the funds.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economics Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act provided for, among other things, $1,200 stimulus payments to Americans under certain income thresholds. However, deceased persons were not entitled to those payments. The U.S. Treasury deposited a $1,200 stimulus payment into the bank account of Bevin’s mother. Bevin was not entitled to that payment, but it was among the funds she unlawfully converted to her own use.
In total, Bevin stole $82,026 in SSA benefits and COVID-19 stimulus payments that she was not entitled to receive.
Bevin is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2022.
“Social Security and CARES Act benefits provide important financial support for qualified recipients,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “In order to protect the integrity of these federal programs, we will not hesitate to pursue criminal charges against those who steal federal benefits. I am grateful the Office of Inspector General for its investigative efforts in this case.”
“Bevin misused Social Security benefits intended for her deceased mother for several years and additionally, she stole money intended to help a population struggling with the economic effects of the coronavirus. This should stand as a warning to anyone who is receiving and misusing Social Security benefits intended for someone else,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “Anyone who fails to report a death to Social Security should take heed of this guilty plea and know that we will come knocking on the door. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Chen for pursuing this case and holding her accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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Hampshire County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrew Ross Hose, of Augusta, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Hose, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Hose admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in August 2020 in Hampshire County.
Hose faces up to 20 years of incarceration and 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 Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Gulfport Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced today to 74 months in prison for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court documents, on January 7, 2021, Gulfport Police officers and ATF agents executed a search warrant on the residence of Connor Higginbotham, 22, as part of investigation into stolen firearms. Agents discovered 12 firearms, several of them capable of receiving high capacity magazines. Officers also discovered approximately 300 grams of marijuana and an unregistered silencer.
Higginbotham pled guilty on June 24, 2021, to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Higginbotham received sentencing enhancements for possessing stolen firearms, possessing the firearms in connection with another felony offense, and the number of firearms that he possessed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Gulfport Police Department, and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Government Contracting Companies Agree to Settle Civil False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Virginia-based companies agreed to pay a combined $1,174,584 to settle allegations that they solicited and received kickbacks in connection with federal government contracts reserved for “8(a)” small businesses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Index Systems, Inc. (Index), located in Fairfax, was certified by the Small Business Administration as an 8(a) small business, meaning that it was owned and operated by a socially or economically disadvantaged citizen. Chinna Nemelidinne, a resident of Herndon, is the president and sole owner of Index. Capital Consulting Group, Inc. (CCG), a company located in Arlington, lacked an 8(a) certification. Index and Nemelidinne agreed to pay $1,010,084 to settle claims under the Anti-Kickback Act and False Claims Act, and CCG agreed to pay $164,500 to settle claims under the Anti-Kickback Act.
According to the United States’ allegations, in 2018, Index and CCG agreed that Index would use its 8(a) certification to bid on a government contract on which CCG was not eligible to bid. Index and CCG allegedly agreed to subcontract all the work on that contract to CCG in exchange for a “fee” calculated by each hour of work subcontracted to CCG, and CCG allegedly paid Index the agreed upon kickback amount when the work was subcontracted to them.
The United States also alleged that, between 2018 through 2020, Index had a similar kickback arrangement in place with Sage Consulting Group, Inc. (Sage), in connection with three federal 8(a) set-aside contracts. The United States further alleged that Index also obtained one of the contracts through fraudulent representations to the federal agency that Index employees would be doing all the work on the contract, even though Index intended to subcontract much of the work on the contract to Sage. The United States and Sage reached a settlement in July 2021.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Krista Anderson.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. A copy of a press release describing the United States’ settlement with Sage Consulting Group, Inc. can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/sage-consulting-group-inc-agrees-pay-48-million-settle-civil-false-claims-act-and-anti
The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Fulton County Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearms and Distribution of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert H. Stone, age 54, of Mayfield, New York, was sentenced today to serve 39 months in prison for unlawfully possessing three firearms as a felon and to possessing marijuana for the purpose of distribution.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also sentenced Stone to a 3-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.
As part of his guilty plea on April 28, 2021, Stone, who has prior felony convictions for drug and weapons offenses, admitted that in October 2020, he possessed two shotguns and a rifle at his residence in Gloversville, and 3.8 kilograms of marijuana and 1,395 rounds of pistol, rifle and shotgun ammunition on his 46-acre property in Mayfield.
This case was investigated by ATF and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
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.
