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Friday 27 August 2021
Former University of Louisville Coach Sentenced to ProbationRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to probation and a $10,000 fine for attempting to extort money from the University of Louisville.
According to court documents, after Dino Gaudio, 64, of Mooresville, North Carolina, was informed his employment contract as an assistant men’s basketball coach would not be renewed, he attempted to extort money from the University of Louisville. Specifically, Gaudio threatened to report to the media that the University of Louisville men’s basketball program had allegedly violated National College Athletic Association rules in its production of recruiting videos for prospective student-athletes and in its use of graduate assistants in practices, unless he was paid his salary of $25,000 a month for an additional 17 months or received a lump sum payment of $425,000. As part of this threat, Gaudio sent a text message to University of Louisville personnel containing one of the recruiting videos he was threatening to send to the media.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.
The FBI and the University of Louisville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory prosecuted the case.
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Former UNL Student Convicted for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Hunter A. Towle, 19, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for receipt of child pornography. Towle was sentenced to 10 years and 4 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release with special conditions. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Towle was ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution.
This case began when Towle was interviewed by the UNL Police Department (“UNL-PD”) on September 9, 2020 regarding an unrelated matter. During the interview, UNL-PD received consent to review the photos on Towle’s iPhone 8 Plus. The investigator immediately saw child pornography on the phone. The iPhone 8 Plus was seized, and a search warrant was received to search the phone. Subsequently, through further investigation, UNL-PD discovered that Towle had been the main suspect in the investigation of two cyber tips issued by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) that had been examined by the Nebraska State Patrol (“NSP”) earlier in 2020. NSP contacted Towle in April of 2020 to discuss these cyber tips. Towle admitted to sharing the child pornography images and told the NSP investigator that he would stop and seek medical assistance.
After UNL-PD seized Towle’s phone on September 9, 2020, additional search warrants were received including a warrant for a residential search. During the residential search on October 6, 2020, an additional cellphone of Towle’s – a Motorola Droid – was seized. A forensic download of Towle’s iPhone 8 Plus revealed 1,323 videos of child pornography and 48 image files of child pornography. A forensic download of Towle’s Motorola Droid cellular phone revealed 26 images of child pornography—which he had received subsequent to the September 9, 2020 interview by UNL-PD.
UNL-PD additionally received a search warrant for Towle’s Instagram account he had used to trade child pornography. A review of the Instagram account revealed consistent attempts by Towle to trade child pornography with other Instagram users. The Instagram account additionally revealed conversations between Towle and others in which he discussed methods of trading child pornography that would be hidden from law enforcement detection because he had previously been caught.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department.
Former Priest and “Shelter Home” Operator Indicted for Illicit Sexual Conduct Against MinorsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned an indictment yesterday charging a U.S. citizen and resident of Timor Leste with seven counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court documents, Richard Jude Daschbach, 84, is a former priest who is alleged to have engaged in illicit sexual conduct with minor victims in Timor Leste starting in at least 2013. As alleged, Daschbach operated a “shelter home” for children in Timor Leste. Victims disclosed that Daschbach sexually abused them when they were children and resided in the shelter home. Daschbach was defrocked by the Catholic church after some of the victims disclosed the abuse to the church. Daschbach is currently facing related child sexual exploitation charges in Timor Leste. In addition, in 2019, a grand jury in the Northern District of California returned an indictment against Daschbach for wire fraud in connection with his fundraising activity for the shelter home.
““This indictment represents a significant step toward accountability for harms suffered by multiple vulnerable children allegedly victimized by this defendant,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I’d like to thank the hardworking investigative and prosecution teams for their work today and every day to ensure that child predators face justice and children are kept safe.
”This case shows that we will use the full extent of the law to prosecute U.S. citizens who allegedly prey on children, no matter how far we must go to bring them to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we must ensure that people placed in positions of trust do not betray their responsibilities to help the children who depend upon them.”
Daschbach is charged with seven counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, Timor Leste. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorneys Jessica Urban and Alicia A. Bove of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Larson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) provided assistance.
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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Priest and ‘Shelter Home’ Operator Indicted for Illicit Sexual Conduct Against MinorsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned an indictment yesterday charging a U.S. citizen and resident of Timor Leste with seven counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court documents, Richard Jude Daschbach, 84, is a former priest who is alleged to have engaged in illicit sexual conduct with minor victims in Timor Leste starting in at least 2013. As alleged, Daschbach operated a “shelter home” for children in Timor Leste. Victims disclosed that Daschbach sexually abused them when they were children and resided in the shelter home. Daschbach was defrocked by the Catholic church after some of the victims disclosed the abuse to the church. Daschbach is currently facing related child sexual exploitation charges in Timor Leste. In addition, in 2019, a grand jury in the Northern District of California returned an indictment against Daschbach for wire fraud in connection with his fundraising activity for the shelter home.
Today’s indictment represents a significant step toward accountability for harms suffered by multiple vulnerable children allegedly victimized by this defendant,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I’d like to thank the hardworking investigative and prosecution teams for their work today and every day to ensure that child predators face justice and children are kept safe.”
“This case shows that we will use the full extent of the law to prosecute U.S. citizens who allegedly prey on children, no matter how far we must go to bring them to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we must ensure that people placed in positions of trust do not betray their responsibilities to help the children who depend upon them.”
Daschbach is charged with seven counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, Timor Leste. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorneys Jessica Urban and Alicia A. Bove of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Larson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) provided assistance.
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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Cisco Executive Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Fraud Scheme and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Prithviraj “Roger” Bhikha, a former Senior Director of Global Supplier Management of Cisco Systems, Inc. (Cisco), was sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to Cisco and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service following his wire fraud and tax convictions, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Michael Daniels. The sentence was handed down on August 25, 2021, by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
Bhikha, 52, of San Francisco, was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the filing of a false and fraudulent tax return. He pleaded guilty to these crimes earlier pursuant to a plea agreement filed November 19, 2020.
In his November 2020 plea agreement, Bhikha stated he was employed at Cisco from 1999 to 2017, and in about 2013 Cisco assigned him to lead a new project called “Project New York.” Project New York’s goal was to enable Cisco to retain third-party vendors to negotiate savings with manufacturers on certain parts used by Cisco to assemble Cisco products. Bhikha admitted in his plea agreement that he received kickback payments from a vendor retained by Cisco to do Project New York work. Bhikha further admitted that he created his own company to serve as a vendor for Project New York – despite Cisco’s prohibition against purchasing goods or services from its own employees – and concealed it from Cisco.
As to kickback payments, Bhikha met in early 2014 with the president of one of Project New York’s first two vendors. In his plea agreement, Bhikha admitted he asked the executive to provide kickbacks to him from Cisco’s payments to the vendor. The vendor’s president complied and ultimately paid a total of $1.15 million to a bank account bearing the name of a company Bhikha formed in Hong Kong: Lucena Limited (Lucena).
Bhikha further admitted in his plea agreement that, following transfer of official control of Lucena to his wife, he arranged for Lucena to become the third vendor retained by Cisco for Project New York. Between August 2014 and April 2017 Cisco paid Lucena, and its related company Bhikha established in Singapore, a total of $10.06 million for performing price-negotiation services under Project New York. Bhikha admitted in his plea agreement that he actively concealed his connection with Lucena from Cisco, including going so far as to having an imposter pose as Lucena’s CEO in a 2016 Cisco meeting held in Northern California. At the meeting, which Bhikha attended, the imposter presented false information about Lucena that was material to Cisco in its determination to continue business with Lucena.
Cisco terminated Bhikha when his connection to Lucena came to light in 2017. In his plea agreement Bhikha admitted that prior to his termination he never advised Cisco: (a) that he or his wife were employed by or had an ownership, control, or financial interest in the Lucena entities; (b) that Bhikha or his wife had a personal interest in or personally benefitted from the payments that Cisco made to those entities; or (c) that he had requested and received kickback payments from a Cisco vendor. Bhikha further admitted he knew that if Cisco discovered these facts, Cisco would likely terminate his employment and any business relationship Cisco had with Lucena entities.
