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1 November 2021
Federal Jury Takes Less than an Hour to Convict Hazelwood Man on Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - After deliberating for less than an hour, a federal jury on Friday found James Weldon Johnson, aka “300 Blocc Knocc”, guilty on four counts of violating federal narcotics and firearm laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Johnson, age 36, was tried before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Ross E. Lenhardt, who prosecuted the case, the evidence established that James Weldon Johnson distributed fentanyl December 30, 2016 in a transaction that was observed by a detective from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and that occurred directly outside of 330 Renova Street in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police followed up that observation with a search warrant for that residence on January 2, 2017.
The search led to the seizure of substantial quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as a stolen and loaded .45 caliber handgun, two extended length magazines for the .45 handgun, and numerous items commonly used in drug trafficking such as electronic scales, body armor, inositol, cash and baking soda. The defendant was arrested at that location while in possession of two cellular telephones, over $900 more in cash, and the keys to the residence. After obtaining search warrants and extracting the contents of those cellphones, experts concluded that the messages in those phones indicated that one of the cellular telephones was used in the December 30, 2016 transaction and that Johnson was regularly using that cellular telephone to sell illegal narcotics.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2022. The law provides for a total sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $4,500,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded the defendant back into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Acting United States Attorney, Stephen R. Kaufman commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for conducting the investigation and assisting in the prosecution and conviction of James Weldon Johnson.
Federal Jury Convicts Minneapolis Felon of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man for possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a four-day trial before Judge Nancy E. Brasel, Gregory Lynn McCoy, 60, was convicted on one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Due to his multiple prior felony convictions, McCoy qualifies for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 23, 2019, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on McCoy’s Dodge Durango and found an MC 1911 .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol in the center console. The vehicle was registered to McCoy and McCoy’s DNA was found on one of the three magazines found adjacent to the gun. Law enforcement also found a box of MagTech .45 caliber ammunition in McCoy’s residence. Because McCoy has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. MacLaughlin and Joseph S. Teirab.
Federal Court Orders Tampa Pharmacy to Close in Case Alleging Unlawful Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - A federal court in Florida ordered a Tampa-area pharmacy shut down and prohibited two of its employees from ever owning, managing or operating any business where controlled substances are dispensed.
Pursuant to an agreed consent judgment and permanent injunction filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the court enjoined WeCare Pharmacy, its pharmacist owner Qingping Zhang, pharmacy technician Li Yang and a related corporate entity, L&Y Holdings LLC, from ever owning, managing or operating any business where controlled substances are dispensed. The order also requires the permanent closure and dissolution of WeCare Pharmacy.
The
consent decree resolves a civil complaint the government filed earlier this year alleging that the defendants repeatedly dispensed opioids in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. The complaint alleged that over a period of several years, the defendants dispensed highly addictive and highly abused prescription opioids while ignoring “red flags” — that is, obvious indications of drug diversion and drug-seeking behavior. U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven, who entered the order, previously granted the government’s request for a temporary restraining order shortly after the case was filed.“Pharmacists and those who own and operate pharmacies have a duty to ensure that controlled substances are distributed lawfully,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with its partners to ensure that business owners and medical professionals handling controlled substances do not violate the Controlled Substances Act.”
“Failure to comply with professional standards and protocols while dispensing controlled substances places the public at risk of harm and is a violation of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to enforce the law against those engaged in harmful practices, to keep our citizens safe.”
“Pharmacies have an obligation to ensure controlled substances are dispensed in accordance with the law," said Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “When they ignore that obligation, it contributes to the widespread misuse and abuse of prescription opioids that devastate our communities. The DEA Miami Field Division remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the health and the safety of our communities.”
The investigation was conducted by the DEA.
The case was handled by Trial Attorneys Scott Dahlquist and Thomas Rosso of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Keefe for the Middle District of Florida.
Federal Court Orders Tampa Pharmacy to Close in Case Alleging Unlawful Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
A federal court in Florida ordered a Tampa-area pharmacy shut down and prohibited two of its employees from ever owning, managing or operating any business where controlled substances are dispensed.
Pursuant to an agreed consent judgment and permanent injunction filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the court enjoined WeCare Pharmacy, its pharmacist owner Qingping Zhang, pharmacy technician Li Yang and a related corporate entity, L&Y Holdings LLC, from ever owning, managing or operating any business where controlled substances are dispensed. The order also requires the permanent closure and dissolution of WeCare Pharmacy.
The consent decree resolves a civil complaint the government filed earlier this year alleging that the defendants repeatedly dispensed opioids in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. The complaint alleged that over a period of several years, the defendants dispensed highly addictive and highly abused prescription opioids while ignoring “red flags” — that is, obvious indications of drug diversion and drug-seeking behavior. U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven, who entered the order, previously granted the government’s request for a temporary restraining order shortly after the case was filed.
“Pharmacists and those who own and operate pharmacies have a duty to ensure that controlled substances are distributed lawfully,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with its partners to ensure that business owners and medical professionals handling controlled substances do not violate the Controlled Substances Act.”
“Failure to comply with professional standards and protocols while dispensing controlled substances places the public at risk of harm and is a violation of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to enforce the law against those engaged in harmful practices, to keep our citizens safe.”
“Pharmacies have an obligation to ensure controlled substances are dispensed in accordance with the law," said Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “When they ignore that obligation, it contributes to the widespread misuse and abuse of prescription opioids that devastate our communities. The DEA Miami Field Division remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the health and the safety of our communities.”
The investigation was conducted by the DEA.
The case was handled by Trial Attorneys Scott Dahlquist and Thomas Rosso of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Keefe for the Middle District of Florida.
FDC Inmate Convicted of Smuggling Drugs and Contraband into Prison Through a Hole in a Jail Cell WindowRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Anthony Robinson, a/k/a Slick, 34, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted at trial of conspiring with others to smuggle contraband into the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Philadelphia.
In April 2021, Robinson was indicted for conspiracy and possession of contraband in prison stemming from a 2020 incident caught on tape in the prison. In April 2020, staff at the FDC observed a man outside the prison, attaching items to a line. Security camera footage showed a rope being pulled up the side of the building facing Arch Street. Upon searching the cell from which the rope emanated, officers found two cellmates along with quantities of Suboxone, cocaine, tobacco, methamphetamine tablets, marijuana, a SIM card, and an inoperable cell phone. Both men were charged and convicted for possessing contraband in prison. Meanwhile, investigation revealed that they did not act alone. Specifically, investigation revealed that another FDC inmate, defendant Robinson, had aided them in their smuggling operation from his own cell by arranging, using a contraband cell phone, for the drugs to be brought to the FDC.
“Maintaining the secure environment of federal correctional facilities is paramount to the safety of staff and inmates and the pursuit of justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “In this case, even though this defendant had already committed an unrelated federal offense for which he was in prison awaiting trial, he couldn’t help himself and committed another crime by smuggling contraband into the facility. He will now face even more time behind bars after this trial conviction.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Damiani.
Erie, PA Man Pleads Guilty in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Jordan Lee Perrin, 25, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Perrin received computer images and movies depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for March 3, 2022. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Perrin on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Erie County Detectives Bureau conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Perrin.
Elkview Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joey Michael King, 41, of Elkview, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor. King was also ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment pursuant to the 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, King previously admitted that in February 2019, he communicated via a social messaging application with a minor he believed to be a 15-year-old girl located in Bridgeport. In reality, the minor was a law enforcement officer with the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force who was operating online in an undercover capacity. Despite knowing the purported minor’s age, King repeatedly requested the girl to take sexually explicit photographs and to send him the photographs via text and email. King provided the girl with his personal cell phone number and his personal email, both of which matched the phone number and email that King provided to the West Virginia Sex Offender Registry in his January 2019 Sex Offender Registration Report.
King was also sentenced to lifetime on supervised release following his release from prison and is required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Nitro Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-00301.
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El Paso Business Owner Indicted for FraudRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso man was arrested on Thursday on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in defrauding two federally funded correctional institutions (“the institutions”).
According to court documents, Jack McCager Kidd, 70, is a director and partner of a company that provided natural gas to the institutions. The allegations are that Kidd falsely invoiced the institutions for more natural gas than Kidd’s company had in fact delivered. Kidd also refused to provide requested information to the institutions concerning the amount of natural gas delivered and the calculations he used to determine the monthly invoice amounts.
Kidd is charged with 72 counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Kidd faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge D. Nichole Fleming of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Fraud Detection Office made the announcement.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Fraud Detection Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Skillern and Sarah Valenzuela 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.
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East Moline Man Pleads Guilty to Gun, Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An East Moline, Illinois, man, Christian Matthew Lannan, 24, of the 3600 block of 8th Street Court, pleaded guilty on October 29, 2021, to the charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a felon. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 21, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois, before United States District Judge James E. Shadid.
Lannan remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
For the offense of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison; a term of supervised release of not less than two years and up to life; and a fine of up to $250,000. For the offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the statutory penalty is a minimum of five years in prison up to a maximum of life, to be served consecutively to any other sentence on any other count; a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life; and a fine of up to $250,000. For the offense of possessing a firearm as a felon, the statutory penalty is up to 10 years in prison; a term of supervised release of up to three years; and a fine of up to $250,000.
The charges were investigated by the Moline and East Moline Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mehochko is representing the government in the prosecution.
