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Tuesday 31 August 2021
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Gianno Koeiman, 31, of Lawrence, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 22, 2017, an undercover Salem police officer observed what he believed to be a drug transaction in the shoe department of a local store between Koeiman and a drug customer. The officer observed the men leave the store and get into separate vehicles. The drug customer stayed in his car and began to inject himself with drugs. After being approached by an officer, the customer confirmed he had just purchased one gram of heroin from the man in the shoe department.
In the meantime, a second Salem police officer followed Koeiman’s vehicle and stopped it. After explaining what the first officer observed in the shoe department, Koeiman responded that those observations were accurate. When asked if he had illegal substances in the car, Koeiman responded that he did and consented to a search of the trunk. The search revealed 95 baggies which contained a total of approximately 67 grams of fentanyl and 23 baggies which contained a total of approximately 16 grams of cocaine.
Koeiman is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2021.
“Drug traffickers who distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and other dangerous drugs are endangering lives throughout New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “In order to protect public health and safety, we work with our law enforcement partners to identify drug dealers and hold them responsible for their actions.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Salem Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis.
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Mary Cossey Enters Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
HAMMOND-Mary Cossey, age 54, of Munster, Indiana, entered a plea of guilty to one count of wire fraud before United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
According to documents in this case, Cossey engaged in a scheme to defraud the Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee and her creditors in order to take advantage of the benefits of bankruptcy—including the imposition of a stay on collection and elimination of debts—without making the financial sacrifices required under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Cossey did not disclose on her bankruptcy petition a personal debt relationship with her personal friend and creditor, identified in the Indictment as Individual A. Even though she was prohibited from incurring new debts during her bankruptcy case, Cossey charged over $240,000 on Individual A’s credit card during the course of her bankruptcy for personal expenses including multiple vacations, luxury clothing and accessories, and jewelry. Cossey incurred other post-petition debts without the permission of the Trustee and failed to disclose changes in her employment and income during her case. Cossey repaid most of her debt Individual A, while unsecured creditors received only 27% repayment for debts that were discharged in bankruptcy. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Cossey will be required to pay $81,159.97 in restitution to the Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service in collaboration with the Northern Indiana Region 10 Office of the U.S. Trustee, Nancy J. Gargula. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abizer Zanzi and Thomas McGrath.
Marshall County Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of ChildRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Veblen Flats, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact was sentenced on August 30, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Dominic Steven Redday, age 43, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Redday was indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child and Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury on August 17, 2020. He pled guilty on June 7, 2021.
From on or about April 2011 to 2012, Redday knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, sexual contacts with a young female victim, using force, threats, and fear. At the time of the sexual contact, the victim was 12 years of age.
This case was investigated by the Sisseton Wahpeton Tribal Law Enforcement Criminal Investigations Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Redday was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Manchester Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Katherine Torres, 47, of Manchester, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for wire fraud, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Torres was employed as an office manager for Pine Haven Boys School in Allenstown, New Hampshire from 2012 until March 25, 2019. As office manager, Torres was the sole employee responsible for administering payroll. On various occasions, Torres submitted false information to Pine Haven’s payroll company, causing direct deposits to be made into her personal bank accounts. In total, Torres received approximately $240,000 through this scheme.
Torres previously pleaded guilty on May 25, 2021.
“This defendant took advantage of her employer’s trust to steal a substantial amount of money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “This disturbing abuse of trust was a troubling crime that cannot be tolerated. As this case demonstrates, white collar criminals will be caught and will face significant consequences for their unlawful conduct.”
“It’s difficult to fathom how Katherine Torres could target, prey upon, and systematically rip off a school that cared for boys with behavioral, educational, and emotional issues, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from them, without a second thought. But she did exactly that, and with today’s sentence, she has finally been held accountable,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Criminals who prey on, and steal from, our most vulnerable citizens, should know their actions carry real consequences.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. MacDonald and Charles L. Rombeau.
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Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Stolen Gun in Chicago ParkRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally possessing a stolen semi-automatic handgun in Douglas Park on Chicago’s West Side.
TERRY LEE illegally possessed the loaded gun in the 1200 block of South Farrar Drive on the evening of Aug. 12, 2020. Chicago Police officers responding to a call of a person with a gun observed Lee sitting in the driver’s seat of a van. As the officers approached him, Lee exited the van and ran toward a grassy area before being apprehended. Officers discovered the firearm in the center console of the van.
Lee, 30, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm. He had previously been convicted of felonies in state court and was prohibited by federal law from possessing the gun.
U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., imposed the prison sentence Aug. 26, 2021, after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“City residents often fear for their safety and for the safety of their loved ones while simply trying to go about their daily lives due to the possession and use of guns by people who are not permitted to have them,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Getter argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The law that defendant broke is one that is designed to prevent people who previously have broken serious laws from possessing these dangerous weapons.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Man Charged with Robbing Wallingford Convenience Store at KnifepointRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Joey Miles Sherwood, 31, of Center Rutland, Vermont, was arrested yesterday for the August 1, 2021 knifepoint robbery of the Cumberland Farms convenience store in Wallingford, Vermont. Sherwood will be appearing this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle for his Initial Appearance after he was charged by Criminal Complaint with Interference with Commerce by Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951. Sherwood is currently detained pending his initial appearance, and the government has requested his detention pending trial.
According to court records, on August 1, 2021, Sherwood is alleged to have entered the Cumberland Farms in Wallingford, retrieved a soda from a drink cooler, approached the cashier, and asked for two packs of cigarettes. As the cashier rang up the sale, Sherwood allegedly produced a knife and demanded money. The robbery netted $156 in cash, and $21 in merchandise. Sherwood is the suspect in five additional knifepoint robberies of convenience stores in Rutland and Addison counties that occurred in July and August of 2021.
Court records reflect that Sherwood is on conditions of pretrial release for a 2020 arrest in New Hampshire for Attempted Felonious Sexual Assault, for a March 2021 arrest in Rutland County for Burglary and Possession of Stolen Property, and for a May 2021 arrest in Addison County for Aiding in the Commission of a Burglary.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the charge against Sherwood is merely an accusation and that he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of the charged offense, Sherwood could face up to twenty years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a period of federal supervised release. Any sentence will be formulated through consultation of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and consideration of Sherwood’s personal history and characteristics.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police, and the coordination and assistance provided by the Brandon Police Department, the Middlebury Police Department, and the Rutland City Police Department.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt is prosecuting the case for the government. Sherwood has not yet retained or been appointed counsel.
Man Charged with Bank Robberies in Santurce and BayamónRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Carlos Javier Alvelo-Cartagena with two bank robberies and a firearm offense, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the Government’s allegations, in January 2020, Alvelo-Cartagena committed an armed robbery of an Oriental Bank branch on Betances Avenue in Bayamón. Alvelo-Cartagena stole $1,740.
In August 2021, Alvelo-Cartagena robbed the Parada 18 branch of Banco Popular, located inside a Walmart Store in Santurce. Alvelo-Cartagena stole $1,501. Police arrested Alvelo-Cartagena shortly after the robbery and recovered most of the money stolen from Banco Popular.
Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Giovannie Mercado of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation. If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to twenty years in prison for the bank robberies.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Lummi tribal member sentenced to prison for assaulting three people with metal baseball batRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 30-year-old enrolled member of the Lummi Nation was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 52 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault causing serious bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Talin Lee Morris, was arrested May 14, 2019, after assaulting three people with an aluminum baseball bat on the Lummi Indian Reservation. At the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “The community deserves to be safe from someone who is a danger to them.”
According to records filed in the case, Morris visited friends on a property on the Lummi Reservation. After shooting up with methamphetamine, he grew agitated and broke a window with an aluminum baseball bat. As one of his friends led him outside, he hit the friend on the back of the head with the bat and continued to strike his friend while he was on the ground. When two other people came to assist the victim, Morris used the bat to strike them. The first victim suffered a concussion, head wound and fracture to his scapula. The second victim had his arm broken in two places and required surgery with bolts and metal plates. The third victim suffered bruising and swelling where she was hit with the bat. Morris was arrested by Lummi Police a short time later.
Morris was indicted in July 2019. Morris pleaded guilty in May 2021. Morris has been in custody since his arrest.
In asking for a 5-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London noted that at the time of the assault, Morris had just been released from custody for another assault. Morris “has a lengthy criminal history dating back to his late teens that involve convictions for assaults, including assaults of law enforcement officers,” London wrote in his sentencing memo.
Morris will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London, who serves as a Tribal Liaison for the Western District of Washington.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, former unlicensed mortgage broker Brent Kaufman pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to a criminal information charging him with stealing $4.7 million in mortgage refinancing proceeds that were meant to pay off the existing mortgages of his clients. When sentenced, Kaufman faces up to 30 years in prison, as well as forfeiture and a fine of up to $1 million.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Robert W. Manchak, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Darnell D. Edwards, Acting Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, Kaufman admits to stealing millions of dollars in a brazen mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded numerous lenders and left his homeowner-clients in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis. “This Office is committed to prosecuting defendants like Kaufman who are driven by greed to abuse the trust of innocent homeowners.” Ms. Kasulis expressed her grateful appreciation to the FBI, FHFA-OIG and the USPIS for their outstanding work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.
“Not only did Kaufman steal his victims’ money, but he also violated their trust, leaving them financially vulnerable and at risk of significant financial complications,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “Collectively, his victims suffered millions of dollars in losses. Today’s guilty plea reminds us of the threat posed by those who prioritize their own financial interests above all else.”