Bhikha also admitted in his plea agreement that he and his wife repatriated more than $9 million from foreign accounts held in the Lucena entities’ names and that he intentionally failed to inform his tax preparers of the repatriated income, meaning that those amounts would not be included in his tax returns for 2014 through 2017. Bhikha admitted and the Court concluded that this omission resulted in Bhikha’s underpayment of federal income taxes by more than $2.5 million.
In addition to a 36-month prison term, United States District Judge Breyer ordered Bhikha to pay $1.15 million in restitution to Cisco and more than $2.5 million to the IRS. Judge Breyer further ordered the forfeiture of two pieces of real estate in San Francisco as proceeds of Bhikha’s crimes. Bhikha remains out of custody on bond and is ordered to surrender into custody on October 28, 2021.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle F. Waldinger and Chris Kaltsas prosecuted the case with the assistance of Kathy Tat, Claudia Hyslop, and Carolyn Caparas. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Former Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing InmatesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Phillip Golightly, 39, of Quincy, Florida, was sentenced to 24-months in federal prison following his conviction for sexual abuse of a ward while on duty at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee. The sentence, following the defendant’s guilty plea on October 16, 2020, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents reflect that while employed as a U.S. Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer, Golightly sexually assaulted female inmates who were then under his custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority at the Federal Correctional Institutions in Marianna and Tallahassee, Florida.
Golightly’s prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to sex offender conditions.
Assistant United States Attorney Lazaro P. Fields prosecuted the case, which resulted from an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Five Plead Guilty to Pandemic Unemployment Fraud, Mail Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va.– Five Southwest Virginia residents who conspired with more than 30 others to defraud the United States government by filing fraudulent claims for more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits, mail fraud and associated offenses pleaded guilty this week and last in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
According to court documents, Patrick Payne, 43, Randall Johnson, 42, Steven Mullins Jr., 33, Curtis Mullins, 25 and Melinda Davis, 58, conspired with others to file claims for pandemic unemployment benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) website. The scheme involved submitting claims for various individuals who were not eligible to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, including for numerous inmates incarcerated in southwest Virginia regional jails. To date, 19 of the co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to their roles in the broader conspiracy.
Conspiracy members lied on the filings as part of the scheme to make filers appear eligible for benefits. Because pandemic unemployment benefits were paid weekly, each of those filings re-verified and re-certified the false statements on numerous occasions throughout the scheme.
In all, the conspiracy filed fraudulent claims for approximately 37 individuals, causing at least $499,000 in false claims to be have been paid. In addition to those indicted, eight co-conspirators have already entered into plea agreements with the United States.
“These five individuals used a carefully orchestrated series of lies to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for Virginians struggling during a once-in-a-generation global health pandemic,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said today. “The Department of Justice is grateful to the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and the Virginia Employment Commission for their hard work and commitment to investigating these cases and bringing these individuals to justice.”
“Investigating those who fraudulently take funds from pandemic relief programs will continue to be a focus of IRS-CI. These programs were put into place to assist those struggling through the global crisis, not to be used for personal enrichment,” said Darrell J. Waldon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Washington DC Field Office.
“Patrick Payne, Randall Johnson, Steven Mullins Jr., Curtis Mullins and Melinda Davis, conspired with others to defraud the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program by filing for and receiving benefits that they and others were not entitled to receive. The United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is grateful for our partnerships with the Virginia Employment Commission and our many law enforcement partners. We also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued efforts to prosecute those who violate public benefit programs and commit fraud,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Each of the individuals pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, along with State and local partners including the Norton Police Department and Russell County Sheriff’s Office, are investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .
Felon Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded Handguns in HartfordRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYSHAWN TURNER, 36, formerly of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing two firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 4:40 a.m. on August 5, 2018, Hartford Police dispersed an illegal after-hours party on Belden Street in Hartford. When police arrived, Turner agreed to take two firearms from an associate, who was on federal supervised release, and then attempted to hide them in a parked car. Turner was arrested on state charges after officers saw him, searched the car, and found a loaded .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a loaded .38 Special revolver. The revolver had been reported stolen in New Haven in 2011.
Prior to August 2018, Turner was convicted in state court of firearm and robbery offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On October 29, 2020, Turner pleaded guilty to possession of firearms by a felon.
Turner is currently released on a $75,000 bond and residing in Windsor. He is required to report to prison on October 27, 2021.
As a special condition of his supervised release, Turner is prohibited from entering Hartford without the permission of the U.S. Probation Office.
This matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor Reardon and Brendan Keefe.
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.
Federal Prisoner Indicted for Illegal Contraband and EscapeRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – William Brett Brownell, 30, of Milton, Florida, was arraigned on charges of possession of contraband by a federal prisoner, introduction of contraband to a federal prison, and escape. The indictment was announced today by Jason R. Coody, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges that between October 2019 and June 2020, Brownell obtained, possessed, and distributed to fellow prisoners at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola various prohibited items, including marijuana, alcohol, cell phones, and tobacco products. Brownell was in the midst of serving a 70-month sentence for marijuana trafficking and money laundering convictions. The indictment also alleges that around approximately the same time frame, Brownell escaped from custody by failing to remain within prison limits.
Brownell faces up to five years’ imprisonment on each count, and any sentence on the contraband charges must be consecutive to his current prison sentence. Trial for Brownell is scheduled for October 4, 2021, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Eglin Air Force Base 96th Test Wing Legal Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Forbes is prosecuting this case.
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 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.
Dominican National Sentenced for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national previously residing in Lawrence was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for fentanyl conspiracy charges.
Enmanuel Brioso Fabal, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 7, 2021, Brioso Fabal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more fentanyl, one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl.
Brioso Fabal was a member of a drug trafficking organization that included co-defendants Jimenez Minyetty, Guillermo Aybar-Guerrero and Nieves Guzman. On Aug. 5, 2019 and Sept. 26, 2019, investigators conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Brioso Fabal of approximately 500 fentanyl pills and approximately 56 grams of fentanyl powder, respectively. On Nov. 2, 2019, a search was executed at a stash house in Lawrence associated with the drug organization where various drug distribution paraphernalia, including a mixing bowl containing suspected fentanyl, sifters and blenders were recovered.
On May 12, 2021, Guzman was sentenced by Judge Casper to time served (approximately 18 months in prison). Guzman will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. On May 27, 2021, Jimenez Minyetty was sentenced by Judge Casper to eight years in prison and four years of supervised release. Jimenez Minyetty will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
Aybar-Guerrero pleaded guilty in June 2021. He is awaiting a consolidated sentencing for his role in this case and in a separate fentanyl conspiracy, which is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco Announces Creation of New Cyber Fellows PositionsRead the Press Release
Today, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the creation of a new Cyber Fellowship program, designed to develop a new generation of prosecutors and attorneys equipped to handle emerging national security threats.
“As we have witnessed this past year, cyber threats pose a significant and increasing risk to our national security, our economic security, and our personal security,” said Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “We need to develop the next generation of prosecutors with the training and experience necessary to combat the next generation of cyber threats. This Fellowship gives attorneys a unique opportunity to gain the well-rounded experience they need to tackle the full range of those threats.”
The creation of the Fellowship, which will be coordinated through the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, is a recommendation from the department’s ongoing comprehensive cyber review, ordered by Deputy Attorney General Monaco this past May. The review is aimed at developing actionable recommendations to enhance and expand the Justice Department’s efforts against cyber threats.
Cyber Fellowship Details
The three-year Cyber Fellowship will provide selected attorneys experience combating emerging national security and criminal cyber threats, while rotating through multiple department components that protect the nation from cyber threats — including the Criminal Division, the National Security Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. Through this unique opportunity, Fellows will handle a broad range of the cyber cases performed by the department and gain a comprehensive understanding of the department’s response to emerging and critical threats. Fellows can expect to investigate and prosecute state-sponsored cyber threats; transnational criminal groups; infrastructure and ransomware attacks; and the use of cryptocurrency and money laundering to finance and profit from cyber-based crimes.
