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20 October 2021
CEO of East Bay-Based Internet Companies Marketing Child-Friendly Services Indicted on Wire Fraud and Securities Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Alan Anderson, charging him with wire fraud and securities fraud charges related to a scheme to use materially false and fraudulent pretenses to induce investors to make contributions to three businesses that were marketed as providing child-friendly internet services, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.
The indictment filed October 13, 2021, and unsealed today, describes how Anderson, 59, of Walnut Creek, used misrepresentations to solicit investments for the three businesses. According to the indictment, Anderson owned and controlled Imbee, Inc., a Delaware corporation based in Walnut Creek marketed as a child-friendly social media platform; Fanlala, a California corporation marketed as a service providing internet-based music streaming for children; and Fruit Punch, a California corporation marketed as providing music-streaming service for children. The indictment alleges that beginning as early as April of 2010 through May of 2019, Anderson raised money for his companies by making false representations and creating false documents to support his bogus claims. For example, the indictment alleges Anderson created fraudulent income statements and profit and loss statements and misrepresented the companies’ profitability to investors and potential investors; that Anderson created and altered contracts to represent falsely that one or more of his companies would be acquired by larger companies; and that Anderson created and altered contracts to make fraudulent claims that his companies created partnerships with other existing companies. In addition, the indictment describes how Anderson emailed an investor to falsely claim Imbee was worth $21.6 million and that the investor owned 70% of the company.
In sum, the indictment charges Anderson with four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of securities fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b) & 78ff and 17 C.F.R. 240.10b-5. Anderson was arrested today in Walnut Creek. He will make his initial federal court appearance tomorrow at 10:30a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson, in San Francisco.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each count of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The securities fraud charge carries a maximum 20 years of imprisonment and a $5,000,000 fine. In addition, the court also may order a term of supervised release, fines or other assessments, and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christiaan Highsmith and Scott Joiner of the Office’s Corporate and Securities Fraud Section are prosecuting this case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Morgan Byrne and Ralph Banchstubbs. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Casper Man Pleads Not Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that JEREMIAH LINCOLN CURRENT, age 39 of Casper, Wyoming, was charged by indictment for possession of child pornography.
Current appeared before Federal District Court Chief Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on October 15, 2021, for an arraignment hearing and pleaded not guilty to the charge. A jury trial been set to occur on December 20, 2021 in Casper. Current was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
This crime carries a term of up to 20 years imprisonment, five years to life of supervised release, a $250,00 fine, a $100 special assessment, and a $5,000 special assessment and mandatory restitution of not less than $3,000 per requesting victim pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case number: 0:21-cr-00107
Brooklyn Man Charged with Enticement of Two 14-Year-Old ChildrenRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”), announced today the arrest of FABRICE TONTISABO, a/k/a “Fabrice Williams” for persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing two 14-year-old minors to engage in sexual activity. TONTISABO was arrested this morning and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Fabrice Tontisabo engaged in abhorrent sexual activities with two 14-year-old children. We will continue to use every law enforcement asset available to protect our children, and we will investigate, prosecute, and punish those who engage in their exploitation.”
Acting HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Ricky J. Patel said: “As alleged, Sidbewende Fabrice Tontisabo preyed upon the most vulnerable members of society, innocent children. Through its investigation, HSI New York’s Human Trafficking Task Force was able to arrest Tontisabo and put an end to his alleged abuse. Working with our local, state, and federal partners, HSI New York utilizes its unique authorities and resources to prevent these predators from harming innocent victims.”
According to the Complaint[1] filed on September 9, 2021 in Manhattan federal court and unsealed today:
Between at least on or about October 2020, up to and including at least on or about March 2021, TONTISABO persuaded a 14-year-old minor (“Minor Victim-1”) to meet him in person on multiple occasions to engage in sexual activities with TONTISABO in exchange for cash, alcohol, and marijuana.
In addition, between at least on or about October 2019, up to and including at least on or about January 2020, TONTISABO persuaded another 14-year-old minor (“Minor Victim-2”) to meet him in person on multiple occasions to engage in sexual activities with TONTISABO in exchange for cash, alcohol, and marijuana.
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TONTISABO, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with two counts of enticement of a minor, which each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of HSI. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Camille Fletcher and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitutes only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Bronx Gang Member Convicted of Two Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against JOSE CABAN, a/k/a “Nene,” on four counts in a Superseding Indictment, including charges of violent crimes in aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses. CABAN was convicted after a four-day trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jose Caban participated in a violent gang. He helped shoot an 18-year-old who was paralyzed as a result, and he opened fire on a crowded street filled with children. Now convicted of his crimes, Caban will no longer be able to inflict harm on the people of this City.”
According to the Superseding Indictment and the evidence at trial:
The Jack Boyz are a criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, in and around the Bronx. Members and associates of the Jack Boyz engage in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, and to promote the standing and reputation of the Jack Boyz.
On June 19, 2018, near East 136th Street and Willis Avenue in the Bronx, New York, CABAN helped another gang member attempt to murder a rival, who was shot in the spine and paralyzed from the chest down.
On February 8, 2019, CABAN fired a gun five times on a street crowded with innocent bystanders, including children, in an attempt to murder a rival near East 135th Street and Willis Avenue in the Bronx.
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CABAN, 22, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted on four counts: (1) two counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, each of which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years; and (2) two counts of using and carrying a firearm during, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, each of which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of life.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
CABAN is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2022.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie E. Bagliebter, Lindsey Keenan, Justin V. Rodriguez, and Mathew Andrews are in charge of the prosecution.
Bloomsburg Couple Plead Guilty to Committing over $430,000 Money Laundering Scheme, Including $300,000 in Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 18, 2021, Darryl Corradini, age 63, and Vicki Hackenberg, age 57, both of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before Chief District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann to conspiring to commit money laundering. The laundering activities involved hundreds of thousands of fraudulently obtained funds, including nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The PPP is designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, PPP funds are offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Corradini and Hackenberg admitted to assisting their coconspirators by creating a shell corporation, CGM Realty LLC, and opening bank accounts and a Bitcoin trading account in the corporation’s name, by using false and forged documents. Corradini and Hackenberg also assisted their conspirators in obtaining over $135,000 in fraudulently obtained funds, and over $296,000 from a PPP loan that was obtained with false and forged documentation. That documentation included false information and certifications about CGM Realty LLC’s employee payroll obligations, and intention to use the funds for approved purposes, when in fact CGM Realty LLC had no employees or legitimate business operations. Forged IRS documentation also was included with the PPP application, containing false information about CGM Realty LLC’s nonexistent payroll obligations. Over $350,000 was then used to purchase Bitcoins, a type of cryptocurrency, with Corradini and Hackenberg obtaining several thousand dollars for their efforts.
As part of their guilty pleas, Corradini and Hackenberg agreed to forfeit several checks to investigators, and to pay over $430,000 in restitution.
“COVID-19 relief fraud is a high priority for the Department of Justice and our office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute these offenses,” stated Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler. “These funds were intended to help people and businesses harmed by the pandemic, not to line the pockets of fraudsters. We will do everything in our power to make sure that individuals involved in this type of criminal behavior are prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows.”
The case was investigated by the IRS, Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
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.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Billings man sentenced to prison for bad check scheme, illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to defrauding local businesses by passing stolen and forged checks and to illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Carl Mark Madden, 47, pleaded guilty in April to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Judge Watters also ordered $7,536 restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that Madden was involved in a scheme to defraud local businesses by passing stolen and forged checks throughout the Billings community. Madden used the identification of multiple victims and forged the signatures of real people so he could pass the checks. Madden was recorded on surveillance video at Shipton’s Big R East forging the signature of a victim on a check. Madden confessed the scheme to law enforcement on Nov. 17, 2020. Prior to the confession, a Billings Police Department officer saw Madden walking down State Avenue and asked if Madden would voluntarily go with him to police headquarters for questioning about the scheme. Madden agreed and during a safety pat down, the officer found drug paraphernalia. Madden consented to a search of a briefcase he was carrying, and the officer found a loaded .45-caliber pistol that had been reported stolen. Madden later admitted to buying the gun from an associate. Madden was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of felony convictions in South Carolina.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Billings Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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Berwick Man Pleads Guilty to Committing over $400,000 in Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hayes D. Horner, Jr., age 67, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud in a scheme to obtain and attempt to obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Horner pleaded guilty before Chief District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann on October 18, 2021, and was released pending sentencing.
The EIDL program is designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Horner pleaded guilty to aiding his coconspirators in obtaining and attempting to obtain over $400,000 in EIDL funds by opening two bank accounts that received EIDL funds obtained pursuant to fraudulent loan applications made in the names of identity theft victims. Horner allegedly withdrew over $58,000 in fraudulently obtained EIDL funds, and attempted unsuccessfully to wire approximately $165,000 in fraudulently obtained EIDL funds to other accounts under his coconspirators’ control.
Investigators seized over $100,000 in fraudulently obtained EIDL funds from a bank account under Horner’s control. As part of his guilty plea, Horner agreed to forfeit those seized funds, and to repay nearly $160,000 in restitution.