“Brent Kaufman betrayed the trust of unsuspecting homeowners by stealing millions of dollars in mortgage payoffs and failing to repay lenders. As demonstrated by these charges, FHFA-OIG and its law enforcement partners will investigate and hold accountable those who seek to victimize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and misuse the lending process to unjustly enrich themselves,” stated FHFA-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge-Manchak.
“This is a classic case of greed overcoming honest business practices, as Mr. Kaufman took advantage of his access to clients funds to enrich his own lifestyle. His actions left many in financial ruin, holding two mortgages and facing the threat of foreclosure. Law enforcement will always work tirelessly to bring individuals to justice for their crimes against the American public,” stated USPIS Acting Inspector-in-Charge Edwards.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Kaufman worked as an unlicensed mortgage broker and often assisted clients in Queens and Long Island with refinancing their mortgages. At the closing for a mortgage refinancing, the money from the new mortgage is supposed to be wired to the financial institution that holds the existing mortgage so that it can be paid off. Between 2016 and 2019, Kaufman, together with others, engaged in a scheme to defraud Home Point Financial Corporation, LoanDepot.com LLC and United Wholesale Mortgage and other mortgage lenders (the “Lenders”) by obtaining, and attempting to obtain, monies and funds from the Lenders by means of materially false representations. Specifically, Kaufman provided incorrect wire routing information to the Lenders for the existing mortgages. Instead of wiring the funds to the correct financial institution, the funds were instead transferred to bank accounts controlled by Kaufman. As a result, the existing mortgages were not paid off—leaving the clients with two mortgages on their homes—and Kaufman stole the funds for his own personal use.
During the period of the charged conduct, Kaufman stole more than over $4.7 million, some of which he used to make mortgage payments on the existing mortgages or to eventually pay off those mortgages to avoid detection of his scheme. When Kaufman stopped paying the existing mortgages, several of his clients’ homes were foreclosed on. Victims of the scheme ultimately suffered a loss of approximately $2.5 million.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel and Laura Mantell.
The Defendant:
BRENT KAUFMAN
Age: 50
Commack, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-425 (KAM)
Little Rock Felon Who Possessed Firearm Sentenced to 17 1/2 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Dominic Session, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 17½ years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down Monday by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
Session, 31, of Little Rock, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on May 10, 2019. That conviction was based on an April 2017 incident in which Session fled from a traffic stop and dropped a black object as he ran. During a search of the area where Sessions was running, police located a Ruger 9mm handgun.
At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Moody heard evidence regarding Session’s six prior felony convictions, including three convictions that qualified Sessions as an Armed Career Criminal—second degree battery, robbery, and residential burglary. The Armed Career Criminal distinction increased Sessions’ potential penalty from a maximum of 10 years in prison to a minimum of 15 years. Judge Moody also sentenced Sessions to five years of supervised release to follow his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the Little Rock Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in federal court to possessing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
According to court records, in August 2019, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants for the residence and person of Rodney Crowley, 33. HSI had obtained information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding child pornography activity involving users of an internet messaging application. In an interview with investigators, Crowley admitted being a member of chat groups in which child pornography images were exchanged. Investigators later found several images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a memory card in Crowley’s cell phone.
Crowley faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and the RCMP investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Desmond L. Washington, 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Washington was arrested on Sept. 7, 2019, when Kansas City police officers saw Washington and several other people fighting in the street in front of a building at 914 E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City. Officers took all of the individuals involved into custody.
There was a silver Ford Fusion around which the fight was centered. The Fusion bore temporary tags that were not registered to the vehicle and officers decided to have the vehicle towed. An inventory search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a Glock 10mm handgun. Washington, while being transported after his arrest, told an officer that the firearm was his and he wanted it back.
Under federal law, it illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Washington has two prior misdemeanor convictions of domestic violence.
Under federal statutes, Washington is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department Finds that Conditions at the San Luis Obispo County Jail in California Violate the ConstitutionRead the Press Release
A Justice Department report released today found that San Luis Obispo County (California) Jail violated the rights of prisoners by, among other things, failing to provide adequate medical care and subjecting some prisoners to excessive uses of force. The report calls upon the jail to make changes to address the constitutional violations found during an investigation. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California conducted the investigation.
The Justice Department concluded that there is reason to believe that the practices at the jail violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Specifically, the department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the jail fails to provide constitutionally adequate medical and mental health care to prisoners; that the jail violates the constitutional rights of prisoners with serious mental illness through its prolonged use of restrictive housing; that the jail violates the constitutional rights of prisoners through the use of excessive force; and that the jail violates the ADA by denying prisoners with mental health disabilities access to services, programs and activities because of their disabilities.
As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the department provided the facility with written notice of the supporting facts for these findings and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.
“Our Constitution guarantees that all people held in jails and prisons across our country are treated humanely, and that includes providing access to necessary medical and mental health care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After a comprehensive investigation, we found that San Luis Obispo Jail harms the people it incarcerates by subjecting them to excessive force and by failing to provide adequate medical and mental health care. The Justice Department hopes to continue to work with the jail to resolve these systemic problems.”
“San Luis Obispo County violated the rights of prisoners in its jail in several ways, including failing to provide adequate health care and subjecting some prisoners to excessive force,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison for the Central District of California. “Our office is dedicated to defending the civil rights of everyone in this district, including those behind bars.”
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California initiated the investigation in October 2018 under CRIPA and Title II of the ADA, which authorize the department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of legal rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department by phone at (844) 710-4900, or by email at [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/civil-division/civil-rights. You can contact the Civil Rights Section by emailing [email protected] or calling (213) 894-2879. You can also report civil rights violations to the Section by completing the complaint form available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/file/1560286/download.
Independence Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man who fled from police officers on a stolen motorcycle and fought with several officers as he resisted arrest was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Michael S. Reaves, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to five years in federal prison without parole.
On April 28, 2021, Reaves pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
An Independence police officer attempted to stop Reaves, who was riding a 2009 Honda motorcycle, on the afternoon of Aug. 27, 2020. Reaves took off at a high rate of speed, nearly losing control of the motorcycle. The officer pursued Reaves, but he was able to get away. A few minutes later, another officer contacted Reaves while he was putting gas in the motorcycle at a Shell gas station at 9040 E. U.S. 40 Hwy. The officer attempted to detain Reaves, but a struggle ensued as Reaves tried to pull away. During the struggle, two DEA agents (who were in Kansas City in support of Operation LeGend) in a car parked nearby got out of their vehicle and helped the officer subdue Reaves. Reaves was actively resisting arrest at this point, including kicking. The struggle continued; at points Reaves tried to stand up while he was being handcuffed. The officer eventually had to deploy a Taser to subdue Reaves and get him into custody.
Officers found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun clipped to the inside of the motorcycle’s windshield, and a box that contained nine alprazolam pills in a compartment underneath the seat cushion. Officers later determined that the motorcycle was stolen.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Reaves has prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, robbery and theft.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Wolesky. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Prison for Gun Possession, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TAFARIE GREEN, 31, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 62 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2016, Green was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for his role in a gang-related crack cocaine distribution ring in Hartford. Green, who had been detained since his arrest in April 2014, was released from federal prison in April 2019.
On June 2, 2020, Hartford Police detectives conducting a narcotics investigation approached a Dodge Durango that was parked on Kenneth Street in Hartford. Green, the driver of the vehicle, accelerated and drove straight at the detectives who leaped out of the way. He then drove at a high rate of speed onto a sidewalk and through two chain link fences before he crashed into a tree. Green fled the scene on foot. A second occupant of the vehicle, who possessed a loaded handgun, was immediately apprehended. A search of the Durango revealed a Ruger 9mm pistol and approximately 144 grams of fentanyl, as well as Green’s wallet and iPhone.
Forensic analysis of the Ruger 9mm pistol revealed the presence of Green’s DNA.
In addition to his previous federal narcotics conviction, Green’s criminal history includes state convictions for assault, robbery, attempted burglary and criminal possession of a firearm.
Green was arrested on July 13, 2020. On April 1, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He has been detained since his arrest.
Judge Dooley sentenced Green to 50 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm, and an additional 12 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department’s Vice, Intelligence and Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
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.
Fort Walton Beach Man Faces Federal Indictment for $25 Million Scheme to DefraudRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Stephen M. Alford, 62, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on counts of wire fraud and the attempted prevention of seizure of an electronic device, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Alford was arrested on August 31, 2021 and made his initial appearance in federal court to face the charges.
The indictment alleges that, between March 16, and April 7, 2021, Alford engaged in a scheme to defraud a victim out of $25 million. As articulated in the indictment, Alford is alleged to have been involved in a scheme to obtain money based upon false promises or guarantees he made to the victim that Alford could deliver a Presidential Pardon for a family member of the victim.
Alford is currently being held in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. Alford faces up to 25 years imprisonment on the charged crimes.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Lazaro P. Fields.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former East Hartford Resident Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MARCO RIVERA-MEJIA, 36, a citizen of Honduras last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force developed evidence that Rivera-Mejia was a narcotics courier for an individual who was living in Mexico. In September 2019, investigators stopped Rivera-Mejia’s vehicle and seized approximately $6,000 in cash he was carrying in suspected narcotics proceeds. Rivera-Mejia was released after the traffic stop.