Former Union County Postal Employee Admits Stealing Credit Cards from MailRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former Union County, New Jersey, woman today admitted stealing credit cards sent through the mail while employed as a clerk at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Myriam Jimenez-Valentin, 33, now of Barbourville, Virginia, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging her with one count of theft of mail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 1 to July 23, 2019, Jimenez, then a postal employee, admitted stealing credit cards addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses on postal routes in Elizabeth and Roselle Park, New Jersey, that she provided to other individuals in exchange for offers of $100 per card. The fraudulent charges on the credit cards Jimenez stole totaled over $2,000.
The mail theft charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, and special agents with the USPS-Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to today’s charge. She also thanked the U.S. Secret Service, the New Jersey State Police, the Elizabeth Police Department, and the Secaucus Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Former SUNY Student Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Makahi Daevon Bryant, age 20, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to fraudulently obtaining over $13,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from the State of California.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG).
As part of his guilty plea to one count of access device fraud, Bryant admitted that he obtained debit cards containing California unemployment insurance benefits in the names of other individuals. During September and October 2020, while he was a student at the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi), Bryant effected unauthorized transactions using the debit cards to obtain cash, goods, and services.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2022, in Binghamton, before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. Bryant faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from the University Police Department at SUNY Delhi, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Chisholm.
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.
Former Nassau County Fire Rescue Employee Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Images and Videos over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Robert Arthur Ginder (35, Callahan) to seven years and six months in federal prison for receipt of child sex abuse images. The Court also ordered Ginder to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Ginder had pleaded guilty on April 22, 2021.
According to court documents, an investigation was initiated by law enforcement agents after they had gained access to an online cloud platform and a group chat in which users actively distributed images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The agents observed that, when any user joined the group chat, various members of the group would share numerous image and video files depicting child exploitation .
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Ginder’s residence as the source of the internet protocol (IP) addresses used by this particular account on the cloud platform and, further, determined that Ginder worked for Nassau County Fire Rescue as a logistics officer.
On October 20, 2020, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant at Ginder’s residence and authorities arrested Ginder later that day. Ginder admitted to receiving a link to the cloud platform and joining the group chat of the online cloud platform that contained child exploitation material. He also admitted to viewing and sharing child exploitation materials using the cloud platform. Ginder acknowledged that he had received an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child from this cloud platform over the internet.
A subsequent search and forensic review of Ginder’s electronic devices revealed that Ginder’s cellphone contained thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
“The sexual exploitation of children has no place in our communities,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “HSI special agents and our partners at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office will continue to pursue anyone involved in the production, distribution or possession of child pornography, or who target children in our communities in any way.”
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Manager of Mascoutah Trucking Company Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Company Out of More Than $600,000Read the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – This morning, Timothy P. Mayer, 42, of Waterloo, Ill., was sentenced to
serve 18 months in federal prison for defrauding his former employer, Jung Truck Service (“Jung
Truck”) of Mascoutah, Ill., out of more than $600,000.
In addition to operating its own trucks and warehouse facilities, Jung Truck also provides
maintenance services for other trucking companies. Mayer was the manager of Jung
Truck’s East St. Louis location.Mayer pled guilty to the fraud scheme in federal court in East St. Louis on May 4, 2021. When he
pled guilty, Mayer admitted that beginning in July 2019, he started charging expensive tires to
Jung Truck’s accounts at a local tire supplier. Mayer then sold the tires on the side and
pocketed the cash. The value of the tires that Mayer fraudulently charged to Jung Truck exceeded
$590,000. Mayer also stole tires and brakes from Jung Truck’s inventory and sold those items on
the side. In total, Mayer caused Jung Truck to sustain a loss of more than $620,000. The scheme
lasted until Mayer was caught in May 2020.In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Mayer to serve a period of 3 years of
supervised release following his prison sentence. The court further ordered Mayer to
pay $624,807.63 in restitution to Jung Truck.The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division,
Fairview Heights Resident Agency. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney
Scott A. Verseman.
Former Louisiana State Police Trooper Indicted on Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting ArresteeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Jacob Brown, 31, a former trooper with the Louisiana State Police, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, for using excessive force against an arrestee, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook of the Western District of Louisiana and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
The indictment charges Brown with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on May 30, 2019, Brown assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as A.B., by repeatedly striking him in the head and body with a dangerous weapon (a flashlight modified with a metal tactical cap designed for breaking glass). The indictment further alleges that the incident resulted in bodily injury to A.B.