“COVID-19 relief fraud is a high priority for the Department of Justice and our office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute these offenses,” stated Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler. “These funds were intended to help people and businesses harmed by the pandemic, not to line the pockets of fraudsters. We will do everything in our power to make sure that individuals involved in this type of criminal behavior are prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Berks County Man Sentenced to Five Years for 2019 Lancaster-Area Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Richard Garland Jones, 24, of Reading, PA, was sentenced to five years in prison, five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., for committing an armed bank robbery in April 2019.
In March 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him with the gunpoint robbery of a bank on Oregon Pike in Brownstown, PA, stealing approximately $117,000. Jones was the gunman during the robbery, and another defendant (who also pleaded guilty) was the getaway driver. Jones fled the bank and jumped into the getaway car. The police pursued the robbers and apprehended them after they lost control and crashed the vehicle. Police officers found Jones in possession of the $117,000 in cash and other evidence, including the pellet gun that he used during the robbery.
“This may not be common knowledge so it bears repeating: robbing a bank – armed or not – is a serious federal crime which will result in a significant prison sentence for everyone involved,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “In this case, the defendants may have been after easy money, but Jones is now losing years of his life to a federal prison sentence. It is not worth it.”
The case was investigated by the West Earl Township Police Department, the Akron Borough Police Department, the East Cocalico Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Barbour County man indicted on drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Wayne Dadisman, of Philippi, West Virginia, was indicted today on a drug charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Dadisman, 49, was indicted on one count of “Possession with intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Dadisman is accused of having more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in June 2021 in Barbour County.
Dadisman faces at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000. 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 Mountain Region Drug Task Force and the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Australian National Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Text-Messaging Consumer Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL PEARSE, an Australian national who was extradited to the United States from Australia in January 2021, was sentenced today to 109 months in prison for his participation in a fraudulent scheme to charge hundreds of thousands of mobile phone customers millions of dollars in monthly fees for unsolicited, recurring text messages without the customers’ knowledge or consent – a practice the conspirators referred to as “auto-subscribing.” PEARSE played a key role in the scheme as CEO of a company that created the computer program that was used to enroll victims into the text message services without their knowledge or consent. PEARSE previously pled guilty before United States District Judge Analisa Torres, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Michael Pearse played a vital role in an international consumer fraud conspiracy that swindled hundreds of thousands of mobile phone customers out of millions, and ‘earned’ Pearse and his co-conspirators at least $50 million, of which Pearse pocketed more than $10 million. Thanks to IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI, as well as our international partners, Pearse was apprehended, prosecuted, and now sentenced for his crime.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, evidence presented at the trial of co-conspirator Darcy Wedd, court filings, and statements made during plea proceedings:
From in or about 2011 through in or about 2013, PEARSE and his co-conspirators engaged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud U.S.-based consumers (and others) by placing unauthorized charges for premium text messaging services on consumers’ cellular phone bills. To carry out the scheme, PEARSE and others caused unsolicited and recurring text messages to be sent to mobile phone users containing content such as horoscopes, celebrity gossip, or trivia facts. The victims of the fraud scheme never ordered these services, which were known in the industry as premium text messaging (“PSMS”) services, but were fraudulently “auto-subscribed” and billed for them at a rate of $9.99 per month. The $9.99 charge recurred each month unless and until consumers noticed the charges and took action to unsubscribe. Even then, consumers’ attempts to dispute the charges and obtain refunds were often unsuccessful.
During the relevant period, co-conspirator Lin Miao operated a company called Tatto Inc., a/k/a “Tatto Media” (“Tatto”), that offered PSMS services to mobile phone customers. PEARSE was the CEO of a company called Bullroarer, which was affiliated with Tatto. To enable Tatto to auto-subscribe consumers to unwanted PSMS services, PEARSE and co-defendant Yongchao Liu, a/k/a “Kevin Liu,” who worked as a Java Development Engineer for Bullroarer, agreed to build a computer program that could spoof the required consumer authorizations – i.e., a program that could generate the text message correspondence that one would ordinarily see with genuine PSMS subscriptions. PEARSE and Liu agreed to build the program (the “Auto-Subscription Platform”), which was operational by in or about the middle of 2011. PEARSE, Liu, and Miao then used the Auto-Subscription Platform to fraudulently auto-subscribe hundreds of thousands of mobile phone customers, using phone numbers provided by co-conspirators at Mobile Messenger, a U.S. aggregation company operated by Darcy Wedd that served as a middleman between content providers such as Tatto and mobile phone carriers. Through their successful orchestration of the fraudulent scheme, PEARSE and his co-conspirators generated more than $50 million in fraud proceeds for themselves and PEARSE personally pocketed more than $10 million.
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In addition to the prison sentence, PEARSE was ordered PEARSE to forfeit $10,162,937.96, as well as his interest in three real properties in Australia and other assets, representing proceeds traceable to the fraud that PEARSE personally obtained.
To date, nine other defendants – Liu, Miao, Andrew Bachman, Michael Pajaczkowski, Erdolo Eromo, Jonathan Murad, Francis Assifuah, Jason Lee, and Christopher Goff – have pled guilty in connection with their participation in the fraud. Two additional defendants, Darcy Wedd and Fraser Thompson, were convicted in 2017 following jury trials.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition, Mr. Williams thanked law enforcement partners in Australia, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division, for their support and assistance with the extradition of PEARSE and codefendant Liu.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jilan Kamal and Olga I. Zverovich are in charge of the prosecution.
Arizona Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Drugs to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NOE CASTRO, 51, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 20 months of imprisonment for trafficking narcotics into Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in late 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and New Haven Police Department began investigation an organization that was responsible for trafficking kilogram-quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from Mexico and Arizona to the New Haven area. Investigators subsequently identified Juan Carlos Gonzalez-Rubio as being responsible for moving narcotics from Arizona to Connecticut. Between March and May 2019, investigators intercepted three packages – two that contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine, and one that contained approximately one kilogram of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl – that Gonzalez-Rubio, with Castro’s assistance, had shipped from Arizona to New Haven. The investigation revealed that Gonzalez-Rubio and Castro trafficked narcotics both through the use of commercial shipping methods, like UPS and FedEx, and by secreting drugs in cars with hidden compartments that were transported on commercial car-haulers.
Castro has been detained since his arrest on March 6, 2020. On June 2, 2021, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.
On August 21, 2021, Gonzalez-Rubio was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment. Gonzalez-Rubio, who was previously deported to Mexico and returned to the U.S., faces immigration proceedings at the conclusion of his sentence.
This matter was investigated by the DEA Task Force and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the DEA in Tucson and Phoenix, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Haven and Tucson. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis and Rahul Kale.
Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez Encourages Idahoans to Participate in DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day This SaturdayRead the Press Release
BOISE – Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. wants to ensure that Idahoans are aware how to rid their homes of unused and unwanted medications.
With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is holding its 21st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, October 23, 2021, at locations across the country, including 29 here in Idaho. The nationwide biannual event aims to addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
“Prescription medications often end up in the wrong hands, fueling an epidemic that kills more Americans than car accidents,” said Gonzalez. “DEA is providing an actionable way for our communities to step up and help combat this crisis by simply cleaning out their medicine cabinet. I urge Idahoans to do their part by going to a collection site and safely disposing of unused, expired, and dangerous prescriptions. DEA makes it easy for all of us and I thank them for organizing this biannual event.”
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.
For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,000 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.
“The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic—drug overdoses are up thirty percent over the last year alone and taking more than 250 lives every day,” stated DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The majority of opioid addictions in America start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. What’s worse, criminal drug networks are exploiting the opioid crisis by making and falsely marketing deadly, fake pills as legitimate prescriptions, which are now flooding U.S. communities. One thing is clear: prevention starts at home. I urge Americans to do their part to prevent prescription pill misuse: simply take your unneeded medications to a local collection site. It’s simple, free, anonymous, and it can save a life.”
“The DEA Drug Take Back is more important than ever and is a great opportunity for citizens of Idaho to dispose of their unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Properly disposing of these medications will prevent them from falling into the hands of our children. Please help keep our citizens and communities safe by taking the time to responsibly dispose of your unwanted prescription pills during National Drug Take Back Day.”
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is more important than ever before. Last month, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert and launched the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to warn Americans of a surge in deadly, fake prescription pills driven by drug traffickers seeking to exploit the U.S. opioid epidemic and prescription pill misuse. Criminal drug networks are shipping chemicals from China to Mexico where they are converted to dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine and then pressed into pills. The end result—deadly, fake prescription pills—are what these criminal drug networks make and market to prey on Americans for profit. These fake, deadly pills are widely available and deadlier than ever. Fake pills are designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Adderall®, Xanax® and other medicines. Criminal drug networks are selling these pills through social media, e-commerce, the dark web, and existing distribution networks.
Along with the alert came a warning that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.
A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.
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19 October 2021
York Man Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment for Stealing $105,875 Worth of Postage StampsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Elieze Guilamo, age 20, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for conspiring to steal government property.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Guilamo previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with other individuals to purchase $105,875 worth of postage stamps from post offices in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Guilamo admitted that to purchase the stamps, he used personal checks, knowing that the funds in his bank account were insufficient to cover the cost of the stamps. As part of his plea agreement, Guilamo agreed to pay restitution to the U.S. Postal Service in the amount of $105,875, which represents the value of the postage stamps that Guilamo and his coconspirators unlawfully obtained.
