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27 October 2021
Repeat Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Attempted Sex Abuse in VietnamRead the Press Release
A U.S. citizen residing outside the United States was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for attempting to molest an 11-year-old boy in Vietnam.
Joseph Ricky Park, 67, aka Joseph Demasi, pleaded guilty on Feb. 24 to attempting to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a child. According to court documents, around January 2015, while living in Vietnam, Park invited three Vietnamese boys to his apartment under the guise of offering English language instruction. At his apartment, while the boys played video games, Park placed his hand on a victim’s genitals and then proceeded to “pinch” and stroke the victim’s genitals through the victim’s clothing. Park then placed his hand inside the victim’s pants and attempted to continue stroking the victim’s genitals, but the victim pushed Park’s hand away.
Park was prosecuted in this case following a 2013 amendment to a federal criminal statute that prohibits U.S. citizens residing abroad from committing sex offenses against minors. Park, who resided outside the United States without returning from March 2003 until his arrest in this case in January 2016, challenged the constitutionality of this provision. In September 2019, in the first appellate opinion to consider the issue, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the application of this statute to the facts of this case.
According to court documents, Park has multiple prior convictions for offenses against minors. In 1987, he was convicted in Connecticut of two counts of injury or risk of injury to children, and one count of sexual assault in the second degree, for which he received concurrent sentences of ten years’ imprisonment, and served five years in prison, then was released, violated probation, and was re-imprisoned. In 2003, he was convicted of attempted corruption of a minor in Cuba and served more than two years in prison. According to court documents, the defendant repeatedly acknowledged having a sexual attraction to boys nearing or going through puberty.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by agents in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Guam, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Deputy Chief Alexandra R. Gelber and Trial Attorney Lauren S. Kupersmith of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case. Attorney Sonja Ralston of the Criminal Division’s Appellate Section handled the appeal.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Randolph County woman admits to methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Patricia Ann Mahoney, of Elkins, West Virginia, has admitted to a methamphetamine charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Mahoney, 52, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of at Least Five Grams of Methamphetamine.” Mahoney admitted to selling at least five grams of methamphetamine in February 2020 in Randolph County.
Mahoney faces at least five years and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5 million. 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 Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Queens Man Charged with Murdering Woman in Life Insurance SchemeRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Cory Martin with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Martin was previously charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and fraudulent use of identification relating to an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain life insurance policies in the name of Brandy Odom, a 26-year-old woman, murder her, and then claim benefits under the life insurance policies.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.
“The defendant allegedly brutally murdered a young woman, dismembered her body and scattered her body parts in a Brooklyn park in order to profit from life insurance policies that he fraudulently obtained in her name,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “He will now be held to account for his alleged heinous acts. We hope that today’s charges bring some measure of solace to the victim’s family.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad of the New York City Police Department and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for their outstanding investigative work on this case and for their assistance during the prosecution.
“It's unthinkable that a person could view another human being as a get rich quick scheme. We allege Mr. Martin murdered, then dismembered a young woman so he could cash in on fraudulent life insurance policies. Ms. Odom didn't deserve the sheer indignity of dying that way, no one does. Mr. Martin facing justice won't bring Ms. Odom back, but it will keep him from plotting another despicable attempt at profiting off someone's life,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“With dogged tenacity and meticulous investigative work, our NYPD detectives and law enforcement partners never wavered in their mission to seek justice for this crime victim. Now, more than three years after the malicious fraud and brutal killing alleged in today's indictment, New Yorkers can find our collective answer in these court papers from the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, in March 2017, a year prior to Odom’s murder, Martin and a co-conspirator fraudulently obtained two life insurance policies in the victim’s name. They arranged for premium payments to the life insurance companies to be made by Western Union money order and by using a debit card in Odom’s name.
In April 2018, Martin allegedly strangled Odom, and, over the course of several days, dismembered her corpse. On April 6, 2018, Martin had searched Home Depot’s website for an online listing for a “Dewalt 12-Amp Corded Reciprocating Saw,” described as featuring a “powerful 12 Amp motor designed for heavy-duty applications.” Later that evening, Martin searched YouTube using the search term “how to insert blade for reciprocating saw” and “using reciprocating saw,” which he subsequently deleted from his cell phone.
In the early morning of April 8 and April 9, 2018, Martin disposed of Odom’s body parts in Canarsie Park with the assistance of his co-conspirator. On April 10, 2018, Martin conducted dozens of Internet searches for news articles, including “Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn.” Martin also accessed a Twitter post titled “Person walking dog discovers remains of woman in Brooklyn park.” The following day, Martin searched YouTube using the search term “exclusive interview of mother of girl found in park.” After Odom’s murder, at Martin’s direction, several unsuccessful attempts to claim benefits under Odom’s life insurance policies were made by his co-conspirator.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Martin faces a mandatory penalty of life imprisonment, or possibly, the death penalty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar and Emily Dean are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
CORY MARTIN
Age: 34
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-549 (AMD)
Prosser, Washington Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Other Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Spokane – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that David Barnes Nay, age 42, of Prosser, Washington, was sentenced on October 20, 2021, after having pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute eight controlled substances (fentanyl, oxycodone, methadone, hydromorphone, methylphenidate, amphetamine mixture, carisoprodol and alprazolam) and six counts of distributing fentanyl and oxycodone. Senior United States District Judge Edward F. Shea sentenced Nay to a 78-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to court documents, Dr. Janet Sue Arnold owned and operated Desert Wind Family Practice in Richland, Washington. Dr. Arnold pre-signed hundreds of blank prescription forms which enabled Nay, an addict and drug dealer, and other members of the conspiracy to distribute large quantities of opioid medications and other controlled substances.
United States Attorney Waldref said, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington and our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to combat the opioid epidemic in our community. The sentence imposed sends a stern warning to those who may seek to illegally distribute fentanyl and other prescription medications that they will face significant consequences. I commend the diligent work of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, agents who investigated this case.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by George J.C. Jacobs, III and Dominique Juliet Park, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Andrew Walsh, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 30 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Walsh previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On August 28, 2021, federal agents executed a search warrant at Walsh’s residence. At that time, Walsh was in possession of 496.9 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine intended for distribution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Pooley, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00584-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-076_Walsh# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Perry County Man Sentenced to 270 Months for Federal Charges of Kidnapping and Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky— A Perry County man, Thomas Hamblin, 65, was sentenced to 270 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, after previously being convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a kidnapping.
According to evidence presented at trial, Hamblin was working with others, including Bobby Sizemore, Robert Keith Caudill, and Doyle Back, to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine, and to sell that cocaine to others in the Perry County area. Evidence further revealed that, after an attempted drug deal, Hamblin coordinated with others, including Luke Holbrook and Michael Rayburn, to kidnap and assault two victims in Tazewell, Tennessee. Specifically, Hamblin recruited Luke Holbrook into the plot and provided him with a firearm and ammunition. Holbrook, assisted by Rayburn and another individual, then held two victims at gun point, tied them up with duct tape, assaulted them with a baseball bat, and interrogated them, in an attempt to retaliate against them and recover Hamblin’s money or drugs. Portions of this kidnapping and assault were recorded on a cell phone that was recovered from the scene. That same cell phone revealed that Hamblin was contacted in the middle of the assault and kidnapping.
Hamblin was convicted of the charges in June 2021.
Hamblin’s co-defendants have been sentenced to the following:
- Bobby Sizemore, 64, of Cornettsville, Ky., was sentenced to 30 months and two years of supervised release.
- Michael Rayburn, 39, of London, Ky., was sentenced to 135 months and three years of supervised release.
- Luke Holbrook, 51, of Seco, Ky., was sentenced to 163 months of three years of supervised release.
- Robert Caudill, 41, of Cornettsville, Ky., was sentenced to 78 months and five years of supervised release.
- Doyle Back, 41, of London, Ky., was released based on time served (approximately 449 days) and received three years of supervised release.
Under federal law, Hamblin and his co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon Hamblin’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Vic Brown Executive Director of AHIDTA; Minor Allen, Chief of the Hazard Police Department; Nancy Hale, President/CEO of Operation UNITE; Jeremy Meyers, Chief of the Tazewell Police Department; Bob Brooks, Sheriff of the Claiborne County Tennessee Sherriff’s Department, and Commissioner Phillip “PJ” Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Hazard Police Department, Operation UNITE, the Tazwell Tennessee Police Department, the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kentucky State Police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement.
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Pediatric Associates, Samir Mullick, MD, Sc and Dr. Samir Mullick Agree to Pay over $700,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Richard. G. Frohling announced on October 27, 2021 that Samir Mullick, MD, SC, which does business as Pediatric Associates, and its owner Dr. Samir Mullick, agreed to pay $706,599 to resolve allegations that Pediatric Associates submitted false claims to Medicaid for unnecessary treatment and visits.