Durham Woman Sentenced for Lying to Investigators About Suspect in ShootingRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Durham resident was sentenced Friday in federal court for lying to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation asking questions about a drive-by shooting, announced Acting United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
CHAKERA ALEXANDRIA MANGUM, age 29, was charged with lying to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation about the location of evidence in a drive-by shooting, as well as the location of the suspect. She pled guilty on March 9, 2021.
MANGUM was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles, in Greensboro. MANGUM was sentenced to 2 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. One of MANGUM’s special conditions of supervised release prohibits her association with gang members.
According to publicly-filed court documents, on November 14, 2020, an off-duty deputy with the Durham County Sheriff’s Office was stopped at a stoplight on Highway 98 in Durham when another car pulled alongside him and the front passenger rolled down his window and opened fire. The suspect car then sped away. Investigators identified a suspect and located him that evening driving a Dodge Challenger belonging to MANGUM. When federal investigators questioned MANGUM that same evening and the next day, she made multiple false statements regarding the suspect’s location on November 14 and the location of her Dodge Challenger, which the suspect had been driving. MANGUM did so despite multiple warnings from federal investigators that lying to a federal agent during the course of an investigation is a federal crime.
“Here is a simple truth we all learned as children: lying is a bad decision with serious consequences,” said Acting United States Attorney Hairston. “Lying to federal law enforcement agents is a felony that can land you in jail, even if you had no part in the crime being investigated.”
“Chakera Mangum knowingly interfered with the capture of a dangerous fugitive. Despite being repeatedly warned she could face federal charges, she stuck to her story which delayed the FBI’s efforts to get the fugitive into custody. This should be a lesson for anyone who thinks protecting an accused shooter is more important than telling law enforcement the truth,” said Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Charlotte.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney JoAnna G. McFadden prosecuted the case.
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Colchester Man Sentenced to a Year of Imprisonment for Federal Migratory Bird Poaching Violations and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jeremiah Ruhl, 46, of Colchester, Vermont was sentenced today to twelve months and a day in prison by U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III. Ruhl had previously pled guilty to the unlawful killing of a crow and woodcock without a license and unlawful possession of a turkey vulture without a permit. All three of these birds are “migratory birds” and protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Ruhl also pled guilty to unlawfully possessing a Stevens .410 shotgun after having previously been convicted of a felony. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Sessions ordered Ruhl to serve two years on federal supervised release after he is released from prison.
Ruhl previously pled guilty to these offenses in September 2019 and was referred to participate in the Federal Drug Court program in Burlington. In July 2021, Ruhl’s participation in the Drug Court was terminated by the Court due to multiple violations of release conditions, including dishonesty and continued drug use. If Ruhl successfully completed Drug Court, he would have avoided additional incarceration.
The Government argued in its sentencing memorandum that a jail sentence was appropriate given the aggravating factors in the case, in particular the defendant’s long history of violating Vermont’s game laws, which stands in stark contrast to his professed affection for Vermont’s wildlife.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “Federal firearm laws apply equally to all types of firearms, from handguns to hunting rifles. Those who are prohibited from possessing firearms and use them to engage in criminal conduct must be held accountable. I commend the thorough investigation of the State Game Wardens in the Law Enforcement Division of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the Colchester Police Department, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
Colonel Jason Batchelder of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department stated: “Thanks to our dedicated State Game Warden investigators, and federal agents and prosecutors working in concert, crimes against the natural resources of Vermont and migratory bird species we share with neighboring states, will see an appropriate response.”
Ruhl faced a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 for the possession of a firearm-by-a-felon violation. For the Migratory Bird Treaty Act violations, Ruhl faced a maximum of six months imprisonment and a $5,000 fine for each of the three counts.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Ruhl is represented by Steven Barth of the Federal Public Defenders Office.
Chicago Woman Sentenced for Obtaining Promethazine with Codeine by FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Kia Latrice Booker, 24, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on November 1, 2021 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for obtaining promethazine with codeine by forging prescriptions. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Booker to 7 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
Law enforcement investigated 11 fraudulent prescriptions of promethazine with codeine starting on July 7, 2018. During follow up with each pharmacy, Nebraska State Patrol investigators were able to identify a female, later identified as Booker, who used her Illinois identification card when she picked up the prescriptions of promethazine. Promethazine is cough syrup with codeine, an often-sought-after drug illegally sold without a prescription.
On July 12, 2018, Nebraska State Patrol investigators received a call from the Ogallala Police Department involving promethazine with codeine. The individuals involved in the Ogallala case were Booker and Chyneice Richie. Richie pleaded guilty to obtaining promethazine with codeine by forging prescriptions and is scheduled for sentencing in December, 2021.
Both Booker and Richie were seen on surveillance video obtaining promethazine with codeine using fake IDs.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ogallala Police Department.
Chicago Resident Pleads to Conspiracy Count in ErieRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Shawn Ashley Pena, 39, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that during the period from March 2018 to May 2018, Pena and a co-defendant conspired to steal merchandise from business and retail establishments in multiple states and transport the stolen items across state lines.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for March 3, 2022. The law provides for a total sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pena.
Cedar Rapids Woman Who Sold $1,000 Worth of Heroin and Fentanyl Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who sold fentanyl in Cedar Rapids pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Ladonna Cynthia Givens, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Givens admitted that she agreed with another person to distribute heroin on multiple occasions in January 2021. Givens admitted that the other person would receive orders from drug customers, but that Givens would arrive at the meeting location and distribute the drugs. She also admitted that on two occasions in January 2021, Givens sold $500 worth of purported heroin, which was later determined to contain both heroin and fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Givens was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Givens faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21‑CR‑00033‑CJW‑MAR.
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California Man Sentenced After Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROT VAN NGUYEN (“NGUYEN”), age 59, of San Jose, California was sentenced on October 28, 2021 to thirty-three months in prison by Judge Barry Ashe for failing to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, NGUYEN was convicted in California in 2009 of a sex offense that required him to register as a sex offender for life. In addition to being sentenced to thirty-three (33) months in prison, NGUYEN was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
California Man Charged with Assault and Interference with a Flight CrewRead the Press Release
DENVER – Brian Hsu, age 20, of Irvine, California, has been charged by criminal complaint with interference with a flight crew and assault within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. The charges stem from Mr. Hsu’s alleged assault of a flight attendant on October 27, 2021, aboard American Airlines Flight 976, which was diverted to Denver, Colorado. It is anticipated that Mr. Hsu will appear in the United States District Court for the Central District of California for an initial appearance later today.
The charges in the criminal complaint are allegations. The Defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Denver Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brad Giles is in charge of the prosecution.
Case Number: 21-mj-00179
California Attorney Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEREK JONES, an attorney currently suspended from practicing law in California, pled guilty today to one count of wire fraud. JONES is scheduled to be sentenced on February 23, 2022, before United States District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who accepted today’s plea.
According to the allegations set forth in the Indictment and other documents filed in the case:
From at least 2012 through at least 2019, JONES solicited and obtained investments into various companies and investment funds he controlled, including purported real estate development and investment firms using variations of the names “BlueRidge,” “Living City,” and “Atiswin,” and the purported venture capital firm Realize Holdings (“Realize”).
In fraudulently inducing victims to invest in his funds, JONES routinely made materially false oral and written statements, including in glossy brochures and legal documents that contained lies about real estate purportedly owned or otherwise controlled by BlueRidge, Living City, and Atiswin. For example, JONES falsely told investors and prospective investors that BlueRidge was developing a “resort village” on land it controlled in Washington State, and separately that BlueRidge had purchased an existing hotel in that same location, when in fact neither BlueRidge nor JONES owned or controlled any of that property. In other cases, JONES falsely claimed that his companies were under contract to purchase a ranch in Colorado, and that his companies had leased various pieces of property slated for development. Instead, JONES misappropriated investors’ money, using much of it to make Ponzi-like payments to other investors to whom he owed money in connection with earlier transactions, and for personal and family expenses, including the private-school tuition of his children.
In executing his scheme, JONES also sent investors and others falsified and counterfeit documents. For example, on repeated occasions JONES provided doctored bank statements stating that he had millions of dollars in various corporate accounts, when in fact he had little or no money in such accounts. On other occasions, he provided counterfeit financial statements that falsely purported to be based on internal audits of companies that he controlled.
JONES defrauded investors—at least three of whom lived and/or transacted their banking in Manhattan—out of at least approximately $5.8 million. To prolong and conceal the fraud scheme, JONES regularly told lies designed to avoid meetings with or inquiries from victims. For example, in explaining his failure to respond promptly to questions or his reason for postponing meetings, JONES falsely told different investors, on different occasions, that one of his relatives was hospitalized and undergoing surgery. JONES also used the names of other individuals—without those individuals’ authorization or knowledge—to communicate via email with investors and thus foster the illusion that JONES’s businesses were viable operations with real employees.
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JONES, 47, of California, pled guilty today to a single count of wire fraud. That charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the sentencing judge.
Mr. Williams praised the excellent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Raymond Lewis, Michael C. McGinnis, and David M. Abramowicz are in charge of the prosecution.
COPS Office Announces Funding to Combat Illegal Opioids and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) announced today $44.5 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin and prescription opioids.