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The United States Attorney’s Office has previously acknowledged that it has open and ongoing criminal investigations into incidents involving Louisiana State Police that resulted in death or bodily injury to arrestees. Those investigations remain ongoing.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Luke Walker of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
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Former Fresno Resident Charged with Sending Interstate Threats with Intent to Extort Money from Former Employer and CoworkersRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — William Lee Robinson, 40, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was arrested today after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging him with sending interstate threats with intent to extort, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the indictment brought on Aug. 12, 2021, Robinson worked at a business in Fresno from June to November in 2017. After the business fired him, Robinson began sending threatening messages to his former supervisor and other coworkers in an attempt to extort them for money. These threats included graphic statements threatening to physically harm the supervisor’s daughter. Robinson made the threats because he wanted the company to pay him between $10,000 and $20,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincente A. Tennerelli is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Robinson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Analyst Charged with $8 Million Insider Trading Scheme for Front-Running Employer’s Pending TradesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging SERGEI POLEVIKOV with securities fraud, wire fraud, and investment company fraud in connection with his fraudulent scheme to misappropriate confidential information about pending trades by his employer, an investment adviser, on behalf of its investment company clients. POLEVIKOV was arrested last night and will be presented this afternoon before Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Sergei Polevikov violated not just the terms of his employment but also the law when he exploited material, nonpublic information to make personal trades ahead of large institutional trades, reaping more than $8 million in illicit profits. Despite his alleged efforts to conceal it, Polevikov’s scheme was uncovered, and he is facing serious federal charges.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Using material, nonpublic information to exploit small price movements in his employer’s stock, Polevikov, as we allege, realized significant financial gains for himself through his trades. While these schemes are unfortunately all too common, so is the response of the FBI – if you misappropriate proprietary information for your own personal gain, you should expect to hear from us.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1]:
From at least in or about 2014 through in or about October 2019, SERGEI POLEVIKOV was employed as a quantitative analyst at an asset management firm with headquarters in New York, New York (the “Employer Firm”). In his role at the Employer Firm, POLEVIKOV had regular access to information regarding contemplated securities trades on behalf of the Employer Firm’s clients, which included investment companies. During the period charged in the Complaint, POLEVIKOV engaged in a front-running scheme to misappropriate confidential, material, nonpublic information about the securities trade orders of the Employer Firm on behalf of its clients in order to engage in short-term personal securities trading in a brokerage account opened in his wife’s name. POLEVIKOV’s scheme was designed to profit by executing trades that take advantage of relatively small price movements in a company’s stock that follow from large securities orders executed by the Employer Firm on behalf of its clients. In total, POLEVIKOV’s scheme yielded more than $8.5 million in illicit profits.
To conceal his front-running scheme, and notwithstanding policies of the Employer Firm to prevent insider trading, POLEVIKOV lied to the Employer Firm about his personal trading accounts and securities trades conducted therein in violation of the Investment Company Act.
* * *
POLEVIKOV, 48, of Port Washington, New York, is charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of investment company fraud. POLEVIKOV faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the securities fraud and wire fraud charges, and five years in prison on the investment company fraud charge.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of FBI. Ms. Strauss also thanked the Securities & Exchange Commission, which brought a related civil action against POLEVIKOV that was filed today.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiersten A. Fletcher is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Forged check, stolen identity scheme sends Billings man to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to being a member of group that passed forged checks at various businesses across Montana was sentenced today to 39 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Lawrence Howard Kahle, 54, pleaded guilty on June 11 to wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Judge Christensen also ordered Kahle to pay $1,548 restitution.
“This defendant committed serious crimes and victimized numerous people,” said Billings Police Chief Rich St. John. “Detectives from the BPD, working with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, worked very hard to help bring justice to the victims. Hopefully, this sentence will bring them closure and send a strong message to others considering the same behavior.”
The government alleged in court documents that in 2020, Kahle was a member of a group that passed forged and counterfeited checks at businesses across Montana. Members of the group would receive stolen checks, identification or paperwork with personal identifying information, usually through mail thefts, burglaries and car thefts. The stolen documents would be used to forge checks and produce fraudulent identifications. Members would then take the forged checks and pass them at businesses. Kahle confessed to passing some of the checks, including a fraudulent check at the Tap Inn in Billings on Oct. 19, 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Billings Police Department.
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Florida Businessman and CFO of Russian Natural Gas Company Arrested on Tax Charges Related to $93 Million Hidden in Offshore AccountsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Fort Myers, Florida, returned an indictment on Sept. 22 charging a Florida businessman with defrauding the United States by not disclosing his substantial offshore assets, failing to report substantial income on his tax returns, failing to pay millions of dollars of taxes and submitting a false offshore compliance filing with the IRS in an attempt to avoid substantial penalties and criminal prosecution.