On October 24, 2020, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Rivera-Mejia was arrested after he arrived at a parking lot in Manchester in possession of a kilogram of fentanyl that he intended to deliver to another individual.
Rivera-Mejia has been detained since his arrest. On June 1, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Rivera-Mejia, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2007, faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Former EDA Director Indicted on Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– A federal grand jury in Charlottesville returned an indictment last week charging the former executive director of the Economic Development Authority of the Town of Front Royal and the County of Warren, Virginia [EDA] with wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
According to an indictment returned under seal last Wednesday and unsealed today, Jennifer Rae McDonald, 44, of Front Royal, Virginia, was the executive director of the EDA from April 2008 until December 2018. From June 3, 2014 to on or about December 20, 2018, McDonald devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the EDA to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
McDonald, through her position as executive director at the EDA, had access to funds belonging to the EDA and, as the indictment alleges, used EDA funds to pay on debt owed by her, other individuals, and LLCs she controlled, to purchase real property for which she often earned commissions as a real estate agent, and to purchase real property in the name of an LLC she controlled.
McDonald is charged with 16 counts of money laundering, 10 counts of bank fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The defendant made her initial court appearance today and was released pending trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The FBI and Virginia State Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Welsh is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Who “Tweeted” Child Sexual Abuse Images Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Marchaun Browning (24, Gibsonton) to 5 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distributing and possessing child pornography.
Browning had pleaded guilty on April 21, 2021.
According to court documents, in June 2017, Browning created several Twitter accounts. On several different occasions, he posted or “tweeted” child sex abuse images and tagged other Twitter accounts associated with elected officials, media outlets, and public figures. Browning’s tweets also contained messages directed at the intended and tagged recipients.
On June 18, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Browning’s residence. The officers discovered more than 160 images and one video depicting the sexual abuse of children, including some as young as toddlers, located on Browning’s devices seized from his residence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Inmate Sentenced for Additional Offenses of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Possession of Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Israel Urbina, 26, a convicted felon, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a contraband. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Urbina, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis, Tennessee, was serving a 51-month sentence for possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell.
On June 23, 2019, Urbina stabbed two fellow inmates. Both victims sustained injuries and were transported to Regional One Hospital. The weapon used in the assault, half of a broken pair of scissors measuring 7 inches, was recovered from the inside of a trash can located outside of Urbina’s cell.
On March 16, 2021, Urbina pled guilty to the charges in the indictment.
On August 30, 2021, U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced the defendant to 51 months imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Enrolled member of Navajo Nation pleads guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Bryan Bull, 40, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court on Aug. 30 to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
According to court documents, on June 3, 2019, Bull and Jeremiah Elijah Jim, 31, of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, used intimidation and force on then 14-year-old John Doe and sexually abused him. The abuse took place in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation.
Bull is currently in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. By the terms of the plea agreement, Bull faces up to 18 years in prison. Jim pleaded guilty on April 5 and faces between 14 and 24 years in prison. A sentencing hearing for Jim is scheduled for Oct. 6.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department.
EDVA Announces New Project Safe Neighborhood InitiativesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), announced today new district-wide Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) initiatives, to include federal prosecutors specifically assigned to coordinate PSN efforts in each of the district’s four geographic Divisions, as part of the district’s ongoing violent crime reduction efforts. The coordinators will work with local, state, and federal partners to help devise and execute enforcement strategies; prioritize community outreach and engagement; support community violence intervention strategies; and measure the effectiveness of these collective efforts. This new initiative arises from the Justice Department’s recently announced Comprehensive Strategy to Reduce Violent Crime.
“Violent crime impacts our communities at the neighborhood level, which is where we are focusing our efforts. We are collaborating closely with our local, state, and federal partners on violence prevention and building trust in the communities we serve,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh. “Together, we are dedicated to protecting our community members, disrupting the organizations behind violent crime and gun trafficking, and pioneering new strategies to help reduce violent crime throughout our district.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has appointed eight seasoned federal prosecutors to help coordinate EDVA’s violent crime reduction efforts under the PSN program. 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. To cover the district, each of EDVA’s four Divisions in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News have two designated PSN Division Representatives. They, in turn, will work with the district’s team of over 40 experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) and Special AUSAs (SAUSAs), who focus on prosecuting violent crime, firearms trafficking, and related cases that are prioritized under the enforcement component of the PSN program. These prosecutors will coordinate with EDVA’s law enforcement and community partners to prevent and disrupt violent crime and prosecute the most violent offenders and dangerous criminal organizations in our communities.
Consistent with the Department’s comprehensive strategy, EDVA’s PSN team will work with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify and focus on the most significant drivers of violent crime in all four Divisions. As part of these enhanced PSN efforts, EDVA will also collaborate with state, local, non-governmental, and community partners that are awarded U.S. Department of Justice grants to combat violent crime, strengthen community-based prevention and intervention efforts, and assess the effectiveness of these steps.
EDVA and its PSN partners are also working with the Justice Department’s newly launched cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence. These efforts are part of a long-term, coordinated, multi-jurisdictional strategy to disrupt the flow of illegally trafficked firearms. The strike forces are being deployed in five metropolitan areas across the country that the Department has identified as key illegal-firearm markets based on years of firearms trace data compiled and analyzed by ATF as well as gun-trafficking intelligence. Leveraging existing resources, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area strike force, of which EDVA is a member, will complement EDVA’s PSN initiatives by disrupting trafficking networks from the areas where guns originate to the places where they are used to commit violent crimes.
On May 26, 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN so that it is built on newly articulated core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results of our efforts. The Department expressly underscores that the fundamental goal of this work is to reduce violent crime in the places we call home, not to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions as if they were ends in themselves.
EDVA is also increasing its engagement with community partners under the PSN program, including participating in local offender re-entry efforts, such as the Greater Prince William Re-entry Council, in their ongoing work to help returning citizens successfully reintegrate into society following incarceration. Another major facet of PSN is raising awareness by engaging youth through education. Programs, such as “Silent No More,” are being introduced at schools in the Eastern District of Virginia to educate students and parents about the threat of opioids and other dangerous substances, as well as connecting law enforcement with parents, medical professionals, and educators for life-saving conversations. Additionally, through EDVA’s community-based educational outreach and prevention program known as “UnMasked,” the district is dedicated to raising awareness about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Duval Felons Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense Related to Fatal ShootoutRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Evonte Earl Glover (29, Jacksonville) and Terry Lavon Shuman (27, Jacksonville) each to eight years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Glover had pleaded guilty on May 12, 2021, and Shuman had pleaded guilty on April 7, 2021.
According to court documents, on November 10, 2019, Glover and Shuman were involved in a shootout in which they each possessed and fired handguns several times in the Cassat Avenue area of Jacksonville. Another individual was shot and killed during the shooting incident. Prior to this event, Glover had been convicted of three felonies, including a home invasion robbery, possession of cocaine, and sale, manufacture, or delivery of cocaine. Shuman had previously been convicted of armed robbery and fleeing or attempting to elude police. Therefore, Glover and Shuman were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives . It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus P. Zomorodian and Assistant United States Attorney Beatriz Gonzalez.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Drug trafficker sent to prison for trafficking meth via FedExRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 20-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a meth conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jose Edmundo Corona pleaded guilty June 3.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered him to serve a 168-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted Corona’s role in the conspiracy.
Between September and October 2020, authorities intercepted multiple FedEx packages destined for Houston, Dallas and Atlanta at their shipping center in Pharr. All of the parcels packages were shipped in identical boxes with similar packaging styles. A search ultimately revealed a total of 45 kilograms of crystal meth.
Surveillance footage determined Corona was the individual who placed the packages for delivery at various mailing centers throughout the Rio Grande Valley as well as paid for the shipping costs. Fingerprint analysis helped to determine Corona not only mailed the packages but also prepared the narcotics within the packages.
The drugs had an estimated street value of $300,000.
Corona will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Garcia prosecuted the case.
Drug Trafficker who used Teens as Couriers Sentenced to 85 MonthsRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan E. Heesch (619) 546-9442
SAN DIEGO – A Tijuana-based drug trafficker who used teens as drug couriers was sentenced in federal court today to seven years in prison and a $50,000 fine for his leadership role in coordinating the movement of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to San Diego from Mexico.
Osvaldo Medivil-Tamayo, 22, pleaded guilty in August 2020 to conspiracy to import and conspiracy to distribute federally controlled substances. In his plea agreement, Mendivil admitted he was “the leader of a drug distribution cell based in Tijuana” and that he used high school students as drug couriers to move drugs through San Diego ports of entry.
Mendivil also admitted that he “involved individuals less than 18 years of age in crossing drugs.” He admitted that he and his co-conspirators “specifically recruited high school students who crossed through the San Diego Ports of Entry daily. Mendivil knew that these individual[s] were minors as they hid narcotics on their persons, in backpacks, and in vehicles as they crossed into the United States.” According to court filings, Mendivil’s trafficking activities were captured on a wiretap on his Snapchat account. Mendivil’s own messages indicated his significant involvement in coordinating drug transportation loads. Mendivil sent and received numerous photographs and videos of narcotics on Snapchat, which DEA agents were able to review and collect as evidence.