“The Department of Justice is very pleased to provide these critical public safety resources and continue supporting law enforcement efforts to battle against the national crisis posed by the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin and prescription opioids,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This funding will help to greatly reduce the availability of lethal drugs and maintain health and safety in our communities.”
Through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF), the COPS Office is awarding more than $31.1 million in grant funding to 13 state law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures. AHTF provides funding directly to state law enforcement agencies in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl or carfentanil, or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office will also award more than $13.3 million to nine state law enforcement agencies that have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories and laboratory dump seizures. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories or methamphetamine traffickers.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2021AwardDocs/ahtf/Award_List.pdf
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2021AwardDocs/camp/Award_List.pdf
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers.
Bronx Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTONIO MORA pled guilty today to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in connection with his participation in two Bronx-based narcotics conspiracies. MORA is scheduled to be sentenced on February 3, 2022, by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who accepted today’s plea.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Antonio Mora was a prolific dealer of heroin and crack, and a violent enforcer for two different narcotics organizations. Mora participated in multiple shootings of rival drug dealers, including a brazen daytime shooting on a busy residential street where Mora shot a man twice in front of his young daughter. Now Mora awaits sentencing for his multiple acts of violence and drug trafficking.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, statements made in court, as well as other publicly filed documents in this case:
Between in or about December 2015 and in or about November 2018, MORA participated in two separate conspiracies to distribute crack cocaine and heroin in the Bronx and elsewhere. MORA also participated in multiple shootings, including two in the second half of 2018. On September 6, 2018, the defendant and a co-conspirator pursued a rival drug dealer in broad daylight and shot him in the abdomen. On September 17, 2018, MORA and others chased down a rival drug dealer while he was walking on the street with his daughter in the Bronx, pulled the rival dealer’s daughter from his hands, and shot him twice in the leg.
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MORA, 28, pled guilty to three counts: (1) conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams and more of crack cocaine and 1 kilogram and more of heroin from in or about December 2015 to June 2018, which carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of life; (2) conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin from in or about June 2018 to November 2018, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; and (3) using and carrying firearms during, and possessing firearms in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy, some of which firearms were discharged, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of life.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Courtney Heavey, Danielle Sassoon, and paralegal specialist Christopher Sykes are in charge of the prosecution.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bridgeport, Illinois, man, Billy Joe Kocher, 49, of the 300 block of Olive Street, was sentenced on October 20, 2021, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b).
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that in April 2021 Kocher had attempted to meet with a person he believed to be a father of an eight-year-old girl. The purpose of the meeting was for Kocher to pay for the opportunity to have sex with the eight-year-old child.
Kocher was indicted in June 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2021, pursuant to a written plea agreement.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are at least 10 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul B. Morris and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Kocher was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Boston Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was convicted by a federal jury on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021 in connection with possessing and conspiring to distribute drugs including fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Adriano Cortez, a/k/a, “A,” 27, was convicted following a week-long trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 3, 2022. Cortez was charged in a superseding indictment in October 2020.
In March 2015, Cortez was observed conducting what appeared to be a street-level drug deal in Weymouth. When he was approached by police, Cortez fled from his vehicle and a foot pursuit ensued. Cortez was subsequently apprehended at which time he was found carrying multiple drugs including mixtures and substances containing more than 40 grams of fentanyl, more than 100 grams of heroin and cocaine. Cortez was arrested and placed on court-ordered location monitoring and later home detention in connection with this conduct.
Between September and November 2017, while still on court-ordered location monitoring and home detention, Cortez orchestrated approximately 10 drug deals with undercover officers. During this conspiracy, Cortez managed all aspects of the drug operation from his Dorchester residence. Cortez informed undercover officers of the meeting location and payment amount for each drug deal and dispatched numerous associates to meet with the undercover officers to deliver cocaine or fentanyl, or both. The associates then returned the cash proceeds back to Cortez at his home.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms & Explosives; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Weymouth Police Chief Richard Fuller made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Hoefle and John T. Mulcahy of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Berkeley County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Berkeley County man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a child exploitation offense. James Braddock Biggerman, 21, of Hedgesville, previously pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Biggerman admitted that in June and July 2020, he communicated with a 13-year-old female located in Bluefield, West Virginia, via Snapchat and text messages. During those conversations, he asked the minor female to engage in sexual activity with him and send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself. Biggerman also offered to pay the minor female $100 to engage in sexual activity. Biggerman admitted to having similar conversations during the same time frame with another 13-year-old female located in Charleston. Biggerman admitted that on July 18, 2020, he traveled from Hedgesville to Bluefield in order to meet the first minor to engage in sexual activity. He then planned to transport that minor to Charleston in order to have sex with both minors and video record the sexual activity. Biggerman was arrested on July 18, 2020, when he arrived at the location where he had arranged to meet the minor in Bluefield.
Following his release from prison, Biggerman will serve a 30-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigation conducted by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00037.
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Belmont County, Ohio man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lucas T. Kincade, of Jacobsburg, Ohio, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Kincade, 28, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Kincade, a person prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions, admitted to having a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in December 2020 in Marshall County.
Kincade faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Beavercreek man pleads guilty to attempting to travel overseas to join ISIS-KRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Beavercreek man who was arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force at John Glenn International Airport in 2018 while trying to travel to Afghanistan to join ISIS Wilayat Khorasan (ISIS-K) has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Naser Almadaoji, 22, an Iraqi-born United States citizen, was scheduled to start jury trial today. He pleaded guilty Friday evening to one count of attempting to provide material support – himself, as personnel – to foreign terrorist organizations, namely ISIS and ISIS-K.
“This is now the second person from the Dayton area held accountable in recent times for trying to join ISIS,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel. “Whatever grievances might exist with our government, our country, or our way of life, violence is not the answer. Providing material support in whatever form – personnel, services, funding, or otherwise – to designated foreign terrorist groups simply begets more terror, and every effort will be made to hold accountable those who provide such support.”
According to court documents, Almadaoji purchased a plane ticket for travel on October 24, 2018, and was arrested after checking in and obtaining his boarding pass.
The defendant intended to travel to Astana, Kazahkstan, where he planned to be smuggled into Afghanistan so that he could join and receive military training from ISIS-K in support of both that terrorist group and ISIS. Almadaoji explained to an individual whom he believed to be an ISIS supporter that he wanted “weapons experts training, planning and executing, hit and run, capturing high value targets, ways to break into homes and avoid security guards. That type of training.” He began making travel plans in September 2018.
Prior to that, between February 16 and 24, 2018, Almadaoji traveled to Egypt and Jordan for the purpose of joining ISIS’s affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula, ISIS Wilayat Sinai, another designated foreign terrorist organization, but he ultimately was unsuccessful.
Almadaoji told an individual posing as an ISIS supporter online about his proposed plot to start a conflict in the United States between the federal government and anti-government militias. He asked the purported ISIS supporter for a guide on how to make a car bomb.
In August 2018, Almadaoji also told the purported ISIS supporter that he was “always willing” to assist with “projects” in the United States.
Almadaoji recorded and sent a video of himself wearing a headscarf and pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS.
In addition, Almadaoji translated a purported ISIS document from Arabic to English, and he told his contact—whom Almadaoji believed to be part of ISIS—“Don’t thank me . . . it’s my duty.”
Attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
“This case is another example of how the agents and officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force continue to work each day to protect the community and disrupt those intent on aiding and supporting terrorist groups,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “The task force brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to expertly investigate developing threats and those who may be focused on violence.”
Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge of the Cincinnati Division of the FBI; Alan J. Hill, Oakwood Public Safety Director; and Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer announced the plea entered into before Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorneys Dominick S. Gerace and Nicholas A. Dingeldein and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are representing the United States in this case.
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Akron Man Sentenced to Four Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute 10,000 THC Vape Cartridges and Illegal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Gage Predojev, 23, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge James S. Gwin to 50 months imprisonment after Predojev pleaded guilty in June of 2021 to possession with the intent to distribute 10,000 THC vape cartridges and as a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Gwin also ordered the forfeiture of seven firearms and $18,432 as part of Predojev’s sentence.
According to court records, on September 26, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped Predojev in his vehicle for a traffic violation. Officers learned that Predojev was driving under license suspension and used a narcotics-sniffing canine to detect the presence of drugs. The canine alerted officers to an odor of narcotics emitting from the vehicle and officers conducted a search. During the search, officers discovered 10,000 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vape cartridges inside the vehicle labeled as “Fwaygo Extracts.” Predojev told law enforcement that the cartridges were valued at around $250,000.
Following this incident, officers executed a search warrant at an apartment in Stow, Ohio, where Predojev lived with codefendant Justin Duma. During the search of the apartment, officers discovered additional THC vape cartridges, approximately $18,000 in drug trafficking proceeds and seven loaded firearms.
Predojev is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous conviction of drug trafficking in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.
Justin Duma is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2022.
The investigation was conducted by the FDA – Office of Criminal Investigations in conjunction with the Ohio Attorney General’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission – Cuyahoga County Regional Major Crimes Task Force and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron P. Howell.
Akron Man Sentenced to 23 Years for Illegal Possession of Meth, 14 Firearms and Stolen Police Body ArmorRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on Friday, October 29, 2021, Judge Christopher A. Boyko sentenced Justin D. Martin, 34, of Akron, Ohio, to 23 years imprisonment after a jury found Martin and codefendant Brandon L. Sheridan, 34, of Akron, guilty of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in July of 2021.
