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7 October 2021
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Robbery was sentenced on October 5, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Jacob Hawk Wing, age 27, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $1,030, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hawk Wing was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020. He pled guilty on July 15, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 26, 2020, in Fort Thompson. Hawk Wing robbed a convenience store at gun point, and stole U.S. currency and two bottles of alcohol.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Hawk Wing was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former police officer sentenced for using hidden camera to obtain child pornographyRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 32-year-old former officer with the Primera Police Department (PPD) has been ordered to federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Joel Alex Sandate pleaded guilty April 15.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered him to serve a 120-month sentence. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information today including the victim impact statement from the victim and her mother. Sandate was further ordered to pay $4,320 in restitution to the known victim and ordered an additional $10,000 special assessment. Sandate will also serve 20 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. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation revealed that from September 2019 to March 2020, Sandate had installed hidden cameras to capture recordings of a minor female. He saved the recorded videos onto various computer media devices such as his cellphone, a sim card and a USB drive.
Another PPD officer had discovered the images and reported it to authorities.
Sandate will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of PPD, Texas Rangers and the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano and Jose A. Esquivel Jr. prosecuted 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.
Former Taliban Commander Charged with Killing American Troops in 2008Read the Press Release
A federal grand jury in New York unsealed a superseding indictment today charging an Afghanistan national with federal terrorism-related offenses spanning approximately 2007 to 2009 and stemming from his role as a Taliban commander in Afghanistan.
According to court documents, Haji Najibullah, aka Najibullah Naim, Abu Tayeb, Atiqullah and Nesar Ahmad Mohammad, 45, of Afghanistan, was previously charged with crimes related to the 2008 kidnapping of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals. In addition to those charges, the superseding indictment charges Najibullah with attacks on U.S. troops conducted by Najibullah and the Taliban fighters under his command, including a June 26, 2008, attack on an American military convoy that killed three U.S. Army servicemembers – Sergeants First Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sergeant Mark Palmateer – and their Afghan interpreter, as well as an Oct. 27, 2008, attack that resulted in the shooting down of a U.S. military helicopter. In October 2020, Najibullah was arrested and extradited from Ukraine to the United States where he remains in federal custody.
“Najibullah, who allegedly served as a Taliban commander in 2007 and 2008, is charged with numerous terrorism offenses relating to attacks against the U.S. military in Afghanistan, including an attack that killed three U.S. servicemembers, and others relating to taking an American journalist hostage in Afghanistan,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko for the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “He will now be held accountable in an American courtroom. The National Security Division and our partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those who target and harm Americans anywhere in the world. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
“As alleged, during one of the most dangerous periods of the conflict in Afghanistan, Haji Najibullah led a vicious band of Taliban insurgents who terrorized part of Afghanistan and attacked U.S. troops,” said U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss for the Southern District of New York. “One of these lethal attacks resulted in the deaths of three brave American servicemembers and their Afghan interpreter, and another attack brought down a U.S. helicopter. Najibullah also arranged to kidnap at gunpoint an American journalist and two other men and held them hostage for more than seven months. Neither time nor distance can weaken our resolve to hold terrorists accountable for their crimes and to see justice done for their victims. Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, Najibullah will answer for his heinous acts in an American courtroom.”
According to court documents, as of in or about 2007, Najibullah was the Taliban commander responsible for the Jaghato district in Afghanistan’s Wardak Province, which borders Kabul. In this role, Najibullah commanded more than a thousand fighters, at times acted as a spokesperson for the Taliban, and reported to senior leadership in the Taliban. During that time, Najibullah and the Taliban fighters under his command conducted attacks intended to kill and which did kill American and NATO troops and their Afghan allies, using automatic weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and other anti-tank weapons, including an attack that destroyed an Afghan Border Patrol outpost in or about September 2008.
On or about June 26, 2008, Taliban fighters under Najibullah’s command attacked a U.S. military convoy in the vicinity of Sayed Abad, Wardak Province, Afghanistan, with IEDs, RPGs, and automatic weapons, killing three U.S. Army servicemembers, Sergeants First Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sergeant Mark Palmateer, and their Afghan interpreter.
On or about Oct. 27, 2008, Taliban fighters under Najibullah’s command shot down a U.S. military helicopter using RPGs in the vicinity of Sayed Abad, Wardak Province, Afghanistan. The Taliban subsequently claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter, asserting that it was “shot down [by] the mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate.” The Taliban also falsely claimed that “[a]ll those onboard were killed,” when, in fact, no troops died as a result of the attack.