Mendivil’s intercepted Snapchat messages also painted a picture of Mendivil knowingly using minors as drug couriers. Court filings highlight the specific conversations between Mendivil and his co-conspirators where Mendivil is provided with identification documents of would-be juvenile couriers, showing their ages. In one case, Mendivil received a photograph of a Chula Vista High School identification card and subsequently discussed the drop location for what agents believed to be several hundred pills.
According to his plea agreement, Mendivil worked as the transportation coordinator for several sources of supply of drugs and maintained a “cadre of couriers” to transport drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border in vehicles. Mendivil also paid others to recruit these couriers on his behalf. Mendivil admitted that the seizures of drugs attributed to his organization during the course of this investigation was approximately 150 kilograms total of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.
At his sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant noted Mendivil was “not only destroying lives with the drugs brought in but was destroying lives by getting other young people involved.”
“Our youth are being used by drug traffickers to smuggle dangerous drugs across the border,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We are aggressively prosecuting the recruiters who exploit children. But the children also need to know that trying to sneak dangerous drugs under the noses of authorities is risky business. Don’t throw away your future.” Grossman praised prosecutor Meghan Heesch for her excellent work on this matter, and DEA and IRS agents for their innovative investigative strategies in this case.
“Drug cartels will do anything to get drugs into the United States so they can make their blood money - including putting our children in harm’s way,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. “The DEA prioritizes investigations involving the exploitation of children and is involved in community outreach to educate parents and teenagers of the explicit dangers associated with smuggling drugs for cartels.”
Related cases 19CR2953-BAS and 20CR1454-BAS charged Mendivil’s co-conspirators, including his recruiters, stash house operators, and couriers. Seven other co-conspirators with lesser roles than Mendivil have been convicted and sentenced for federal drug trafficking offenses.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19-CR-2320-BAS
Osvaldo Mendivil-Tamayo Age: 22 Tijuana, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1: Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, 963
Count 2: Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841, 846
Maximum penalties as to both counts: Life in prison and $10 million fine
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigations
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Donora Woman Sentenced for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – Jasmine Cook was sentenced to three years’ probation for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of heroin, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Cook, age 31, of Donora, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert J. Colville. Judge Colville ordered that 180 days of Cook’s probation be served on home detention and that she complete 80 hours of community service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Craig W. Haller and Yvonne M. Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Butler County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force led the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case.
Detroit man sentenced to seven years for his role in a drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tyron Terreono Adams, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 84 months of incarceration for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Adams, 26, pled guilty in April 2021 to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine Base,” one count of “Travel Act – Promotion,” four counts of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility,” two counts of “Distribution of Heroin,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin.” Adams admitted to working with others to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and heroin from March 2018 to September 2020 in Monongalia County and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Related press release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/seventeen-people-charged-heroin-and-crack-cocaine-distribution-operation
Department of State Offers Reward for Information to Bring Chinese Fentanyl Trafficker to JusticeRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of People’s Republic of China (PRC) national Jian Zhang, a key leader of the transnational criminal Zhang Drug Trafficking Organization. This reward is also offered for information leading to his location.
Between 2013 and 2016, with Zhang acting as principal leader and organizer, Zhang’s criminal organization imported and distributed controlled substances and their analogues into the United States that led to the overdose deaths of four Americans in North Dakota, Oregon, North Carolina, and New Jersey and serious bodily injuries to five other Americans.
Zhang was charged in North Dakota in September 2017 along with several other Canadian nationals. A superseding indictment was returned in January 2018 adding additional PRC nationals. Several of the U.S. nationals have been convicted and sentenced to penalties ranging from 20 years to life. This investigation led to charges which include drug trafficking, trafficking of illicit drugs which led to death and/or serious bodily injury of Americans, violations of the Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute, and international money laundering.
This reward is offered under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP). More than 75 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice under the TOCRP and the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) since 1986. The Department has paid more than $135 million in rewards to-date.
The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages the TOCRP in close coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and other U.S. government agencies.
For more information on the individual listed above and the TOCRP and NRP, please see Department of State INL Anticrime Rewards Program.
# # #
WANTED: ZHANG JIAN
REWARD OF UP TO $5 MILLION
Zhang Jian is a key leader of transnational criminal organization, the Zhang Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO). Zhang was the principal leader and organizer of this transnational criminal conspiracy which sold controlled substances and controlled substance analogues throughout the United States and Canada.
Zhang was charged in North Dakota in September 2017 along with several other Canadian nationals. A superseding indictment was returned in January 2018 adding additional PRC nationals. Several of the U.S. nationals have been convicted and sentenced to penalties ranging from 20 years to life. This investigation led to charges which include drug trafficking, trafficking of illicit drugs which led to death and/or serious bodily injury of Americans, violations of the Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute, and international money laundering.
The U.S. Department of State is offering a REWARD OF UP TO $5 MILLION for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Zhang Jian, a/k/a "Hong Kong Zaron." The reward is also offered for information leading to the location of Zhang as the key leader of a transnational organized crime group.
If you have information, please contact the DEA by calling or texting +1-504-534-5134 via telephone/text/WhatsApp, or emailing [email protected]. If you are located outside
of the United States, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If in the United States, please contact the local Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in your city.
ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards
Coordinated Law Enforcement Effort Dismantles California to Western Pennsylvania Drug PipelineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Forty-seven individuals have been charged in six separate, but related, indictments with narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and firearms violations following a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
“In the last two years, we have seen methamphetamine distribution on the rise in western Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman. “Through Operation Return to Sender, we have shut down a major California to western Pennsylvania drug pipeline and improved the quality of life for our citizens.”
“These indictments show how far reaching and effective the efforts of law enforcement collaboration are in combating drug-traffickers that seek to distribute illegal drugs in our communities,” said Thomas Hodnett, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners that participated in this investigation that netted drug-traffickers operating not only in Pennsylvania but in Oregon, California, Texas, and Ohio as well.”
“Today is the culmination of a major drug investigation that involved many state and federal agencies working hand-in-hand to protect the citizens of Jefferson County,” said Jefferson County District Attorney Jeff Burkett. “I commend, applaud and thank the DEA, the Pennsylvania State Police, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Kaufman and his office and the many other law enforcement agencies that spearheaded this important effort. It is very gratifying to see so many agencies working so hard together for such a great cause.”
“I am truly grateful for the hard work and dedication of Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman, his staff, the Pennsylvania State Police, DuBois City Police Department, the DEA, and other law enforcement agencies for dismantling this network that has been supplying enormous quantities of drugs to Clearfield County and surrounding areas,” said Ryan Sayers, District Attorney of Clearfield County. “Organizing and executing an operation of this magnitude across multiple states and jurisdiction is no simple task, but it is worth it to protect our friends and neighbors from these drugs that plague our communities. Operations like this one and Crystal Highway, which occurred last year, send a clear message to drug traffickers—that Clearfield County is closed for their business.”
The first indictment names the following 37 individuals as defendants:
• Derek Hillebrand, 25, of Troutville, Pennsylvania
• George Charlan, 33, of Grants Pass, Oregon
• Yusuf Adekunle, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Marco Armenta, 36, of Stockton, California
• Silvia Ayala, 30, of Stockton, California
• Francisco Barba, 32, of Stockton, California
• Amy Bortot, 51, of Clearfield, Pennsylvania
• Brandon Coder, 32, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Terrence Dougherty, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Darren Douglas, 36, of Big Run, Pennsylvania
• Marco Galvez, of Patterson, California
• Chad Gasbarre, 35, of Brockway, Pennsylvania
• Danielle Gillam, 42, of Blandburg, Pennsylvania
• Kenneth Gillam, 51, of Blandburg, Pennsylvania
• Morgan Gregory, 32, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Darryl Isaacs, 56, of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
• Kristy Lepionka, 38, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania
• Christian Maldonado, 33, of Stockton, California
• Lisandra Maldonado, 31, of Stockton, California
• Abel Perez, 34, of Stockton, California
• Jeffrey Peters, 65, of Hyde, Pennsylvania
• Megan Pyne, 27, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Armando Razo Jr., 31, of Stockton, California
• Christopher Robertson, 60, of Sparks, Nevada
• Brenton Ryans, 33, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania
• Ryan Schoening, 31, of Rockton, Pennsylvania
• Brent Shaffer, 37, of Olanta, Pennsylvania
• Christina Shaffer, 53, of Falls Creek, Pennsylvania
• Melvin Shelander, 30, of Kersey, Pennsylvania
• Darnell Smith, 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Taylor Thomas, 27, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Juan Villagran, 23, of Stockton, California
• Jose Villalobos, 40, of Stockton, California
• James White, 38, of Seiad Valley, California
• James Williams Jr., 56, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania
• Travis Williams, 29, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania
• Justin Zeruth, 34, of Woodland, Pennsylvania.The named conspirators include leaders, members, drug suppliers, and associates of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing narcotics throughout Western Pennsylvania. According to the Indictment, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing marijuana from July 2020 through August 2021. The Indictment further alleges that several members of the conspiracy conspired to launder the monetary proceeds of the illegal drug trafficking activity. Finally, the Indictment alleges individual drug trafficking violations against Morgan Gregory, Jeffery Peters, and Christina Shaffer, as well as a firearms violation against Justin Zeruth. For all defendants, the law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and up to life, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, or both.
A second indictment names:
• Yusuf Adekunle, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Adrian Alvarez, 27, (address unknown)
• Jesus Gonzalez, 35, of Houston, Texas.According to the two-count Indictment, on or about October 22, 2020, the defendants conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $10 million or both.