Incoming Fellows must agree to a three-year commitment to the program and be able to secure a Top Secret security clearance. All Fellows will be based in the Washington, D.C. area. Fellows may be extended or converted to permanent positions without further competition or may reapply to the Honors Program in a subsequent year provided they meet eligibility criteria. Alternatively, as they approach the end of their three-year term, Fellows may apply to permanent positions within the department that align with their interest.
Application Details
The first track of Cyber Fellowship applications will be accepted through the Justice Department’s Honors Program application portal, which can be found here. Applicants who have applied to or are in the process of applying to this year’s Honors Program should indicate that they would also like to be considered for the Cyber Fellowship. Candidates must meet Honors Program eligibility criteria to apply through the Honors application portal. The deadline for this first round is Sept. 8. Information regarding deadlines and eligibility to submit applications to the Cyber Fellowship through subsequent tracks is forthcoming.
Inquiries about the Cyber Fellowship can be submitted to [email protected].
Crownpoint man sentenced to 10 years in prison for injuring children during drive-by shooting in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eli Woody, 27, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty in federal court today to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Indian Country and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, Woody was a passenger in a vehicle that pulled up next to a home located in Crownpoint on the Navajo Nation. Woody fired a shotgun from the vehicle and into the home. Woody admitted that knew the home was occupied with people, including children. Inside the home, two children were shot and suffered serious bodily injury.
Upon his release from prison, Woody will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation and the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David P. Cowen and Elisa C. Dimas prosecuted the case.
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Crestview Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing an Unregistered Machine GunRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Frank Miller Freeman, III, 30, of Crestview, Florida, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a machine gun, and possession of an unregistered firearm with no serial number. The sentence was announced today by Jason R. Coody, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
On November 10, 2020, Freeman was pulled over by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies with a loaded Ruger pistol and a .300 blackout caliber M16-type machine gun with a loaded 60-round magazine attached. The machine gun was fully automatic and contained no serial number or manufacturer markings, and it was not registered as required by federal law. Freeman had previously been convicted of multiple drug felonies.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Forbes prosecuted the case.
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.
Cortland County Woman Sentenced to 45 Years for Child Sexual Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Sarah R. Gates, age 40, of Cortland, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 540 months (45 years) in prison for conspiring and acting together with co-defendant Christopher Perry to sexually exploit a child under five years of age for the purpose of producing images of the abuse. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of her prior guilty plea to a three-count Information, Gates admitted that on several occasions in 2017, she and Perry performed sexual acts on the child while taking photographs of the abuse, using two cell phones.
Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Gates is released from prison. As a result of her conviction, Gates will also be required to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison.
Perry previously pled guilty to the same offenses and was sentenced, on November 3, 2020, to 540 months (45 years) in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the City of Cortland Police Department, and the New York State Police-Computer Crimes Unit, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sahar L. Amandolare and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Convicted Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Albany resident with several prior felony convictions pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm resulting from a Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) investigation.
Lenwood Thomas, 40, of Albany, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Wednesday, August 25. As an armed career criminal, Thomas faces a minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by a maximum of five years of supervised release. Sentencing has not been scheduled, but will occur within 90 days. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed career criminals like Lenwood Thomas who repeatedly break the law while in possession of guns will face federal prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with the local community and our state and federal partners, we will hold repeat offenders accountable for their crimes and do everything in our power to decrease violent crime across Southwest Georgia.”
According to court documents, Thomas was on parole when officers with the Department of Community Supervision (DCS) and Dougherty County Police Department conducted a search of his home on February 28, 2020, based on evidence that Thomas was conducting illegal drug sales, in violation of the law and of his parole conditions. Officers found a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the home, along with illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia. At the time the firearm was found in his possession, Thomas had numerous felony convictions. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. Following that incident, Thomas was arrested on an unrelated matter on June 14, 2021. At the time, Thomas had outstanding arrest warrants and was spotted by an investigator with the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit. During the attempted stop, Thomas drove away from the officers, committing numerous traffic violations in an attempt to escape but eventually lost control of his vehicle. When his vehicle came to rest in a ditch, Thomas ran away from the scene and was chased by an officer. During the foot chase, Thomas threw items of out a bag he was carrying, including illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia and a BMW key fob. When he was in custody at the Dougherty County Jail, Thomas was recorded telling a family member that he had “5 ½ outfits” in the trunk of his BMW and asked the family member to get in touch with “Trell” as he would know what to do with them. Officers sought and obtained a search warrant for the BMW, finding 167.4 grams of cocaine in the trunk and a 9mm pistol.
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.
The case was investigated by the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Dougherty County Police Department, and Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Ellis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Colorado Man Sentenced to 15 Years on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Denver, Colorado, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 17, 2021, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Emilio Hernandez, age 38, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 19, 2018, and pleaded guilty on April 21, 2021. Hernandez was found to knowingly be in possession of methamphetamine in April 2018 in Rapid City after Hernandez came into contact with law enforcement. Hernandez intended to distribute the methamphetamine.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Hernandez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Co-Owner of North Carolina Durable Medical Equipment Company Sentenced to Prison for Role in Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Morehead City woman was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on a charge of Making Material False Statements Relating to Healthcare Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a)(2). Shelly Phillips Bandy, 41, was also ordered to make restitution of $374,809.92, jointly and severally with her company, A Perfect Fit For You, Inc. (APFFY). Bandy is also liable for a civil judgment of $34,708,945.42 arising from the same conduct.
According to court documents, APFFY was a durable medical equipment provider located in Morehead City, North Carolina. Durable medical equipment includes items such as powered wheelchairs, orthotic braces, diabetic shoes, powered air flotation beds, osteogenesis stimulators, pneumatic compressors, etc. Between March 2015 and November 2016, one or more employees of APFFY submitted fraudulent billings claims to Medicaid for providing durable medical equipment to Medicaid recipients. These fraudulent claims contained the personal identifying information of Medicaid recipients who had never ordered nor received any durable medical equipment from APFFY. In fact, some of the patients had been deceased years before the false claims were even submitted. This scheme resulted in an estimated loss to Medicaid of approximately $10,069,361.35.
After appointment of a receiver, APFFY self-reported suspected fraudulent activity to the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division. Thereafter, the company cooperated throughout the investigation.
On December 13, 2017, and based on the conduct described above, the United States and State of North Carolina filed a civil complaint under the federal and state False Claims Acts against APFFY and its owners Margaret Gibson, and Bandy. The federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts mandate that the Governments recover triple the money falsely obtained, plus substantial civil penalties for each false claim submitted. To resolve those claims, the APFFY agreed to pay $20,138,722.70, while Gibson has agreed to pay $4,000,000. As for Bandy, the United States and State of North Carolina obtained a $34,708,945.42 default judgment against her in the civil action. It should be noted that the civil claims against A Perfect Fit for You, Inc. and Gibson are allegations only and were resolved by settlement. There was no judicial determination or admission of liability as to them in the civil case.
In addition to the civil case, APFFY pled guilty to a Criminal Information charging Health Care Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347. On March 2, 2021, the company was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay a $2,000,000 fine in addition to paying $10,069,361.35 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid Program on a charge of Healthcare Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347.
On December 29, 2020, Bandy pled guilty to making false statements relating to health care matters in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035. Bandy admitted to submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid on behalf of APFFY. Specifically, Bandy admitted that on January 1, 2016, she billed Medicaid for 43 fraudulent claims, totaling $626,773.79. Medicaid subsequently paid $374,809.92 for those claims.
Today, in ordering Bandy to serve 30 months in federal prison, the court noted that as a society, citizens have decided to provide healthcare for the very poorest among us. In doing so, the Court noted that the Medicaid program is a system of trust. “The whole system is built on honesty,” the court stated. “If you break faith with the honor system that we built to care for the least among us, a person who does that needs to know … you will go to a penitentiary.” In stating this, the Court expressly rejected the defendant’s argument for a probationary sentence.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Medicaid Investigations Division (MID) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore is the prosecutor on the criminal case, while Assistant United States Attorney C. Michael Anderson represented the United States in the civil case. Special Deputy Attorneys General F. Edward Kirby, Jr. and Michael M. Berger, who also serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorneys, represented the United States and the State of North Carolina in the civil case.