According to court records, Pediatric Associates operates three pediatric clinics in the Milwaukee area. The United States alleged that Pediatric Associates, under the direction of Dr. Mullick, submitted claims to Medicaid that relied on falsified diagnosis codes to justify unnecessary and otherwise non-reimbursable office visits. The United States further alleged that Pediatric Associates submitted claims for medically unnecessary testing and treatment, with disparate and more aggressive testing protocols for patients with Medicaid coverage as opposed to privately-insured patients.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritizes efforts to stop healthcare fraud and is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to protect health care program beneficiaries and the American taxpayers,” said Acting United States Frohling. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing efforts to combat violations of the False Claims Act.”
“Medical providers must ensure that the services they provide and bill for are medically necessary,” said Mario Pinto, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “The OIG will continue to identify and investigate allegations of potential fraudulent billing to the Medicaid program in order to protect the health and safety of patients and vital taxpayer dollars.”
The government’s investigation resulted from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Accordingly, the whistleblower will receive a share of the settlement amount. As part of the settlement, the government and the whistleblower will ask the district court to dismiss the whistleblower’s qui tam complaint.
Assistant United States Attorney Maura Flaherty represented the government in this matter. The investigation was assisted by HHS-OIG and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Control & Elder Abuse Unit. The settlement agreement states allegations only; the defendants do not admit liability for the allegations.
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Ocean County Man Charged with Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was arrested today on charges that he distributed, received, and possessed images and videos of child sexual abuse downloaded from the internet, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jared Faircloth, 24, of Cream Ridge, New Jersey, is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Faircloth appeared this afternoon by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert in Trenton federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2020 to July 2021, Faircloth received and distributed material containing images of child sexual abuse via the BitTorrent Network, a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing network of linked computers. Users must download P2P software, which is widely available for free on the internet. The software allows the user to place files into a designated “shared” folder on his or her hard drive, from which other BitTorrent users can then download those files directly to the “shared” folders of their own computers. Users can then search, select, and directly download, those files.
Law enforcement used investigative software to access the BitTorrent Network and downloaded video files containing images of child sexual abuse from a device or devices assigned to IP addresses linked to Faircloth. On July 22, 2021, law enforcement searched Faircloth’s residence and found a device belonging to Faircloth that contained more than 2,800 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, as well as BitTorrent software. Of those approximately 2,800 files, law enforcement identified at least 30 files that law enforcement had previously downloaded from IP addresses linked to Faircloth.
The charge of knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a statutory maximum fine equal to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. The charge of knowingly possessing child pornography carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, and a statutory maximum fine equal to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the arrest. She also thanked the Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Super Pitts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Benjamin West Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton
Oakland Oral Surgeon Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Cassidy Migan Lavorini-Doyle was sentenced today in federal court to 192 months (16 years) in prison for his convictions of attempted sex trafficking of a child, attempted production of child pornography, traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and the receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Charles R. Breyer.
Lavorini-Doyle, 38, a Yale-educated oral surgeon and Oakland resident, entered into a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to the above charges on May 26, 2021. In the plea agreement, Lavorini-Doyle admitted to numerous acts that involved sexual abuse or intended sexual abuse of children. Lavorini-Doyle admitted in his plea agreement that in 2018 he met an adult prostitute online and asked her to arrange “sex dates” with female children. He eventually met with the prostitute in person in Berkeley to further the plans. Lavorini-Doyle arranged the timing, location, and payment for sex with minor girls when he communicated with the adult prostitute. Lavorini-Doyle admitted that he had sex dates with each of two girls, and he believed they were minors. During these encounters, he recorded the sex acts without the girls’ permission. He saved the videos with file names that included “14 yo” and “12YO”, referencing his understanding of their ages. Subsequently, one of the two females was identified and determined to have been 18 years old at the time of the sex date, despite her youthful appearance.
Lavorini-Doyle also admitted in his plea agreement that in the evening hours of December 6, 2019, he approached a woman and her two minor daughters, aged 10 and 11, in a Walnut Creek parking lot. The woman worked as a janitor for an office building and had brought her two daughters to work that night. When she went outside to a dumpster in the parking lot, Lavorini-Doyle spotted the mother and approached them. He offered the mother $30,000 to buy her two daughters for the night. He admits that he intended to engage in sex acts with the children. As outlined in a sentencing memo filed by the government, the mother yelled “no” and called 911.
Lavorini-Doyle further described in his plea agreement that the next day, December 7, 2019, he traveled from San Francisco to Cambodia. He admitted his purpose for traveling to Asia was to engage in commercial sex with minors. He withdrew $10,000 in cash from his bank account before the trip so that he could pay for the sex acts when abroad. He also purchased zip ties and duct tape at Home Depot and a digital camera and SD card at Target. His cell phone reflects that, when in Cambodia, he made plans to engage in commercial sex acts with a minor. He admits that he sent a text message with words to the effect of: “Is super skinny 9yo avAO.”On December 11, 2019, law enforcement searched Lavorini-Doyle’s home in Oakland and seized several of his electronic devices. Lavorini-Doyle returned to the United States from Cambodia on December 12, 2019. When he landed at San Francisco International Airport, law enforcement officials seized several of his electronic devices. In his seized devices, Lavorini-Doyle possessed over 100 videos of child pornography, which he had downloaded from the internet. Sexual conduct depicted in the videos involved minors who had not attained the age of 12, violent sexual conduct, and sexual abuse of infants or toddlers.
In addition to the 192 month prison term, U.S. District Judge Breyer sentenced Lavorini-Doyle, who was in custody at the sentencing hearing, to a lifelong term of supervised release upon his release from prison. A restitution hearing will be held in 90 days.
Kevin Rubino and Noah Stern are the Assistant U.S. Attorneys prosecuting the case with the assistance of Ralph Branchstubbs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Walnut Creek Police Department, and the Contra Costa Human Trafficking Task Force.
Lavorini-Doyle is next scheduled to appear in custody in Contra Costa County Superior Court, where he faces related child sex trafficking state criminal charges being prosecuted by the Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney.
This federal case was brought in U.S. District Court as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.Nocona Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Sexual Exploitation of Missing BoyRead the Press Release
A Nocona man named a person of interest in the 2015 disappearance of a local 18-year-old was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for preying on the boy when he was a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
In July, just hours after the court declared a mistrial due to juror injury, Ricky Dale Howard, 59, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. He was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor.
“The vast majority of sexually exploited children were victimized by an adult they know and trust – and the young man in this case was no different. While we may never know what happened to him in the moments before his disappearance, we know he spent many months enduring the unthinkable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “We continue to pray that one day, he will be found. In the meantime, we hope today’s sentence brings a measure of solace to the family and friends who loved him. We are proud to put this sexual predator behind bars.”
“Mr. Howard exploited his position of trust with the victim’s family and will now be held accountable for his actions,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “We will continue to use our combined law enforcement resources to seek justice for victims, their families and other vulnerable members of our community.”
According to evidence presented in court before the mistrial was declared, law enforcement obtained several of Mr. Howard’s computers during an investigation into the disappearance of a high school senior who was reported missing on April 1, 2015, just two weeks after his 18th birthday.
On the computers, investigators found sexually explicit images that appeared to show Mr. Howard sexually abusing the missing boy. In pleading guilty, Mr. Howard admitted that he enticed the minor into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating a visual depiction.
At trial, the boy’s mother testified she and her children had been close with the Howard family since the boys were children. Tami Diehl said her son began performing odd jobs for Mr. Howard during middle school.
Law enforcement officers testified that following the boy’s disappearance, Mr. Howard told police the last time he’d seen the victim was the weekend before he went missing, when the pair attempted to repair his broken-down truck. Several days into the missing person investigation, an officer observed a burn pit with several incinerated computers on Mr. Howard’s property.
Two years after the disappearance, Ms. Diehl discovered a small handheld tape recorder hidden in the back of a bathroom cabinet. The tape recorder contained audio of Mr. Howard asking himself polygraph questions pertaining to his sexual interest in young boys.
Shortly thereafter, investigators re-examined the missing persons case. Recalling the incinerated computers, officers asked Mr. Howard’s ex-wife and later his daughter for the computers, which were examined by analysts at the FBI’s North Texas Regional Computer Forensic Lab. Ms. Diehl, one of Mr. Howard’s sons, and Mr. Howard’s ex-wife all identified the missing victim in redacted versions of photographs extracted from the computers.
“My family is broken, I know we will never have a gathering where there isn't a sense of wrongness and of a huge, important part being missing,” Ms. Diehl testified at Mr. Howard’s sentencing hearing. “It has now been almost seven years since [my son] disappeared. Years of searching, waiting, and praying for answers to get to this day – and still to not truly have the answer our hearts require. But I am so thankful to the investigators and prosecutors for not giving up and at least making sure that Ricky Howard can hurt no one else.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Wichita Falls Resident Agency, the Montague County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nocona Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Montague County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandie Wade and Nancy Larson prosecuted the case.