A third indictment names Doug Austen, 40, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Austen possessed with intent to distribute and distributed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on June 9, 2021. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both.
A fourth indictment names Brent Coder, 54, of Dubois, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about August 19, 2020 Coder distributed a quantity of methamphetamine and or about September 17, 2020, Coder possessed with intent to more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, a fine of $10 million or both.
A fifth indictment names John Vos, 44, address unknown, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Vos conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and on October 21, 2020, possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, a fine of $10 million or both.
A sixth indictment names six individuals:
• Diego Zamudio, age 23, Pasadena, Texas
• Kimari Jackson, age 25, Richmond Heights, Ohio
• Terry Kelly, age 60, of Penfield, Pennsylvania
• Kareem Rock, age 27, of Richmond Heights, Ohio
• Ryan Schoening, age 31, of Rockton, Pennsylvania
• Jason Whitaker, age 48, of Dubois, Pennsylvania.According to the Indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and distributed more than 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine from November 2020 through April 22, 2021. Jackson and Rock were also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine following a traffic stop on February 6, 2021. A subsequent search of their hotel room resulted in the seizure of more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, 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 each defendant.
The six indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on August 24, 2021, were unsealed today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Services – Criminal Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Clarion Borough Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
Acting U.S Attorney Kaufman also recognized the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, under the leadership of Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, for their assistance with the investigation and handling of initial proceedings in their District.
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.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Connecticut Woman Sentenced for Theft from Health Care Benefit ProgramRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine—A Connecticut woman was sentenced today in federal court for theft from a health care benefit program, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Melissa Tansey, 51, to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $162,135.08 in restitution to the victim. She pleaded guilty on March 31, 2021.
According to court records, beginning in March 2013, Tansey was employed as the sole administrative assistant and bookkeeper with a health care provider based in Falmouth. Beginning in November 2013, she began making unauthorized charges on the provider’s credit cards. In December 2013, she began writing unauthorized checks to herself. She would create fraudulent entries in the provider’s accounting software to make it appear that the payments were for legitimate expenses. This theft continued until January 2018, when the provider learned of her activity.
The FBI investigated the case.
Company Owners Sentenced for Falsifying Pension Contribution ReportsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Co-owners of a New Hampshire asbestos abatement company were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for making false statements to employee pension plans.
Richard Quinn, 58, of Sterling, Mass., and Gary McCaffrey, 66, of Salem, N.H., were each sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years of probation with the first six months to be served in home confinement. Both defendants were also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000 and restitution of $337,416. Quinn and McCaffrey previously pleaded guilty on April 30, 2021 and May 25, 2021, respectively, to one count each of making false statements to a pension plan covered by the Employee Retirement Security Act (ERISA).
Quinn and McCaffrey owned and operated Absolute Environmental Inc., an asbestos abatement company. Between November 2014 and May 2017, Quinn and McCaffrey continued to employ several undocumented individuals after being notified of their status. During this time period, Quinn and McCaffrey knowingly falsified reports to pension plans about the work performed by the undocumented individuals, failing to make required pension contributions of over $337,000.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Region; and Carol Hamilton, Boston Regional Director of the Employee Benefits Security Administration made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Mendell’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Climbing Hill Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A man who possessed firearms and ammunition after having prior convictions of two felonies and while being an illegal drug user was sentenced to sixteen months in federal prison on August 26, 2021, in federal district court in Sioux City.
Adam Muecke, age 37, from Climbing Hill, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 16, 2021 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and a drug user. Muecke was previously convicted of theft in Plymouth County, Iowa, in 2002, and burglary in Plymouth County, Iowa, in 2003. At the time he possessed firearms, he was also an unlawful user of marijuana. Evidence presented at Muecke’s detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on March 13, 2020, during a search of his residence, law enforcement found Muecke in possession of firearms, a baggie containing marijuana, and marijuana pipes, among other things.
Mueck was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mueecke was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mueck was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR‑4029.
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Chief Warrant Officer Pleads Guilty in International Navy Bribery and Fraud ScandalRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark W. Pletcher (619) 546-9714, Michelle Wasserman (619) 546-8431, Valerie Chu (619) 546-6750, and David Chu (619) 546-8266
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 31, 2021
SAN DIEGO – Retired Chief Warrant Officer Robert Gorsuch admitted in federal court today that he received more than $45,000 in bribes from foreign defense contractor Leonard Francis, who plied him with stays at luxurious hotels plus meals, entertainment and other gifts in exchange for official acts that would help Francis’ ship husbanding business, including the disclosure of multiple classified ship schedules.
Gorsuch was one of nine members of the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet indicted in March 2017 for participating in a conspiracy with Francis, the owner and CEO of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia.
The U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet represents a vital piece of the United States military’s projection of power as well as American foreign policy and national security. The largest numbered fleet in the U.S. Navy, the Seventh Fleet is comprised of 60-70 ships, 200-300 aircraft and approximately 40,000 Sailors and Marines. The Seventh Fleet is responsible for U.S. Navy ships and subordinate commands that operate in the Western Pacific throughout Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, and Russia and the Indian Ocean territories, as well ships and personnel from other U.S. Navy Fleets that enter the Seventh Fleet’s area of responsibility
Gorsuch is the first of the Seventh Fleet defendants to plead guilty. The remaining defendants, who are accused of trading military secrets and substantial influence for sex parties with prostitutes, extravagant dinners and luxury travel, are scheduled for trial on November 1, 2021. They include U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Bruce Loveless; Captains David Newland, James Dolan, Donald Hornbeck and David Lausman; Colonel Enrico DeGuzman; Lt. Commander Stephen Shedd; and Commander Mario Herrera.
This case has resulted in federal criminal charges against 34 Navy officials, defense contractors and the GDMA corporation. So far, 26 of those have pleaded guilty, admitting that they collectively accepted millions of dollars in luxury travel and accommodations, meals, or services of prostitutes from Francis in exchange for helping GDMA win and maintain contracts and overbill the Navy by over $35 million.
“Gorsuch essentially sold his honor for a few nights at the Shangri-La,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Gorsuch sacrificed his integrity for so little and caused so much harm in the process. Today, Gorsuch has admitted his part in this scandal and will be held to account for his conduct.”
Gorsuch was a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Navy, who, from January 2005 to March 2008, served as the Seventh Fleet’s Flag Administration Officer. In this role, he provided administrative support to the Seventh Fleet Commander, department heads, and other senior officers of the Seventh Fleet staff.
According to his plea agreement, Gorsuch admitted to receiving the following bribes from Francis:
On or about February 8, 2007, Gorsuch and others attended a party at the Manila Hotel in Manila, Philippines, for which Francis paid expenses, which totaled approximately $15,000.
On or about February 11, 2007, Gorsuch and others stayed at Francis’s expense at the Shangri-La Hotel in Cebu, Philippines.
From March 1-5, 2007, Gorsuch stayed at Francis’s expense at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
On or about June 17, 2007, Gorsuch and others dined at Francis’s expense at Altitude Shangri-La in Sydney, Australia.
On or about January 19, 2008, defendant and others stayed at Francis’s expense for two nights at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo.
According to admissions in his plea agreement, Gorsuch reciprocated by sending Francis disks containing classified ship schedules for the Navy’s Seventh Fleet. In an email to Francis on October 25, 2007, Gorsuch wrote: “By the way, the two disks … the yellow one is the latest with current C7F sked as briefed to the boss. I will investigate on the dates for the ships you requested and get back to you shortly.” Two days later, Gorsuch, using the same email account, sent Francis an email describing the planned movements of the U.S.S. Tarawa and U.S.S. Hopper for December 17-21, 2007. Likewise, on or about August 3, 2008, Francis emailed Gorsuch at the same email account to make a demand: “I need some [ship schedule] updates. When shall I call you?” Gorsuch responded: “Sked fluctuating a lot right now – should start to solidify next week. Will drop you an e-mail when they are done chopping it up next week and we can talk.
“Mr. Gorsuch's guilty plea unequivocally memorializes his participation in the charged corruption scheme, wherein he and others sacrificed the honor of serving our great nation with distinction in return for personal gain,” said Kelly P. Mayo, the Director of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “The comprehensive joint investigation that exposed Mr. Gorsuch's illegal activities is but one example of the lengths DCIS and its investigative partners will go to pursue justice for the Warfighter and defend the integrity of the men and women who truly exemplify service before self.”
“Mr. Gorsuch will be held fully accountable for accepting lavish gifts in exchange for, among other things, passing classified information to Mr. Francis and GDMA,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain committed to rooting out bribery and corruption wherever it exists and thwarting the potentially grave attendant consequences.”
DEFENDANT Case Number: 17-CR-0623-JLS
Chief Warrant Officer (Retired) Robert Gorsuch Age: 54 Mississippi
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bribery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison, $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Contract Audit Agency
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Richard Howard King, II, 26, was involved in an argument with another individual at a bar in Cross Lanes on March 13, 2021. During the argument, King retrieved a gun from his car and fired a .45 caliber round from it. King admitted that he possessed the round of .45 caliber Tula ammunition that was fired from the gun and that he was prohibited from possessing the ammunition as a result of a 2016 federal conviction. King was still on supervised release for the prior felony conviction at the time.
King pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition and faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 9, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-00008 & 2:15-cr-000218.