The MID investigates and prosecutes health care providers that defraud the Medicaid program, patient abuse of Medicaid recipients, patient abuse of any patient in facilities that receive Medicaid funding, and misappropriation of any patients’ private funds in nursing homes that receive Medicaid funding. To report Medicaid fraud or patient abuse in North Carolina, call the MID at 919-881-2320.
The MID receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $6,160,252 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2020. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,053,414 for FY 2020, is funded by the State of North Carolina.
Casa Blanca Man Sentenced for HomicideRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Antonio Daniel Bandin, 21, of Casa Blanca, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 15 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Bandin previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On March 16, 2020, Bandin shot the victim multiple times, resulting in the victim’s death. Bandin is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community.
The Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00553-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021- 056_Bandin# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a San Jose, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 24, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Michael George Sequeira, age 37, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Sequeira was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 17, 2019. He pled guilty on March 8, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning at an unknown date and continuing until on or about December of 2019, when Sequeira knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, agreed with others to distribute a mixture or substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which is a Schedule II controlled substance.
At the time Sequeira voluntarily joined in the agreement, he knew the purpose of said agreement. Sequeira provided over 500 grams of methamphetamine to his co-conspirators in South Dakota, who then would redistribute it to drug customers in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
Sequeira was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Baltimore Home Invasion and Carjacking Assailant Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Rashaad Thomas, age 32, of Baltimore, Maryland to seven and a half years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for carjacking.
The sentence was announced by Acting 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 Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, on October 21, 2017, Thomas forcibly entered a Baltimore City, Maryland residence where he brandished a weapon that resembled a firearm, demanded money, and demanded the keys to the victims’ vehicle. In compliance with Thomas’s demands, the male victim gave Thomas $500, his car keys, and walked Thomas to his vehicle located in the garage. Thomas then entered the vehicle and exited the garage, damaging the vehicle as he left the driveway.
On October 22, 2017, the stolen vehicle was recovered in the 3600 block of Dudley Avenue in Baltimore City, Maryland. The Baltimore City Police Department processed the vehicle for latent prints and discovered several prints that matched Thomas’s known fingerprints.
In addition to the latent prints, cellular telephone data placed Thomas’s cell phone near the location of the residence at the time of the home invasion and carjacking. Further, a BB gun that resembled the weapon described in the home invasion and carjacking was recovered from Thomas.
As stated in his plea agreement, Thomas is also a suspect in at least 17 violent crimes, including robberies, home invasions, and carjackings that occurred between July and October 2017. In many instances, victims report an assailant of Thomas’s description pointing a silver automatic handgun or black handgun to carry out various violent crimes.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. who prosecuted the case.
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Baltimore Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – William Diggs, age 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute, and the distribution of cocaine base.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
According to his guilty plea, from December 2019 to September 2020, Diggs conspired with others to possess and distribute cocaine base in the area of the 2600 block of Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. As a member of a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”), Diggs sold cocaine base, including to two individuals who happened to be confidential informants for law enforcement.
Over the course of four drug transactions, Diggs sold 42 vials of cocaine base as well as an eighth of an ounce of cocaine base to an ATF confidential informant. Additionally, during one drug transaction, the confidential informant asked Diggs if they could purchase a firearm. Diggs told the informant they could purchase a firearm for $200 when he gained possession of the firearm, although he ultimately did not proceed with the firearm transaction.
As stated in his plea agreement, a second confidential informant observed Diggs and two co-conspirators in a Baltimore rowhouse where the confidential informant observed several firearms. Diggs later admitted the firearms were possessed in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
The Baltimore City Police Department’s Drug Analysis Unit confirmed that the substances sold by Diggs to the confidential informants contained the presence of cocaine base.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Diggs and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Diggs will be sentenced to 42 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not scheduled a sentencing hearing at this time.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Stendig, Lindsey N. McCulley and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay DeFrancesco, who are prosecuting the case.
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Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Demarcus Daniels (25, Lake City) to 12 years and 3 months in federal prison for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. The court also ordered Daniels to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed during the offense.
Daniels had pleaded guilty on May 28, 2021.
According to court documents, on the morning of June 24, 2020, Daniels robbed an Ameris Bank branch in Lake City. Daniels attacked a bank employee as she unlocked the door to open the branch for the day. During the robbery, Daniels pointed a loaded .32 caliber pistol at the employee and demanded that she open the bank’s safe. After she opened the safe, Daniels removed approximately $310,200 in cash. Daniels then attempted to escape by carjacking another bank employee, who drove away before Daniels could enter her vehicle. Daniels fled on foot, dropping some of the money in the parking lot as he ran. He was apprehended a short time later by the Lake City Police Department in a nearby office park, hiding behind a dumpster.
“The defendant in this case carefully planned a violent act in pursuit of his own personal gain and committed it with zero regard for his victims,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “American banks serve as the bedrock of the U.S. economy, and the FBI remains committed to working alongside our partners to aggressively pursue those who commit acts of violence against these institutions, and to seek justice for victims who are traumatized in the process.”
“We are aware that nationally violent crimes have increased. We are grateful for the assistance from the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office who worked to bring closure and prosecution of this case,” stated Dr. Argatha Gilmore, Chief of Police for the Lake City Police Department. “I appreciate Lake City Police Department patrol officers and investigators who were diligent in their efforts in locating and arresting the suspect.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
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.
Albuquerque man pleads guilty to federal firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Robert E. Hood, 52, of Albuquerque pleaded guilty in federal court on Aug. 26 to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Hood is currently in custody pending sentencing.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Dec. 23, 2019, Hood was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition. At the time, Hood was on parole for prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. During a parole field call at Hood’s residence, a loaded .40 caliber pistol was found between the mattress and box spring of Hood’s bed.
As a previously convicted felon, Hood cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Hood faces up to 10 years in prison.
The FBI and the New Mexico Corrections Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado is prosecuting the case.
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Albany County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Kurtz, age 57, of Albany, pled guilty today to charges of distribution and possession of child pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In pleading guilty before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Kurtz admitted that between September 29, 2018 and at least January 12, 2019, he used a peer-to-peer file sharing software program installed on his computer to distribute approximately 28 videos of child pornography from his home in Albany. Kurtz also admitted to possessing over 200 images of child pornography on his home computer at the time of his arrest on March 18, 2019.
Kurtz faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, as well as a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. His sentencing is scheduled for December 28, 2021 in Albany. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Upon his release from prison, Kurtz will also be required to register as a sex offender in any state where he lives, is employed, or is a student.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, including investigators from the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Rachel Williams.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
292 Month Sentence Handed Down for Pamlico County Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A man from Oriental, North Carolina was sentenced today to over 24 years in prison for the distribution of controlled substances in Pamlico county. On February 24, 2021, Kenneth Franklin Hill, Jr., 47, pled guilty to related to the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Hill’s prosecution is the result of an investigation, led by this Office in conjunction with local, state, and federal authorities, into several drug traffickers operating in Pamlico and Craven counties. After conducting several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Hill, authorities arrested him on December 9, 2019. That day, Hill led Pamlico County Sheriff’s Deputies on a high-speed chase, ramming patrol cars and running a school bus full of children off the road. The chase ended before any serious injuries occurred when Deputies fired shots at Hill’s vehicle, disabling it.
In total, investigators attributed over 2,000 grams of cocaine, 1,000 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,200 grams of heroin to Hill – drugs that were distributed into the community from 2016 until his arrest on December 9, 2019. As the Court noted in today’s hearing, a 292-month sentence ensures a message is sent to the citizens of Pamlico County: decades of planting seeds of poison in a community will end in a significant and detrimental harvest.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the District Attorney’s Office for the Prosecutorial District 4 assisted with the investigation of the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney J.D. Koesters 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. 4:20-CR-85-D.