New York City Man Charged in Connection with Three-Day Crime Spree, Including Subway Shooting and Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that DAMON BAILEY was arrested yesterday at Union Square subway station, one day after allegedly shooting a fellow train rider during rush hour at that station. Today BAILEY was charged in a criminal Complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the subway shooting and an attempted deli robbery, with robbing two banks in Manhattan at gunpoint on October 25, 2021 and October 26, 2021, and with brandishing a firearm in connection with those bank robberies. BAILEY was presented today in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, during a brazen multiday armed robbery spree, Damon Bailey shot a fellow passenger on a crowded subway. We commend the extraordinary work of our law enforcement partners who swiftly connected the many dots and safely apprehended the suspect.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As we allege today, Mr. Bailey engaged in a gun and violent crime spree spanning several days. In so doing, he terrorized several of our neighbors and deprived them of their right to feel safe as they live their lives. The swift action taken today by the FBI/NYPD Joint Violent Crimes Task Force should serve as a reminder to all that we will not tolerate this type of behavior in our city.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “As alleged, this individual, a day after committing a shooting in a subway, walked away from a Manhattan bank with a satchel of cash and three firearms – but thanks to NYPD officers, this crime spree came to an abrupt end. The NYPD, along with our federal partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, will continue to work to ensure that this person is brought to justice for the series of violent crimes he is charged with.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Over the course of three days, BAILEY committed two gunpoint robberies in Manhattan and attempted to commit two others. On October 24, 2021, BAILEY flashed a firearm in his waistband and demanded money from a customer in a deli near Grand Central Station. On October 25, BAILEY robbed a bank at gunpoint in lower Manhattan and, approximately ten minutes later, attempted to rob a victim on the subway and then shot the victim as the train pulled into Union Square station at rush hour. On October 26, BAILEY robbed a second bank at gunpoint, in Chelsea. In each of the robberies, BAILEY carried a light gray backpack and wore sneakers with a distinctive green toe box and white trim.
After the second robbery, BAILEY again got on the subway, but this time he was apprehended and arrested when he arrived at Union Square station. Based on the proximity of the second bank to the NQR subway line, NYPD officers proceeded to a southbound platform at Union Square subway station and held an incoming train to conduct a search of the train cars for a person matching the description of the robber. An officer found BAILEY in one of the train cars, wearing a light gray backpack and sneakers with a green toe box and white trim. Upon his arrest, three firearms—two semiautomatic pistols and one revolver—were found inside his backpack.
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BAILEY, 38, is charged with two counts of bank robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of being a felon in possession of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which firearm was brandished, which carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years in prison consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, up to life in prison.
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, coordinated investigative work of the FBI and NYPD.
This case is being handle by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Y. Chong is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
New Mexico woman arraigned on false information and hoaxes chargeRead the Press Release
MISSOULA--The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that during an arraignment on Oct. 14, Dora Sandra Gomez, also known as Bella Gomez, 64, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her false information and hoaxes.
If convicted of the most serious crime, Gomez faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Gomez was released pending further proceedings.
A trial date has been set for Dec. 20 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen.
The indictment alleges that on May 8, in Dillon, in Beaverhead County, Gomez placed an anonymous phone call to a banquet organized by the Montana Trappers Association and stated that a remotely operated explosive device was located inside the building where the banquet was taking place and people could get hurt, or words to that effect.
The FBI is not aware of any ongoing threats regarding this matter. The FBI investigated the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PACER case reference. 21-31.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Navajo woman sentenced to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter regarding the death of her childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Tonya Mae Dale, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced in federal court on Oct. 25 to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country. Dale pleaded guilty on March 24.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, Dale committed the offense in San Juan County on or about June 26, 2019, and continuing to June 28, 2019. Dale admitted to driving at night while intoxicated with her children in the vehicle, and her intoxication contributed to her vehicle becoming stuck on June 26. The next day, Dale decided to leave her vehicle and began walking. At some point, she decided to leave her children, a baby and a young child, and seek help on her own. When she returned with assistance to the location she had left her children, only the baby was still there. The other child had wandered away. Despite a multiagency search of the area for the young boy, he was found deceased the following day.
Upon her release from prison, Dale will be subject to two years of supervised release.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall prosecuted the case.
Navajo man sentenced to 15 years in prison for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lyle Woody Begay, 35, of Navajo, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced on Oct. 25 in federal court to 15 years in prison for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country.
Begay pleaded guilty to the offense on Oct. 9, 2020. In his plea agreement, Begay admitted that for more than a seven-year period he engaged in intentional and unlawful sexual contact with a female minor under the age of twelve with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, arouse or gratify sexual desire. Begay committed the crime at the victim’s home in McKinley County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Begay will be subject to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback prosecuted the case.
Mt. Sterling Man Pleads Guilty to Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Mt. Sterling, Ky., man, Larry A. Crump, 37, has pled guilty, before U.S. District Judge Dannv C. Reeves, to Hobbs Act Robbery, bank robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to his guilty plea agreement, Crump admitted to robbing the Cash N Check in Mt. Sterling, on November 16, 2020, and the Peoples Bank of Mt. Sterling, on November 20, 2020, at gunpoint. Crump also admitted to using a stolen firearm in the commission of the bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The amount of money taken from Cash N Check was approximately $900 and the amount of money stolen from the Peoples’ Bank was approximately $37,000. Law Enforcement agents recovered approximately $20,000 from the residence of one of Crump’s relatives. Crump was on parole at the time of the commission of the offenses.
Crump was indicted in March 2021.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Norman Arflack, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Chief Terry Landrum, Chief of Police, Mt. Sterling Police Department; and Jessica Stewart, Bath County Sheriff, announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Mt. Sterling Police Department, and the Bath County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West.
Crump is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2022. Crump faces a minimum of seven years in prison, and a maximum of life imprisonment. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 105 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry into the U.S.Read the Press Release
ALPINE – A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday to over eight years in prison for illegally entering the United States.
On July 19, 2021, Graciano Moral-Carrillo, aka Franciso Mora-Carillo, 52, of Mexico was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
On March 1, 2021, Moral was arrested by Presidio Border Patrol Agents for being an undocumented citizen present in the U.S. Evidence presented at trial disclosed Moral was previously deported from the U.S. on seven other occasions. Further, Moral had numerous other convictions, including three convictions for driving while intoxicated in the Odessa/Midland area; one conviction for resisting arrest; one conviction for assaulting a public servant; three convictions for illegal reentry; and one conviction of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
In addition to the sentence of 105 months in prison, the defendant also received a sentence of 18 months in prison for violating conditions of supervised release on an underlying case. The two sentences will run consecutively.
Moral has remained in federal custody since his arrest on March 1.
“We will continue to be vigilant in protecting our West Texas communities from those who violate federal laws,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff.
“The men and women of Homeland Security Investigations work tirelessly to identify, arrest and prosecute individuals who violate our nation’s immigration laws with a focus on those who represent a public safety threat to our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special in Charge Taekuk Cho. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to pursue convicted criminals and other dangerous fugitives.”
HSI with the assistance from the Presidio Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance L. Kennedy prosecuted the case.
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Mercer County Man Pleads to Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Greenville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of Distribution and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Alex Rogan-Laird, age 26, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on March 14, 2020, Rogan-Laird distributed videos and still images over the “LiveMe” interactive software application depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors to an agent of the FBI working in an undercover capacity in Salt Lake City, Utah. The FBI further found Rogan-Laird in possession of thousands of sexually exploitive videos and images depicting children on July 15, 2020, at the time a federal search warrant was executed at his residence. Rogan-Laird admitted to viewing and distributing child pornography using “LiveMe” and similar software applications.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for February 16, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years nor more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court released Rogan-Laird on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rogan-Laird.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexu ally exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
McLean Man Convicted of Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a McLean man today for producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least 2017 to 2020, Zackary Ellis Sanders, 26, engaged in sexual conversations over multiple mobile messaging platforms with at least six different minors. In these conversations, he directed five minors to engage in sexually explicit and self-harming conduct, record themselves doing so, and send the resulting videos to him. He also received videos of a sixth minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additional forensic evidence recovered from multiple laptops and thumb drives found in Sanders’s bedroom pursuant to a court-authorized search established that he possessed different images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of other children, including videos depicting the sexual abuse of a toddler and prepubescent children being sexually abused and subjected to sadistic acts. Sanders obtained these images from a Darkweb website, the sole purpose of which was to share and facilitate the viewing of such material.
Sanders was convicted of production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2022 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth Polite, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the verdict.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Clayman and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth M. Schlessinger and Jay V. Prabhu are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-143.
Man Sentenced for Lake Mead ShootingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Mexican citizen was sentenced yesterday to ten years in prison for shooting a man in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2020, the victim was at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area when he responded to a male voice calling for help. The victim saw Eliel Urrutia-Jimenez (26) lying on the ground and attempted to see if Urrutia-Jimenez needed help. When the victim approached, Urrutia-Jimenez turned and shot the victim four times, wounding him in the torso.
Urrutia-Jimenez pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, admitting that he knowingly and intentionally shot the victim — with the intent to do bodily harm — four times in the torso. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Urrutia-Jimenez to five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Chief Ranger Trouper Snow for the National Park Service made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the National Park Service.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced for Filing Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Claims Totaling over $250,000Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 49 months in federal prison for filing two dozen fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, which were approved for more than $250,000 in unemployment benefits from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) and California Employment Development Department (EDD).