Guilamo’s codefendants, Steven Williams and Arthur Gibson, were previously sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and 18 months’ imprisonment, respectively.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Northeastern Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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Wisconsin Rapids Man Sentenced to 6 Years on Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Doua Moua, 37, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to six years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Moua pleaded guilty to this charge on August 3, 2021.
On December 10, 2020, an officer from the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department pulled over a car driven by Moua for a cracked windshield and reckless driving. The officer confirmed that Moua and his passenger, Zakaree Stelzer, both had active state arrest warrants. Officers searched Moua’s car and found a toolbox in the trunk that contained approximately 465 grams, or just over 1 pound of methamphetamine. During post-arrest interviews, Moua and Stelzer admitted buying the methamphetamine together in the Twin Cities. Moua and Stelzer both stated that they intended to sell the methamphetamine in the Wisconsin Rapids area.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley noted that Moua was on active state supervision at the time of his arrest for a prior conviction for methamphetamine trafficking. Judge Conley also noted that Moua had been released from prison less than one year before he was arrested in Buffalo County and his drug trafficking was “escalating.” Judge Conley also noted that Moua’s previous three-year prison sentence for methamphetamine trafficking failed to deter him from selling methamphetamine.
Stelzer pleaded guilty on August 26, 2021 to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and will be sentenced by Judge Conley on November 22, 2021.
The charge against Moua was a result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department, Mondovi Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner handled the prosecution.
Violent Guatemalan Drug Lord Receives Life Sentence in EDTXRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Guatemalan national who operated an international drug trafficking ring received a life sentence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Wilson Wilfredo Luargas-Garcia, a/k/a “Primazo,” 44, was convicted on Sep. 18, 2019 to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for distribution into the United States. On Oct. 18, 2021, after a full-day sentencing hearing that stretched into the late evening hours, U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant sentenced Luargas-Garcia to a term of life imprisonment.
According to information presented in court, Luargas-Garcia was a prolific drug trafficker, responsible for the trafficking of large amounts of cocaine to drug cartels and guerrilla fighters in Central and South America. He coordinated shipments with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (also known as the FARC), one of Colombia’s largest and most violent rebel groups. Luargas-Garcia, who had a reputation for employing violence against his rivals, used illicit proceeds from his drug sales to acquire weapons and to train his personal paramilitary security guards.
In April 2018, Luargas-Garcia was extradited to the Eastern District of Texas to face drug charges. Despite being in custody, however, he continued to run his drug trafficking organization from various local jails. Fellow inmates helped to facilitate Luargas-Garcia’s drug operation by smuggling cell phones and other contraband into the jail facilities. Federal investigators teamed with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the Guatemalan Ministerio Público to uncover these activities and dismantle the drug operation. In retaliation, Luargas-Garcia threatened to kill a federal prosecutor.
“Mr. Luargas-Garcia’s sentence sends a strong message that international drug traffickers are not safe from prosecution simply because they reside overseas,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “EDTX will continue to be aggressive in its efforts to extradite and prosecute international drug traffickers and to stop their deadly shipments from ever making it to American shores.”
“Today, Mr. Luargas-Garcia is being held responsible for actions he took thousands of miles away that have a direct impact on our neighborhoods and our families,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “Criminals who attempt to broker and facilitate cocaine shipments into the United States will meet swift justice through DEA Dallas’ tireless efforts to dismantle these Transnational Criminal Organizations across the world.”
“The sentence is a remarkable success,” said Gerson Russell Alegría Meza, Chief Prosecutor for narcotics in Guatemala. “The fundamental strategy to fight against drug trafficking is to work in a safe, immediate, coordinated, and effective manner between the United States and Guatemala.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Smith County Sherriff’s Office, and the Fiscalia de Delitos de Narcoactividad, Ministerio Publico, Guatemala. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing his extradition from Guatemala.
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Uniontown Man Charged with Producing Child Porn Videos and ImagesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of Production of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Zachary Bosh, age 38, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about April 12, 2019, Bosh produced digital images and videos that depict the sexual exploitation of a minor female.
The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $250,000.00. 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the FBI Washington Field Office’s (WFO) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry Charged with Scheme to Deceive Federal Investigators Probing Illegal Campaign Contributions in 2016Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today charged U.S. Representative Jeff Fortenberry, who represents Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, with concealing information and making false statements to federal authorities who were investigating illegal contributions made by a foreign national to the congressman’s 2016 re-election campaign.
Fortenberry, 60, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was named in an indictment that charges him with one count of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators. Fortenberry has served in Congress since 2005.
The indictment alleges that Fortenberry repeatedly lied to and misled authorities during a federal investigation into illegal contributions to Fortenberry’s re-election campaign made by a foreign billionaire in early 2016. Gilbert Chagoury, a foreign national prohibited by federal law from contributing to any U.S. elections, arranged for $30,000 of his money to be contributed through other individuals (conduits) to Fortenberry’s campaign during a fundraiser held in Los Angeles, according to the indictment.
It is illegal for foreign nationals to make contributions to a federal campaign. It also is illegal for the true source of campaign contributions to be disguised by funneling the money through third-party conduits. And it is illegal for a federal candidate to knowingly receive foreign or conduit contributions. Chagoury entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office in 2019 in which he admitted providing approximately $180,000 that was used to make illegal contributions to four different political candidates in U.S. elections. Chagoury also agreed to pay a $1.8 million fine and cooperate with federal authorities.
The co-host of the Fortenberry 2016 fundraiser, who is referred to in the indictment as “Individual H,” began cooperating with federal authorities in September 2016 and informed special agents with the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation about the illegal contributions, the indictment states. In response, investigators began looking into whether the Fortenberry campaign received illegal conduit contributions, whether Fortenberry knew about illegal contributions – both foreign contributions and conduit contributions – at the 2016 fundraiser, whether Fortenberry knew about illegal foreign contributions from Chagoury, and whether Fortenberry had any direct or indirect communications with Chagoury in relation to the contributions made at the 2016 fundraiser.
In the spring of 2018, Fortenberry contacted Individual H about hosting another fundraiser. In a June 2018 call, Individual H told the congressman on multiple occasions that a Chagoury associate – Toufic Joseph Baaklini, who also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors – had provided him with $30,000 cash to route to Fortenberry’s campaign at the 2016 fundraiser, the indictment alleges. Individual H allegedly told Fortenberry that the money – which was distributed to other individuals at the fundraiser so the donations could be made under their names and avoid individual donor limits – “probably did come from Gilbert Chagoury.”
Despite learning of the illegal campaign contributions, Fortenberry did not file an amended report with the Federal Elections Commission, the indictment alleges.
The indictment alleges a scheme in which Fortenberry, after learning this information, “knowingly and willfully falsified, concealed, and covered up by trick, scheme, and device material facts” about the illegal campaign contributions.
As part of the scheme, Fortenberry allegedly made false and misleading statements during a March 23, 2019 interview with investigators who specifically told him it was a crime to lie to the federal government. The indictment alleges that Fortenberry falsely told investigators that he was not aware of Baaklini ever being involved in illegal campaign contributions, that the individuals who made contributions at the 2016 fundraiser were all publicly disclosed, and that he was not aware of any contributions to his campaign from a foreign national.
At a second interview on July 18, 2019 with federal investigators and prosecutors, Fortenberry allegedly made additional false statements, including denying he was aware of any illicit donation made during the 2016 fundraiser, denying that Individual H had told him Baaklini had provided the $30,000 cash at the 2016 fundraiser, and stating that he would have been “horrified” to learn about the illegal conduit contributions, according to the indictment.
During this second interview, Fortenberry also misleadingly stated he ended the June 2018 call with Individual H after that person made a “concerning comment,” when in fact Fortenberry continued to ask Individual H to host another fundraiser for his campaign, the indictment states.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The three felony charges in the indictment each carry a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
Through his attorney, Fortenberry has agreed to appear for an arraignment on Wednesday, October 20 in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Susan S. Har, also of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Law Enforcement Partners Address Surge in Violent Crime through Strategic Prosecutions and Community OutreachRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Connie Wu (619) 546-8592 and Cindy Cipriani (619) 546-9608
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 19, 2021
SAN DIEGO – To address an increase in violent crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners in the Southern District of California have launched an effort to strategically prosecute the region’s most violent and prolific offenders who are believed to be most responsible for the spike, including those with criminal history and criminal gang affiliation who commit gun crimes.
According to data released in July by the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), gang-related shootings increased 129 percent in the first half of 2021, compared to 2020, and more than 1,000 guns were recovered pursuant to criminal investigations. Responding to this spike, federal gun-related prosecutions in the Southern District of California increased in FY 2021 by almost 50 percent – to the highest levels seen in this office. Most of the defendants were charged with Dealing in Firearms without a license; Possession of Firearms by Prohibited Persons; or Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime or Crime of Violence.
“Our overriding goal is to reduce violent crime strategically, rather than merely increasing the number of arrests and prosecutions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we continually direct our focus to the most dangerous people, those responsible for endangering neighborhoods and driving up the violent crime rate.”