Thursday 26 August 2021
Wilmington Armed Drug Trafficker Receives 117 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Jonathan Marquis Sanders, 29, of Wilmington, was sentenced yesterday to 117 months in prison for Distribution of a Quantity of a Mixture of Heroin and Fentanyl, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin, Fentanyl and Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on August 21, 2020, the Wilmington Police Department made a controlled purchase of 200 bags of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl from Sanders on Davie Avenue in Wilmington. Sanders was on a GPS monitor related to a New Hanover County Court matter at the time of this drug deal. On October 1, 2020, Wilmington Police Narcotics Detectives executed a search warrant at Hearthside Drive in Wilmington. Law enforcement found more than 850 bags of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, a quantity of cocaine, a cutting agent, and a loaded .380 caliber handgun. Sanders used the residence as a stash house. Sanders was on probation for Possession with the Intent to Sell or Deliver Heroin at the time of the search of the residence.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Holly Ridge Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wilmington Police Department 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. 7:20-cr-00179-BO-1.
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West Linn Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Real Estate, Agriculture, and Mining Investment SchemesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A West Linn, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for posing as a successful real estate developer, hemp seed cultivator, and owner of a precious metals mining venture to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars from individual investors and lenders.
David A. Shelofsky, 53, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, beginning in 2013, in Oregon and elsewhere, Shelofsky knowingly and intentionally devised several different investment fraud schemes. Shelofsky falsely told prospective investors and lenders that he had successful real estate development projects in Bend, Oregon and West Linn and a successful hemp seed cultivation and distribution venture in West Linn. During the same time period, Shelofsky and two other individuals formed a precious metals mining operation that purportedly used a proprietary mining technique to extract precious metals from the sand tailings of other mining operations. While the group made minimal efforts to operate the venture, Shelofsky misled several investors about the status of the operation to fraudulently obtain funds.
Shelofsky made repeated and deliberate misrepresentations and false promises about the status and success of his various ventures, the purported returns investors would receive, and the existence of collateral pieces of real estate supposedly backing investments. Shelofsky employed the services of others to further his schemes and establish his credibility, including a lawyer to create legal documents and an assistant to open bank accounts in the names of several limited liability corporations. Shelofsky used investor funds for personal expenses and to support his own high standard of living. Dozens of individual investors and lenders lost millions of dollars as a result of Shelofsky’s schemes.
On June 5, 2020, Shelofsky was charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud and money laundering. Later, on October 20, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 17-count indictment charging Shelofsky with wire fraud and money laundering.
Shelofsky faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; a $500,000 fine or twice the gross pecuniary gains or losses resulting from his offense, whichever is greater; and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on November 12, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.
As part of the plea agreement, Shelofsky has agreed to pay no less than $3.3 million in restitution to his victims and forfeit any criminally derived proceeds identified by the government prior to sentencing. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the government can and will argue for a restitution order greater than $3.3 million, but not to exceed $16 million.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire M. Fay is prosecuting the case.
Two New Jersey Men Arrested for Mail Theft/Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man and an Essex County, New Jersey man were arrested in connection with two criminal complaints charging them with scheming with U.S. Postal Service employees and others to commit mail theft, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Yaseen Salih, 24, of Iselin, New Jersey, and Adeeb Salih, 29, of East Orange, New Jersey, were charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft and to possess stolen mail, and aggravated identity theft. Yaseen Salih was arrested today and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa and was detained. Adeeb Salih remains at large. Hakir Brown, 27, of Newark was arrested today and charged by way of a separate complaint with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail theft and to possess stolen mail, and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance tomorrow.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
USPS employees Khadijah Banks Oneal and Ashley Taylor stole envelopes containing credit cards, checks, and U.S. Treasury checks from the mail. From Dec. 12, 2020, to July 31, 2021, Taylor sold stolen mail to Yaseen Salih; from Jan. 30, 2020, until her arrest on July 28, 2021, Banks Oneal sold stolen mail to Jahad Salter and Dashaun Brown and supplied stolen mail to Hakir Brown. Yaseen Salih and Adeeb Salih, Hakir Brown, Salter, and Banks Oneal, fraudulently posed as the accountholders of stolen credit cards, called the banks that issued the stolen credit cards, and used personal identifying information belonging to the accountholder to obtain or change information about the stolen credit cards. They then used the stolen credit cards to, among other things, make purchases at retail stores in New Jersey and elsewhere, including New York and online, resulting in attempted losses of over $300,000. Adeeb Salih deposited stolen checks into bank accounts that were under his control to obtain the checks’ proceeds.
The charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. The charges of mail theft and possession of stolen U.S. Mail, and conspiracy to commit that offense, each carry a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed for bank fraud, and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
The following defendants were also charged in late July and early August 2021 in connection with this scheme:
- Banks Oneal, 30, of Newark, was charged by complaint on July 28, 2021, with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and mail theft. She was arrested the same day, and on July 29, 2021, appeared before Judge Espinosa, and was released on a $30,000 bond. At the time of her arrest, Banks Oneal was employed by the USPS at a mail processing facility in Kearny, New Jersey.
- Salter, 25, of Newark, was charged by complaint on July 29, 2021, with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit mail theft. He was arrested on August 9, 2021, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk, and was detained.
- Dashaun Brown, 30, of Newark was charged by complaint on July 29, 2021 with access device fraud and mail theft. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he remains at large.
- Taylor, 27, of Bronx, New York, was charged by complaint on Aug. 2, 2021, with conspiracy to commit mail theft and, as a federal employee, accepting bribes. She was arrested on Aug. 3, 2021, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor, and was released on a $30,000 bond. At the time of her arrest, Taylor was employed by the USPS at a post office in New York, New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins, Newark Division; and special agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, District of New Jersey, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; the U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney; the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Mid-Atlantic Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew S. McKay; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; the Livingston, New Jersey Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gary Marshuetz; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Department of Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara; the Essex County, New Jersey Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the New Providence, New Jersey, Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Theresa A. Gazaway; and the Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Jason Massimino, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara F. Merin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Three Guilty in Transnational East Texas Call Center Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – Three former Texans now living in Louisiana have pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Ronnie Duane Booth, 38, and Mary Elizabeth Beaman Booth, 40, both formerly of Forney, pleaded guilty on August 24, 2021 to aiding and abetting an unlicensed money transmitting business. Tracey Brookshier, 52, formerly of Kingsville, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 25, 2021 before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.
“Defrauding elder persons of their life savings deprives them of a secure future and causes significant emotional distress to both the victim and their families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “EDTX is committed to holding accountable those who unconscionably prey on our senior citizens and other vulnerable populations.”
“These developments demonstrate the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate and bring to justice those that victimize the American taxpayer,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “The defendants engaged in multiple scams, often targeting the most vulnerable members of society. The success of this investigation is the result of a collaborative effort between multiple Federal law enforcement agencies and the dedicated staff at the United States Attorney’s Office.”
According to information presented in court, the three defendants were part of a scheme which involved call center fraudulent solicitations of various kinds, including home mortgage modifications, personal loans, repayment of Social Security benefits, and IRS demands for payment. Victims were contacted by an overseas call center and instructed to make payments through various money service businesses or by mailing payments to specified addresses. The Booths and Brookshier were recruited to pick up those payments from the money service businesses or receive them in the mail. They would then deposit them into accounts as instructed by others involved in the scheme. One such co-conspirator, Jeremy Christopher Jones, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in June.
Brookshier admitted to being responsible for collecting and depositing approximately $126,000 in victim proceeds, Mary Booth admitted to being responsible for picking up and depositing approximately $155,000 in victim proceeds, and Ronnie Booth admitted to picking up and depositing approximately $91,000 in victim proceeds. The overall scheme involved approximately $3.2 million in victims’ payments and almost 2000 victims, many of whom are elderly.
The defendants each face up to five years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, and Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Coan and Alan Jackson.
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Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Woodlands, Texas, man pleaded guilty today for his role in an unemployment insurance benefits scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD).
According to court documents and admissions made in court, around May 2020, Paul Andrew Naeger (38) and his co-conspirators began submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the EDD, using other people’s personal identifying information without their consent. Some of the EDD debit cards associated with those fraudulent unemployment claims were mailed to rental mailboxes in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, and Sherman Oaks. The debit cards were used for cash withdrawals and to purchase goods and services. In total, EDD approved at least $334,230 in benefits for the fraudulent claims. Naeger and his co-conspirators used at least $164,137 of the unemployment insurance benefits, including to pay for Naeger’s bail after he was arrested and detained on unrelated state charges in Houston, Texas.