Antwine Demon Hunter, 34, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of mail fraud. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon ordered Hunter to pay restitution and sentenced him to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, from June 1, 2020 to September 28, 2020, Hunter and co-conspirators used personally identifiable information belonging to victims to submit 24 false unemployment claims to DETR and EDD. As part of the scheme, Hunter had DETR and EDD mail debit cards containing unemployment benefits to addresses he had access to. In total, more than $250,000 in unemployment benefits was approved, and at least $189,118 was withdrawn by Hunter.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Los Angeles Region made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DOL-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Justice Department Settles with Construction Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Priority Construction Corporation, located in Baltimore, Maryland. The settlement resolves the department’s claims that Priority Construction violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by failing to consider workers in the United States (such as U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, asylees, refugees and recent lawful permanent residents) for employment opportunities due to the company’s preference for workers with H-2B visas.
“Employers should fully and fairly consider the qualifications of all applicants and not allow unlawful preferences based on citizenship or immigration status to affect the hiring process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to eradicating discriminatory barriers and protecting workers from hiring discrimination.”
The department’s investigation determined that from at least Jan. 1, 2019 to March 11, 2019, Priority Construction discriminated against applicants in the United States by failing to fully and fairly consider them for temporary laborer positions, due to the company’s preference for H-2B visa workers. Specifically, Priority Construction claimed at the time it could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers, when in fact it had not taken the time to fairly assess the local applicants who had applied to determine if they were qualified. The Department of Labor requires employers seeking permission to hire H-2B workers to first hire all qualified and available U.S. workers who apply by the relevant deadline. The department also concluded that the company attempted to discourage U.S. workers from applying by putting unnecessarily restrictive job requirements in a 2019 job announcement, such as three months of experience, when it would have accepted workers with one month of experience. The INA prohibits employers from refusing to consider, recruit or hire U.S. citizens and protected non-U.S. citizens – such as U.S. nationals, asylees, refugees, and recent lawful permanent residents – because of their citizenship or immigration status.
Under the settlement, Priority Construction will pay $40,600 in civil penalties to the United States, and conduct enhanced U.S. worker recruitment and advertising for future positions. The settlement also requires Priority Construction to be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements and train employees on how to avoid discrimination under the INA.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. More information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination is available here. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment, or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
Judge sentences St. Louis man for enticement of a minor to engage in prostitutionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Tony K. Sanford, age 39, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge John A. Ross on October 27, 2021. Sanford was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by lifetime supervision upon his plea of guilty to the offense of enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution. From January 20, 2020 to January 30, 2020, Sanford directed and facilitated prostitution transactions involving a seventeen-year-old minor in the city of St. Louis.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Irving Man Guilty of Wire Fraud Violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – An Irving man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ira Morya Davis, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Priest Johnson on Oct. 26, 2021.
According to information presented in court, Davis and at least two other co-conspirators devised a fraud scheme targeting various financial institutions and real estate purchasers. To accomplish the fraud, Davis and his co-conspirators created shell companies and executed various mortgage and property documents that purportedly conveyed ownership interests of various real properties from the true owners to the conspirators’ shell companies. Davis and his co-conspirators then filed the fraudulent documents with county offices falsely showing that they had mortgage liens on the properties, sold the properties, and triggered the title companies to unwittingly fund the co-conspirators. During the course of the scheme, Davis obtained and used fraudulent notary stamps using real people’s identities, which enabled the conspirators to legitimatize the otherwise fraudulent documents. Davis and his co-conspirators targeted multiple properties, and the financial harm resulting from his offense was at least $2.5 million.
“The Eastern District is committed to tackling complex fraud schemes, including those that target financial institutions and purchasers in the real estate market,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Regardless of the complexities involved, the public can be assured that EDTX and its law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to disentangle complex white collar fraud schemes and bring culpable individuals to justice.”
Davis was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 12, 2020. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Inmate admits to assaulting officer, sentencedRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Daripsy Sanchez, an inmate at the Secure Female Facility at Federal Correctional Institution Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 15 months for an assault charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Sanchez, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Assault of a Correctional Officer Involving Physical Contact.” Sanchez admitted to assaulting a correctional officer in April 2021.
The 15-month sentence will run consecutively to any other sentence she is serving.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Prisons investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Harrisburg Man Convicted of Being A Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 26, 2021, Alfred W. Stewart, age 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon after a two-day trial before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the jury returned the guilty verdict after approximately one hour of deliberation. The government established that on March 27, 2019, members of the United States Marshal Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force executed an arrest warrant on Stewart for being a fugitive from federal supervision and for multiple violations of his federal supervised release. When the officers arrived at the Dauphin County home, they knocked on the door and spoke with a family member. This family member indicated that Stewart was home and up on the third floor. The Marshals gave commands for Stewart to come downstairs. Instead, Stewart fled out of a third-floor window. Officers outside observed him with a gun in his hand. Stewart walked back and forth between a chimney and another obstruction and put something in the chimney. Afterwards he surrendered. Police went to the basement of the house and found a Glock model 30 .45 caliber pistol in the chimney which Stewart was prohibited from possessing as a result of a prior felony conviction.
Stewart had three prior convictions for serious drug offenses:
- 2003 conviction before the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas for unlawful distribution of a controlled substance (cocaine);
- 2003 conviction before the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas for Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance;
- 2010 conviction before the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for distribution and possession with intent to distribute a Controlled Substance (cocaine).
As a result of these three convictions, Stewart qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal and is subject to a minimum mandatory 15 year term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal Service, the Harrisburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Sam Dalke are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Hardy County man admits to role in drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Allan Howell, of Moorefield, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Howell, 43, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Howell admitted to having methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” or “ice,” in October 2018 in Hardy County.
Howell faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Moorefield Police Department
investigated. The task force consists of the FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/hardy-county-man-appears-drug-charges
Grand Jury Returns Two IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Wire & Bank Fraud
Michael Shillin, 31, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with 9 counts of wire fraud and 1 count of bank fraud. The indictment alleges that Shillin, the owner of a financial advisory company named Shillin Wealth Management (SWM), engaged in a scheme to defraud clients by making misrepresentations to them.
The indictment alleges that Shillin told his clients that he purchased non-public stock of well-known companies on their behalf and that they had made hundreds of thousands of dollars on these investments, when in fact, Shillin had not purchased the stocks. It further alleges that Shillin convinced numerous clients to purchase insurance policies by misrepresenting the cost of the policies as well as the benefits, and that Shillin received commission payments on some of these policies. In addition, the indictment alleges that Shillin provided clients with fraudulent tax documents to make them appear eligible for tax breaks to which they were not entitled.
The indictment also charges Shillin with defrauding a bank by obtaining two loans totaling $462,000 on behalf of SWM by using fraudulent collateral. The indictment alleges that he provided an account statement showing that SWM owned an account with a balance of over $1.2 million, when in fact a client owned and controlled the account.
If convicted, Shillin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud charge, and a maximum penalty of 30 years on the bank fraud charge. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eau Claire and Altoona Police Departments, and Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Corey is handling the prosecution.
Green Bay Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution
Michael Soun, 35, Green Bay, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on September 1, 2021.
If convicted, Soun faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Four Defendants Face Federal Indictment in Alleged Racketeering Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband into Maryland’s Metropolitan Transition Center in Exchange for BribesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging four defendants with a racketeering conspiracy at the Metropolitan Transition Center (MTC), in Baltimore, Maryland. The indictment charges two former correctional officers (COs), a detainee, and an outside “facilitator” for their roles in the conspiracy, which allegedly involved paying bribes to correctional officers to smuggle contraband, including narcotics, tobacco, and cell phones, into the jail. The indictment was returned on October 13, 2021 and made public today. Charged in the indictment are:
Christopher Mann, age 39, of Baltimore, a detainee at MTC; Thomas Green, a/k/a “Fatass,”, age 33, of Pikesville, Maryland, a former Correctional Officer at MTC; Shanese Butler, age 33, of Baltimore, a former Correctional Officer at MTC; and
Cania Jefferson, age 35, of Landsdowne, Maryland, an outside facilitator.Green, Butler, and Jefferson will have their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Baltimore today beginning at 2:00 p.m. Mann is currently serving a state sentence and will be brought in for his initial appearance at a later date.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Robert Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
“Corrupt correctional officers that smuggle contraband into jails endanger the lives of their co-workers and the detainees entrusted to their care,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Prisoners can use contraband cell phones to direct criminal activity outside, which also endangers the community. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to root out prison corruption and prosecute those who abuse their positions of trust to facilitate and engage in criminal behavior.”
“This case demonstrates that we will not tolerate employees in positions of trust violating their oaths,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Federal, state, and local officials will continue to work together to ensure public servants who violate their duty for personal gain will be held accountable.”
According to the indictment, MTC is a medium security facility run by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) for the housing of Maryland pretrial detainees. MTC houses approximately 500 male detainees in eight housing areas, or “dorms.”