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Camden Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute over 1 Kilogram of HeroinRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. B A Camden man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
David Velez, 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (heroin) from June 2018 through November 2018. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Using confidential informants, consensual recordings, over 40 controlled drug purchases, and court-authorized wiretaps, the investigation showed a large-scale drug operation in the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden in 2017-2018. Street-level sellers were supervised by managers, who also resupplied them with pre-packaged heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Velez and his brother, Ramon Velez, sold heroin from the area surrounding his residence on Morgan Boulevard. David Velez was arrested on January 8, 2019.
Nineteen defendants were arrested on drug trafficking charges based on the investigation; 16 defendants have pleaded guilty on drug conspiracy charges, 12 of whom are awaiting sentencing. The remaining three defendants are awaiting trial.
The following co-defendants have been previously sentenced: Kaliel Johnson, 28, sentenced on June 3, 2021, to 110 months in prison; Ramon Velez, 44, sentenced on June 9, 2021, to 10 years in prison; Naeem Sadler, 21, sentenced on July 27, 2021, to 130 months in prison; and William Carrillo, 45, sentenced on Aug. 3, 2021, to 130 months in prison.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced David Velez to five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley S. Benavides; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief William P. Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Sara Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Camden Office.
The charges and allegations against the three defendants awaiting trial are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Calloway County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms, MarijuanaRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Auxvasse, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to growing marijuana and illegally possessing dozens of firearms.
Darrin Dale Smithee, 55, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps Jr. to one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Sept. 21, 2018, Callaway County sheriff’s deputies and members of the MUSTANG Task Force executed a search warrant at Smithee’s residence. Deputies located a room in the basement that contained two large industrial LED lights that ran off 1,000-watt amplifiers, several types of hoses used for ventilation, air filters, fertilizer and a water source. In the same room was a plastic tub containing marijuana stems, branches and leaves.
Also in the basement was a concrete bunker-type room with a bank vault-style door. Smithee used a combination and opened the vault door; officers found 66 firearms inside, including an S&S 12-gauge Street Sweeper, a Rohm .22-caliber rifle, a Smith & Wesson .357-caliber rifle, and a Norinco SKS .762/39 caliber rifle. Officers also found two small hard plastic children’s swimming pools, each of which contained several pounds of marijuana buds that were drying.
Officers searched Smithee’s bedroom and found a loaded pump action pistol grip Mossberg shotgun underneath a mattress. In the closet was a Ruger .22-caliber rifle with a loaded magazine. Officers also found several ounces of marijuana in a clear tub and in several sections of a dresser.
Officers saw marijuana plants during an aerial search of Smithee’s property. Officers then found 29 fully mature marijuana plants during a search of the field.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Smithee has a prior felony conviction for violating an order of protection.
Under federal statutes, Smithee is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the MUSTANG Task Force, the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force, the Fulton, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Missouri National Guard Counter Drug Program.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
California Methamphetamine and Firearm Dealer Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Harjit Singh Dub, age 27, of Moreno Valley, California to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, Dub mailed two parcels, the first parcel contained five kilograms of methamphetamine and another which contained a 39-caliber rifle to a P.O. Box in December 2019. Law enforcement officers intercepted the parcels from a Spencerville, Maryland post office, where they were searched pursuant to search warrants.
After shipping the parcels to Maryland, Dub traveled to Maryland to collect the money for the methamphetamine and rifle in person. As stated in the plea agreement, Dub traveled from California to the Washington National Airport where Dub unknowingly met with an undercover officer. While in route from the airport to Rockville, Maryland, Dub not only stated that he shipped the methamphetamine and the rifle, but that he also could ship firearm silencers and large quantities of cocaine and heroin.
When Dub arrived in Rockville, Maryland where he was arrested by law enforcement.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the DEA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin B. Pulice who prosecuted the case.
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Butte man admits trafficking meth in communityRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Butte man accused of trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the Butte area admitted a drug trafficking crime today, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Travis Bridger Soderberg, 47, of Butte, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Soderberg faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Dec. 21 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. Soderberg was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that from October 2019 until about November 2020 in Butte and elsewhere in Montana, Soderberg distributed meth. Law enforcement learned through various sources that Soderberg would receive pound quantities of meth shipped in the mail from a source in California. When interviewed, Soderberg admitted to dealing meth and that he received shipments of up to 20 pounds of meth. Investigators also determined that Soderberg wired money to California to pay for the meth. Twenty pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 72,480 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Service, Homeland Security Investigations and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Businessman Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Paying Bribes to Federal and D.C. EmployeesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles M. Thomas, 47, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for paying bribes to two employees of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as to an employee of the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in return for favorable treatment on contracts for his business.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, Criminal Division, Christopher Gaffney, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Special Investigations, HUD Office of Inspector General, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Thomas, of Lusby, Md., pleaded guilty in May 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia., to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of conspiracy to pay gratuities and violate the Procurement Integrity Act. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. As part of his plea agreement, he is required to pay restitution to the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education in the amount of $179,999. He also must pay a forfeiture money judgment in the same amount. Additionally, following his prison term, he will be placed on two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Thomas was the sole owner and president of a Maryland company that provided information technology services to agencies of the federal government and educational services to public school children in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. His company had offices in the District of Columbia and Virginia and dozens of employees.
In his guilty plea, Thomas admitted to carrying out three schemes. One involved his dealings with a former management analyst of OSSE, an agency of the District of Columbia government. The others involved his dealings with a former contract oversight specialist and a former supervisory contract specialist with HUD.
In 2013 and 2014, according to the government’s evidence, Thomas made approximately $53,000 in payments to OSSE employee Shauntell Harley. In return, she provided him with information needed to create fraudulent invoices reflecting the provision of early intervention services that Thomas’s company did not provide. All told, Harley used her official position to cause $179,999 in payments to be made to Thomas’s company for work that was not performed.
The activities involving HUD took place from approximately 2010 to 2015. Thomas provided HUD employee Kevin Jones with tickets to sporting events, travel, cash, and other items worth more than $50,000, in exchange for Jones providing Thomas and his company with non-public information about pending HUD contracts. Thomas provided the second employee, former supervisor LaFonda Lewis, with tickets to sporting events, designer handbags, cash, and other items, worth more than $23,000, in exchange for non-public information about contracts.
Harley pleaded guilty to charges involving two bribery schemes in March 2018 and was sentenced to 56 months in prison. Lewis pleaded guilty to violating the Procurement Integrity Act in January 2019 and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. Jones pleaded guilty to bribery in March 2019 and was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Bornstein, Special Agent in Charge Gaffney, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, HUD’s Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.
They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialists Joshua Fein and Kristy Penny. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who is investigating and prosecuting the matter.
Burnsville Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Burnsville man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2019, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Hashim Salah Haji, 25, was riding in the front passenger seat. When officers ordered Haji to step out of the vehicle, a stolen 9mm Springfield Armory model XD9 pistol fell out of the defendant’s shorts. Officers also found a 50-round large capacity magazine and a 9mm Intratec "Tec 9" model AB10 pistol inside a backpack that was on the floor of the front passenger seat between the defendant's legs. Haji has previous felony convictions in Dakota County, and therefore is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On September 1, 2020, Haji pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin A. Wesley and David P. Steinkamp.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Defrauding TJ Maxx Out of Tens of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Raymond D. Stover, 36, of Buffalo, NY, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, was sentenced to serve 29 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $169,330.03 to TJ Maxx Companies, Inc.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that between May 2014 and August 18, 2018, the defendant participated in a multi-state scheme to defraud TJ Maxx Companies, Inc. (TJX) by engaging in receipt-less returns of stolen merchandise. TJX operates various retail chains, including Marshals and T.J. Maxx. During the course of the scheme, Stover stole items from TJX stores, and then returned the stolen merchandise without a receipt in exchange for a Store Value Credit (SVC) using identification documents in his name and the names of aliases he used. The defendant then sold the SVC gift cards he obtained to individuals and pawnshops for cash.
Specifically, on June 4, 2018, Stover entered a Marshalls store on Military Road in Niagara Falls, NY. Video surveillance captured the defendant taking four men's shirts into a dressing room. While inside the dressing room, Stover placed four non-Marshalls shirts, which were concealed under his own clothes, on the Marshalls hangers, and then placed the non-¬Marshalls merchandise on a rack on the sales floor. The defendant then left the store with the Marshalls merchandise concealed under his own clothes and without paying for the items. Later that same day, Stover went to the Marshalls store on Maple Road in Williamsville, NY, and conducted two receipt-less returns of the four shirts he stole earlier in the day, receiving a total of $157.08 loaded onto TJX SVC gift cards.
During the course of the scheme, Stover received a total of $149,360.11 in TJX SVC gift cards. In addition, TJX Investigators spent $19,969.92 investigating the defendant.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
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Buffalo Man Caught with Cocaine in Car Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jaelyn Castro, 23, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Watkins, who is handling the case, stated that on May 8, 2021, Buffalo Police officers encountered a vehicle that was parked illegally outside of a store located at the intersection of Hampshire Street and Plymouth Avenue. As officers approached the vehicle, they advised the defendant, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, to remain stationary. However, Castro continued to move around in the driver seat. The officers then asked the defendant step out of the vehicle. During a search of Castro, an officer recovered two large baggies containing suspected cocaine.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 17, 2022, before Judge Vilardo.
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Buchanan Woman Sentenced for Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va.– A Buchanan, Virginia woman was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in February to multiple credit card fraud charges.