Naeger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to effect illegal transactions with access devices and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan scheduled sentencing for December 1, 2021. Naeger faces statutory maximum penalties of seven and a half years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to effect illegal transactions with access devices, and two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.
Co-defendant Brittany Danielle Griesel has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Kenneth Edward Greenland has been indicted by a grand jury and is currently awaiting trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Los Angeles Region made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DOL-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.
In May, 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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF web complaint form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Tennessee Woman Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Submitting False Claims for Unclaimed PropertyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marilyn Cook (also known as Marilyn Powell and Marilyn Sunset), 58, of Alcoa, Tennessee, was sentenced today to two years and five months in prison for filing false claims for unclaimed property held by the California State Controller’s Office Unclaimed Property Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in August and September 2014, Cook, using the alias Marilyn Sunset, committed a scheme to defraud by filing false claims with the Division of Unclaimed Property for properties belonging to the United States Marshals and others. For each claim, Cook certified under penalty of perjury that she was entitled to claim the identified properties. Cook used a State of Tennessee Identification Card that she obtained in the name Marilyn Sunset to have certain claim forms notarized as required by the Unclaimed Property Division. Cook also submitted fictitious documents in support of her claim, including a letter on Department of Justice letterhead that falsely purported to have been signed by a former Assistant Attorney General, authorizing Sunset to collect properties on behalf of the U.S. Marshals. In all, Cook falsely claimed 128 properties totaling $398,537. The Unclaimed Property Division identified the claims as fraudulent and did not disperse any property to Cook.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Angel Jesus Sanchez-Manriquez, 22, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between October and December 2020, Sanchez-Manriquez posted approximately 70 advertisements on a prostitution website, each of which contained images of a 16-year-old victim and advertised the victim’s availability to perform commercial sex acts for sex buyers. Sanchez-Manriquez paid for motel rooms in and around the Stockton area for that purpose. Following execution of search warrants, law enforcement agents determined that Sanchez-Manriquez also used his cellphone to record images and videos of his victim engaged in sexual acts with adults such as himself.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Fogerty and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.
Sanchez-Manriquez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Dec. 2, 2021. Sanchez-Manriquez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison (with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison), a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
St. Petersburg Postal Clerk Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail and Passport Applications to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jasmine Wynne (31, Ruskin) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of theft of a postal key. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft charges, and up to 10 years in prison for theft of a postal key. Wynne’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 17, 2021.
According to court documents, Wynne was employed as a Postal Clerk with the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) and was assigned to a Post Office in St. Petersburg. Between June 2017 and September 2019, Wynne conspired with others to commit bank fraud. Specifically, Wynne used her status and the special access she enjoyed as an employee of the USPS to open First Class mail entrusted for delivery to the Postal Service. Wynne then photographed the contents of the mail, which included victim bank account information and personal identifying information (“PII”). She also took photographs of United States Passport applications that were processed at her Post Office location. These applications also contained PII and bank account information. Wynne then emailed the photographs to coconspirators who utilized the PII and bank account information to commit bank fraud.
Wynne also used her position as a USPS employee to access and steal at least one restricted Postal Arrow key. An Arrow key is a special master key that opens USPS collection boxes, banks of mailboxes at apartment complexes, and any other mailboxes. The Arrow keys are manufactured for the USPS and distributed through controlled channels. Wynne provided the stolen Postal Arrow key to her co-conspirators in exchange for payment so that they could steal mail from locked mailboxes and secure additional PII and other information for use in the bank fraud conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Gestring.
South Padre Island man heads to prison following the discovery of more than 22K pornographic imagesRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 68-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison for receipt and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Robert Andrew Riley pleaded guilty June 25, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. imposed a 168-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the amount of child pornography Riley possessed and further ordered he pay $78,000 in restitution to 26 victims. He must also serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Riley will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In January 2018, authorities initiated an investigation into child pornography sharing on the internet. This led them to Riley’s address on South Padre Island.
Law enforcement later executed a search at his residence and seized several electronic and digital devices. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 22,628 unique images and 6,097 unique videos of child pornography.
Riley has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Solon Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IOWA – A Solon man, Christopher Allan Hay, age 49, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 30 months in prison for Drug User in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition and Possession of Unregistered Firearms. Hay was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $300 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, Hay was identified by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents in San Francisco and Chicago when they located suspicious packages sent from China – addressed to Hay – believed to contain illegal firearms silencers. After investigating, CBP determined the packages contained fourteen alleged “fuel filters,” which have no filtering capability and are easily converted into firearms silencers. As such, the ATF has deemed them silencers under the National Firearms Act. As a result, law enforcement executed a valid search warrant on Hay’s residence and located 37 firearms; hundreds of rounds of ammunition; four “fuel filter” silencers, one of which was attached to a firearm; as well as 813 grams of marijuana. Two of Hay’s firearms were determined to be fully automatic machineguns, which Hay admitted he illegally converted. Hay admitted purchasing the “fuel filters” with the intent to use them as firearm silencers, knowing it was illegal to possess them without the proper ATF paperwork and approval. In addition, Hay admitted knowingly possessing, using, and distributing marijuana. On April 19, 2021, Hay pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.
Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service and Customs and Border Patrol investigated the case.
Socorro woman sentenced to 16 years in prison for federal drug and firearms convictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Mary Gonzales, 50, of Socorro, New Mexico, was sentenced on Aug. 18 to 16 years and three months in prison. On March 10, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts, including one count each of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court records, on June 7, 2018, a Socorro County Deputy observed Gonzales conducting what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug sale in Socorro. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and found Gonzales in possession of methamphetamine, heroin and a loaded firearm.
Gonzales previously had been convicted of possession of marijuana, attempted possession of a controlled substance, trafficking crack cocaine and attempted trafficking of crack cocaine. As a previously convicted felon, Gonzales cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Upon her release from prison, Gonzales will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Socorro County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Hurtado and Nicholas Mote prosecuted the case.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to Probation, Community Service, and Ordered to Pay Restitution for Making a Materially False StatementRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Tami Haug-Davis, age 64, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier on August 23, 2021, and was sentenced for Making a Materially False Statement.
Haug-Davis was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,000 to the Missouri Valley Crisis Center (MVCC) and to the Department of Justice. She was also sentenced to one year of probation and to serve 40 hours of community service.
Beginning in or about September 2016 until February 2019, Tami Haug-Davis was the Director of the Missouri Valley Crisis Center (MVCC) in Chamberlain, South Dakota. During this time, MVCC was funded in large part by state and federal grants, awarded by the South Dakota Department of Social Services. MVCC received funds from the following federal grants: Family Violence Prevention Services (FVPS), Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families and Crime Victims Assistance (VOCA), Department of Justice, Office of Victims of Crime.
In the fall of 2018, South Dakota Department of Public Safety Victim Services Program (DPS) conducted a review of MVCC pursuant to their receipt of federal and state grants. DPS later issued MVCC a Corrective Action Plan dated October 11, 2018. The plan listed seventeen items for which MVCC needed to provide supporting documentation to DPS, including a corrective action that MVCC must provide detailed board meeting minutes from the last three meetings and a complete list of the Board of Directors.
MVCC provided a response to DPS’s directive for more information. Following receipt of MVCC’s response, a complaint was issued by the State of South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation. On March 28, 2019, the Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General opened an investigation regarding the management of MVCC as it had provided federal grant monies to MVCC. The Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General joined the investigation, as it had also provided federal grant monies to MVCC.
As part of the joint investigation, federal agents with each agency interviewed Haug-Davis. On August 30, 2019, and July 14, 2020, during interviews with federal agents, Haug-Davis knowingly and intentionally made materially false statements regarding the creation, submission, and veracity of board meeting minutes and documents provided to DPS in response to the October 11, 2018, corrective action plan. Her statements were made about a matter within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, and she knew her statements were untrue when she made the statements to investigators.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, and the State of South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking and Causing Non-Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Soroush Hamedi, 27, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant was part of a group of individuals who ran a drug house at 192 Weaver Street in the City of Rochester. The defendant and others sold quantities of fentanyl and cocaine from the house between January 2018 and February 25, 2020. The defendant admitted to trafficking between 160 and 280 grams of fentanyl during the conspiracy.