According to the indictment, from 2005 to 2016, Mark Anthony Gyetvay allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States by concealing his ownership and control over substantial offshore assets and by failing to file and pay taxes on millions of dollars of income. After working as a certified public accountant (CPA) in the United States and Russia, Gyetvay allegedly became the chief financial officer of a large Russian gas company. As part of his compensation package, Gyetvay allegedly received lucrative stock options and/or stock-based compensation. Beginning in 2005, Gyetvay allegedly opened the first of two different Swiss bank accounts to hold these assets, which at one point had an aggregate value of over $93 million. Over a period of several years, Gyetvay allegedly took steps to conceal his ownership and control over the foreign accounts and associated assets, such as removing himself and making his then-wife, a Russian citizen, the beneficial owner of the accounts. Despite being a CPA, Gyetvay also allegedly did not timely file his U.S. tax returns, nor did he file all of the required Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBARs) forms certain U.S. taxpayers are required to file annually that disclose their control over assets maintained in foreign bank accounts. Further, some of the tax returns he did file are allegedly false. The indictment also alleges that Gyetvay submitted a false offshore compliance filing with the IRS through the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures in which he attested that his prior failure to file FBARs and tax returns was non-willful.
Gyetvay is scheduled for his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas Frazier of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, five years in prison for each failure to file FBAR count, five years in prison for tax evasion, five years in prison for making a false statement, three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and one year in prison for each willful failure to file a tax return count. The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti, who 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 made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Stanley Okula and Trial Attorneys David Zisserson and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Financial Representative of Wire and Tax Fraud for A Half-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte has convicted Sampson Pearson, 44, of Charlotte, of wire and tax fraud for defrauding his clients of more than half a million dollars, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presided over the three-day trial which ended late yesterday.
Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Mona Passmore, and Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, from 2004 to 2016, Pearson was a representative for a financial services firm identified in court documents as Company A. In that capacity, Pearson offered and sold life insurance products and annuities as an independent contractor for Company A in Charlotte. As trial evidence established, Pearson used his position to defraud at least 10 victims and Company A of more than $570,000 through a fraudulent loan and disbursement scheme. Pearson executed the scheme by submitting falsified loan applications and requests for disbursements in the victims’ names without their knowledge and approval. Company A authorized the loans and disbursements based on the fraudulent documents submitted by Pearson. Pearson also directed Company A to deposit the fraudulently-obtained funds into an account controlled by the defendant. Pearson used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to fund his lifestyle. Evidence at trial showed that more than half of all the money the defendant had deposited into his bank account between 2011 and 2016 was money he stole from his victims. Evidence also established that Pearson made Ponzi-type payments to some of his victims to further perpetuate his fraud.
The government’s evidence further established that Pearson committed tax fraud for tax years 2013 through 2016, by filing fraudulent tax returns with the IRS that did not reflect the additional personal income.
The jury convicted Pearson of tax fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for using clients’ personally identifiable information (PII) to commit the wire fraud.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. The statutory maximum penalty for filing a false tax return is three years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year sentence consecutive to any other prison term imposed. A sentencing date for Pearson has not been set.