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the lead federal law enforcement agency involved in investigations of firearm trafficking,” said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Monique Villegas. “ATF’s highest priority is reducing gun-related violence. When firearms make their way into the criminal element, violence occurs. ATF’s goal is to reduce violent crime by restricting the flow of firearms to prohibited persons, violent criminals and across the border to Mexico. By focusing on firearms trafficking through intelligence-driven investigations, ATF aims to keeps guns out of the hands of those criminals pulling the trigger.”
“The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out violent, criminal groups who terrorize our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “The FBI's multiple interagency task forces have proven to be well-versed in identifying, investigating, and mitigating those violent threats and taking guns off the streets to make our communities safer.”
“I’m proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to strategically address the spike in gang violence in San Diego,” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. “The DA’s Office has seen gang homicide cases nearly triple in the last year. We want to be part of the solution by working with law enforcement partners to curb violent gang crimes, while also investing in prevention efforts with our community members to redirect our youth into positive and healthy lifestyles.”
“Now more than ever, it is essential that we work together to prevent and respond to violent crime. This partnership sends a message to would-be criminals that keeping San Diego safe is a priority,” said Chief David Nisleit. “I'd like to thank our longstanding community and law enforcement partners for joining us in this effort to fight violent crime.”
Consistent with the comprehensive strategy announced by the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General in May 2021, the Southern District of California has taken several steps to get guns out of the hands of the most violent offenders and prevent violence in our communities. These efforts include firearm prosecutions initiated against dangerous felons known to be members of gangs. These gun prosecutions involve various types of firearms, and many of the defendants committed the firearm offenses while on probation or parole for prior crimes, including drug trafficking, carjacking, robbery, burglary, false imprisonment, and domestic violence. Two cases recently resulted in lengthy sentences:
- In August 2021, Jason John Clipper, aka “Smokey,” a member of the East Side San Diego criminal street gang with ties to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, was sentenced in federal court to 15 years in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. At the time of his arrest, San Diego County Probation officers found Clipper in possession of approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine, 8 grams of heroin, and a loaded firearm. Clipper was on Post Release Community Supervision for a previous narcotics and firearm conviction in the California Superior Court. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/san-diego-gang-member-sentenced-15-years-prison-dealing-methamphetamine-and-heroin).
- In September 2021, Joseph Anthony Martino, a convicted felon with a long criminal history that prevents him from legally owning guns, was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison for kidnapping and possessing firearms. Martino admitted that on April 1, 2019, he held three people hostage at his Lakeside home, pointing loaded guns – including a fully automatic assault rifle - at their heads and threatening them (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-10-years-prison-kidnapping-and-possessing-firearms).
These cases are part of the DOJ’s initiative to reduce gun violence known as Project Safe Neighborhoods. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive prosecution and community outreach solutions to address them.
To ensure our firearm prosecutions maintained strategic focus on the most significant threats to public safety, Acting U.S. Attorney Grossman and the district’s PSN Coordinator, Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Wu, joined forces with the District Attorney’s Office Gangs Division leadership to convene state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies for the Combatting Gang Violence to Restore Public Safety Summit this past summer. This summit, which will now occur quarterly, is a collaborative effort to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime in our district.
In addition to individual firearm prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has conducted a number of large-scale takedowns with federal and local law enforcement partners that have made a direct impact on public safety in San Diego.
- In April 2021, a federal grand jury indicted 47 people allegedly associated with illegal gambling establishments that were closely tied to gangs, drugs and violence and had become magnets for a wide variety of criminal activity. Many were charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and felon in possession of ammunition. In all, 35 people were arrested, and 44 firearms, more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine, $263,000 in cash, and 640 gambling machines were seized during the two-year investigation. Please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/forty-seven-defendants-charged-illegal-gambling-and-drug-indictments.
- In May 2021, 23 documented gang members and associates were charged with heroin, methamphetamine and firearms trafficking. This yearlong investigation involved federal wiretaps, dozens of undercover drug and gun buys and extensive surveillance. Many of the defendants are documented members or associates of violent South Bay street gangs operating out of National City, San Ysidro, and elsewhere. Many of these gang have long-standing ties to the Mexican Mafia. In total, authorities seized 2.1 kilograms of methamphetamine, 160 grams of heroin, and nine firearms tied to these defendants during the investigation. Please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/twenty-three-gang-members-charged-crackdown-south-bay-heroin-methamphetamine-and.
- In June 2021, 60 alleged members of a San Diego-based international methamphetamine distribution network tied to the Sinaloa Cartel were charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms offenses. In addition to these arrests, law enforcement has seized more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs; 90 firearms; and more than $250,000 in cash. Please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/sixty-defendants-charged-nationwide-takedown-sinaloa-cartel-methamphetamine-network.
The federal effort to fight violent crime is not limited to prosecutions. “We are using every tool – not just enforcement, but also prevention and intervention – to make our community safer,” Grossman said. “One of our greatest weapons in combatting violent crime is to combine proven law enforcement methods and expertise with the resources of credible “lived experience” messengers and trusted community organizations.”
To that end, the district’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force has made an unprecedented investment in public safety by awarding more than $1 million in federal over the last two years for distribution to local law enforcement and community organizations to prevent gun violence, facilitate reentry, reduce gang membership, foster safer neighborhoods and research/measure program effectiveness. The most recent grants, approved by DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance last week, include:
- The San Diego City Attorney’s Office received money to help fund its Gun Recovery Impact Program, known as GRIP, which proactively seeks Gun Violence Restraining Orders, a life-saving tool created by California’s “red flag” law to prevent predictable acts of gun violence by removing firearms from individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others. Following a hearing in open court, a judge can prohibit the individual from possessing or purchasing firearms or ammunition for at least one year.
- Rise Up Industries’ (RUI) Reentry Program opened in Santee in March 2016. It helps previously incarcerated, formerly gang-involved individuals to successfully reenter society; thereby reducing the gang population and the recidivism rate. RUI’s Reentry Program provides comprehensive services including employment, job-training, case management, tattoo removal, counseling, mentoring, education assistance, financial literacy, life skills training, and work ethic development. RUI pays full-time wages to Reentry Program members as they work their way through the program.
- San Diego Association of Governments, the regional clearinghouse for crime data, received a grant to enhance its tracking of crimes that involve firearms around the region. This would include the use of a firearm in violent crime and providing information regarding where these crimes are occurring, tracking calls for service related to the use of firearms, and interviewing arrestees regarding their use of firearms and ghost guns.
- Vista Community Clinic received a grant to support its “Resilience” program, which helps justice system-involved youth chart a more positive life course. The program serves teens in the City of Oceanside which faces challenges created by multiple gangs with hundreds of members, many of them minors.
The PSN Task Force awarded additional grants in prior months to several mentoring and/or reentry organizations, including Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside; Education COMPACT; El Centro Police Athletic League; the Imperial County Gang Intelligence Coalition; Inner City Athletics; Reality Changers; Star Pal; UPAC; Vista Community Clinic and Youth Empowerment. Moreover, the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice received a research grant to recommend data collection protocols, measure program effectiveness, and research best practices for “lived experience” mentoring programs.
In addition to PSN grants, the Southern District of California runs two prevention programs that focus on character building and mentoring. Project LEAD – San Diego, an adaptation of the program started in Los Angeles, is an 8-week program designed to help fifth-grade students understand that the choices they make today can affect their lives forever. Since 2016, the U. S. Attorney’s office has recruited 286 volunteer teachers who have reached 2,816 students. Several local and federal agencies were involved in this effort in addition to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including: the U.S. Coast Guard, DEA, the San Diego City Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Food and Drug Administration, San Diego Police Department, U.S. Probation, Pretrial Services, the State Department, Department of Corrections, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service.
While currently on hold due to the pandemic, for more than five years the office also ran the Success Agents mentoring program at Porter Elementary. At the Success Agents weekly workshop, law enforcement mentors worked in a fun and interactive way to help 4th and 5th grade students improve life skills, build confidence and promote a positive relationship with law enforcement. The program also supports families through resource referrals, parent meetings and holiday dinners offered by program partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is also a longstanding member of the Community Assistance Support Team (CAST), an organization that works to prevent gang-related gun violence and support victims. By building relationships and communicating directly with gang members, residents and law enforcement, CAST volunteers identify the sources of gun violence in specific neighborhoods and connect individuals with the help they may need, such as gang exit resources, mental health services or alternative methods to resolving conflicts. During the recent violent crime spike, the office supported and participated in CAST Season of Peace events calling for an end to gun violence.
- In August 2021, Jason John Clipper, aka “Smokey,” a member of the East Side San Diego criminal street gang with ties to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, was sentenced in federal court to 15 years in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. At the time of his arrest, San Diego County Probation officers found Clipper in possession of approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine, 8 grams of heroin, and a loaded firearm. Clipper was on Post Release Community Supervision for a previous narcotics and firearm conviction in the California Superior Court. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/san-diego-gang-member-sentenced-15-years-prison-dealing-methamphetamine-and-heroin).