The indictment alleges that from about June 2020 and continuing until November 2020, the COs smuggled contraband into MTC, including narcotics, cell phones, and tobacco. The indictment alleges that the narcotics smuggled into MTC included buprenorphine, commonly referred to as “Suboxone” and synthetic cannabinoids (otherwise known as “K2”). The COs allegedly accepted and agreed to accept payments from facilitators and detainees as consideration for smuggling contraband into MTC. The indictment alleges that Shanese Butler also engaged in a romantic relationship with Christopher Mann. Mann and his facilitators paid the COs for smuggled contraband using cash and electronic payment platforms, including Cash App. Mann allegedly received payment from other detainees for contraband transactions via Cash App and other methods, often with the assistance of facilitators.
The defendants allegedly used cell phones to communicate with one another and to coordinate their contraband smuggling and trafficking activities. The indictment alleges that by using contraband cell phones, Mann avoided using MTC’s jail call system, thereby enabling him to have undetected and unrecorded conversations with his co-conspirators.
The indictment documents numerous text and phone conversations between Mann, Butler, and Jefferson during which Mann directed Butler and Jefferson to make payments to Green and others and arranged for the delivery of contraband to Green for smuggling into MTC.
On July 29, 2020, Mann allegedly used a contraband cell phone to call Jefferson. Mann told Jefferson that he had just paid a bribe to Green to have Green transport him to a building where Butler was working by herself so that Mann and Butler could have sex. According to the indictment, Mann complained to Jefferson that after he arrived at the building, Butler was reluctant to have sex because she was afraid of being caught. Mann allegedly complained to Jefferson that the aborted rendezvous was a wasted opportunity. The indictment alleges that approximately three week later, during a call on August 19, 2020, Mann instructed Jefferson to purchase an engagement ring for Butler at a store in Columbia Mall. Two days later, Mann allegedly wired $1,650 via Cash App to Jefferson to cover the cost of the ring.
According to the indictment, on several occasions in September 2020, Mann called Butler on a contraband cell phone to discuss sending contraband, specifically paper soaked in liquid K2, through the mail. During one conversation, Butler allegedly suggested sending the paper to another detainee to solicit the detainee’s feedback as to whether the K2 was sufficiently potent. The indictment alleges that in another conversation Butler noted that the paper looked “glossy” and suggested that printing a picture on it would make it less noticeable to law enforcement. Mann allegedly instructed Butler to print a picture depicting “white people” on the paper and to mail the paper to a specific white detainee at MTC. The indictment alleges that Butler subsequently notified Mann that she had sent the K2 soaked paper to the white detainee, using the alias “Tiffany Baker” in the return address.
The indictment alleges that during the same time frame, Mann suggested to Jefferson that his father was concerned that law enforcement officers were aware of his criminal activity. Mann allegedly told Jefferson, “My father acting like the goddam federal agents are coming to get me.” Jefferson allegedly responded, “No, ain’t nobody coming to get nobody.”
On October 2, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at residences belonging to Butler and Jefferson. Law enforcement seized K2, as well as drug paraphernalia, from Jefferson’s residence. At Butler’s residence, investigators seized K2, $3,020 in cash, and the engagement ring Jefferson had given to Butler on Mann’s behalf.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the racketeering conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the federal 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Las Cruces middle school principal sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Joel Aguilar Villanueva, 45, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court to 11 years and three months in prison for transportation of a visual image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Villanueva pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2019.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 23, 2018, Villanueva, who was the principal of a middle school in Las Cruces, uploaded a video from an electronic device to Twitter. The video depicted a child engaged in a sexual act with an adult, and was posted with the comment “aprenden rapido,” which translates to English as, “they learn fast.”
Upon his release from prison, Villanueva will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police, the Las Cruces Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Former Gary Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting ArresteeRead the Press Release
Terry Peck, 46, a former police officer with the Gary Police Department, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Hammond, Indiana, for using excessive force against an arrestee.
The indictment charges Peck with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on March 19, 2019, Peck assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as R.H., by slamming his head into the side of a patrol vehicle. The indictment further alleges that the incident resulted in bodily injury to R.H.
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Peck faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; actual sentences are often much lower than the statutory maximum. If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the Judge after a consideration of federal statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson of the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang of the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Former Alachua County Deputy Pleads Guilty to Lying During Purchases of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Kenyari Devaughnte Brewton (26, Ocala), a former deputy with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, has pleaded guilty to two federal felonies: (1) making a materially false statement during the purchase of a firearm and (2) causing a federal firearms licensee to maintain false information in its official records. Brewton faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He will also be required to forfeit and/or abandon firearms and ammunition related to the offenses.
According to the plea agreement, between March 2, 2020, and April 26, 2021, Brewton purchased multiple firearms from a Marion County gun dealer, including two handguns and an AK-47 style pistol. While purchasing the firearms, Brewton certified on each ATF Form 4473 (Firearm Transaction Record) that he was the “actual transferee/buyer” of these guns. In actuality, he purchased the firearms on behalf of another person and never intended to keep them. Brewton also used his status as a law enforcement officer to obtain discount prices on some of the firearms.
Specifically, on April 26, 2021, Brewton purchased two Glock pistols (.40 and 9mm calibers). Six days later, on May 2, 2021, the .40 caliber Glock pistol was used by another person during a homicide in Marion County. That firearm was later recovered by the Ocala Police Department during a traffic stop involving four armed men with masks, gloves, and loaded firearms. A few weeks after the homicide, on May 30, 2021, during a DUI traffic stop in Lake County, the Fruitland Park Police Department recovered the 9mm Glock handgun in a glovebox next to $10,000 in cash.
A subsequent search warrant of Brewton’s cellphone revealed numerous text conversations between Brewton and the person for whom he had agreed to purchase the firearms. Brewton also admitted to federal investigators that he had “gotten caught up” in people asking him to buy firearms and in making a profit on the sales.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Farmington Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Illegal Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy Involving Money Laundering and Public CorruptionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Farmington man pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiring to possess and distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and 1,000 marijuana plants, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court documents, from about 2016 through July 2020, Randal Cousineau, 69, participated in a conspiracy to illegally cultivate and sell marijuana. Cousineau was the primary financier and 50% partner with a co-conspirator in an illegal marijuana cultivation facility in Farmington. He also held an interest in an illegal marijuana distribution company. Members of the conspiracy cultivated and sold marijuana in violation of Maine’s medical marijuana laws, selling bulk marijuana illicitly to individuals who were not registered as caregivers, and for distribution outside of the state of Maine. Cousineau realized hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit from these illegal sales.
Cousineau faces up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A related 14-count criminal complaint was also filed today in U.S. District Court in Bangor, charging 12 defendants with a variety of offenses, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, bank fraud, tampering with proceedings, tampering with documents, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to impede and impair the IRS, tax evasion, and tax fraud.
According to the criminal complaint, Lucas Sirois, 41, of Farmington, was the leader of the criminal organization. He and his coconspirators realized in excess of $13 million over a six-year period through the illicit sale of marijuana. Sirois structured his operations to appear as though they complied with Maine’s medical marijuana regime while he regularly sold bulk marijuana on the illicit market, including more than $1 million worth of marijuana for out-of-state distribution between 2018 and 2019 through codefendant Brandon Dagnese, 27, of Scarborough, a convicted felon who was ineligible to hold a caregiver card in Maine.
Also as alleged in the criminal complaint:
- In order to conceal his activities and maximize his profits from illegal drug trafficking, in which he engaged with Alisa Sirois, 43, of Kingfield, Robert Sirois, 68, of Farmington, and Ryan Nezol, 38, of Farmington, among others, Sirois laundered drug proceeds through a complex corporate structure. He lied to his financial institution about the nature of his business and the source of funds that flowed through his accounts. Sirois and his tax preparer Kenneth Allen, 48, of Farmington, filed false income tax returns to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in income, resulting in tax loss to the United States in excess of $400,000.
- Sirois defrauded the taxpayers of the state of Maine by using his drug money to corrupt members of local law enforcement and town government. Then-Franklin County Deputy Sheriffs Bradley Scovil, 33, of Rangeley, and Derrick Doucette, 29, of Jay, obtained confidential law enforcement information for Sirois that he used to benefit his illegal business; in exchange, Sirois rewarded Scovil and Doucette with ownership interests in his business and brand new “company” cars. Later, Sirois used Scovil and Doucette’s network of active law enforcement officials to obtain information about the ongoing federal investigation into his criminal activity.
- Franklin County Assistant District Attorney Kayla Alves, 36, of Farmington, tipped off Scovil to the existence of the Sirois probe, after Wilton police officer Kevin Lemay, 33, of Farmington, and then-Oxford County deputy sheriff James McLamb, 29, of Auburn, used government databases to confirm for Scovil and Doucette that they were being surveilled by law enforcement; all three officials later destroyed electronic evidence of their wrongdoing with Scovil and Doucette in order to conceal it from investigators.
- Rangeley Selectman David Burgess, 53, accepted tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments from Sirois, including investment in his internet start-up company, in exchange for advocating for Sirois’s preferred agenda in town government, including voting to advance a marijuana ordinance that Sirois himself had drafted to a town referendum. All the while, Sirois paid Burgess thousands of dollars a week to manage his marijuana businesses, a conflict Burgess never publicly disclosed.