In making today’s announcement Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked USPIS and IRS-CI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Vento and Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Federal Judge Sends Oxford Man to Prison for 7 Years Following a ShootingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Oxford man was sentenced to 84 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. On June 8, 2021, S Daques Shorter pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on April 6, 2020, the Oxford Police Department responded to a report of gunshots at the Oxford Food Mart. Upon arrival, witnesses stated that several men, including Shorter, were engaged in an argument, and that Shorter later retrieved a firearm and shot at two men. Video surveillance captured the incident confirming the witnesses’ account. Spent shell casings were recovered on the scene and the firearm used by Shorter was recovered nearby. Shorter is a convicted felon, having prior convictions for Breaking and Entering, and Attempted Robbery With a Dangerous Weapon. He is also a validated member of the United Blood Nation street gang.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Oxford Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-224-BO.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- SeptemberRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the September 2021 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence
Jared Nathan Black. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Black, 45, of Jenks, is charged with pointing a firearm at the victim’s head and pulling the trigger after the victim intervened in a domestic assault. The gun malfunctioned and did not fire. In this superseding indictment, Black is further charged with discharging the firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and Jenks Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Regal is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-9
Cody Buzzard; Dakota Buzzard. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Cody, 27, and Dakota, 20, both of Grove, are charged with the first degree murder of Jerry Tapp. The brothers and others allegedly aided and abetted one another when they shot and killed Mr. Tapp on Aug. 1, 2019. In count 2, the defendants, along with others, allegedly shot a second victim during the same incident. Finally, the defendants are charged with brandishing and discharging a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence. The FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-351
Ty Warren Copeland; Eric Richard Lee Ramey. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 2, 3, 4); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding- Misdemeanor (Count 5) (superseding). Copeland, 29, and Ramey, 24, both of Tulsa, were armed when they broke an outer door to a Sapulpa home and entered on Jan. 4, 2021. Copeland is further alleged to have assaulted an individual (victim 1) in the home by swinging a knife at the victim and stabbing a second victim (victim 2) with the knife. Ramey is alleged to have struck victim 2 on the head and elsewhere using a baseball bat. Finally, Copeland allegedly shoved victim 1 to the ground and kicked the victim. The FBI and Creek County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-89
Joshua Jose Dicristofaro. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. On Aug. 31, 2021, Dicristofaro, 30, of Broken Arrow, allegedly swung a machete at the victim, striking the victim’s hands. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-416
Jeffrey Ryan Eaglin. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Eaglin, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of an Israel Military Industries Desert Eagle 9x19 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He is further charged with possessing with intent to distribute marijuana and with possession of the pistol to further his marijuana trafficking crime. According to court documents, Eaglin is a member of the Irish Mob, and he admitted the drugs were going to be smuggled into jail/prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-417
Jeff Joseph Emery. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (superseding). Emery, 24, of Tulsa, allegedly assaulted two victims in a road rage incident when he pointed a firearm at them on Nov. 8, 2017. On March 10, 2020, Emery allegedly assaulted a third victim with intent to commit murder. The defendant threatened the victim then shot at him, striking his hand. Emery was also charged with being a felon in possession of a Norinco SKS 7.6 x 39 caliber rifle and ammunition. The FBI and Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-90
Addison Wade Ennis. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Ennis, 19, of Broken Arrow, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 on March 2, 2021. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Briden is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-418
Robert P. Garcia. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (superseding). Garcia, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. He is further charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine. In this superseding indictment, he is also charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more or of Fentanyl. He is further charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes and with maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-358
Antonio Damon Gardner. Felony Murder in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; Causing Death by Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Causing Death by Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; Causing Death by Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Gardner, 21, of Tulsa, allegedly engaged in a robbery with another individual on Oct. 12, 2020, and during the crime, shot and killed Philip Luster. Gardner and his accomplice committed the robbery and murder during a meeting to purchase marijuana from the victim. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-328
Denim Lee Blount; Hunter Lee Hobbs. Conspiracy to Carry, Use, Brandish, and Discharge a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Counts 1, 4); Attempted Carjacking (Count 2); Carrying, Using Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 3); Robbery in Indian Country (Count 5); Felony Murder in Indian Country (Count 6); Causing Death by Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 7) (superseding) On May 8, 2021, at 10:29 pm, two men later identified as Hobbs, 20, of Bixby, and Blount, 19, of Tulsa, approached a man who was attempting to hook up his vehicle and trailer in an apartment complex parking. Based on surveillance footage, Blount pointed a shotgun at him, while Hobbs pointed a rifle at him. The two ordered the victim to get out of his vehicle, and when the victim refused, both men allegedly shot him multiple times. The two then fled, leaving the victim and his vehicle behind. The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. In this superseding indictment, Hobbs and Blount are also charged with conspiring to carry, use, and brandish firearms during a robbery in the early morning hours of May 13, 2021, at Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow. During the robbery, the two allegedly shot and killed Caleb Vaughn Collier and Kelly Ray Olen John Landsaw-Davis before fleeing the scene in Collier’s stolen vehicle. The FBI, Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments, and U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Paisner and Christopher J. Nassar and are prosecuting the case. 21-CR-233