U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Two Defendants Relating to Armed Robbery in Ossining That Resulted in the Death of A Co-ConspiratorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Kevin Sylvester, Chief of the Village of Ossining Police Department (“Ossining PD”), announced the unsealing yesterday of a four‑count indictment charging MATTHEW DUSABLON, a/k/a “Mateo,” a/k/a “Murk,” and JAHAIRA MEJIA with robbery and obstruction of justice. The defendants were arrested yesterday and presented before United States Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants participated in a gunpoint robbery that resulted in the death of a co-conspirator and then worked to cover their tracks. Thanks to the extraordinary and tenacious work of our partners at the FBI and the Ossining Police Department, the defendants are now facing federal charges for their alleged crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As if the robbery at the center of this case wasn’t bad enough, the suspects allegedly decided to take it a step further and obstruct law enforcement’s ability to investigate it. They failed at both. Now, thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and our many partners, the suspects we arrested will serve as cautionary examples to others – trying to cover up your crimes only leads to more criminal charges.”
Ossining Police Chief Kevin Sylvester said: “Our community has waited patiently for resolution of this case and I’m relieved that we can now share the results of law enforcement professionals at the federal, state, and local levels all working seamlessly to restore our neighbors’ sense of peace and security.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed yesterday[1], and other publicly available documents:
On December 6, 2020, DUSABLON, MEJIA, and at least three other co-conspirators committed a gunpoint robbery in Ossining, New York, during which one of the co-conspirators brandished a firearm. That same co-conspirator died from injuries sustained during the robbery victim’s flight from the scene of the robbery.
DUSABLON and MEJIA later concealed a jacket that another co-conspirator was wearing during the robbery and deleted information from their cell phones and social media accounts in order to obstruct the federal investigation of the December 6, 2020, robbery. DUSABLON also directed a co-conspirator to erase information from the co-conspirator’s cellphone and social media accounts in order to obstruct the federal investigation of the December 6, 2020, robbery.
* * *
DUSABLON, 27, and MEJIA, 35, both of the Bronx, are each charged with Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2 (Counts One and Two); a related firearms offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 (Count Three); and obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2) (Count Four). Counts One, Two, and Four each carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Count Three carries a maximum term of life in prison and a mandatory minimum term of seven years in prison that must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the OPD and the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the New York City Police Department, Westchester County Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, and the Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Greenburgh, Clarkstown, and Ramapo Police Departments.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Gianforti is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Springfield Men Convicted in Large-Scale Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Springfield men were convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Worcester for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking organization supplied by sources in Mexico and spanning at least four states.
Isaac Cardona, 34, and Rafael Cardona Sr., 61, were convicted following a nine-day trial of conspiracy to distribute to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin. Isaac Cardona was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 31, 2022.
The Cardonas were indicted in November 2017 as part of a 14-month wiretap investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization supplied by sources in Mexico and spanning at least four states.
The Cardonas conspired with co-defendant David Cruz to traffic cocaine and heroin from Mexico, through California, to the Springfield area and into New England. Isaac Cardona owed Cruz money for one kilogram of the cocaine Cruz had distributed to him, and, in order to pay down that debt, the Cardonas and other co-conspirators conspired to import at least one kilogram of heroin (which turned out to be pure fentanyl) from sources in Mexico. In late August 2016, Isaac Cardona traveled by car to San Diego, Calif., with cash to pay for the heroin. Cruz later traveled to San Diego, retrieved the car and the cash, and, on Sept. 8, 2016, used the cash to purchase what he believed to be one kilogram of heroin. Law enforcement in California seized the vehicle and recovered approximately one kilogram of pure fentanyl.
Cruz previously pleaded guilty to drug and firearms offenses and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9, 2021.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Carlsbad (Calif.) Resident Office and the Westfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine G. Curley, Steven H. Breslow and Neil L. Desroches of Mendell’s Springfield Office are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Two Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for 2017 Killing of Man in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Two Maryland men were sentenced today to decades in prison for first-degree felony murder while armed and other charges in the 2017 killing of a man in Southeast Washington, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Nyekemia Everett, 36, of Greenbelt, was sentenced to 33 years in prison and Malik Hewitt, 41, of Capitol Heights, was sentenced to 30 years of incarceration. Both were found guilty in July 2021 by a jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of the murder charge, as well as conspiracy, attempted robbery while armed, and related offenses. They were sentenced by the Honorable Neal E. Kravitz.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning on April 26, 2017, Everett, Hewitt, and a third individual plotted to rob the victim, Christopher Heard. Over the phone, they lured him to the 2300 block of Ainger Place SE, on the pretense of a drug deal. At approximately 3:30 a.m. on April 27, 2017, Everett, Hewitt and the third individual drove together to the area and parked. In the meeting that followed, roughly 15 minutes later, Everett pointed a gun at Mr. Heard and announced a robbery. Mr. Heard lunged toward Everett, who shot him twice. Mr. Heard, 37, died at the scene. Everett and Hewitt fled the area and were arrested in May 2017.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI, Bode Technology, and the crime scene search unit from the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Services. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyse Constantinide and Richard Barker; Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite, Debra Forte, Nicole McGhee, and Lashone Samuels; Victim Witness Specialist Jennifer Allen; Robert Cephas, La June Thames, Katina Adams-Washington, M. LaVerne Perry, Lesley Slade, and Maenylie Watson, all of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Homicide Section Intern Jack Holt.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Shehzad Akhtar, who prosecuted the case.
Two Correctional Officers Plead Guilty to a Racketeering Conspiracy, Admit to Smuggling Contraband into Maryland’s Federal Pretrial Detention Facility in Exchange for BribesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Two Correctional Officers, Darren Parker, age 45, of Baltimore, and Talaia Youngblood, age 35, of Randallstown, Maryland, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a racketeering conspiracy at the Chesapeake Detention Facility (CDF), in Baltimore, admitting that they accepted bribes to smuggle contraband, including narcotics, tobacco, and cell phones, into the jail. Parker entered his guilty plea yesterday and Youngblood pleaded guilty on October 13, 2021.
The guilty pleas were 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 (FBI), Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Robert Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
“These corrupt correctional officers endangered the lives of their co-workers and of the detainees entrusted to their care and supervision,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out prison corruption and prosecute correctional officers who abuse their positions of trust to facilitate and engage in criminal behavior.”
“Even one unethical person or contraband transaction endangers everyone,” said DPSCS Secretary Robert Green. “Our honest employees, and the detainees and inmates we care for, cannot be put in danger.”
According to court documents, CDF is run by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) pursuant to a contract with the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and used solely for the housing of federal pretrial detainees. CDF is a maximum-security prison that houses approximately 500 male and female detainees. There are six housing areas, or “pods” in CDF.
As detailed in their plea agreements, Parker and Youngblood, along with other employees, detainees and associates of CDF, knowingly participated in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband into CDF, including narcotics, cell phones, and tobacco. Parker and Youngblood admitted that they abused their positions of trust as sworn officers of DPSCS by engaging in illegal activities to enrich themselves.
Specifically, Youngblood admitted that beginning in at least November 2017, she smuggled contraband into CDF for multiple detainees, including BB with whom she had a romantic relationship. At the direction of BB and other detainees, Youngblood met with outside facilitators to collect contraband and receive bribe payments, including a cellular telephone that she used to communicate with BB, who was in turn using a contraband cell phone inside CDF. On April 3, 2020, federal investigators executed a search warrant at Youngblood’s residence and recovered 35 grams of marijuana, packaged for distribution, a digital scale, a grinder, and $3,581 in cash. Investigators also recovered a handwritten note from BB, two cell phones, photographs of CDF detainees, including BB, and three handwritten birthday cards from detainees at CDF.
According to Parker’s plea agreement, he admitted that beginning no later than 2018 he smuggled contraband into CDF on behalf of detainee JH. Parker admitted that on February 18, 2019, he smuggled liquor into CDF, which he hid inside a water bottle and delivered to JH as a birthday present. On four separate occasions in early 2019, Parker received bribe payments totaling $1,980 from JH’s outside facilitator via Cash App. On March 10, 2019, Parker met with the outside facilitator near the intersection of North Front and Low Streets in Baltimore and received a black plastic bag containing a cell phone, charger, Suboxone, and tobacco, to be smuggled into CDF and provided to JH. The next day, Parker brought the black bag containing the contraband to work and was interdicted by officers in the CDF parking lot. Parker subsequently admitted to the officers that he intended to deliver the contraband to JH.
The defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the racketeering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III has scheduled Youngblood’s sentencing for December 21, 2021 and scheduled Parker’s sentencing for January 14, 2022, both at 9:30 a.m.
The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, whose staff initiated the CDF investigation and have been full partners in this investigation.
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 Harry M. Gruber, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty for Participating in a Robbery that Ended in Two DeathsRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man pleaded guilty Friday to taking part in an attempted robbery and home invasion that ended in the deaths of his accomplice and the resident, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Justin Tvmvmapky Harjo, 24, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to carry, brandish, and use a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Justin Harjo choose to take part in an armed robbery that resulted in two deaths, one of whom was simply fighting to protect his home and those inside,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Now Harjo will face federal prison time.”
According to his plea, Harjo admitted that he conspired with Chauncey Thomas to carry, brandish, and use a firearm during a robbery committed on May 23, 2019. He admitted that he and Thomas planned to conduct an armed robbery of victim Dion Carr’s residence. Harjo drove Thomas to Carr’s residence and attempted follow Thomas through a window into the victim’s home. Carr confronted Thomas who was armed with a gun as he entered the residence. Witnesses in the home reported a struggle over the firearm that resulted in both Thomas and Carr getting shot. Carr died at the scene while Harjo helped his accomplice escape. Harjo drove Thomas to a Tulsa hospital, pulled him from the vehicle, and left him at the entrance. Harjo later burned the vehicle used in the robbery in a rural field to destroy evidence and conceal the conspiracy. Thomas died three days after he was left at the hospital.