According to court documents, on January 10, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Lake Street in Akron. An earlier investigation had revealed that Martin and Sheridan were using the address as a base of operations to conduct drug trafficking activities. During the execution of the search warrant, officers encountered Martin and Sheridan inside the residence and secured approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, 14 firearms (four of which were reported stolen), ammunition, approximately $7,000 in cash, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia.
Officers also recovered law enforcement-issued body armor from the residence, which was previously reported stolen from a Cuyahoga Falls police officer during a residential burglary.
Brandon Sheridan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Akron Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Peter E. Daly.
30 October 2021
Justice Department Awards Highly Competitive Grant to York County’s Caring Unlimited for Youth Violence PreventionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: As Domestic Violence Awareness Month ends, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced today that Caring Unlimited, York County’s domestic violence resource center, was recently awarded a $497,000 three-year grant from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Consolidated Youth Program. Caring Unlimited’s program was one of only 16 projects selected nationally to receive such a grant.
The “Safe Communities for Youth” project will expand youth-focused prevention and intervention efforts in York County by conducting a community needs assessment, followed by the creation and implementation of a strategic plan designed to reduce victimization and perpetration of youth dating violence and sexual assaults. Partner agencies on the grant are Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine, Maine Boys to Men and Saltwater Vineyard Church.
“We are thrilled to be a recipient of this highly competitive program. We look forward to partnering with our community to create much needed capacity for youth violence prevention programming,” said Caring Unlimited Executive Director Susan Giambalvo. “The project will take a holistic approach to creating healthy communities for youth by creating leadership opportunities for youth and engaging supportive adults to prevent and respond to youth dating violence and sexual assault. As a community, we all have a responsibility and a role to play in changing the conditions that allow domestic violence to persist."
“Maine continues to experience a significant problem with incidents of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney McElwee. “We are proud of Caring Unlimited’s achievement and look forward to the work ahead as domestic violence prevention will be a priority for my office.”
Since 1977, Caring Unlimited has worked to end domestic violence in York County through service to an average of 2000 individuals annually. They offer a comprehensive array of programs including 24-hour Helpline, emergency shelter, transitional housing, individual and group advocacy and support, and legal assistance. The agency relies on volunteers to ensure that support and safety planning services are available to anyone affected by domestic abuse. More information is available by visiting www.caring-unlimited.org or by calling the Helpline at 1-800-239-7298.
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.
29 October 2021
Worcester Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was convicted today by a federal jury in Worcester of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking.
Daniel Donald, 40, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin, over 500 grams of cocaine, over 28 grams of cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine), and fentanyl; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2022. Donald was arrested along with co-defendant Robert Young in December 2017.
In April 2017, federal law enforcement began investigating drug sales by Donald and Young on Groton Street in Worcester. On Nov. 30, 2017, a search of a “hide” between the exterior and interior walls of a building on the property resulted in the seizure of one kilogram of cocaine, 345 grams of heroin, over 80 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 200 pills containing fentanyl and a loaded 9 mm firearm.
In October 2018, Young pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base and fentanyl and is pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 18, 2021.
The drug charges provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to a lifetime in prison, at least eight years of supervised release and a fine of up to $8 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Stephen Sargent made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Westborough, Wellesley, Douglas, and Southbridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm, Chief of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Winter Springs Woman Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for More Than $1 Million in FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Justina Maria Holland – now known as Justina Maria Rummel – (36, Winter Springs) to eight years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $1,161,185.64 in restitution. Holland had previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, false use of a Social Security number, and theft of government property.
According to court documents, Holland was employed at a local business where she had access to the bank and credit accounts of the business and its owner. From March 2015 through June 2018, Holland used her position to embezzle more than $1 million from her employer and the employer’s owner. Holland’s scheme consisted of three parts:
First, Holland embezzled more than $300,000 by taking funds from various company checking and IRA accounts and by manipulating the company payroll system to receive additional salary payments.
Second, Holland engaged in more than $700,000 of credit card fraud by making unauthorized purchases using the victim’s credit cards, which she paid by making unauthorized transfers from her employer’s various bank accounts. Holland also opened a credit card account in the victim’s name by using his Social Security number and then used that card to make more than $196,000 in purchases for herself, including visits to a local theme park. Holland used her employer’s bank accounts to pay the bills for that credit card.
Lastly, Holland used her minor son’s Social Security number to obtain financing to purchase a BMW and a Porsche. Holland used funds from her employer to make some of the car payments for her vehicles.
Holland covered up her embezzlements by providing her employer with false spreadsheets that concealed her spending, among other things.
During the time that Holland was working at the employer and embezzling funds, she received benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a program that supplements the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. (Until 2008, SNAP was known as the Food Stamp Program.). SNAP is a federally funded, national program established by United States Department of Agriculture and administered in Florida by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). In her applications for public SNAP assistance, Holland falsely represented that she and her husband did not earn any income. From May 2012 to August 2016, Holland received over $23,000 in SNAP benefits. She would not have received any of those benefits had she not made those misrepresentations about her financial situation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole Financial Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Public Assistance Fraud. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roger B. Handberg and Terry B. Livanos.
Winter Haven Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Daniel Brooke (49, Winter Haven) to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for theft of government funds. As part of Brooke’s sentence, the court also ordered Brooke to pay $84,139 in restitution and entered a separate forfeiture money judgement against him in the amount of $84,139, the proceeds of the offense.
Brooke had pleaded guilty on August 11, 2021.
According to court documents, Brooke’s mother, R.B., was receiving Social Security benefits. Brooke served as R.B.’s representative payee and received benefit checks issued on her behalf by the Social Security Administration (SSA). R.B. passed away on May 11, 2016. Despite his responsibility to do so as representative payee, Brooke never reported R.B.’s death to SSA, causing SSA to continue issuing benefit checks on behalf of R.B. after her death. From June 2016 through March 2020, Brooke used the funds paid on behalf of R.B. for his own personal expenses. In total, Brooke knowingly and willfully stole approximately $84,000 in benefits to which he was not entitled.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Windsor Mill Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Fraud Scheme Purporting to Sell COVID-19 VaccinesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Odunayo “Baba” Oluwalade, age 25, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme purporting to sell COVID-19 vaccines.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Daniel A. Adame of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, Oluwalade conspired with others to obtain access to a bank account for use in the fraud scheme. Oluwalade admitted that he knew the bank account would be used for a fraud scheme, but was not aware of the specifics of the scheme. The scheme called for Oluwalade to be compensated for his role in obtaining bank accounts for use in the scheme.
As detailed in Oluwalade’s guilty pleas, the scheme involved the creation of a fake domain, named “Modernatx.shop” (the “Fake Domain”), which appeared visually similar to Company 1’s actual home page, including in the trademarked logos for Company 1, colors and markings. Company 1 is a biotechnology company that focuses on drug discovery, drug development, and vaccine technologies, including a vaccine for COVID-19. According to the plea agreement, unlike Company1’s website, the Fake Domain had the text: “YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BUY A COVID-19 VACCINE AHEAD OF TIME,” with a link to “Contact us.”
Oluwalade admitted that on November 13, 2020, he received a message from an individual asking him to obtain bank accounts to be used in the fraud scheme. On November 16, 2020, a co-conspirator texted Oluwalade that he had located someone who would allow them to use his Navy Federal Credit Union account for the fraud scheme. The co-conspirator provided Oluwalade with the banking information, which he sent to a second co-conspirator.
On January 11, 2021, an HSI Special Agent, in an undercover capacity (“UC”), contacted a number listed on the Fake Domain, which investigators determined was linked to an account on an encrypted messaging application which also allows voice-over-Internet calls and video chats. The number replied approximately two hours later requesting an e-mail address to contact the UC, which the UC provided. Approximately four minutes later the UC received an e-mail from [email protected], an e-mail address which appears on the Fake Domain, purporting to welcome the UC to Company 1 and providing a brief description of Company 1 and the storage requirements of Company 1’s vaccine.
After several additional e-mails, the UC received information regarding payment, delivery, and purchase for alleged Company 1 vaccines from a Google e-mail address. The UC was sent a purported invoice for 200 doses of Company 1’s vaccine at $30.00 per dose, for a total of $6,000, with payment terms listed as 50% up front and 50% upon delivery. The UC was allegedly instructed to send payment to the Navy Federal Credit Union account discussed above. The UC transferred a portion of the funds to the account as directed.
According to his plea agreement and court documents, on January 15, 2021, the government seized the fake domain and executed a series of search warrants, including at the home of the co-conspirator with the Navy Federal Credit Union account. Investigators used that co-conspirator’s phone to send Oluwalade a message: “Yo where u want me send the bread?” (referring to the cash investigators had sent to Williams’s bank account for the purchase of alleged vaccines as directed). Oluwalade replied, “Yea send me some thru zelle and some through cash app.” Both Zelle & Cash App are online payment platforms. Oluwalade provided his Cash App User ID name, and investigators made a cash transfer of the funds to Oluwalade’s Cash App account per his request.