According to court documents, in three separate instances, Patricia Moseley, 61, using credit card accounts opened by three individuals, CS, RC, and PJ, obtained merchandise from Best Buy on Valley View Boulevard in Roanoke, Virginia.
Moseley pleaded guilty in February 2021 to three counts of access device fraud.
Specifically, on June 30, 2016, Moseley obtained $1,368 in merchandise from Best Buy on Valley View Boulevard in Roanoke, Virginia using the credit card account of PJ without their knowledge or consent.
On July 6, 2016, Moseley obtained $2,737 in merchandise using the credit card account of CS, without their permission or knowledge.
Moseley admitted to using the credit card accounts of CS, RC, and PJ to obtain a total of $5,475 in merchandise without the permission or knowledge of the card holders.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Secret Service, and the Virginia State Police.
Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Brooklyn Woman Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Intrusion into Credit Union’s Computer SystemRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Juliana Barile pleaded guilty to one count of computer intrusion arising from the defendant’s unauthorized intrusion into, and destruction of data on, the computer system of a New York credit union (the “Credit Union”) following her termination as an employee of the Credit Union. The guilty plea took place before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. When sentenced, Barile faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“In an act of revenge for being terminated, Barile surreptitiously accessed the computer system of her former employer, a New York Credit Union, and deleted mortgage loan applications and other sensitive information maintained on its file server,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis. “Protecting private financial data from being compromised or destroyed by unauthorized computer intrusions is an important priority of this Office.” Ms. Kasulis also thanked New York City Police Department for their valuable assistance with the case.
“Ms. Barile may have thought she was getting back at her employer by deleting files, however she did just as much harm to customers. Her petty revenge not only created a huge security risk for the bank, but customers also depending on paperwork and approvals to pay for their homes were left scrambling,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “An insider threat can wreak just as much havoc, if not more, than an external criminal. The bank and customers are now faced with the tremendous headache of fixing one employee's selfish actions.”
According to court filings, Barile was fired from her position as a part-time employee with the Credit Union on May 19, 2021. Two days later, on May 21, 2021, Barile remotely accessed the Credit Union’s file server and deleted more than 20,000 files and almost 3,500 directories, totaling approximately 21.3 gigabytes of data. The deleted data included files related to mortgage loan applications and the Credit Union’s anti-ransomware protection software. Barile also opened confidential files. After she accessed the computer server without authorization and destroyed files, Barile sent text messages to a friend explaining that “I deleted their shared network documents,” referring to the Credit Union’s share drive. To date, the Credit Union has spent approximately $10,000 in remediating Barile’s unauthorized intrusion and destruction of data.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Cybercrime Task Force and the National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys David K. Kessler and Meredith A. Arfa are in charge of the prosecution.
The Eastern District of New York’s Cybercrime Task Force was formed in May 2021 to combat cybercrime, which is proliferating in the United States, including in this district, as well as internationally. The Task Force’s goals are to initiate cybercrime investigations and prosecutions, disseminate information about emerging cybercrime issues and trends, and heighten awareness about a wide variety of cybercrime schemes. The Task Force works with our traditional law enforcement partners, including the FBI, the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Task Force also coordinates with regulatory partners, including the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, as well as state and local counterparts, such as the New York State Department of Financial Services, New York City Cyber Command and the New York City Police Department.
Defendant:
JULIANA BARILE
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-441 (ENV)
Bozeman business owner admits evading taxesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman business owner today admitted tax evasion charges after an investigation determined he under reported his income for two years to avoid paying at least $41,000 in taxes, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Brandon Robert Wilson, 37, owner and operator of Shedhorn Construction, Inc. (SCI), pleaded guilty to two counts of tax evasion. There was no plea agreement in the case. Wilson faces a maximum five years in prison, a $100,000 fine, and three years of supervised release on each count.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Dec. 21 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. Wilson was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged federal agents received information that Wilson was claiming personal expenses as business deductions on his taxes and was writing his name, rather than the company’s name, on invoices so payments from clients would go directly to him. Investigators found that Wilson claimed $179,101 of gross receipts for SCI in 2014, but that he was paid approximately $331,350, for an understatement of $152,248. In 2015, Wilson reported business income totaling $193,528, but that the company made $259,133, resulting in an understatement of $65,605. Investigators determined that—assuming he properly reported legitimate business expenses as deductions--Wilson owes additional taxes of $36,353 for 2014 and $4,799 for 2015. Wilson indicated his intention to contest the loss amount. The parties will submit a request for a hearing to determine the extent of Wilson’s outstanding tax liability prior to sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation.
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Berwick Man Charged with over $400,000 in Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Hayes D. Horner, Jr., age 67, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with perpetrating a wire fraud 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.
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 United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the Information alleges that Horner aided 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 other, unknowing individuals. 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.
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.
Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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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Baltimore County Hit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Murder-for-Hire and Extortion ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Stepfen Gerard Gaither, age 30, of Randallstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges for a murder-for-hire conspiracy and for interstate communications with intent to extort, in connection to the extortion and planned murder of a Baltimore County restaurant owner and his partner over a debt, as well as to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and heroin.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, Gaither was hired by codefendant Clement Robert Mercaldo, Jr. to send messages threatening victims and their families in order to extort money. During the course of the plots, Mercaldo paid Gaither to vandalize a victim’s car and set fire to a victim’s house as part of the plot to extort. Later, Mercaldo agreed to pay Gaither to murder a victim. Gaither also possessed with the intent to distribute 723 pills containing fentanyl and heroin that were marked as Oxycontin.
“Over the Spring of 2019, Stepfen Gaither terrorized a family in Baltimore County, including setting one victim’s house on fire, sending threatening messages and plotting the murder of a restaurant owner,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner. “Thanks to terrific investigative work by the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department, Gaither and his co-conspirator were stopped before they succeeded in their murder-for-hire plot. Hopefully these convictions will send a message of deterrence to others who are contemplating threats and violence to advance their business interests or settle their disputes.”
“This case serves as a reminder to those offenders who are a menace in our neighborhoods by committing violent acts, that the FBI continues to protect the public and hold accountable those who have such bold disregard for the law and more importantly human life,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobicinski.
“The charges in this case are highly disturbing as they demonstrate a blatant disregard for human life,” said Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt. “After extensive investigation, detectives from the Baltimore County Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence and Arson Teams worked collaboratively with federal prosecutors to hold these defendants accountable for the acts of violence they committed and conspired to commit in Baltimore County.”
Between 2008 and 2017, Mercaldo, a former restaurant owner, loaned over $1 million to the victim. The victim repaid Mercaldo until 2019, when he was unable to make further payments. As a result, Mercaldo was in significant financial distress, causing him to sell personal belongings in order to continue to pay his expenses.
Beginning in March 2019, Mercaldo hired Gaither to assist in his plot to collect the debt through a variety of extortionate means. Mercaldo gave at least $1,000 in cash to Gaither in exchange for Gaither agreeing to send threatening messages to the victim and destroy the victim’s property, with the intent to pressure the victim to repay Mercaldo.
According to Gaither’s plea agreement, on March 10, 2019, Gaither traveled to the victim’s residence to conduct surveillance, and contacted Mercaldo by cell phone while he was at the residence. Just prior to March 28, 2019, Mercaldo traveled to Florida. On the evening of March 28, 2019, Gaither again traveled to the victim’s residence and an object smashed the windows of the victim’s car, while the car was in his driveway. Mercaldo returned from Florida on March 29th, when he supplied Gaither with another cash payment. Mercaldo also provided Gaither with the phone number to the victim’s restaurant. Immediately before and after the windows were smashed, Gaither used an anonymous texting application to threaten the victim. The messages referenced a debt and threatened the victim’s wife. In the first few days of April 2019, Gaither also placed calls to the victim in which he took responsibility for smashing the windows and then threatened the victim’s wife.
On April 10, 2019, at Mercaldo’s request, Gaither, using the same number used to contact the victim, sent Mercaldo a message falsely purporting to be from a person from Delaware who was trying to collect money and threatening Mercaldo’s son. Mercaldo asked Gaither to send this message so that Mercaldo could show it to the police when he was questioned about the victim’s smashed windows and other threats.
On April 12, 2019, Mercaldo was interviewed by a detective from the Baltimore County Police Department, regarding the destruction of property at the victim’s residence. Mercaldo falsely told the detective that he too had been receiving threatening messages from a person identifying themselves as “Robin.” Mercaldo then showed the detective the fake message Gaither sent him two days earlier, which included a screen shot of Mercaldo’s son playing lacrosse at his high school. Mercaldo also provided detectives with a false story about his loan to the victim, claiming that he obtained the money he loaned the victim from an unnamed person in Michigan, who loaned the money to Mercaldo at a high interest rate, and that Mercaldo pays this person in cash on the first of the month after receiving an anonymous text message providing the location to meet for the transaction. Additionally, Mercaldo told the detective that he returned home from Florida on March 29, 2019 to find that the windshield of his Mercedes was also smashed, although he did not report it to the police. Mercaldo stated that he believed that the smashing of his windshield was related to the smashing of the victim’s windshield. In truth, Mercaldo’s windshield was damaged by a rock from another car and was repaired on March 14, 2019, two weeks prior to the vandalism of the victim’s car.