Harjo, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the crime, which occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation reservation.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 16, 2022.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Sandra M. Urban are prosecuting the case.
Todd County Man Indicted for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, KY returned an indictment on October 13, 2021, charging a Guthrie man with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on or about August 25, 2021, Johnny Tucker, 51, of Guthrie, KY, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and HSI Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, assigned to the Bowling Green Branch Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Kentucky, is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Philadelphia Men Sentenced to 9+ Years Each for Armed Robbery of a Ridge Avenue PharmacyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Scott Brooks, 40; Jeffrey McDonald, 22; and Jesse Brintley, 28; all of Philadelphia, PA, were sentenced by United States District Court Judge C. Darnell Jones II for their involvement in the armed robbery of a locally-owned Philadelphia pharmacy. Brooks was sentenced to fourteen years in prison, McDonald was sentenced to ten years in prison, and Brintley was sentenced to more than nine years in prison. The men have also been ordered to pay more than $18,000 total in restitution.
In January 2018, Brooks, McDonald, and Brintley were each charged by Indictment with one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of carrying and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. These charges stemmed from a September 2017 armed robbery of a pharmacy in the Roxborough neighborhood. During the robbery, the trio entered the pharmacy armed with a firearm in order to steal prescription opioids for illegal resale.
“These defendants brazenly robbed a neighborhood pharmacy for the purpose of selling controlled substances on the street, and for that they will now spend almost a decade or more in prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Hopefully others will learn from the example set by these three -- if you rob a business in Philadelphia with a firearm, you are going to face serious federal prison time as a result. Our Office is committed to being ‘All Hands On Deck’ working with our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.”
“The sentences in this case will remove violent criminals from our communities,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “We will remain dedicated, along with our local, state and federal partners to identify, investigate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals like these defendants. “I want to thank the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of PA for their continued partnership and outstanding work in this successful prosecution.”
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Reinitz and Jeanine Linehan, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stram.
Tennessee Physician Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Hydrocodone Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
A Tennessee physician was sentenced today in the Western District of Tennessee to 20 years in prison for his unlawful prescribing of opioids that caused the death of one of his patients.
According to court documents, Thomas K. Ballard III, 63, of Jackson, a medical doctor, owned and operated the Ballard Clinic, where he prescribed controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Among other things, Ballard engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with several female patients while he ignored red flags that they were abusing the medications he prescribed. These abuses were often reflected in Ballard’s own medical records.
Ballard’s unlawful prescribing to one patient led to her death. Ballard’s treatment records indicated that he believed the patient had psychiatric issues, overutilized medication, had engaged in manipulation, and fabricated personal trauma. The records also reflected that the patient had been incarcerated, received prescriptions elsewhere for Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid dependency disorder, and that she had abnormal drug testing results, including because of what Ballard believed was tampering. Nevertheless, Ballard prescribed the patient hydrocodone repeatedly, including on May 28, 2015. She fatally overdosed on the prescription drug the following day. On June 23, 2021, Ballard pleaded guilty to one count of illegal drug distribution resulting in death.
“Today’s sentence reflects the gravity of physicians causing death by illegally prescribing opioids,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Loss of life is a tragic outcome of physicians like Ballard acting as drug dealers instead of doctors. Those responsible for fatal overdoses – especially those who are in positions of trust like Ballard – must be held accountable for their roles in the opioid epidemic. This serious criminal conduct requires serious consequences.”
“With blatant disregard for the Hippocratic Oath, Ballard endangered his patients’ lives through illegitimate and reckless prescribing,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “DEA tirelessly pursues the people responsible for flooding our nation with illegal drugs, to include doctors who misuse their positions for personal gain. Those who supply opioids illegally have one thing in common: they demonstrate total disregard for the lives and safety of those who live in our communities. DEA will continue to battle the U.S. opioid epidemic one case at a time, and today’s sentencing demonstrates our commitment to justice.”
“Physicians are entrusted to care for patients and prescribe medically necessary medications. The death of a vulnerable woman exemplifies the devastating impact of Ballard’s disregard for his patients and profession,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable medical professionals whose illicit activities endanger the lives of patients in their care.”
“It’s extremely disappointing to see a member of the medical community totally disregard his Hippocratic Oath,” said Special Agent in Charge Terry Reed of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Medicaid Fraud Division. “Ballard put his patients at risk in order to satisfy his greed and will now spend time in federal prison for recklessly prescribing highly addictive and powerful opioids. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and its law enforcement partners will continue to expose the greed and deceit taking precedence over patient care.”
The DEA, HHS-OIG, and TBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Drew Pennebaker and Emily Petro of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the department’s Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 federal districts, has charged more than 85 defendants who collectively are responsible for distributing more than 65 million pills. The ARPO Strike Force is part of the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which since March 2007 has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Tennessee Physician Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Hydrocodone Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Tennessee physician was sentenced today in the Western District of Tennessee to 20 years in prison for his unlawful prescribing of opioids that caused the death of one of his patients.
According to court documents, Thomas K. Ballard III, 63, of Jackson, a medical doctor, owned and operated the Ballard Clinic, where he prescribed controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Among other things, Ballard engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with several female patients while he ignored red flags that they were abusing the medications he prescribed. These abuses were often reflected in Ballard’s own medical records.
Ballard’s unlawful prescribing to one patient led to her death. Ballard’s treatment records indicated that he believed the patient had psychiatric issues, overutilized medication, had engaged in manipulation, and fabricated personal trauma. The records also reflected that the patient had been incarcerated, received prescriptions elsewhere for Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid dependency disorder, and that she had abnormal drug testing results, including because of what Ballard believed was tampering. Nevertheless, Ballard prescribed the patient hydrocodone repeatedly, including on May 28, 2015. She fatally overdosed on the prescription drug the following day. On June 23, 2021, Ballard pleaded guilty to one count of illegal drug distribution resulting in death.
"Today’s sentence reflects the gravity of physicians causing death by illegally prescribing opioids," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "Loss of life is a tragic outcome of physicians like Ballard acting as drug dealers instead of doctors. Those responsible for fatal overdoses – especially those who are in positions of trust like Ballard – must be held accountable for their roles in the opioid epidemic. This serious criminal conduct requires serious consequences."
"With blatant disregard for the Hippocratic Oath, Ballard endangered his patients’ lives through illegitimate and reckless prescribing," said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). "DEA tirelessly pursues the people responsible for flooding our nation with illegal drugs, to include doctors who misuse their positions for personal gain. Those who supply opioids illegally have one thing in common: they demonstrate total disregard for the lives and safety of those who live in our communities. DEA will continue to battle the U.S. opioid epidemic one case at a time, and today’s sentencing demonstrates our commitment to justice."
"Physicians are entrusted to care for patients and prescribe medically necessary medications. The death of a vulnerable woman exemplifies the devastating impact of Ballard’s disregard for his patients and profession," said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable medical professionals whose illicit activities endanger the lives of patients in their care."
"It’s extremely disappointing to see a member of the medical community totally disregard his Hippocratic Oath," said Special Agent in Charge Terry Reed of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Medicaid Fraud Division. "Ballard put his patients at risk in order to satisfy his greed and will now spend time in federal prison for recklessly prescribing highly addictive and powerful opioids. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and its law enforcement partners will continue to expose the greed and deceit taking precedence over patient care."
The DEA, HHS-OIG, and TBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Drew Pennebaker and Emily Petro of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the department’s Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 federal districts, has charged more than 85 defendants who collectively are responsible for distributing more than 65 million pills. The ARPO Strike Force is part of the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which since March 2007 has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
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Taunton Man Charged with Pandemic Unemployment and Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was arrested today in connection with making alleged fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims and for making false statements in support of a residential mortgage application.
Clark Grant, 38, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of false statements on a loan and credit application. Grant will make an initial appearance in Boston this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein.
In March 2020, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The CARES Act created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which in Massachusetts is administered by the Department of Unemployment Assistance. This program is designed to provide unemployment benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits.
According to charging documents, from approximately May 2020 to September 2021, Grant fraudulently applied for and obtained approximately $67,950 in PUA benefits while at the same time working and collecting a salary from his full-time job. In addition, from May 2021 to July 2021, Grant allegedly made false statements to a mortgage lender in order to fraudulently obtain a residential mortgage in the amount of approximately $410,000.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of false statements on a loan and credit application provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Massachusetts Inspector General Glenn A. Cunha made the announcement today. The Taunton Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao and Adam Deitch of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tarentum, PA Felon Indicted on Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - One resident of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearm laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Gregory Brown, age 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on September 27, 2021, Brown was found to be in possession of an Astra .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Due to a prior felony conviction, Brown is not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten (10) years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Castello is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case along with the Wilkinsburg Police Department.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Substitute Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sextortion ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Carver County man pleaded guilty to child pornography and extortion charges related to a years-long sextortion scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, Mitchell James Ottinger, 25, a former substitute teacher and paraprofessional, engaged in a scheme to obtain sexually explicit images and videos of minors and adults by using false online personas. Ottinger threatened to disseminate the images and videos of his victims in order to extort more images and videos. Over the course of several years Ottinger victimized more than 10 minors, some of whom he knew from the school district where he worked.