Odunayo “Baba” Oluwalade faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher did not schedule a sentencing date.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S. J. Zelinsky and Sean Delaney, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Welch Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for MurderRead the Press Release
A Welch man was sentenced Friday in federal court for murdering his 81-year-old mother in her home on Aug. 4, 2011, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell accepted a plea agreement between the Government and the defendant and sentenced Michael Joe Rice, 58, to 540 months in federal prison. In July 2021, Rice pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country and admitted to killing his mother, Ruth Rice, by beating her to death.
Following Rice’s statement at sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Morgan criticized Rice for not offering even a simple apology for raping and murdering his own mother. He then stated that a 540-month sentence would ensure Rice was held accountable for the crime while also sparing the victim’s family from having to go through further court proceedings.
According to court documents, Michael Rice’s then girlfriend told a Craig County Sheriff’s Office deputy that she and Rice had found his adoptive mother in a back hallway of her home in Welch and they believed she was dead. She then directed the deputy to the victim’s residence nearby, which is located within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The victim was located in the home deceased.
Later, on Aug. 29, 2011, Rice was interviewed by special agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Rice told agents that the murder happened over money and that he was depressed. He told agents that he went to his mother’s house and began hitting her multiple times before tackling her to the ground. When she asked what he was doing, he hit her in the head, grabbed nearby bags and pushed them into her mouth to stop her from yelling. He continued his assault then eventually went home. He told investigators that he was unsure if she had died at that time, but said she was no longer talking.
According to an affidavit filed in the federal case, Rice told agents that he returned to the victim’s home and raped her. He said he thought she was still alive or might have been dying at the time of the rape. The Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that the victim had sustained blunt force trauma to the head and was sexually assaulted.
Rice, a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, previously pleaded guilty to the murder in Craig County District Court but challenged his state conviction and sentence based upon the Supreme Court ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruling in Hogner v. Oklahoma. At that time, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed charges in the case and Rice pleaded guilty in July 2021. In September 2021, his state conviction was upheld based on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeal’s decision in Matloff v Wallace that stated McGirt, in most cases, is not retroactive. (The Wallace decision was made in August 2021).
Rice appeared today in federal court on a writ from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, where he is serving a sentence of life without parole. Now that he has been sentenced in federal court, he will return to an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility to serve his life sentence without the possibility of parole as handed down in Craig County District Court.
“Michael Rice brutally assaulted his mother and left her for dead,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “His actions were heinous and inexcusable. I am thankful for the state and federal investigators and prosecutors who have worked diligently since 2011 to hold this killer accountable for his crimes.”
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Brasher and Mark R. Morgan are prosecuting the case.
Washington Man Arrested and Charged for Possesing over 400 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DIEGO AGUILAR-VALDOVINOS, age 38 of Federal Way, Washington, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl. Aguilar-Valdovinos appeared before U.S. District Court Chief Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin on October 25, 2021, for an arraignment hearing and pled not guilty to the charge.
The trial has been set for January 3, 2022, in Cheyenne before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson. Possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment and five years to life supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Wyoming State Highway Patrol, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. These are merely allegations, and Aguilar-Valdovinos is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Union County Man Sentenced to 97 Months for Role in Cocaine Conspiracy and Money Laundering OperationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County man was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and laundering narcotics proceeds, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig announced.
Jose Rivera, Jr., 48, of Union, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rivera is a leader of a drug-trafficking and money laundering organization. Law enforcement officers learned that Rivera utilized various locations to conduct narcotics trafficking and money laundering on behalf of the organization, including his residence and a stash location in Union.
On Nov. 6, 2020, law enforcement officers conducted lawful searches of the residence and the stash location and recovered over $1 million in cash, financial paperwork and notations related to narcotics proceeds and transactions. On Nov. 7, 2020, law enforcement officers conducted a lawful search of Rivera’s vehicle and recovered 191 grams of cocaine in a hidden compartment within the glove box of the vehicle.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Rivera to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan in New York; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark; and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The 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. The New York Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The New York OCDETF Strike Force is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the NYPD; the New York State Police; HSI; IRS-CI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Secret Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; the Clarkstown Police Department; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Linares of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Shooting in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who were involved in the fatal shooting, in April 2021, of Terrance Parker in Southwest Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included interviews of civilian and law enforcement witnesses as well as a review of physical evidence, recorded radio communications, Body Worn Camera footage, medical reports, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the evidence, on April 30, 2021, at approximately 8:56 p.m., two MPD officers received a radio assignment to respond to a domestic assault in progress at an apartment in the 1100 block of 4th Street SW. The officers were working the evening tour of duty, in full uniform, and equipped with Body Worn Cameras. Upon arrival at the apartment, they paused briefly to listen for any sounds of distress or commotion. Hearing nothing, one officer knocked and announced “MPD.” A woman opened the apartment door, and immediately stated “get this bitch out my house,” as she turned and walked into a bedroom doorway that was located immediately to the right of the apartment door. The officers entered the apartment and directed their attention to the bedroom and observed Mr. Parker leaning across a mattress on his right side with his legs on the floor while holding a cell phone. The woman was standing next to Mr. Parker and neither responded to the officers as they inquired “what’s going on?”
The officers then attempted to separate the two parties. One of the officers observed Mr. Parker pulling his right hand from his side, and asked “what do you have there?” Mr. Parker then suddenly pulled his right hand from his side and produced a handgun. Mr. Parker pulled the handgun up and pointed it in the direction of the officers. They immediately yelled “gun” several times and drew their service weapons. One officer then discharged a service weapon, striking Mr. Parker three times. The other officer did not discharge a weapon.
After securing the scene, the officers attempted to render medical aid, as did additional officers who responded. Members of the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department subsequently transported Mr. Parker to a hospital. Mr. Parker was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland determined that Mr. Parker, 36, died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Mr. Parker also had graze wounds to the fingers on his left hand and left thigh.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers used excessive force under the circumstances.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove such violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Initiative to Combat RedliningRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has launched a new Combating Redlining Initiative to address the illegal deprivation of mortgage lending services for communities of color.
Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race or national origin of the people who live in those communities. The new Initiative represents the Department’s most aggressive and coordinated enforcement effort to address redlining, which is prohibited by the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
“Lending discrimination runs counter to fundamental promises of our economic system,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “When people are denied credit simply because of their race or national origin, their ability to share in our nation’s prosperity is all but eliminated. Today, we are committing ourselves to addressing modern-day redlining by making far more robust use of our fair lending authorities. We will spare no resource to ensure that federal fair lending laws are vigorously enforced and that financial institutions provide equal opportunity for every American to obtain credit.”
“Although housing discrimination is illegal under the Fair Housing Act, the discriminatory patterns and practices of redlining persist in parts of our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “We intend to stop redlining because it denies equal access and opportunity in a profound way that has a negative impact on almost every aspect of life. This office will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act, and we are proud to join the Justice Department in launching the Combating Redlining Initiative to protect the rights of all tenants.”
For American families, homeownership remains the principal means of building wealth, and the deprivation of investment in, and access to, mortgage lending services for communities of color have contributed to families of color persistently lagging behind in homeownership rates and net worth as compared to white families. The gap in homeownership rates between white and Black families is larger today than it was in 1960, before the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
The Initiative, which is led by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, seeks to make mortgage credit and homeownership accessible to all Americans on the same terms, regardless of race or national origin and regardless of the neighborhood where they live. The initiative will:
- Utilize U.S. Attorneys’ Offices as force multipliers to ensure that fair lending enforcement is informed by local expertise on housing markets and the credit needs of local communities of color;
- Expand the Department of Justice’s analyses of potential redlining to both depository and non-depository institutions. Non-depository lenders are not traditional banks and do not provide typical banking services, but engage in mortgage lending and now represent the majority of mortgages lenders in the country;
- Strengthen our partnership with financial regulatory agencies to ensure the identification and referrals of fair lending violations to the Department of Justice;
- Increase coordination with State Attorneys General on potential fair lending violations.
Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling The Department of Justice’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online.
Two Sentenced to Prison for Destroying Police Vehicle During May 30, 2020, Pittsburgh ProtestRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Two residents of Allegheny County, PA, have been sentenced in federal court to prison terms on their convictions of conspiring to set fire to a police vehicle during the downtown riot on May 30, 2020, and on a related charge of unlawful interference with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder on that same day, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed a 27-month sentence on Da’Jon Lengyel, 24, of McKees Rocks, PA 15136, and a 48-month sentence on Christopher West, 26, Pittsburgh, PA 15210.
According to information presented to the court, Lengyel and West attended a protest march held on May 30, 2020, in the downtown Pittsburgh area. The march was related primarily to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The march in Pittsburgh began at approximately 2:30 pm on Liberty Avenue in the downtown area, and eventually finished at approximately 4:30 pm on Centre Avenue near the intersection with Washington Place above the PPG Paints Arena. At that time, one man in the crowd spray painted and broke a window out of a police vehicle that was unoccupied and parked on Centre Avenue. Shortly thereafter, Lengyel and West climbed onto the vehicle, and then jumped up and down on the roof of the vehicle. West also sat on the roof and attempted to kick out a window of the vehicle. Lengyel and West, along with several other individuals, then began efforts to set fire to the vehicle. As one unidentified person set the fire in the backseat area of the vehicle, West and Lengyel placed pieces of cardboard and crumpled paper into the vehicle’s passenger compartment to provide more fuel to the fire. The police vehicle was completely destroyed as a result of the fire.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lengyel and West.