Alexander Michael Koloff. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor). On Nov. 6, 2020, Koloff, 29, assaulted a dating partner by wrapping his arm around her neck and strangling her. He is further charged with beating and wounding the victim. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-419
Kyle Jordan Sanders. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. On Aug. 31, 2021, Sanders, 34, of Colcord, allegedly broke an outer door of a home and entered with an occupant inside with intent to commit a crime. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-425
Dakota Wayne Martin. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country. Martin, 27, of Claremore, is charged with the aggravated sexual abuse of a child younger than 12 years of age. The FBI and Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra M. Urban is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-408
Jaden Perez. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Perez, 21, of Tulsa, is alleged to have shot a nightclub security guard after an altercation between Perez and security guards at closing time on Aug. 21, 2021. During the shooting, a bullet apparently grazed the security guard who suffered bruising and redness to the left side of his chest. The security guard returned fire and wounded Perez who was taken to a local hospital for treatment. See more details here. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-420
John Lewis Powell, Jr.; Ernest Charles Baker III. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country. Powell Jr., 41, of Ralston, is charged with assaulting a victim, with intent to commit murder, when he repeatedly struck the victim in the head, neck and back with a hatchet. Baker III, 63, of Ralston, is charged with assaulting the same victim, with intent to commit murder, when he joined in on the assault and shouted “Go down mother****er” and “Why don’t you die, motherf***er.” The crime occurred on Sept. 8, 2018. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Harder is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-427
Roy Dale Sewell. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 1, 2). Sewell is charged with assaulting two victims by striking the victims with a metal baton. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-421
Chad Eric Smith. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. On Nov. 10, 2016, Smith, 39, currently incarcerated, allegedly broke into a home and attempted to rape a victim, placing the victim in fear of death and serious injury. He further struck the victim on her face and body, resulting in a broken nose. The FBI, Catoosa Police Department and Rogers County District Attorney’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra M. Urban is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-409
Michael David Bradley Vanderburg; Emily Krick. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Lewd Acts with a Child Under 16 in Indian Country; Sexual Exploitation of a Child by a Parent or Guardian; Distribution of Child Pornography; Receipt of Child Pornography. In Count 1, Vanderburg, 33, and Krick, 19, both of Tulsa, are charged with sexually abusing a child younger than 12 years of age from May 1, 2021, to Aug. 20, 2021. They are charged with engaging in sexual contact with the victim during the same timeframe. The defendants are further charged in Count 3 with exposing the minor victim and a second minor victim to look upon a sexual act performed in the minors’ presence, from May 1, 2021, to Aug. 20, 2021. In Count 4, Vanderburg is also charged with having a child engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images from March 31, 2021, to Aug. 20, 2021. Finally, Vandenburg is charged in Count 5 with distribution of child pornography and in Count 6 with receipt of child pornography. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case. 21-CR-410
William Rhea Wadlow Jr. Robbery in Indian country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Wadlow Jr., 22, of Locust Grove, allegedly shot toward and robbed a victim on April 14, 2021. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Kelly is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-422
District Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Series of Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Micheal Antonio Smith, 33, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment for robbing three Wells Fargo Bank branches within the District of Columbia.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division Wayne A. Jacobs, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Smith pled guilty in June 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two counts of bank robbery. A third count charging attempted bank robbery was dismissed at sentencing as part of the plea agreement. He was sentenced on Sept. 22, 2021, by the Honorable Judge Christopher R. Cooper. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
Smith robbed all three banks within a span of approximately two hours on Sept. 29, 2020. The first robbery took place at approximately 12:18 p.m. at a branch in the 3200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The others took place at branches in the 600 block of H Street NE and the 1900 block of 14th Street NW. According to the government’s evidence, Smith entered all three branches wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with a prominent BMW logo and a balaclava style face and head covering. In each bank, Smith presented a note to the demanding large bills and no dye pack. During one of the robberies, Smith reached inside his sweatshirt in a way that suggested his possession of a handgun or other weapon.
Smith took the demand note with him after each robbery and robbed the three banks of $1,510 before fleeing the District of Columbia in a rented Tesla Model S. The FBI was able to locate and track that vehicle to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Smith was located and arrested on Oct. 6, 2020. During a search of the Tesla, FBI agents discovered and seized a grey hooded sweatshirt with a BMW logo and a demand note. Smith has been in custody since his arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force, which is composed of FBI Special Agents and Task Force Officers from MPD and other law enforcement agencies. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing cases to prosecution against violent offenders within the District of Columbia.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs and Chief Contee commended the work of the MPD officers and FBI agents who investigated the case. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Danville Man Who Shot at House Convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Alvin Beasley, 36, of Danville, Ill., on September 22, 2021, for possession of a firearm by a felon. Sentencing for Beasley has been scheduled for January 24, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Urbana.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Beasley had possessed a firearm on May 23, 2019. Danville police had responded to a shots fired call that day in the area of the 1000 block of May Street in Danville. A residence had been shot at several times, and a witness saw a car with a distinctive hood flee the scene. Responding officers stopped the car after seeing a gun thrown out of its window. Alvin Beasley and a passenger were located inside. Over the course of the trial, the United States proved to the jury that Beasley had a romantic connection with the occupant of the residence in question.