Law enforcement was alerted to the sextortion when one of the victims contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center and reported the threats. Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI Minneapolis Division at 763-569-8000.
Ottinger pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography and one count of interstate communication with intent to extort. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the FBI and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi is prosecuting the case.
St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Fleeing from Park Rangers After Shots Were Fired on Buck IslandRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that a St. Croix man, Aneudis Acevedo, age 32, appeared before Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon, Jr. in District Court and pleaded guilty on October 18, 2021 to Resisting or Impeding an Officer of the United States.
According to court documents, in the late afternoon of January 10, 2021, shots were fired on the Buck Island Reef National Monument after a fight occurred on the beach. Immediately after the shots were fired, Acevedo fled the scene in his boat at a high rate of speed while carrying several passengers. He fled from a National Park Service boat and officer, disobeying multiple orders directing him to stop. At one point during the pursuit, the boats physically came into contact, but Acevedo continued to flee. Acevedo forced the National Park Service boat to abandon the pursuit after he went into shallow channels by a reef. The United States Coast Guard assisted and approximately two hours later took the defendant into custody on the south side of the island of St. Croix. However, at that point the boat passengers were no longer on the boat.
Acevedo is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2022 and faces up to one year in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The National Park Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
South Georgia pastor, tax preparer indicted for CARES Act fraudRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A South Georgia man holding himself out as a pastor, mortician, restaurateur, and tax preparer has been indicted on COVID-19 recovery assistance fraud by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia.
Mack Devon Knight, 45, of Kingsland, Ga., is charged in a five-count indictment that accuses Knight of lying to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs), according to David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a statutory penalty upon conviction of up to 30 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties, followed by a period of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Security (CARES) Act was provided to help small businesses survive pandemic-related losses,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “In coordination with our law enforcement partners, we will hold accountable those unscrupulous actors who attempt to swindle these funds for their own enrichment.”
As described in the indictment, in February and March 2021, Knight applied for EIDLs on behalf of two Camden County, Ga., businesses: Knight’s Tax Services, and Daddy Earl’s Kitchen. Those EIDL applications falsely affirmed that the businesses each had hundreds of thousands of dollars of gross revenue prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment alleges that Knight then made and transmitted to the SBA a falsified bank document to deceive the SBA into approving one of Knight’s EIDL applications.
The indictment further alleges that, after receiving $149,900 from the SBA as a result of false and fraudulent representations in Knight’s loan application on behalf of Knight’s Tax Services, Knight used part of the funds to buy a Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Knight is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Porter and Patrick J. Schwedler.
Sioux City Woman Pleads to Conspiracy to Distribute over 42 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Sioux City woman who conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine pled guilty on October 18, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Heather Sorgdrager, age 41, from Sioux City was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At a plea hearing, Sorgdrager admitted to conspiring to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in and around Sioux City. Sorgdrager admitted to possessing methamphetamine in New Mexico that she said she intended to bring to Sioux City. In April 2021, law enforcement in New Mexico found Sorgdrager and another individual with over 42 pounds of methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sorgdrager remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sorgdrager faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4031.
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Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty October 18, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Daniel Dickey, 34, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Dickey admitted that between December 2020 and continuing to April 2021, he and others conspired to distribute over 26 pounds of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Dickey was recruited by a Texas-based meth organization to assist in the receipt of multiple shipments of liquid methamphetamine (for lab-based meth conversion), plus traditional vehicle transport of methamphetamine from Mexico to Texas to Iowa to South Dakota. Evidence further showed that in March and April of 2021, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled drug/money transactions with Dickey in Sioux City, Iowa. These transactions resulted in the seizure of more than one pound of methamphetamine, a sizable amount of liquid ready for chemical conversion into methamphetamine by a coconspirator, and about $40,000 in drug proceeds from Dickey.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Dickey remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Dickey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4042. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Second Defendant Sentenced to 5 Years for Attempted Arson During 2020 Civil Unrest in MadisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anessa Renee Fierro, 28, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in prison for attempted arson. Fierro and her codefendant Willie Johnson were indicted by a federal grand jury for this offense in October 2020.
During the early morning hours of August 25, 2020, Fierro and Johnson attempted to set fire to two commercial buildings in downtown Madison. Business A was an office building, and Business B was a mixed-use rental property with apartments on the upper levels and retail space on the street level. Several apartments were occupied by sleeping residents at the time.
At Business A, Johnson helped a group of people break out the building’s front windows, and Fierro poured gasoline along the walls. Johnson then lit material that another individual tossed onto the gasoline, causing the vapors to ignite.
At Business B, Johnson and Fierro, along with several other people, broke out the retail store’s windows. With the interior of building exposed, Fierro poured gasoline along the front walls. Both Johnson and Fierro attempted to ignite the gasoline vapors with cigarette lighters, but they fled when officers from the Madison Police Department arrived.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that pouring and igniting gasoline creates an extraordinary risk to the community. Judge Peterson also told Fierro that her conduct was “appalling and dangerous” and warranted significant punishment. Johnson was sentenced by Judge Peterson to 5 years in federal prison on September 28, 2021.
The charge against Fierro was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 120 Months on Drug and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rhamel G. Pate, age 40, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for distributing cocaine base in Schenectady, as well as for possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug crimes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Pate admitted to working with others to distribute cocaine base out of a Schenectady apartment where he lived at the time. Pate also admitted to possessing, on the date of his arrest, a quantity of cocaine base, and four firearms and ammunition.
Pate was sentenced in Syracuse, New York, by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue, who also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Schenectady Felon Admits to Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ralph St. Croix, a.k.a. “Stretch,” age 38, most recently of Schenectady, New York, formerly of Long Island, pled guilty today to distribution of heroin and fentanyl, and to the possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito; Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
As part of his plea, St. Croix admitted to selling heroin and fentanyl to another person on three occasions in December 2020 at his apartment in Schenectady. St. Croix further admitted to possessing, in his apartment, a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver and Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, in order to guard against the potential theft of his drugs and drug proceeds. St. Croix also had a prior felony conviction at the time he possessed the firearms.
St. Croix faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life when he is sentenced, on March 14, 2022, by Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the ATF and NYSP, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Rome-area drug traffickers sentenced for distributing deadly opioids that killed victimsRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Shane Terhune has been sentenced for selling heroin to a young couple in July 2018, having admitted that his act of distribution resulted in the overdose death of the woman. This sentence follows the August 2021 sentencing of Cornelius Brown, who received a five-year term of imprisonment for distributing $150 worth of heroin. As part of his guilty plea, Cornelius Brown admitted that he also sold fentanyl in June 2018 that resulted in the death of a man who used the lethal drug.
“Terhune and Brown both profited by trafficking in deadly opioids that tragically ended two lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “These dangerous narcotics are killing and catastrophically injuring users at unprecedented rates. This case and other recent cases demonstrate that opioid overdoses will be investigated and prosecuted as a federal priority and those who sell this poison will be held accountable for the death and suffering that it causes.”
“The life of a young lady abruptly ended when Shane Terhune sold her a deadly dose of heroin,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice defendants like Terhune who pollute our streets with dangerous and deadly substances that cause immeasurable damage to our communities.”
“Our country has suffered the loss of literally thousands of citizens from the use and abuse of fentanyl and unfortunately Rome is not exempt. Law enforcement and the US Attorney’s office in North Georgia are committed to bringing justice to those preying on our communities,” said Dan R. Salter, Executive Director, Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court regarding the sentencing of Shane Terhune: On July 6, 2018, officers with the Floyd County Police Department responded to a 911 call seeking medical attention for 25-year-old G.L., who died of a heroin overdose that night. The investigation revealed that earlier that afternoon, Terhune met G.L. and her fiancé on Oleary Lane near U.S. Route 411 in Rome and gave them a plastic bag containing heroin in exchange for cash. G.L. subsequently injected the heroin Terhune sold, causing her death. Terhune, who has a history of drug trafficking offenses, admitted to trafficking in heroin and acknowledged that the heroin he sold caused the victim’s death.
The charges and other information presented in court regarding the sentencing of Cornelius Brown: On May 31, 2017, Brown sold a clear plastic bag containing a substance that he knew to be heroin in exchange for $150 in Rome, Georgia. The following year, on the morning of June 25, 2018, Brown met an individual at a Circle K gas station in Rome, where Brown sold him a bag of powder that he knew contained a narcotic in exchange for cash. Upon purchasing the powder, the customer entered the Circle K bathroom, where he injected the drugs he purchased from Brown, resulting in his death. The substance Brown sold to the decedent was fentanyl, a dangerous opioid that caused the fatal overdose.
Shane Terhune, 41, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to fifteen years, eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the charge of distributing heroin on July 2, 2021.
Cornelius Brown, 38, also of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to the charge of distributing heroin on January 7, 2021.
These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the DEA Rome, Georgia Post of Duty, Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, with valuable assistance by the Rome/Floyd Metro Task Force, the Rome Police Department, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, the Floyd County Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Irina Dutcher prosecuted the case against Shane Terhune. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Irina Dutcher and David O’Neal prosecuted the case against Cornelius Brown.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Rocky Mount Gang Member Arrested on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was arrested yesterday on drug trafficking and firearm charges. An indictment was handed down and an arrest warrant issued on April 7, 2021.