In addition to the criminal complaint, a civil complaint was unsealed today in federal court, seeking the forfeiture of 12 real properties involved in the facilitation of illegal marijuana trafficking and/or purchased with illegal drug proceeds.
A chart containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants charged in the criminal complaint is set forth below. The maximum potential sentences described therein are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the sentencing judge.
U.S. Attorney McElwee praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, Portland Resident Office; the FBI’s Boston Division; and the Boston Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation. Ms. McElwee thanked local and state Maine law enforcement partners for their participation in, and support of, the investigation.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Copies of the criminal and civil complaints are available here: criminal civil
COUNT
DEFENDANT(S)
MAX TERM OF IMPRISONMENT
Count One: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (21 U.S.C. § 846)
Lucas Sirois
David Burgess
Bradley Scovil
Derrick Doucette
Alisa Sirois
Robert Sirois
Brandon Dagnese
Ryan Nezol
Dependent on quantity of marijuana reasonably foreseeable to each individual defendant
Count Two: Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (18 U.S.C. § 1956(h))
Lucas Sirois
David Burgess
Alisa Sirois
20 years
Count Three: Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1349)
Lucas Sirois
David Burgess
20 years
Count Four: Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1349)
Lucas Sirois
Bradley Scovil
Derrick Doucette
James McLamb
20 years
Count Five: Bank Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344)
Lucas Sirois
Alisa Sirois
30 years
Count Six: Bank Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344)
Lucas Sirois
Bradley Scovil
Derrick Doucette
30 years
Count Seven: Bank Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344)
David Burgess
30 years
Count Eight: Tampering with Proceedings (18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2))
Kayla Alves
20 years
Count Nine: Tampering with Documents (18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1))
Kayla Alves
20 years
Count Ten: Tampering with Documents (18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1))
Kevin Lemay
20 years
Count Eleven: Tampering with Documents (18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1))
James McLamb
20 years
Count Twelve: Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Impede and Impair I.R.S. (18 U.S.C. § 371)
Lucas Sirois
David Burgess
Kenneth Allen
5 years
Count Thirteen: Tax Evasion (26 U.S.C. § 7201)
Lucas Sirois
5 years
Count Fourteen: Tax Fraud (26 U.S.C. § 7206(2))
Kenneth Allen
3 years
Erie Man Pleads to Cocaine Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drugs laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Joel Nicholas Gustave, Jr., 40, of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about November 1, 2019, Gustave possessed with the intent to distribute 840.8 grams cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, 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 Gustave on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force, which is comprised of investigators from the FBI, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Erie Police Department, the Oil City Police Department, and the Titusville Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gustave.
Edgewood man sentenced to two years in prison for wire and computer fraudRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Charles Bruce Sandidge, 40, of Edgewood, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court on Oct. 22 to two years in prison for wire fraud and fraud in connection with computers. Sandidge pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2018.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, from Aug. 14, 2017, through Nov. 15, 2017, Sandidge defrauded a victim through unauthorized access to financial accounts. Through an ad on the Craig’s List website, the victim hired Sandidge to perform video photography and editing. The victim allowed Sandidge access to a personal computer to perform the work. Without permission or authorization, Sandidge accessed the victim’s Paypal account to transfer money to his own account, totaling approximately $135,650 in stolen money and fees.
In addition to his prison sentence, Sandidge must pay $97,298.98 in restitution and, upon his release from prison, will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Brawley prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission to Hold Workshop on Promoting Competition in Labor MarketsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will jointly host a virtual public workshop on Dec. 6 and 7, to discuss efforts to promote competitive labor markets and worker mobility. The workshop will bring together lawyers, economists, academics, policy experts, labor groups and workers, and will cover recent developments at the intersection of antitrust and labor, as well as implications for efforts to protect and empower workers through competition enforcement and rulemaking.
A series of panels, presentations and remarks will address competition issues affecting labor markets and the welfare of workers, including: labor monopsony; the increased use of restrictive contractual clauses in labor agreements, including non-competes and non-disclosure agreements; information sharing and benchmarking activity among competing employers; the role of other federal agencies in ensuring fair competition in labor markets; and the relationship between antitrust law and collective bargaining efforts in the “gig economy.” Panelists will be invited to discuss potential steps antitrust enforcers can take to better target enforcement resources, improve public guidance and pursue a whole-of-government approach to ensuring fair competition for workers and consumers by leveraging interagency resources.
The Department of Justice and FTC invite comments from the public on the topics covered by this workshop. Interested parties may submit public comments online now through Dec. 20, at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FTC-2021-0057.
The workshop will be held virtually and webcast on the FTC’s website at FTC.gov. A recording of the workshop will be available on the Antitrust Division’s website and the FTC’s website. An agenda, list of speakers and instructions for accessing the webcast will be available in the near future at https://www.justice.gov/atr/events/public-workshop-promoting-competition-labor-markets.
Defendants Charged in Connection with Multi-State Forced Labor Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Kansas has returned an eight-count indictment against eight defendants for their alleged roles in a forced labor conspiracy that victimized numerous minors who, between 2000 and 2012, worked in various food service and other businesses in Kansas and around the United States.
The indictment alleges that from 2000 through 2012, the defendants participated in running an organization called the United Nation of Islam (UNOI), an organization founded by the now deceased Royall Jenkins. The UNOI is alleged to have subjected multiple minors employed at UNOI-operated businesses in Kansas, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Ohio and elsewhere, to forced labor.
The indictment charges the following individuals with conspiracy to commit forced labor and forced labor:
Kaaba Majeed
Age: 47
Jonesboro, GA
Yunus Rassoul
Age: 36
Cape Coral, FL
James Staton
Age: 59
Fayetteville, NC
Daniel Aubrey Jenkins
Age: 40
Lawrenceville, GA
Randolph Rodney Hadley
Age: 46
Fairburn, GA
Jacelyn Greenwell
Age: 42
Severn, MD
Etenia Kinard
Age: 46
Waldorf, MD
Dana Peach
Age: 57
Clinton, MD
The indictment alleges that over the course of more than a decade, the defendants coerced the victims into physically demanding labor at various UNOI-owned businesses around the United States. The defendants allegedly used coercive tactics, such as separating victims from their families; withholding food; abusing victims physically and verbally; subjecting victims to crowded living conditions; psychological manipulation; degrading treatment; isolating victims and limiting their ability to interact with anyone outside of UNOI; and suggesting to victims that those who left UNOI met tragic consequences. Although the victims were school-aged, it is alleged the defendants did not provide them with an adequate or legitimate education.
The defendants will be arraigned at a later date in Kansas City, Kansas.
Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties: forced labor with a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 and conspiracy to commit forced labor with a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General and Wage and Hour Division. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Vasantha Rao and Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Defendants Charged in Connection with Multi-State Forced Labor Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in the District of Kansas has returned an eight-count indictment against eight defendants for their alleged roles in a forced labor conspiracy that victimized numerous minors who, between 2000 and 2012, worked in various food service and other businesses in Kansas and around the United States.
The indictment alleges that from 2000 through 2012, the defendants participated in running an organization called the United Nation of Islam (UNOI), an organization founded by the now deceased Royall Jenkins. The UNOI is alleged to have subjected multiple minors employed at UNOI-operated businesses in Kansas, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Ohio and elsewhere, to forced labor.
The indictment charges the following individuals with conspiracy to commit forced labor and forced labor:
Kaaba Majeed
Age: 47
Jonesboro, GAYunus Rassoul
Age: 36
Cape Coral, FLJames Staton
Age: 59
Fayetteville, NCDaniel Aubrey Jenkins
Age: 40
Lawrenceville, GARandolph Rodney Hadley
Age: 46
Fairburn, GAJacelyn Greenwell
Age: 42
Severn, MDEtenia Kinard
Age: 46
Waldorf, MDDana Peach
Age: 57
Clinton, MDThe indictment alleges that over the course of more than a decade, the defendants coerced the victims into physically demanding labor at various UNOI-owned businesses around the United States. The defendants allegedly used coercive tactics, such as separating victims from their families; withholding food; abusing victims physically and verbally; subjecting victims to crowded living conditions; psychological manipulation; degrading treatment; isolating victims and limiting their ability to interact with anyone outside of UNOI; and suggesting to victims that those who left UNOI met tragic consequences. Although the victims were school-aged, it is alleged the defendants did not provide them with an adequate or legitimate education.
The defendants will be arraigned at a later date in Kansas City, Kansas.
Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties: forced labor with a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 and conspiracy to commit forced labor with a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General and Wage and Hour Division. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Vasantha Rao and Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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Defendant in Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Troy Lee Neal, age 42, of Elkton, Maryland, to eight years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
The sentence 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; Superintendent Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III of the Maryland State Police; and Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams.
According to his guilty plea, investigators identified Neal as well as co-defendants Mark Williams and Kevin Johnson as suppliers of cocaine after an extended investigation dating back to 2019. The conspiracy members distributed crack cocaine to multiple customers in Elkton, Maryland.