Beasley testified in his own defense. He admitted on the stand that he shot up the residence that day but maintained that he was not guilty of the offense charged. Instead, he attempted to convince the jury that he had used a different firearm than the one police recovered to do the shooting that day.
Beasley remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. At sentencing, Beasley faces statutory penalties of fifteen years to life imprisonment due to prior convictions.
“This trial shows that the United States Attorney’s Office, working closely with our state and local partners, will continue to prosecute those who endanger our community by illegally possessing and using firearms,” said Acting United States Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “A small part of the population is causing the violence problem and targeted prosecutions are an important part of the solution.”
The case investigation was conducted by the Danville Police Department, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and William Lynch represented the government at trial, with assistance from the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Dallas Man Sentenced for Distributing Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals that Led to Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Gary Collin Bussell, 52, pleaded guilty on Jan. 26, 2021, to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
“The Eastern District of Texas remains committed to pursuing the fight against illegal narcotics on all fronts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “This case is a sad reminder that recreational use of prescription drugs—counterfeit or not—can present tremendous risks to the user, including overdose and death. EDTX continues to partner with the DEA in the battle against the trafficking of counterfeit and illegally-obtained pharmaceuticals.”
According to information presented in court, on Dec. 28, 2018, a 29-year-old Fairview resident died as the result of a fentanyl and alprazolam drug overdose. During the investigation of the death, federal drug enforcement agents learned Bussell was involved in the large-scale purchase and distribution of various pharmaceutical medications. Bussell personally distributed drugs, and had others distribute drugs on his behalf. Among his transactions, Bussell distributed the fentanyl and alprazolam that caused the victim’s overdose death.
Another defendant, William Grant Allbrook, 34, of the Colony, was a counterfeit pharmaceutical drug distributor in the Dallas area. Allbrook acquired counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs from another defendant, Peter Yin, 38, of Garland, and distributed those drugs to Bussell and others on behalf of Bussell’s organization.
Earlier this week, Allbrook and Yin were each sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Dallas Police Department, the Fairview Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service-CI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Combs.
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Cyprus-Based Shipping Company Fined $2 million for Concealing Unlawful Discharges of Oily Water into Atlantic OceanRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Cyprus-based company was sentenced to pay a fine of $2 million today after pleading guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.
“We are firmly committed to enforcing federal environmental laws and will not tolerate conduct that pollutes our water, imperils natural ecosystems, and endangers our wildlife,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As this case demonstrates, those who contaminate our most precious natural resources by illegally dumping hazardous waste into the ocean will be held accountable, especially when they falsify their records to avoid detection.”
Diana Wilhelmsen Management Limited (DWM) operates several commercial vessels. According to court documents, from mid-April 2020 until before the vessel arrived in Newport News on June 10, 2020, DWM crew members onboard the M/V Protefs, a 40,230 gross-ton, 738-foot ocean-going commercial bulk carrier, knowingly failed to record in the vessel’s oil record book the overboard discharge of oily bilge water. The vessel also arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 1, 2020 with a knowingly false oil record book.
“The United States will vigorously enforce laws that protect our ocean resources,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Holding shipping companies to account when wastes are unlawfully discharged overboard, and covered up through falsified documents, is vital to protecting our environment.”
The crew on the vessel used an emergency de-watering system to illegally discharge oily water directly into the Atlantic Ocean from the vessel’s bilge holding tank, duct keel, and bilge wells. Those discharges were not recorded in the oil record book as required. The chief engineer, Vener Dailisan, 47, pleaded guilty on December 18, 2020 to making a false statement to U.S. Coast Guard inspectors about the existence of a sounding log, which is routinely sought by inspectors in order to ascertain the accuracy of the oil record book.
“The commercial shipping industry is essential to commerce in this region, but their work must ensure they do not neglect their professional and legal obligations,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Today’s announcement emphasizes that our office along with our federal partners are committed to holding accountable all parties whose criminality jeopardizes our environment and places the public and the ecosystem at risk.”
DWM received a term of four years of probation, a fine of $2 million, and supervision under an environmental compliance plan.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division; Duane A. Evans, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and William P. Hicks II, Special Agent in Charge, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Chesapeake Region, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky of the Eastern District of Virginia, Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth Nelson of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Evans of the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service Chesapeake Region and Coast Guard Sector Virginia provided valuable assistance in this matter.