Two Sentenced for Embezzling over $777,000 from Native American Addiction & Counseling CenterRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Fredericka DeCoteau, 63, Cloquet, Minnesota, and Edith Schmuck, 77, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, were sentenced today in federal court in Madison, Wisconsin for theft of federal program funds.
U.S. District Judge William M. Conley sentenced DeCoteau to 2 years in prison, and Schmuck to 1 year and 1 day in prison. Judge Conley also ordered the defendants to jointly pay restitution of $777,283. Both defendants were ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on December 29, 2021 to begin their sentences.
DeCoteau and Schmuck pleaded guilty to one count of theft of federal funds on July 15 and June 24, 2021, respectively. They worked at Ain Dah Ing (ADI) which has operated as a non-profit halfway house in Spooner, Wisconsin since 1971. DeCoteau worked as the Executive Director at ADI from 2002 to 2017. Schmuck worked as the bookkeeper from 1990 to 2017. They were fired after the thefts were discovered.
ADI offered mental health and alcohol and substance abuse services to Native Americans from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin tribes. ADI's services included a 90-day program at its 15-bed Community-Based Residential Facility in Spooner, Wisconsin. ADI's funding came from a federal commercial contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Indian Health Services Division.
Both DeCoteau and Schmuck pleaded guilty to embezzling a total of $777,283 from ADI by paying themselves unauthorized bonuses via payroll checks that were signed using a rubber signature stamp of the ADI Treasurer. The embezzlement lasted from 2007 to 2017.
At today's sentencing, Judge Conley noted that DeCoteau and Schmuck stole over 67% of the total funds intended for programming at ADI, and that they gambled away most of this money at local Indian casinos. Judge Conley explained that the defendants violated the trust of the ADI Board of Directors and took advantage of vulnerable people with addictions. In imposing sentence, Judge Conley made clear to both defendants that the gravity of the offense, coupled with the long-term nature of the embezzlement, mandated that they serve prison time despite their claims of being addicted to gambling.
The charges against DeCoteau and Schmuck were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Spooner Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber handled the prosecution.
Two Former Silicon Valley Executives Charged with Defrauding Tech Company Through Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Kevin Chao and Richard Sze, who worked together as executives at a prominent Silicon Valley technology company, were arrested and each charged today in separate federal criminal complaints with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and money laundering based on a kickback scheme that defrauded their technology company, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. Chao was additionally charged with substantive wire fraud and honest services wire fraud in the complaint against him.
According to the federal complaint unsealed today, Chao, 62, of Mountain View, and Sze, 54, of Saratoga, began working for “Company-1” in 2005 after Company-1 acquired the business where Chao and Sze were employed. Company-1 is considered a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation and provides hardware and software productions, solutions, and services to its clients. Company-1’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Chao rose to the position of Global Business Director of Company-1. Sze became a Manager of Software Engineering. Sze reported directly to Chao.
The criminal complaints for each defendant allege that in 2012, Company-1 switched from its established software development vendor to a new company. The new software development company had been incorporated in China at about that time and was 80% owned by an individual who worked at the previous software development vendor for Company-1. That individual seemed to know Chao, according to a former supervisor of Chao.
The complaints describe that beginning in 2016 or earlier and continuing through 2020, Chao and Sze orchestrated a kickback scheme with the new software development company. In the scheme, Chao and Sze steered software development work from Company-1 to the new software development company. Inflated or false invoices were submitted to Company-1 for the software development work. Chao and Sze authorized or otherwise caused Company-1 to pay the invoices. The paid funds were then funneled to Chao and Sze through a California limited liability company named Mooteec. Mooteec was entirely controlled by Chao and Sze. According to the complaint’s affidavit, Mooteec produces no product or service, has a P.O. box as its mailing address, has no physical office, and appears to be a shell corporation designed to conceal and move kickback money. Money that moved through Mooteec passed to Chao, Sze, and Chao-related bank accounts.
Company-1 paid the new software company more than $30 million, which was deposited into the software company’s bank account, according to the complaint. From 2016 until early 2020, the complaint describes that nearly $17 million was deposited from the new software company’s bank account into a Mooteec account. Withdrawals from the Mooteec account reflect that more than $5.4 million was sent to Chao’s accounts and over $1.3 million went to Sze’s accounts.
In late 2019, an employee who was resigning from Company-1’s employment reported that “something funny” was happening between Chao and the new software development company. The complaint describes that the report led Company-1 to begin an internal investigation. In December 2019, Chao and Sze resigned on the same day from Company-1.
Chao and Sze are scheduled to make their initial appearance in San Jose federal magistrate court to face the charges in their respective criminal complaints on October 29, 2021, at 1 p.m.
Chao is charged in his complaint with wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346, and 1349, and money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956. Sze is charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956. If convicted of wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, or conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the maximum sentence for each count is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss. If convicted of money laundering, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved. Any sentence following conviction, however, would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and forfeiture is being handled by the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Three Shreveport Police Officers Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges for Assaulting Two ArresteesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced that a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, has returned an indictment charging three officers with the Shreveport Police Department, Treveion Brooks, 26, William Isenhour, 25, and D’Andre Jackson, 25, with assaulting two arrestees in Shreveport.
The indictment alleges that on or about January 24, 2020, Brooks, while acting in his official capacity as an officer of the Shreveport Police Department, used unjustified force against an arrestee, identified only in the indictment as D.R., by punching him about the face and body, resulting in bodily injury.
The indictment further alleges that on that same date, Jackson and Isenhour, while acting in their official capacity as officers of the Shreveport Police Department, and while aiding and abetting each other, used unjustified force against another individual identified in the indictment as C.B., by punching him about the face and body, resulting in bodily injury.
Each of the defendants made their initial appearance in United States District Court today and are scheduled to be arraigned November 4, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. before United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby.
The civil rights charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment for the deprivation of rights offense.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary J. Mudrick and Cadesby B. Cooper of the Western District of Louisiana and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Anita Channapati are prosecuting the case.
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Three Shreveport Police Officers Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges for Assaulting Two ArresteesRead the Press Release
Three police officers with the Shreveport Police Department were indicted today on federal civil rights charges.
Treveion Brooks, 26; William Isenhour, 25; and D’Andre Jackson, 25, are charged with deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment alleges that on Jan. 24, 2020, Officer Brooks assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as D.R., resulting in bodily injury to D.R. The indictment further alleges that Officers Isenhour and Jackson assaulted another arrestee, identified as C.B., resulting in bodily injury to C.B.
The civil rights charges carry a maximum penalty of ten years; actual sentences are often much lower than the statutory maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Mudrick and Cadesby Cooper of the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. 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.
Third Illinois Defendant Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Bloomington, Illinois woman pleaded guilty to bank fraud.
According to court proceedings, Abbi L. Sullivan, 21, of Bloomington, Illinois, traveled to Idaho with at least three co-defendants in May 2020. On May 6, 2020, Sullivan cashed counterfeit checks at two First Interstate Bank branches in the Treasure Valley. The counterfeit checks had the logo and business information for the company accountholder along with a forgery of the account owner’s signature. The checks were payable to Sullivan. Sullivan presented her Illinois identification card to cash the counterfeit checks. Sullivan knowingly presented the counterfeit checks and provided false information to the bank, intending to defraud the financial institution. In addition to the checks in Idaho, Sullivan traveled with other named and unnamed co-conspirators to other states to cash counterfeit checks.
Sullivan is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2022. Co-defendants Jakara Edwards, 23, and Tatyana Love, 21, both of Chicago, pleaded guilty on October 19, 2021 to bank fraud. Edwards and Love are scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2022.
All three defendants face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ada County Sheriff's Office, Boise Police Department, Garden City Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Ellisville Police Department, Fort Atkinson Police Department, Gahanna Police Department, Johnson Creek Police Department, Montgomery Township Police Department, Normal Police Department, Peoria County Sheriff’s Office, Redwood City Police Department, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Stockton Police Department, Waltham Police Department, and Wellesley Police Department, which led to charges.
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Taylor County woman admits to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ashley Marie Weber, of Thornton, West Virginia, has admitted to a child pornography charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Weber, 38, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Production of Child Pornography.” Weber admitted to using a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct and producing child pornography from that conduct in June 2020 in Taylor County.
Weber is facing at least 15 and up to 30 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Six Individuals Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 100 Kilograms of Controlled Substances on Long Island and in New JerseyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, an indictment was unsealed charging Anthony Cyntje, a New Jersey correction officer, Anthony Leonardi, his brother Robert Leonardi, William Junior Maxwell II, who is the rap artist also known as “Fetty Wap,” Brian Sullivan, and Kavaughn Wiggins with conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances. Five of the defendants are also charged with using firearms in connection with drug trafficking.
Sullivan was arrested on September 30, 2021, arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione, and ordered detained pending trial. Anthony Leonardi and Cyntje were arrested on October 13, 2021, arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields, and ordered detained pending trial. Robert Leonardi was arrested in Pennsylvania on October 13, 2021, arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Richard A. Lloret of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and ordered detained pending trial. Wiggins was arrested on October 27, 2021, arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Steven J. Locke, and ordered detained pending trial. Maxwell was arrested yesterday and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Locke.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Timothy D. Sini, District Attorney for Suffolk County; and Stuart Cameron, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendants transported, distributed and sold more than 100 kilograms of deadly and addictive drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, on Long Island, deliberately contributing to the opioid epidemic that has devastated our communities and taken too many lives,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to work nonstop with our law enforcement partners to keep our neighborhoods safe from the scourge of dangerous drugs and gun violence.” Mr. Peace thanked the United States Postal Inspection Service for its assistance during the investigation.