Law enforcement also intercepted at least eight instances in which Neal, or his co-conspirators, conversed in coded conversations about drug activity. For example, on May 27, 2020, after a series of calls between a co-conspirator and a customer, police observed Neal and a co-conspirator visit a customer’s residence. Shortly after their arrival, two male customers entered the co-conspirator’s residence. After one of the two male customers left the residence, police conducted a traffic stop of this customer and seized 3.6 grams of crack cocaine. At that time, Williams, Neal, and Johnson were arrested.
As stated in his plea agreement, on June 13, 2020 law enforcement covertly observed Neal, Williams, and Johnson depart from Neal’s residence and travel to the Bronx in New York, where investigators believe that the conspiracy members obtained cocaine. The next day, on June 14, 2020, law enforcement observed the three men travel back to Neal’s residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Neal’s residence and recovered 497 grams of compressed suspected cocaine, several bags of suspected marijuana, a digital scale, and several cell phones.
Co-defendant Mark Williams was sentenced to seven years in federal prison on September 23, 2021 for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Co-defendant Kevin Johnson was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for the same charges on August 23, 2021.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the HSI, the Maryland State Police Department, and the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Kim Y. Oldham, who prosecuted the case.
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Culpeper Woman Arrested in Dark Web Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Culpeper woman, who went online in an attempt to hire a hitman using bitcoin, was arrested today on federal criminal charges.
According to court documents, Annie Nicole Ritenour, 25, placed an “order” via the Dark Web that advertised murder-for-hire services. Ritenour created an account with the website and deposited approximately $3,200 in bitcoin to hire a hitman to kill her intended victim. To further assist with her “order,” Ritenour uploaded photos of her intended victim, as well as other personal information, including their place of employment, type of vehicle they own, and the best time and place to kill them.
“This case highlights the need for more intense federal enforcement of the cyber security protocols of the Internet,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia has made cybercrime a priority for this exact reason, and this murder-for-hire plot serves as an example of why we need to remain vigilant in the policing of those dark corners of the web where cybercrime thrives.”
“Upon learning of the murder-for-hire plot, the FBI moved quickly to ensure the safety of the intended victim and identified Ms. Ritenour as the person responsible for the threat,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Neil Mathison said today. “The FBI reminds the public that making threats online or using the Dark Web to hire someone to harm another has serious consequences, and we will work with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office to hold criminals accountable.”
Ritenour is charged with one count of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and one count of murder-for-hire. If convicted, Ritenour faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Huber is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Coosa County Man Found Guilty on Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On October 26, 2021, Kilpatrick Cornelius McKinney, 38, from Kellyton, Alabama, was convicted by a jury on federal gun and drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, the United States Marshals Service, along with Alabama State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) agents, were attempting to locate McKinney to serve an outstanding arrest warrant. On November 16, 2018, agents discovered that McKinney was at his home in Coosa County and upon entering the house, they found McKinney hiding in his bedroom closet. During the arrest, agents noticed a distinct odor of marijuana and saw narcotics and drug paraphernalia in plain view.
Agents then obtained a search warrant for McKinney’s residence based on their observations. While executing that search warrant, investigators located a variety of McKinney’s personal effects in his bedroom, along with a Taurus .38 caliber revolver that was in a Crown Royal bag inside a larger black bag with approximately one pound of marijuana. McKinney has multiple felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. In total, agents seized two guns, approximately 452 grams of marijuana, 15 grams of powder cocaine, 27 tablets containing methamphetamine, and approximately $3,870.00 in cash.
After hearing the evidence presented at trial, the jury found McKinney guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
McKinney has a significant criminal history and is facing a sentence of at least 20 years in prison if he qualifies as an armed career criminal under federal law. In the coming months, a federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, including his potential status as an armed career criminal.
The United States Marshals Service, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, with assistance from the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Ammunition, Obstructing Justice, and Attempted Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Sergio Antonio Hood (37, Tampa) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, obstruction of justice, and attempted witness tampering. Hood is an Armed Career Criminal, which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The court also imposed a consecutive sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment for Hood’s violation of federal supervised release based on the same underlying conduct.
A jury had found Hood guilty on June 8, 2021.
According to court documents, on October 27, 2019, one week after meeting and beginning a relationship with a woman, Hood showed up at her home near Ybor City. Finding the woman sitting in a parked car with a friend, Hood pushed his assault-style rifle through the open window, pointed it at the woman’s head, and fired. The bullet missed the woman and went through the other side of the car. At the scene, police officers found one spent 9mm bullet casing on the street. Hood was arrested on state charges the following day.
At the time of the shooting, Hood was on federal supervised release. As a result, he was transferred to federal custody to address his violations of the conditions of his supervised release. While in jail, Hood created a false alibi and asked a witness to testify falsely at a federal court hearing regarding those violations. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition, obstruction of justice, and attempted witness tampering.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.
Convicted Child Predator Pleads Guilty to New Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that James Arthur Morey, 48, of Olean, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to access with intent to view child pornography following a prior conviction. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that Morey, who was convicted in New York State Court in 1999 of Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree for sexual contact with a minor, was also sentenced to serve 132 months in prison, and lifetime supervised release, after pleading guilty to a federal charge of possession of child pornography on March 1, 2010.
On May 8, 2019, during a home inspection by a U.S. Probation Officer, the defendant admitted to renting an Asus laptop computer and using that computer to view child pornography via the internet. A forensic analysis of the Asus computer revealed that Morey had accessed the computer and viewed child pornography.
The plea is the result of an investigation by U.S. Probation Department, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Timothy C. Englerth and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 13, 2021, before Judge Arcara.
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Church Rock man pleads guilty to sexually abusing a childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Manison Largo, 42, of Church Rock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on Oct.19 in federal court to abusive sexual contact with a child. Largo will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to his plea and other court records, on multiple occasions between August 2017 and March 2018, Largo sexually abused the victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. During the course of the abuse, which occurred at Largo’s residence in Church Rock on the Navajo Nation, the victim had not attained the age of 12. The victim was able to borrow a phone and called 911 to report the abuse.
Largo faces up to life in prison and must register as a sex offender.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
Chaparral man sentenced to 19 years in prison for kidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Roberto Carlos Cervantes, 27, of Chaparral, New Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court to 19 years and seven months in prison for kidnapping. Upon his release from prison, Cervantes will be subject to three years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement and other public court documents, he and four co-defendants abducted the victim from a travel center in Mescalero, New Mexico, on April 4, 2019. Cervantes and Joshua Bowen, 28, of Alto, New Mexico, each had a firearm at the time. Cervantes hit the victim in the face several times. They also tied and bound the victim in an attempted robbery.
Cervantes and his co-defendants took the victim to Chaparral where the co-defendants tried to withdraw money from the victim’s bank account with a debit card. From there, Bowen took the victim to a bank in El Paso, Texas, where Bowen ordered the victim to pretend to be Bowen’s grandfather and change the PIN for the victim’s ATM card. After changing the PIN, Bowen transported the victim back to New Mexico where the co-defendants obtained money from the victim’s bank account.
Cervantes and his co-defendants checked into a hotel in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on April 5, 2019, where they prevented the victim from leaving. Cervantes and co-defendant Alison Comstock, 28, of Carrizozo, New Mexico, left the hotel on April 6,2019, and Bowen and co-defendant Brittany Priddy, 30, of Ruidoso, New Mexico, left on April 7, 2019. On April 8, 2019, the victim managed to call his son and tell him where he was. An officer from the Las Cruces Police Department responded and rescued the victim.
Bowen pleaded guilty on June 25, 2020, and was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison. Priddy pleaded guilty to kidnapping on April 28 and was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison. Derek Welborn, 30, of Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to kidnapping on April 30 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Cervantes and Comstock pleaded guilty to kidnapping on May 19, and Comstock was sentenced to ten years and one month in prison.
The FBI investigated this case with the New Mexico State Police, Ruidoso Downs Police Department, Las Cruces Police Department and Dona Ana Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
Camden County Man Admits Role in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to obtain money through fraudulently obtained refund checks issued by the U.S. Treasury, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jorge Gutierrez, 42, of Merchantville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) is a common type of fraud committed against the United States government that involves the use of stolen identities to commit tax refund fraud. SIRF schemes generally share a number of hallmarks. Perpetrators obtain personal identifying information, including Social Security numbers and dates of birth, from unwitting individuals, who often reside in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. They then complete Form 1040 tax returns using the fraudulently obtained information and falsifying wages earned, taxes withheld, and other data, always ensuring that the fraudulent tax return generates a refund. They direct the U.S. Treasury Department to mail refund checks to locations that the perpetrators control or can access. With the fraudulently obtained refund checks in hand, SIRF perpetrators generate cash proceeds by depositing the checks into bank accounts that they control or cashing the checks at check cashing businesses.