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. 2:21-cr-6.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shawn Le, 28, sold fentanyl, a .22 caliber revolver and 214 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on February 19, 2021.
Le pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life imprisonment when sentenced on January 20, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew is handling the prosecution.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00156.
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Cecil County Cocaine Supplier Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Mark Williams, a/k/a Swanny, age 52, of Elkton, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Superintendent Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III of the Maryland State Police; and Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams.
According to his guilty plea, the Maryland State Police, Cecil County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security identified Williams, Troy Neal, and Kevin Johnson as suppliers of cocaine after an extended investigation dating back to 2019. The conspiracy members distributed crack cocaine to multiple customers in Elkton, Maryland.
During the investigation, the Cecil County Circuit Court issued an order to authorize the interception of wire and electronic communications of Williams and his co-conspirators. Intercepted text and telephone communications revealed Williams as a member of the drug distribution conspiracy.
Law enforcement intercepted at least eight instances in which Williams, or his co-conspirators, conversed in coded conversations about drug activity. For example, on May 27, 2020, after a series of calls between Neal and a customer, police observed Williams and Neal visit a customer’s residence. Shortly after their arrival, two male customers entered the residence. After one of the two male customers left the residence, police conducted a traffic stop and seized 3.6 grams of crack cocaine.
As stated in his plea agreement, after a series of coded calls between Williams and the conspiracy members, law enforcement covertly surveilled Neal, Johnson, and Williams depart Neal’s residence and travel to the Bronx in New York. The next day, on June 14, 2020, law enforcement observed the three men travel back to a Maryland residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at a co-conspirator’s residence and recovered 497 grams of compressed suspected cocaine, several bags of suspected marijuana, a digital scale, and several cell phones.
Police arrested Williams, Neal and Johnson. Each were charged in Cecil County with various drug-related crimes.
Other evidence corroborates Williams’s involvement in drug trafficking including a lack of legitimate employment to support his life expenses. According to the IRS, Williams had reportable wages of approximately $6,000 in 2019 and less than $5,000 in 2020. Additionally, two witnesses would advise that they regularly purchased crack cocaine from Williams and Neal from February 2020 to May 2020.
Co-defendant Kevin Johnson was sentenced to eight years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine on August 23, 2021. Co-defendant Troy Neal pleaded guilty to the same charges on July 16, 2021. Neal’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 26, 2021 at 11 a.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the HSI, the Maryland State Police Department, and the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Kim Y. Oldham, who are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network funding provided through Governor Larry Hogan's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services, played a key role in this operation.
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Business Executive Pleads Guilty in Conduit Campaign Contribution CaseRead the Press Release
A California business executive pleaded guilty today in the District of Columbia for conspiring to make and conceal conduit and excessive campaign contributions during the U.S. presidential election in 2016 and thereafter.
According to the indictment and other court documents, Stevan Hill, 70, of Santa Monica, conspired with Ahmad “Andy” Khawaja, and others, between March 2016 and June 2018, to make unlawful contributions to several political committees, thereby circumventing contribution limits and causing the political committees to unwittingly submit false reports to the Federal Election Commission. Specifically, according to admissions made in connection with Hill’s plea, in August 2016, Khawaja gave Hill $100,000 to contribute in Hill’s name to a political committee supporting a candidate running for U.S. president in the 2016 election cycle. The purpose of making the contribution in Hill’s name was to allow Khawaja to exceed contribution limits set by federal law. The contribution was made in connection with a political event hosted by Khawaja in October 2016.
In addition, Hill admitted that, in June 2017, Khawaja gave him approximately $50,000 to contribute in Hill’s name to another political committee. Again, the purpose of making the contribution in Hill’s name was to allow Khawaja to exceed contribution limits set by federal law.
Hill also admitted that, in January 2018, Khawaja gave him approximately $50,000 to contribute in Hill’s name to another political committee. Again, the purpose of making the contribution in Hill’s name was to allow Khawaja to exceed contribution limits set by federal law. The contribution was made in connection with a political event hosted by Khawaja in March 2018.
Hill pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make conduit contributions, make excessive contributions, cause false statements to be made, and cause false entries in records. He is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Charges remain pending against Khawaja, who is a fugitive, and others in the indictment.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Anutono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Victor R. Salgado and Trial Attorney Michelle K. Parikh of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) are prosecuting the case. Former PIN Trial Attorney James C. Mann and PIN Trial Attorney Michael J. Romano also provided significant assistance in the investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.