“The pipeline of drugs in this investigation ran thousands of miles from the West Coast to the communities here in our area, contributing to the addiction and overdose epidemic we have seen time and time again tear people's lives apart. The fact that we arrested a chart-topping rap artist and a corrections officer as part of the conspiracy illustrates just how vile the drug trade has become. I want to commend the work of our Long Island Gang Task Force and our law enforcement partners for working day in and day out to get these deadly drugs off our streets,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“These defendants ran a multimillion-dollar bicoastal drug distribution organization with Suffolk County as their home base,” stated District Attorney Sini. “They were wholesale drug dealers who pumped massive quantities of narcotics into our communities. As our investigation revealed, they would frequently use cutting agents to process just one of those kilograms of drugs into as many as four even before it was distributed to lower-level dealers, so the magnitude of this operation was enormous. Thanks to law enforcement’s efforts, this prolific supply chain has been cut off. I thank the Eastern District for partnering with my Office to prosecute these individuals and hold them accountable.”
“This is another example of law enforcement working together to take down a major drug trafficking ring that brought more than 100 kilograms of illicit narcotics to Long Island and New Jersey,” stated SCPD Acting Commissioner Cameron said. “Holding these six individuals accountable, most of whom were using firearms to protect their drugs, will have a significant impact on the drug supply in Suffolk County and will help us in our continuing effort to combat the opioid epidemic.”
As alleged in the indictment and in court proceedings, from approximately June 2019 through June 2020, the defendants distributed more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine across Long Island and New Jersey. The defendants obtained the narcotics on the West Coast and used the United States Postal Service and drivers with hidden vehicle compartments to transport the controlled substances across the country to Suffolk County, where they were stored. The drugs were then distributed to dealers who sold the controlled substances on Long Island and in New Jersey. Five of the defendants also used firearms to protect their drug organization and distribution chain. Defendants Anthony Leonardi, Robert Leonardi, Sullivan, and Wiggins participated in the purchase and transport of the narcotics from the West Coast to the East Coast where they were processed, stored, and ultimately resold. Maxwell was a kilogram-level redistributor for the trafficking organization and Cyntje transported kilograms of cocaine from Long Island to New Jersey.
Search warrants executed during the investigation resulted in the recovery of approximately $1.5 million in cash, 16 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of heroin, numerous fentanyl pills, two 9mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Caffarone, Andrew P. Wenzel, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Kubetz are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
Anthony Cyntje
Age: 23
Passaic, New JerseyAnthony Leonardi
Age: 47
Coram, New YorkRobert Leonardi
Age: 26
Levittown, PennsylvaniaWillie Junior Maxwell II (also known as “Fetty Wap”)
Age: 30
Paterson, New JerseyBrian Sullivan
Age: 26
Lake Grove, New YorkKavaughn L. Wiggins (also known as “KV”)
Age: 26
Coram, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-452 (JS)
Seven Alabama Residents Charged with Conspiracy, Animal Fighting and Gambling Charges in Cockfighting OperationRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a 23-count indictment this week charging seven Verbena, Alabama, residents with conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and to operate an illegal gambling business, among other violations, in connection with a large-scale cockfighting and fighting bird breeding operation.
The indictment alleges that, beginning at least as early as January 2018 and continuing through June of this year, the defendants maintained a cockfighting arena or “pit” with stadium seating for approximately 150 people and several rings to host cockfights. Cockfighting is a contest in which a person attaches a knife, gaff or other sharp instrument to the leg of a “gamecock” or rooster for the purpose of fighting another rooster. After a cockfighter straps a blade to a rooster, he or she intentionally faces the bird toward another similarly-armed rooster and sets it down within a few inches of that rooster. This results in a fight during which the roosters flap their wings and jump, while stabbing each other with the weapons that are fastened to their legs. A cockfight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue to fight. Commonly, one or both roosters die after a fight.
Owners of cockfighting pits hold organized fights where many people can fight their trained birds against the fighting birds of other people. A series of individual cockfights is referred to as a “derby,” which usually consists of dozens of individual cockfights or matches that can last for several hours, or days. Cockfighting arenas, depending on the level of sophistication, will have multiple fighting pits. “Main fights” occur in the main pit, while “drag pits” are used to finish fights from the main pit that have lasted so long that many of the spectators have lost interest. Mortally injured roosters are sometimes placed off to the side where people can then gamble on which animal will die first.
According to court documents, Verbena, Alabama, residents William Colon “Big Jim” Easterling, 75; Brent Colon Easterling, 37; Kassi Brook Easterling, 38; William Tyler Easterling, 29; George William “Billy” Easterling, 55; and Thomas Glyn “Junior” Williams, 33, were charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and to operate an illegal gambling business since at least 2018 and, along with Amber Nicole Easterling, 23, are charged with a substantive count of operating an illegal gambling business. Each defendant is also charged with related substantive violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Tyler Easterling additionally is charged with a single violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for capturing and killing a Great Horned Owl.
The Easterlings also operated three adjacent fighting bird breeding operations, one owned and operated by Big Jim Easterling; one called L&L Gamefarm, owned and operated by Brent and Kassi Easterling; and one called Swift Creek Gamefarm, owned and operated by Billy and Tyler Easterling with help from Junior Williams. At these operations, the defendants bred birds for promising fighting traits, sold and shipped birds from their breeding operations to other people for purposes of cockfighting and producing more birds to fight, and promoted the fighting abilities of the birds they bred. Brent and Kassi Easterling also promoted and sold cockfighting weapons from their breeding operation. At least one buyer is alleged to have paid $800 for a single rooster.
The defendants had their initial court appearance today, Oct. 29, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Russ Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
If convicted of conspiracy, Animal Welfare Act violations, or operating an illegal gambling business, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act has a maximum penalty of six months in prison. Upon conviction, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating 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.
Sentencings in Operation ‘The Hole’ wrap up prosecution of middle Georgia drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Prison terms for two of the remaining defendants in a Laurens County-area drug trafficking conspiracy wrap up a major middle Georgia prosecution.
Zandera Finney, 35, of Warner Robins, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, while Desergio Kates, a/k/a “Serg,” 24, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 14 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered each defendant to pay a fine of $1,500.
“An outstanding collaborative effort from multiple law enforcement partners in Operation ‘The Hole’ identified and shut down a brazen drug-trafficking conspiracy in the greater Laurens County community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “As a result, these poison merchants are now being held accountable.”
Operation “The Hole” was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation coordinated by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force. The investigation targeted a drug-trafficking ring moving large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana into the Laurens County area starting as early as 2013. Along with other Dublin-area drug-sales locations, the investigation identified a rented backyard shack called “The Hole” as the “trap house,” or central distribution site, complete with a retail-like service counter for drug transactions.
During the execution of multiple federal search warrants, agents seized pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, along with two dozen firearms, nearly $37,000 in cash, gold and silver with an estimated value of $90,000, devices for pressing bricks of cocaine, pill presses, a stolen vehicle, and two stolen generators with lights. Additional drugs, firearms and cash also were discovered during individual arrests of the eight defendants.
The lead defendant in the case, Quaveris Leshaun Mims, a/k/a “Strong,” 49, of Dublin, Ga., is awaiting trial on charges including Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, and is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The remaining defendants in the case all are serving federal prison sentences after pleading guilty in the case:
- Rodney Jarrod Denson, a/k/a “RD,” 45, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 262 months in prison, fined $2,000 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Denson pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime. Denson supplied drugs to Finney, who resold them from a Dublin motel. He is the stepfather of Kates.
- Anthony Michael Denson, 49, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 92 months in prison, fined $1,500 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances. He is the brother of “RD” Denson.
- Nicholas Turner, 26, of East Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 112 months in prison, fined $1,500 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances.
- Brandon Payne, a/k/a “Tre,” 26, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 121 months in prison, fined $2,000 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine. Payne also is a stepson of “RD” Denson.
- Constance Victoria Moore, 34, of McRae-Helena, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison, fined $750 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances.
“These poly-drug trafficking activities posed a significant threat to the quality of life in Middle Georgia,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “These defendants will spend well-deserved time in prison and their apprehension makes our communities a safer place today.”
Operation The Hole was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. Agencies involved in the investigation include the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF); the FBI; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office; Ocmulgee Drug Task Force; the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office; the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office; the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office; the Washington County Sheriff’s Office; the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; and the Warner Robins Police Department, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Rhodes and Henry W. Syms Jr.
Sapulpa Man Convicted of Sexually Abusing Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Sapulpa man Thursday of sexually abusing two victims who were under the age of 12.
The jury found Andrew Lee Gibbs, 64, guilty of abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country and aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
The jury found that on March 7, 2021, Gibbs knowingly touched the first victim in a sexual manner. They further found that on the same day, the defendant sexually abused a second child, who was also under the age of 12. After the sexual assaults, one of the children broke away from Gibbs, and eventually ran up to a man in a restaurant parking lot, told him that the defendant did an “unsafe touch,” and begged the man for help. The man, who happened to be a Homeland Security Investigations special agent with 10 years of experience working crimes against children, then called 911. Gibbs soon arrived, but the child accused him of abuse. He left then returned a few minutes later with the child’s mother. When she heard of the abuse, she removed her remaining children from his vehicle.