For the 2013 tax year, in excess of 3,300 SIRF tax returns were filed using the names and Social Security numbers of residents of Puerto Rico and for which the refunds were directed to be mailed to a small section of Pennsauken, New Jersey. Of the 3,300 returns filed, several of the refund checks were issued and ultimately cashed at check cashing agencies in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York using false and fraudulent identifications, including fake New Jersey driver’s licenses, fake Social Security Cards, and fake Department of Homeland Security Permanent Resident Identification cards.
On March 28, 2018, Gutierrez, Alberto Sanchez, Awilda Henriquez and Roque Bisono were indicted by a federal grand jury. According to the indictment, Gutierrez, Henriquez, Bisono, Sanchez, and their conspirators obtained stolen identities of residents of Puerto Rico to file fraudulent income tax returns seeking federal tax refunds to which the conspirators were not entitled. The objective in doing so was to falsely and fraudulently generate income tax refund checks issued by the U.S. Treasury. The conspirators recruited mail carriers from the U.S. Postal Service as part of the scheme to steal the tax refund checks from the mail. The mail carriers were paid for every U.S Treasury check that was stolen. The conspirators paid “check couriers” to cash the tax refund checks in a variety of ways, including at check cashing businesses in and around Camden. The check couriers presented false and fraudulent identifications at the check cashing businesses matching the names on the tax refund checks in order to cash the checks. In total, the scheme caused $565,091 in losses to the U.S. Treasury.
Gutierrez admitted that between April 2014 and August 2014, he was a member of the conspiracy that took 93 U.S. Treasury Refund checks that had been placed in the mail stream to be delivered to addresses on a postal mail route in Pennsauken. He admitted that he helped a man nicknamed “Chepe” steal money from the United States government.
The conspiracy count to which Gutierrez pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 1, 2021.
Henriquez is pending trial, which is scheduled to start Nov. 29, 2021, before Judge Kugler in Camden.
On Dec. 10, 2019, Judge Kugler sentenced Sanchez to 45 months in prison. Bisono is awaiting sentencing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark and Acting Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty in Philadelphia; and special agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi. She also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its assistance with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina O. Hud of the Criminal Division in Camden.
California man pleads guilty to wire fraud and federal Indian Arts violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Robert Haack, 55, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty in federal court on Oct. 19 to violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act and wire fraud.
According to the plea agreement, on Apr. 4, 2013, Haack listed and sold a fake piece of Native American jewelry online, claiming it to be made and signed by a famed Hopi Tribe artisan, Charles Loloma, to an undercover law enforcement agent. On June 15, 2014, Haack again listed and sold another fake piece of Native American jewelry online to an undercover law enforcement agent.
Haack is currently out of custody awaiting sentencing. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Law Enforcement investigated this case with assistance from the Indians Arts and Crafts Board. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frederick T. Mendenhall and Nicholas Marshall are prosecuting the case.
California Man Indicted for Possessing Nearly Eight Pounds of Fentanyl Aboard Bus in KCRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A San Diego, California, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury after smuggling nearly eight pounds of fentanyl aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Missouri.
Jonatan Gutierrez, 28, was charged with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Gutierrez on Oct. 7, 2021.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a drug-sniffing police dog alerted to the presence of drugs in the checked baggage area of a bus that arrived at a Kansas City, Mo., station from California on Oct. 7, 2021. After a Kansas City police detective contacted Gutierrez, the drug-sniffing police dog alerted to Gutierrez’s roller bag.
Officers searched Gutierrez’s roller bag and found three bundles wrapped in cellophane and secured in the bottom, zippered portion of the roller bag. The bundles contained a total of 3,487.11 grams (approximately 7.6 pounds) of fentanyl and 18 pills. Officers also found a plastic prescription bottle in the roller bag that contained a personal use amount of marijuana and 10 pills.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri Western Interdiction Task Force (MoWIN).
Boston Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Assaulting Officers with a Firearm During Civil Disorder in BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for assaulting officers with a firearm during the civil disorder in Boston early in the morning of June 1, 2020.
John Boampong, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. On Feb. 4, 2021, Boampong pleaded guilty to one count each of interfering with a law enforcement officer during the commission of a civil disorder, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment for a felony offense, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.
“On May 31, a peaceful demonstration in Boston devolved into lawless attacks on property and people – including police officers. Mr. Boampong saw this as the right time to fire 11 rounds in the direction of police officers working a chaotic and dangerous scene. It is only by chance no one was killed,” said Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “Violence leads to no good outcome, and for Mr. Boampong it led to federal charges and prison.”
“Shooting in the direction of police officers in the middle of a crowded public street, endangering their lives and those of innocent bystanders, is utterly reprehensible. For the duration of his sentence, John Boampong will not be able to put others in harm’s way with his reckless actions,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This case should serve as a reminder of the FBI’s commitment to take violent criminals who pose a threat to public safety and our law enforcement partners, off the street.”
“In Suffolk County, when people violently disrupt peaceful protesters and put the lives of protesters and the police in danger, they will be held accountable. That is exactly what happened here,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins. “We are grateful to have the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and fully support its prosecution of this matter.’’
On the evening of May 31, 2020 and continuing through the morning of June 1, 2020, what began as a peaceful demonstration in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood devolved into widespread acts of violence, vandalism, looting and destruction of police property, including the burning of at least one police vehicle on Tremont Street. Some protestors threw rocks, bricks and commercially available explosives at police officers. Numerous police officers were injured.
On June 1, 2020 at approximately 3:00 am, Boampong was driving his car near the Arlington Street and Boylston Street intersection in front of a store that had been victimized by looting that evening. Police officers instructed Boampong and his passengers to leave the area. The occupants of Boampong’s car initially became verbally combative towards the officers and failed to leave the area as instructed. When Boampong reversed the car, officers told him to stop, as officers and another vehicle were in the way. However, Boampong continued driving in reverse and then drove away. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the area, parked on Providence Street, and shot at least 11 times in the direction of officers, including a deputized federal officer. The officers took cover by bracing or ducking behind cars and other objects. Bullets broke through the windows of two apartments above ground level in a building behind some of the officers.
When officers eventually stopped Boampong’s car, they saw a Sig Sauer P230 9mm firearm lying on the floor of the front passenger-side floor mat, and a black holster underneath the driver’s seat, where Boampong had been sitting. The firearm was later examined and found to have Boampong’s fingerprint on it.
At the time, Boampong was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because he faced pending state charges carrying potential sentences exceeding one year.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, FBI SAC Bonavolonta, Suffolk County DA Rollins and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s National Security Unit, prosecuted the case.
Bibb County to Receive Ballistics Tank to Test Fire Guns Recovered from Crime ScenesRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office has been approved to purchase a ballistics tank using money from a Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhood’s (PSN) grant.
Ballistics tanks are specially designed tanks into which law enforcement can test fire guns recovered from crime scenes. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) will use a $84,640 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant to purchase a ballistics tank, provide training, purchase supplies and other related needs. Currently, investigators send evidence to an off-site and remote location to test weapons. The addition of the ballistics tank will allow investigators to fire high powered rifle rounds at a secure local police facility. The ballistics tank will also integrate into local law enforcement’s usage of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).
“Having strong evidence is critical to ensuring that justice is served fairly and effectively. I am confident that adding the ballistics tank will help investigators and prosecutors as they work to solve some of the most violent gun crimes in our region,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Enhancing the tools and technology used to combat violent crime is a critical component of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program.”
“This ballistics tank will be a significant addition to our evidence gathering abilities. It will be an essential tool to our NIBIN investigators in gathering ballistic evidence to link firearms to violent incidents in our area. We are very grateful to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program for providing funding for this important evidence gathering tool,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis.
BCSO is part of the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). The ballistics technology necessary for BCSO to join NIBIN was funded with a $200,000 PSN grant in 2017. NIBIN, run by the ATF, is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in the United States, making it possible for local law enforcement to search against evidence from across the country, improving the outcomes of criminal investigations. The NIBIN technology is considered a valuable tool by law enforcement in the effort to reduce gun crimes across the Middle District.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Adrian Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – An Adrian man, and former teacher at Lenawee Christian School, was sentenced today to 24 years in federal prison on charges of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.
Mohsin was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Sentenced was Matthew D. Thomas, 46.
On May 26, Thomas pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and production of child pornography. According to court records, Thomas admitted that over the course of 3 years he preyed upon a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of such conduct. In addition, Thomas admitted to possessing computer hard drives and cell phones which contained several thousand images and video of prepubescent minors and minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including photos that he had taken of clothed minors and then altering them to make the minors appeared naked.
“The acts of this defendant are truly reprehensible,” stated Acting United States Attorney Mohsin. “This lengthy sentence protects the public and ensures that this defendant will no longer be able to victimize children. I commend the work of the FBI and Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office for their dedication to investigating this case.”
“Crimes against children are reprehensible, especially when the perpetrator is a caretaker, teacher, or another adult who is supposed to protect children from abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters of the FBI’s Detroit Division. “The FBI considers the investigation and prosecution of predators like Mr. Thomas to be of the highest priority. Today’s sentence serves as a warning to others like him the FBI will aggressively pursue anyone who victimizes and exploits children.”
This case was investigated by special agents with the FBI and the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Franzinger.