On February 25, 2020, special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement personnel executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence at 19 Dale Street, Rochester, New York. At the time, the defendant was present inside the residence. During the search, the investigative team recovered, among other things, a clear plastic bag containing 10.064 grams of fentanyl in the basement ceiling at the bottom of a vent pipe after the defendant threw the bag down the vent.
As part of his guilty plea, the defendant admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl to a 27-year-old female who later suffered a non-fatal overdose.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2021, at 3:00 p.m., before Chief Judge Wolford.
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Rochester Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Cocaine, Firearm, and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that David Dixon, 39, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that on at approximately 2:30am on March 11, 2020, officers observed the defendant in the area of Gillette Street, Rochester with an open bottle of alcohol. As other officers arrived, the defendant attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended and searched incident to arrest. During the search, officers recovered 22 grams of cocaine; a loaded semiautomatic pistol; and approximately $586 in United States currency from the defendant’s person. The defendant was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition based upon a 2004 conviction for Robbery in the First Degree in Monroe County Court.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. 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.
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Repeat sex offender sentenced to 11+ years in prison for attempt to entice ‘juvenile’ into prostitutionRead the Press Release
Seattle — A repeat offender, who had just been released to a half-way house from federal prison, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 137 months in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a juvenile and attempted enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Prentice C. Hollingsworth, 45, was indicted in August 2020 and pleaded guilty in December 2020. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez noted that Hollingsworth was unknowingly communicating with an undercover agent, but that did not “lessen the fact that he was trying to traffic a minor, someone he knew was very vulnerable…. The fact that the Defendant was on federal supervision and state supervision and still went right back to this behavior is very telling,” the Chief Judge said.
“This defendant’s adult life has been spent either incarcerated or sexually assaulting young women and attempting to force vulnerable juveniles into prostitution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The predatory nature of his crimes means the community is safe only when he is removed from society with a lengthy prison sentence.”
According to records filed in the case, Hollingsworth was released to a federal halfway house in Tacoma in December 2019. Less than a month later, he began communicating with an undercover Seattle Police Officer he had contacted via a web application. In these communications, Hollingsworth attempted to recruit the undercover officer, who presented herself as a 15-year-old girl, to work for him as a prostitute. Hollingsworth discussed many aspects of the prostitution business, including the fee he would charge the “juvenile” for his services as a pimp and the prices she should charge for various sex acts. Hollingsworth also advised the “juvenile” that she could earn more money from sex buyers because of her age, and he encouraged her to leave school so she could devote more time to earning money in the sex trade.
In January 2020, Hollingsworth was arrested at the halfway house in Tacoma shortly after he arranged for the “juvenile” to check into a hotel room in Fife, Washington, for the purpose of prostitution.
Hollingsworth has prior convictions for rape, promoting prostitution, and communicating with minors for an immoral purpose. Due to these prior convictions he is required to register as a sex offender. Following this prison term, he will be on lifetime supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham.
Reno Man Indicted for Dealing Large Amount of Methamphetamine and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Reno man for allegedly distributing a large amount of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to allegations in court documents, on August 16, 2021, James Raymond Ellis (51, also known as “Jimbo”) distributed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Several days later, on August 20, Ellis possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. In addition, Ellis possessed a 9mm pistol after having been previously convicted in Nevada for possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, which is a felony. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms. The Northern Nevada Safe Streets Task Force arrested Ellis on August 20 in Reno.
Ellis is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. His initial court appearance is scheduled for August 30, 2021 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin. If convicted, Ellis faces a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of members from the FBI, Reno Police Department, Nevada Department of Public Safety, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, and the Nevada Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andolyn Johnson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
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Registered Sex Offender Facing 10-20 Years Imprisonment on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A registered sex offender investigated by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies for possessing and distributing child pornography is facing between ten and twenty years in federal prison, having pled guilty today to possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Thomas Andreozzi, 60, of North Providence, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy on November 17, 2021.
At a hearing today in U.S. District Court, the government detailed three separate investigations into Andreozzi’s criminal activity involving child pornography since a previous conviction in Rhode Island state court in November 2014 for possessing child pornography.
According to information presented to the court, in May 2020, Homeland Security Investigations received information that an IP address, later identified by law enforcement as belonging to Andreozzi, was used to upload child pornography via a social media platform. Further investigation determined that Andreozzi used at least five different accounts on the application to view and upload child pornography. Andreozzi communicated to another person via the app that “I have lots of young stuff.” “I have little girls,” and “I have lots.”
Separately, in June 2020, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Massachusetts ICAC that an individual in Rhode Island uploaded 14 files of child pornography. Further investigation determined that the IP address used belonged to Thomas Andreozzi.
Additionally, the FBI and the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Sherriff’s department investigated the sharing of child pornography via a social media platform on July 20, 2020. The user claimed to be a 30-year-old in California who was actively molesting a young female. The FBI traced the IP address that shared the child pornography to Andreozzi’s North Providence apartment.
A cell phone in Andreozzi’s hand during a court-authorized search of his residence at the time of his arrest in July 2020, was opened to an electronic media storage service. A Rhode Island ICAC analyst observed numerous files containing child pornography stored in Andreozzi’s storage account. Also located on the phone was the social media application and user account brought to the attention of the FBI and the Winnebago County Sherriff’s office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
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Readout of Justice Department Leadership Meeting on Threats to Election WorkersRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland convened a virtual discussion with a bipartisan group of over 1,400 election officials to discuss mounting and persistent threats to the safety of election officials and workers across the country, and the Justice Department’s recently launched Election Threats Task Force. Attorney General Garland was joined by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco; Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta; and Director of the FBI Christopher A. Wray.
Attorney General Garland reiterated that the right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and the right from which all other rights flow. Our democracy depends on protecting the right of eligible voters to vote, and also on protecting those who administer and safeguard our electoral system. He made clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate threats to, or intimidation of, election officials and election workers, and that the Department is committed to supporting them as they fulfill their public duties. Attorney General Garland also stressed that communication between federal law enforcement and election officials is key to combating threats, and that meetings like today’s are an integral part of fostering strong working relationships. His full remarks are available here.
Announced by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in June, the Election Threats Task Force is composed of the Department’s Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, the Civil Rights Division’s Voting and Criminal Sections, and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, as well as the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Deputy Attorney General Monaco provided an overview of how the Task Force unites subject matter experts from those offices and agencies to engage with state and local election agencies to better understand and deter threats to elections.
Associate Attorney General Gupta further elaborated on how the Civil Rights Division is participating in the Task Force and working more broadly to protect the right to vote and our country’s electoral processes. She also made participants aware of VictimConnect, a weekday helpline funded by the Office of Victims of Crime that connects victims of crimes and threats to trained professionals who can provide emotional support, information and referrals in over 200 languages by calling or texting 1-855-484-2846 (855-4VICTIM).
Director Wray explained how the FBI’s Election Crimes Coordinators — FBI Special Agents across all 56 FBI Field Offices — work with state and local election officials on election crime matters. He also stressed the importance of reporting all election-related threats and troubling communications to the FBI, even if it is unclear whether there is a violation of federal law, so that law enforcement can investigate, identify trends and share information with partners across the country.
Elections officials, including three secretaries of state, a state election director, and a county election supervisor had the opportunity to address and ask questions of the Attorney General and the Department leadership. The meeting ended with a firm reminder that the Department, through this Task Force, will use all available tools to protect the individuals working tirelessly to serve the public and maintain our proud tradition of free and fair elections.
To report suspected election related threats or violent acts, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), prompt 1, then prompt 3. You also may file an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov.
Rapid City Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography.
Tell Logan Cadotte, age 30, was indicted on July 22, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on August 11, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Cadotte sexually exploiting an underage female between January 2019 and January 2021, by producing images of child pornography. He remained in possession of the images thereafter. A search of Cadotte’s devices found that he knowingly received and possessed images depicting the minor involved in the sexually explicit conduct. The charges are merely an accusation and Cadotte is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rapid City Police Department and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Cadotte was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for October 19, 2021.