According to court documents, Rocky Mount Police Department found Charven Keivon Gorham, 28, in possession of marijuana and cocaine, $13,503.00, and two firearms at Gorham’s house on May 29, 2020. At the time, Gorham was a convicted felon.
Gorham is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to sell marijuana and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Gorham faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Rocky Mount Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:21-CR-161-D.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Repeat Offender Sentenced for Crack Cocaine and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Zumari Wilson, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Wilson to a total of 84 months’ imprisonment. He further ordered the federal sentence to run consecutive to a state term of imprisonment for felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Wilson will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
Wilson served a prior federal 84-month sentence for distributing crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. That sentence began in 2008.
During February 2020, Omaha Police officers observed an unusual amount of foot and vehicle traffic making short visits to Wilson’s residence. A search warrant was served on the residence on February 21, 2020. Officers recovered 27 grams of crack cocaine in the residence and a loaded Glock handgun in the console of Wilson’s truck. More than $3,700 in United States currency was seized and forfeited as drug proceeds.
This case was 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 investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Red Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Ponemah man pleaded guilty today to second degree murder after violently assaulting a woman on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, in 2019, William Jones, IV, 24, and the victim were involved in a romantic relationship and lived together at the victim’s house in Ponemah. During the evening of November 6, 2019, Jones repeatedly assaulted the victim in their residence, hitting her on the shoulders, arms, and torso, and throwing her against a wall. After the assault the victim fell to the floor and struck her head. Jones did not contact emergency personnel or attempt to render aid. The victim remained in the house unconscious for almost two days, where Jones chose not to contact emergency personnel or otherwise render any aid to the victim.
According to court documents, on November 8, 2019, Jones’s mother contacted emergency personnel after arriving at the house and observing the victim’s condition. The victim was transported to Sanford Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, where medical personnel determined that the victim suffered a traumatic brain injury, which caused the victim to remain in a persistent vegetative state with no hope for recovery. As a result of her injuries, the victim died on November 22, 2019.
“This defendant not only perpetrated an extremely violent assault on his victim, he showed complete disregard for human life when he failed to seek medical aid,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who commit horrific acts of domestic violence such as this, which disproportionately plague Native American women.”
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of second degree murder before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead and Deidre Y. Aanstad are prosecuting the case.
Pulaski County Constable Sentenced to 140 Months for Conspiring to Violate the Civil Rights of OthersRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A former Pulaski County Constable, Michael Wallace, 47, of Somerset, Ky., was sentenced to 140 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, after previously being convicted of violating the civil rights of persons within Pulaski County and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the evidence at trial, Wallace and fellow Constable Gary Baldock, 56, worked together to violate the civil rights of individuals, by fabricating evidence that was used as a basis to arrest, to search, and to seize the property of others. Both Wallace and Baldock were also found guilty of illegally possessing methamphetamine, which they used to plant evidence on potential suspects.
Wallace and Baldock were convicted of the charges by a federal jury in June 2021.
“Wallace betrayed the trust placed in him, abused his authority to violate the rights of others, and did a grave disservice to the law enforcement community,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Instead of enforcing the law and protecting the public, he turned to corruption and self-interest. His prison sentence is well-deserved and should serve this message: such conduct has severe consequences and should not reflect on the hard work and dedication of so many in law enforcement – including the FBI agents who investigated this case and made this prosecution possible.”
“Wallace took an oath to faithfully protect and serve the citizens of Pulaski County. By blatantly violating that oath, he betrayed his community and those officers who work hard every day to gain the trust of the people they serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office. “With his sentencing, Wallace is being held accountable for his deplorable actions, and the FBI will continue to do everything in its power to bring corrupt police officers to justice.”
Under federal law, Wallace must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.
Acting United States Attorney Shier and Special Agent in Charge Cohen, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman.
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Pittsburgh Man Pleads to Heroin, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Pittsburgh resident pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
David Joyner, 26, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin from June of 2019 through December of 2019, before United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV. In addition, Joyner accepted responsibility for possessing firearms in conjunction with his heroin trafficking. Joyner is one of seven defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a heroin trafficking organization that operated throughout the greater Pittsburgh area. Beginning in July of 2019 and continuing through August of 2019, the FBI received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Joyner was intercepted communicating with his codefendant and coconspirator about purchasing and distributing heroin as well as the purity of the heroin they intended to distribute. Through extensive physical and electronic surveillance, Joyner was observed meeting with his codefendant and coconspirator to facilitate their heroin distribution. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized heroin, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization, including Joyner.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for February 22, 2022. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Joyner remains in custody pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the North Versailles Police
Department, the Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, the Munhall Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Joyner.This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Carjacking and Interstate Transportation of a Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating various federal carjacking and interstate commerce laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Jonathan Trowery, age 34, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about January 30, 2021, Trowery is alleged to have engaged in carjacking and the interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 25 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Agency, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, New Beaver Police Department, Cobb County Police Department (Georgia), and the Fulton County Police Department (Georgia) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pike County Man Guilty of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 18, 2021, Jerald Ungerer, age 34, formerly of Milford, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to production of child pornography.
According to Acting United States Attorney, Bruce D. Brandler, Ungerer admitted to producing multiple videos and images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Northeast Computer Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment, up to a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Nationwide Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Pennsylvania man was arrested on charges of fraudulently obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from a national chain of home improvement stores. The charges are based on an indictment returned by a grand jury for the District of Delaware for wire fraud and access device fraud.
According to the indictment, Mamadou Bah, 37, conducted over a thousand fraudulent transactions at home improvement stores throughout the country between May 2018 and June 2020, using the fake name “Richard Traynham.” Bah would pay for gift cards and merchandise at various home improvement stores utilizing a barcode on his phone that was linked to a fraudulently obtained credit card. Bah would use that barcode to pay for the merchandise. The victim stores would later receive a “chargeback” from the credit card company indicating that the purchase was fraudulent. All told, Bah caused losses in excess of $650,000.
If convicted, Bah faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment on the wire fraud charge and 10 years imprisonment on the access device fraud charge. 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.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “The Indictment alleges a nationwide financial fraud scheme from which the defendant obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars. Such systematic fraud warrants intervention, investigation and prosecution by federal authorities who are able to address the entirety of the defendant’s conduct.”
FBI-Baltimore, Wilmington Resident Agency is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Ibrahim is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 21-CR-65
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Norwich Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Engage in Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that, WILLIAM MEIER, 39, of Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2020, Meier accessed a chatroom dedicated to teens on the Kik social messaging application and began chatting with an FBI online covert employee (“OCE”) who was posing as a 14-year-old girl living in Connecticut. Meier raised the prospect of meeting the “girl” in order to engage in sexual intercourse with her and impregnate her. On August 5, 2020, Meier sent the OCE a sexually explicit photo of himself. Meier was arrested the following day after he traveled from his home to a location in New London where he expected to meet the “girl” and engage in sexual activity with her.
Meier has been detained since his arrest on August 6, 2020. On July 27, 2021, he pleaded guilty to using an interstate facility to attempt to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New London Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Doherty.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
North Carolina man indicted for bank robberiesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles Lee Pingley, of Dunn, North Carolina, was indicted today on bank robbery charges, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Pingley, 52, was indicted today on two counts of “Bank Robbery.” Pingley is accused robbing the Citizens Bank in Randolph County on February 8, 2020, taking a bag filled with $30,216.05 in cash. He is also accused of robbing the same bank on August 6, 2020, taking a bag filled with $25,668 in cash.
Pingley faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge. 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 FBI and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Jersey Supplier for Washington County Drug Ring Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of New Jersey has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction for conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and quantities of heroin and fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on James Vance, 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey.
According to the information presented to the court, in November of 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police began investigation a drug trafficking organization that operated in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Beginning in April of 2020 and continuing into November of 2020, the FBI received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Through the wiretap and extensive physical and electronic surveillance in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, agents discovered that Vance met with alleged codefendants and coconspirators in New Jersey where he supplied them with kilogram quantities of cocaine and quantities of heroin-fentanyl mixtures. Vance’s alleged codefendants and coconspirators transported the drugs back to Washington County, Pennsylvania where they redistributed the drugs throughout the community. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized cocaine, heroin-fentanyl mixtures, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark V. Gurzo and Jerome A. Moschetta prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police Drug Law Enforcement Division for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Vance.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
New Castle Man Admits Role in Multi-State Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of New Castle pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Darnell Latham, 52, of New Castle, Pennsylvania pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine from March of 2019 through September of 2020, before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Latham is one of thirteen defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated throughout the United States, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Beginning in December of 2019 and continuing through August of 2020, the DEA received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Latham was intercepted communicating with his codefendant and coconspirator about purchasing, distributing, and cutting cocaine. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for February 15, 2022. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Latham remains in custody pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration in Pittsburgh, PA; the DEA, Columbus, OH; DEA, Harrisburg, PA; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Pittsburgh, PA; HSI, Orlando, FL; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service, Columbus, Ohio; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force – Special Investigations Unit; and New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Latham.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.