A Child Abuse Forensic Interviewer later spoke with both victims who stated that Gibbs, an adult they had trusted, sexually abused them in his vehicle during an outing to a park. Following the visit to the park, Gibbs took the children to a nearby store where one ran away and sought help.
“A victim of Andrew Gibbs bravely reported his predatory acts and, along with her sister, testified against him in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “It is extremely difficult for children to reveal the details of their sexual abuse to anyone, let alone a courtroom of strangers. I commend both the victims for their courage. When children report abuse, adults should listen and report to authorities.”
Gibbs remains in the custody and will be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2022.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Chantelle D. Dial are prosecuting the case.
Saint Augustine Man Charged with Bank and Wire Fraud Related to Theft of COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal grand jury indicted a Saint Augustine, Illinois, man, Michael L. Patch, 64, of the 100 block of West 3rd Street, on September 21, 2021, for allegedly committing one count of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud from as early as April 2020 through this year. The indictment was unsealed during Patch’s initial appearance in federal court in Peoria, Illinois, today.
The indictment alleges that Patch was the owner and operator of a now-defunct restaurant named Vernon Street Grill, located in Farmington, Illinois. Patch maintained a bank account for the business at the Bank of Farmington. Starting in or around April 2020, Patch allegedly applied for certain types of funding and programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”). The indictment asserts that through use of false and inflated gross receipts and payroll numbers, Patch was able to qualify for funding from the PPP and EIDL programs. The indictment further alleges that Patch knowingly provided loan documents to the Bank of Farmington containing materially false information for the purpose of receiving a loan through the PPP program, along with submitting a fraudulent loan application to the Small Business Administration for the purpose of obtaining funds from the EIDL program.
Patch was released on bond, and his next court appearance will be December 8, 2021.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are up to 30 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release for the bank fraud charge, and up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release for each wire fraud count.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Illinois Department of Revenue Criminal Investigations and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Rwandan Genocide Suspect Permanently Leaves the United States After DenaturalizationRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – A Rwanda native, most recently residing in Buffalo, New York, has been denaturalized by consent and departed from the United States under an order of removal following the filing of a complaint citing his suspected involvement in the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
According to court documents, Peter Kalimu, aka Pierre Kalimu, aka Fidele Twizere, was living in Rwanda in 1994, when violent conflict erupted between the country’s two major ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis. During the conflict, often referred to as the Rwandan genocide, members of the majority Hutu population persecuted the minority Tutsis, committing mass murder and looting their property, among other crimes. An estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed during the three-month genocide. The complaint against Kalimu alleged that he participated in two attacks on Tutsi families in his neighborhood during the genocide, and that he looted property from Tutsi families whose houses he then destroyed. Kalimu denied these allegations.
According to the civil denaturalization complaint, while living in Rwanda, Kalimu went by the name Fidèle Twizere. After he left Rwanda, he used a different name – Pierre Kalimu – and provided only that name, and a new date of birth, on his U.S. immigration forms. Throughout the process of applying for permanent residence and U.S. citizenship, Kalimu never disclosed to the U.S. government his previous identity as Fidèle Twizere or his prior use of a different date of birth. The complaint further alleged that Kalimu’s misrepresentations about his identity precluded U.S. government officials from investigating him and determining that he was not qualified to obtain immigration and naturalization benefits.
Kalimu admitted that he was ineligible for citizenship because he engaged in welfare fraud in New York in 2003-2004 – one of the allegations in the civil denaturalization complaint – and agreed to denaturalization. The Justice Department obtained an order from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, effective Sept. 1, revoking Kalimu’s naturalized U.S. citizenship by consent, and the court entered judgment in favor of the United States on Sept. 30.
In a separate prosecution, in 2018, Kalimu pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of, one felony count of making materially false statements about his true name to federal investigators of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
On Oct. 12, a U.S. Immigration Judge in Buffalo, ordered Kalimu’s removal for making materially false statements to procure immigration and naturalization benefits. Kalimu agreed to the entry of the order against him. On Oct. 21, Kalimu departed the United States.
“In seeking to escape his past in Rwanda, Kalimu obscured his true identity and repeatedly lied to immigration officers in order to become a U.S. citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the plJustice Department’s Criminal Division.
“The United States will not be a safe haven for suspected human rights violators,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department is dedicated to preventing those who commit human rights violations from evading our immigration laws.”
“Kalimu’s misrepresentations to the U.S. government paved the way for the defendant to avoid discovery of his past transgressions and to establish a life in the United States, which included benefits afforded to all citizens,” stated U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross of the Western District of New York. “Because of the diligent work of the various government agencies involved with this investigation to uncover the truth and make amends for the lies and omissions of the defendant, he was rightly prosecuted, was removed from our country, and can no longer escape his actual past.”
“HSI special agents will not cease in our pursuit of identifying and bringing to justice those individuals who have participated in unthinkable war crimes and human rights abuses,” said Executive Associate Director Steve Francis of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “In coordination with the HSI-led Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center in Washington, D.C., our special agents and prosecutors continue to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable and denied safe haven in the United States.”
This matter was litigated by the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL) Enforcement Section; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) HSI Buffalo and HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit investigated this matter. Valuable consultation and support were provided by ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) Human Rights Law Division and the Buffalo Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.
The civil denaturalization case was prosecuted by Senior Counsel Steven Platt of OIL; Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Moar for the Western District of New York; Trial Attorney Susan Masling, and Director of Human Rights Enforcement Strategy and Policy Eli Rosenbaum of HRSP, supported by HRSP Chief Historian Dr. Jeffrey Richter. The removal case was litigated by ICE’s Buffalo Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.
Members of the public who have information about foreign nationals or naturalized U.S. citizens suspected of engaging in human rights abuses or war crimes are encouraged to call the ICE tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or to complete its online tip form.
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Russian Bank Founder Sentenced for Evading Exit Tax Upon Renouncing U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – The founder of a Russian bank was sentenced today for his felony conviction of filing a false tax return. As required under his plea agreement, prior to sentencing Oleg Tinkov, aka Oleg Tinkoff, paid $508,936,184, which is more than double the amount he sought to escape paying to the U.S. Treasury through renouncing his U.S. citizenship and concealing from the IRS large stock gains, which he knew were reportable. This payment includes $248,525,339 in taxes, statutory interest on that tax, and a nearly $100 million fraud penalty. Tinkov was additionally fined $250,000, which is the maximum allowed by statute, and sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Jon S. Tigar.
Tinkov was indicted in Sept. 2019 for willfully filing false tax returns and was arrested on Feb. 26, 2020, in London, United Kingdom (UK). The United States sought extradition from the UK, and Tinkov contested extradition on medical grounds. In public records, Tinkov has disclosed that he is undergoing a UK-based intensive treatment plan for acute myeloid leukemia and graft versus host disease which has rendered him immunocompromised and unable to safely travel in the foreseeable future.
On October 1, 2021, Tinkov entered a plea to one count of filing a false tax return, a felony. According to the plea agreement, Tinkov was born in Russia and became a naturalized United States citizen in 1996. From that time through 2013, he filed U.S. tax returns. In late 2005 or 2006, Tinkov founded Tinkoff Credit Services (TCS), a Russia-based branchless bank that provides its customers with online financial and banking services. Through a foreign entity, Tinkov indirectly held the majority of TCS shares.
In October 2013, TCS held an initial public offering (IPO) on the London Stock Exchange and became a multi-billion dollar, publicly traded company. As part of going public, Tinkov sold a small portion of his majority shareholder stake for more than $192 million, and his assets following the IPO reached a fair market value of more than $1.1 billion.
Three days after the successful IPO, Tinkov went to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia, and relinquished his U.S. citizenship.
As part of his expatriation, Tinkov was required to file a U.S. Initial and Annual Expatriation Statement. This form requires expatriates with a net worth of $2 million or more to report the constructive sale of their assets worldwide to the IRS as if those assets were sold on the day before expatriation. The taxpayer is then required to report and pay tax on the gain from any such constructive sale.
Tinkov was told of his filing and tax obligations by both the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and his U.S.-based accountant. When asked by his accountant if his net worth was more than $2 million for purposes of filling out the expatriation form, Tinkov lied and told him he did not have assets above $2 million. When his accountant later inquired whether his net worth was under $2 million, rather than answering the question Tinkov filled out the expatriation form himself and falsely reported that his net worth as only $300,000. On February 26, 2014, Tinkov filed a 2013 individual tax return that falsely reported his income as only $205,317. In addition, Tinkov did not report any of the gain from the constructive sale of his property worth more than $1.1 billion nor did he pay the applicable taxes as required by law. In total, Tinkov caused a tax loss of $248,525,339, and he has now paid that in full with substantial penalties and interest as part of his plea, together with tax liabilities for other years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds for the Northern District of California, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the IRS-CI Washington D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
The IRS-Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement partners in the UK secured Tinkov’s arrest overseas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle J. Kane, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Lloyd-Lovett and Colin Sampson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Olivera, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney Peter Anthony and former Assistant Chief Yael T. Epstein of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.