From April 2019 through July 2019, Mercaldo withdrew more than $5,000 in cash from his bank account, which he paid to Gaither, who deposited similar amounts of cash into his bank account. For example, on April 26, 2019, May 7, 2019, and May 15, 2019, Mercaldo withdrew a total of $4,000 cash from his bank account in Maryland, and between May 3rd and July 19th, Gaither deposited $2,514 into his account. The purpose of the payments was for Giather to set fire to the victim’s home.
After conducting surveillance at the victim’s house on July 29 and August 1, 2019, at Mercaldo’s direction, in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 4, 2019, Gaither traveled to the victim’s house, where he again conducted surveillance. While the victim and his wife were asleep upstairs, a rear basement window at the house was broken and a flammable liquid was ignited. Gaither left the area when he heard emergency vehicles responding to the fire.
The victim and his wife were awoken by the smoke detectors, and escaped the fire with the family cat. Although no injuries were sustained to the family or emergency responders, the fire caused significant damage to the residence and destroyed much of the victim’s personal property. As a result of the damage, the victim and his wife were forced to move out of their home and to live elsewhere. In the days immediately following the arson, Mercado withdrew $1,500 cash from his bank account and gave it to Gaither, who deposited $1,290 in cash into his account.
In August and September 2019, Gaither sent numerous threatening text messages from anonymous texting applications to the victim and his business partner. The messages demonstrated that they were being followed. The threats referenced a debt, and many of the messages threatened to harm the victims and their families. For example, on August 30, 2019, Gaither sent a message to the victim, which referenced the arson as part of the efforts to collect the debt Mercaldo continued to instruct Gaither to send threatening messages and on October 22, 2019, the business partner received the message, “This is the third check you and your partner gave me that bounce i talked to him and he gave me your address saying you is stealing from him and do what i have to do to get my money from you he even gave me pictures of your wife and kids.”
On October 26, 2019, Gaither used the anonymous texting application to arrange for and receive a cash payment from the business partner. The payment was observed and recorded by law enforcement. Immediately after receiving the money, Gaither purchased an Apple watch, and deposited cash onto his account. Gaither and Mercaldo subsequently exchanged text messages for several days about this payment, with Mercaldo stating that the victims told him a payment was made to Gaither and Gaither adamantly denying receiving any money from the victims.
Starting on October 29, 2019, and continuing through at least the end of January 2020, Mercaldo and Gaither began discussing “plan b” – the murder of one or both of the victims for their lack of payment. For example, on November 3, 2019 Mercaldo sent a text to Gaither, “Hope you whack his ass!” On November 8, 2019, Mercaldo texted Gaither, “Nail em plz !!” In January 2020, Gaither conducted surveillance at the residences and business of the victims, taking images and videos and during some of the videos, he narrated how he planned to follow and attack the victim. During two of the videos Gaither is seen holding two different handguns in his vehicle during surveillance. Gaither sent these videos and images to Mercaldo as attachments to numerous text messages, during, and immediately after, many of the incidents of surveillance. Gaither and Mercaldo continued to communicate about the victims and the debt through March 2020 and as late as May 30, 2020.
Gaither and Mercaldo were arrested on June 23, 2020 and remain detained. During the search of Gaither’s house on June 23, 2020, investigators recovered a loaded handgun and ammunition in a safe in Gaither’s dresser drawer. Also found during the search was a permit to carry a handgun – dated April 2, 2020. In the same bedroom, on the top shelf of the closet was a second safe, containing 732 pills marked as 30 mg OxyContin, which has a street value of approximately $22,000. The pills were seized and analyzed by the Baltimore County Police Department Forensic Services Laboratory, and it was determined that the pills contained a detectable amount of fentanyl and heroin. Next to the safe in Gaither’s bedroom closet was a Glock handgun box containing two boxes with a total of 68 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The arson at the victim’s residence in August 2019 caused an estimated $302,774.89 of damage to the dwelling and contents, and a loss to the insurance company of $353,340.66 as a direct result of the fire.
A subsequent examination of Gaither’s phone revealed drug trafficking activity, going back at least three years, including text messages discussing the wholesale purchase and sale of narcotics, including messages in June 2020, just days before Gaither’s arrest. The phone also contained images of large quantities of apparent narcotics, and two June 2020 videos of the defendant using a digital scale to weigh apparent crack cocaine. Gaither’s phone contained numerous images and videos of firearms over several years.
Clement Robert Mercaldo, Jr., age 62, of Timonium, Maryland pleaded guilty to his role in the murder-for-hire on August 5, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
Gaither and the Government have agreed that, if the court accepts the guilty plea, Gaither will be sentenced to between 11 and 13 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2023 at 2:000 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case.
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Armed Montgomery County Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Ronnie Hammond, age 21, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division, and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to his guilty plea, during the course of their investigation of Hammond, MCPD officers recovered several cellular phones that revealed Hammond’s drug trafficking activity. Hammond routinely coordinated with dealers and suppliers to distribute marijuana. On at least five instances, law enforcement intercepted Hammond’s coded conversations with several co-conspirators regarding drug transactions.
For example, on August 30, 2019, Hammond told Co-conspirator 1 that his stash house was “dry” and Co-Conspirator 1 warned Hammond that law enforcement was in the area in “plain clothes”. Hammond stated that his source of supply just contacted him. Co-Conspirator 1 then asked for Hammond to sell him an eighth of marijuana and he just sold out. Following the previous conversation, one of Hammond’s suppliers sent Hammond a picture of high-quality marijuana and quoted a price of $600.
As stated in his plea agreement, on November 19, 2019, MCPD officers conducted undercover surveillance in a parking lot. During the surveillance, officers observed a male and female on a picnic table smoking marijuana. Officer then observed the two individuals get into a sedan that parked in an adjacent parking lot.
Officers approached the vehicle and knocked on the driver’s side window. Hammond was seated in the front passenger seat. A MCPD officer asked Hammond if he possessed any marijuana, and he produced a small baggie of marijuana from a satchel. As a result of a search of Hammond, officers recovered a black semi-automatic 9mm pistol loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. Hammond agrees the firearm was possessed to facilitate his drug distribution activities. Officers also recovered additional marijuana, a digital scale, and clear plastic baggies inside of Hammonds satchel. Officers recovered approximately 17 grams of marijuana and $541 in Hammond’s drug proceeds.
Hammond was subsequently arrested and released on several conditions, including that Hammond refrain from participating in any criminal activity. However, while on release, Hammond illegally sold firearms to at least one individual, including two 9mm handguns.
Hammond and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Hammond will be sentenced to between 24 months and 36 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge George L. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for December 2, 2021 at 10 a.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly O. Hayes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Harvey, who are prosecuting the case.
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Armed Gang Member Receives 57 Months After Throwing Stolen Gun in Judge’s Parking LotRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Nahledge Vaughn, 20, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on December 9, 2020, the Wilmington Police Department was utilizing enhanced patrols because of an increase in gang associated violence. Officers saw Vaughn who was a passenger in a car driven by another validated gang member. The driver did not have a valid license. Law enforcement attempted to stop the car in the area of 5th and Market Streets in Wilmington. Vaughn jumped out of the car and attempted to flee on foot. Vaughn ran by the New Hanover County Courthouse and threw a stolen loaded Glock handgun into the gated Judge’s parking lot. He was arrested shortly after that. Courthouse Security exited the courthouse and searched the parking lot. They retrieved the firearm. The incident was captured on video.
Vaughn had previously been validated as a gang member by the Wilmington Police Department. Vaughn was on probation for possession of a stolen firearm at the time of his arrest in December and prohibited from possessing a gun. Vaughn was convicted of possessing a stolen handgun in July 2020. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, following a search of Vaughn’s bedroom, found a stolen handgun, a 50-round drum for a Glock handgun, a speed loader and a laser attachment for a handgun in February 2020.
This is part of operation “Obviously Your Not Golfer” which is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Wilmington Police Department, Holly Ridge Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00046-M-1.
Albuquerque drug trafficker sentenced to 32 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Javier Jaquez, 50, of Albuquerque, was sentenced on Aug. 26 to 32 years in federal prison. On Sept. 18, 2020, Jaquez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams and more of heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
In his plea agreement, Jaquez admitted to conspiring with others to sell large amounts of methamphetamine in Albuquerque, which involved others acting at his direction beginning on August 18, 2017, when Jaquez sold one pound of methamphetamine through an intermediary. After several more transactions, Jaquez arranged to sell 20 pounds of methamphetamine on July 27, 2018. According to court records, when law enforcement moved to arrest Jaquez, he attempted to flee with accomplice Freddie Sanchez.
Jaquez admitted to storing drugs at his business, Jaquez Brothers Trucking, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and over 100 grams of heroin. Jaquez also possessed a .45 caliber pistol and two rifles, as well as ammunition for the firearms. As a previously convicted felon, Jaquez cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Jaquez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Sanchez pleaded guilty on Sept. 18, 2020, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possessing a firearm in furtherance of such a crime. On March 19, Sanchez was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. A third co-conspirator, Kevin Garcia-Salas, pleaded guilty on Sept. 18, 2020, to conspiracy to commit drug trafficking and distribution of 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. On Feb. 24, Garcia-Salas was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The Albuquerque Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Field Division investigated this case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF is an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice established in 1982 to combat transnational-organized-crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to enforcement. OCDETF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in concentrated, coordinated, long-term enterprise investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering and major drug trafficking networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Schied prosecuted the case.