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Rapid City Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Roy Brushbreaker, III, age 27, was indicted on August 19, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 24, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
It is alleged that between May 13, 2021, and July 22, 2021, Brushbreaker, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Brushbreaker is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Brushbreaker was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Queens Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing Narcotics That Caused Two Fatal OverdosesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Angelina Barini pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. to distributing narcotics and causing the deaths of two victims. Specifically, she pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing narcotics that caused the deaths of a person; one count of distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine; and one count of conspiring to distribute gamma-butyrolactone (GBL). When sentenced, Barini faces a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI); and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, Barini takes responsibility for her actions in distributing lethal doses of opioids that caused the overdose deaths of unsuspecting victims, shattering the lives of their families,” stated Acting U. S. Attorney Kasulis. “This Office is committed to ending the opioid epidemic and prosecuting defendants like Barini who cause senseless, drug-related deaths in our communities.”
“The scourge of addiction takes many forms, but one of its most devastating effects is that beyond the direct victims of drug overdoses are the families who lose loved ones too soon. Fentanyl is deadly regardless of social status, age, gender or ethnicity,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “Barini had no regard for her victims, but has made the right choice by taking responsibility for her actions. HSI and its partners remain resolute in pursuing those who profit from this lethal opioid epidemic.”
As set forth in court filings and at today’s proceeding, between July and August of 2019, Barini provided narcotics to her victims while sometimes conducting business as a sex worker. On multiple occasions, those narcotics contained lethal doses of fentanyl. On July 11, 2019, Barini met with a victim at a motel in Woodside, Queens and gave him fentanyl-laced drugs, causing the victim’s overdose death. On August 5, 2019, Barini met another victim at a residence in College Point, Queens and gave him fentanyl-laced drugs which caused his overdose death. On July 4, 2019, Barini distributed and possessed with intent to distribute controlled substances containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. Additionally, between August 16, 2019 and August 18, 2019, Barini conspired with another person to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a substance containing GBL, a Schedule I controlled substance analogue, commonly referred to as a “date rape” drug.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Temidayo Aganga-Williams, Andrew Grubin and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ANGELINA BARINI
Age: 43
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-428 (S-2) (BMC)
Previously convicted felon sentenced to six years in federal prison for firearm possessionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Donovan Maez, 24, of Albuquerque, was sentenced on Aug. 8 in federal court to six years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Maez pleaded guilty on April 4, 2019.
According to the plea agreement, on March 30, 2018, law enforcement located Maez at an Albuquerque residence with a loaded firearm. On Nov. 11, 2018, after being contacted by probation officers and law enforcement, Maez attempted to evade the officers but was later arrested after a short pursuit. Maez was found with a loaded firearm at the time of the arrest. During both incidents, Maez was on probation for a prior felony conviction for auto burglary. As a convicted felon, Maez cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Upon completion of his sentence, Maez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Albuquerque Resident Agency, New Mexico State Police, Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico Corrections Department investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Trembley prosecuted the case.
Physician Assistant Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute and Dispense Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Methadone, and Alprazolam at a Pain Management Practice with Offices in Towson and Owings MillsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced William Soyke, age 68, of Hanover, Pennsylvania to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone, and alprazolam outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
The sentence was announced by Acting 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; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the plea agreement, Sokye was employed as a physician assistant with Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg from 2011 to 2018, where he treated patients during follow-up doctor appointments. As a physician assistant, Soyke had privileges to prescribe controlled substance medications but was required to operate under a delegation agreement between himself and the Rosen Hoffberg owners.
In his plea, Soyke admitted that he believed that Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg prescribed excessive levels of opioids. Despite Soyke’s attempts to lower patient’s prescription doses, both doctors overruled Sokye’s opinion. Further, if another health care provider within the practice declined to treat a patient due to the patient’s aberrant behavior (such as failing a drug screening test for illicit drugs or selling their prescriptions), Drs. Rosen and Hoffberg would assume that patient’s care.
As stated in the plea agreement, Sokye was aware that many of the patients presenting to Rosen Hoffberg did not have a legitimate medical need for the oxycodone, fentanyl, alprazolam, and methadone they were being prescribed. Nevertheless, Soyke issued prescriptions for these drugs to patients without a legitimate medical need and outside the bounds of acceptable medical practice.
Soyke also admitted that in several instances he engaged in sexual, physical contact with female patients who were attempting to get prescriptions. Specifically, Soyke asked some female customers to engage in a range of motion test, and while they were bending over, he would position himself behind them such that his genitalia would rub against the customers’ buttocks through their clothes. These patients often acceded to this sexual abuse for fear of not getting the medications to which they were addicted. Although the female patients complained to Dr. Rosen and Dr. Hoffberg about Soyke’s behavior, the doctors did not fire Soyke because Soyke saw the largest number of patients at the practice and generated significant revenue for Rosen Hoffberg.
Howard Hoffberg, M.D., the Associate Medical Director and part-owner of Rosen-Hoffberg Rehabilitation and Pain Management, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2021, to accepting kick-backs from a pharmaceutical company in exchange for prescribing a drug marketed by the company for breakthrough pain in cancer patients for off-label purposes.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner commended the FBI, the DEA, and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger, who prosecuted the case.
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Philadelphia Man, Previously Convicted of a Felony, Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Jesse Golden, 30, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to fifteen years in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert. The defendant was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon after a three-day trial in May 2021.
In May 2019, a Philadelphia Police officer saw a video on the social media platform Instagram in which the defendant was sitting in a car with another individual and brandishing a distinctive painted-black revolver. Investigators determined that Golden had multiple prior felony convictions, so they obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s residence. During the execution of that warrant, investigators found an unloaded revolver and 100 rounds of ammunition the same caliber as the firearm. The revolver they found matched the look (including the paint job) of the firearm in the Instagram video. Evidence presented at trial showed that testing performed on the gun found DNA that matched the defendant’s DNA.
“The crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm is a serious offense, particularly in a city like Philadelphia, where gun violence is prevalent,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “The sentence handed down by the Court today reflects the seriousness of Golden’s crimes, and should serve as a deterrent to others engaged in the same conduct. Our Office is determined to continue doing everything we can to reduce gun violence in Philadelphia by being ‘All Hands On Deck’ to get criminals like Golden off the streets for a long, long time.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Ignall.
Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Armed Bank Robbery in Which His Sons Were Indicted as AccomplicesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Ronald DeWitt Vines, 47, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to attempted armed bank robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with an armed robbery he and his accomplices, who were two of his sons, attempted to carry out in Bucks County in late 2017.
In January 2018, the defendant was charged by Indictment for attempting to commit the armed robbery of the PNC Bank branch on Buck Road in Holland, PA, in November 2017. To execute the robbery, Vine placed a handgun against the side of a bank employee’s head, forcing her to open the bank door as she arrived for work that morning, and then forcing her inside the bank. A second bank employee screamed when she realized the bank was being robbed. Vines and his accomplices, sons Elijah and Solomon Vines, quickly fled the bank in a getaway vehicle before being stopped by Northampton Township Police Officers responding to a 911 call. A search by patrol officers of the getaway vehicle produced one loaded semi-automatic handgun, one loaded rifle, and two body armor vests.
“This defendant terrified and threatened the lives of bank employees who were just attempting to do their jobs, and he convinced his sons – young men with their whole lives ahead of them – to help him pull it off,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “The simple fact is that this family is a danger to the community. This case demonstrates why our All Hands On Deck initiative is so important: we are investigating and prosecuting the most violent criminals to get them off the streets and behind bars.”
“The terror of being forced into her bank at gunpoint is something that employee will likely never forget,” said Bradley S. Benavides, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Ronald Vines and his accomplice planned to rob a bank. It’s incredibly fortunate no one was hurt before the robbers opted to flee, and that police officers quickly spotted and stopped their getaway vehicle. Bank robbery isn’t an easy payday, it’s a federal crime, and the FBI and our partners will ensure perpetrators like Vines are held fully accountable.”
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Northampton Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José R. Arteaga.