On or about Nov. 10, 2008, Najibullah and his co-conspirators, armed with machineguns, kidnapped an American journalist (Victim-1) and two Afghan nationals who were assisting Victim-1 (Victim-2 and Victim-3) at gunpoint in Afghanistan. Approximately five days later, on or about Nov. 15, 2008, Najibullah and his co-conspirators forced the three hostages to hike across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan, where Najibullah and his co-conspirators detained the hostages. For the next seven months, Najibullah and his co-conspirators held the hostages captive in Pakistan.
During their captivity, Najibullah and his co-conspirators forced the victims to make numerous calls and videos seeking help. For example, on or about Nov. 19, 2008, while in Pakistan, Najibullah and a co-conspirator (CC-1) directed Victim-1 to call his wife in New York. In one of the videos, Victim-1 – the American journalist – was forced to beg for his life while a guard pointed a machinegun at Victim-1’s face.
Najibullah is charged with conspiring to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death; providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death; conspiring to murder U.S. nationals; murdering U.S. nationals Hilton, McKay, and Palmateer; murdering officers and employees of the United States, and a person assisting them in their duties, by killing Hilton, McKay, Palmateer, and their interpreter; attempting to murder officers and employees of the United States; conspiring to destroy U.S. military aircraft; destroying a U.S. military aircraft; conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction; conspiring to take hostages; hostage-taking; conspiring to commit kidnapping; and kidnapping. Counts one through five and nine through 13 each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Counts six through eight each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Count five also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD, is investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police and the Department of Defense, as well as the Ukrainian authorities and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, which assisted in the arrest and extradition of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, David W. Denton Jr., and Jessica K. Fender of the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
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 Taliban Commander Charged with Killing American Troops in 2008Read the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mark J. Lesko, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced the filing of a 13-count superseding indictment charging HAJI NAJIBULLAH, a/k/a “Najibullah Naim,” a/k/a “Abu Tayeb,” a/k/a “Atiqullah,” a/k/a “Nesar Ahmad Mohammad,” with federal terrorism-related offenses spanning approximately 2007 to 2009 and stemming from NAJIBULLAH’s role as a Taliban commander in Afghanistan. NAJIBULLAH had previously been charged with crimes related to the 2008 kidnapping of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals. In addition to those charges, the superseding indictment charges NAJIBULLAH with attacks on U.S. troops conducted by NAJIBULLAH and the Taliban fighters under his command, including a June 26, 2008, attack on an American military convoy that killed three U.S. Army servicemembers – Sergeants First Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sergeant Mark Palmateer – and their Afghan interpreter, as well as an October 27, 2008, attack that resulted in the shooting down of a U.S. military helicopter. NAJIBULLAH is already in federal custody on the initial indictment. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine P. Failla.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, during one of the most dangerous periods of the conflict in Afghanistan, Haji Najibullah led a vicious band of Taliban insurgents who terrorized part of Afghanistan and attacked U.S. troops. One of these lethal attacks resulted in the deaths of three brave American servicemembers and their Afghan interpreter, and another attack brought down a U.S. helicopter. Najibullah also arranged to kidnap at gunpoint an American journalist and two other men, and held them hostage for more than seven months. Neither time nor distance can weaken our resolve to hold terrorists accountable for their crimes and to see justice done for their victims. Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, Najibullah will answer for his heinous acts in an American courtroom.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko said: “Najibullah, who allegedly served as a Taliban commander in 2007 and 2008, is charged with numerous terrorism offenses relating to attacks against the U.S. military in Afghanistan, including an attack that killed three U.S. servicemembers, and others relating to taking an American journalist hostage in Afghanistan. He will now be held accountable in an American courtroom. The National Security Division and our partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those who target and harm Americans anywhere in the world. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “We meant what we said when we told the public we wouldn’t stop aggressively pursuing charges against those who harm our citizens, servicemembers, and allies, whether at home or abroad. Najibullah’s alleged actions will not be forgiven or forgotten, and the FBI, along with our partners, will continue to pursue justice for all victims in this case.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Time and again, the FBI agents and our NYPD detectives of the Joint Terrorism Task Force have demonstrated that they will go to any corner of the globe to ensure terrorists are captured and brought to justice. Haji Najibullah was charged with kidnapping three men including a journalist from New York City. Even after those crimes were charged, the JTTF investigators continued to gather more evidence. These newest charges for the terrorist murders of U.S. servicemen in Afghanistan will hopefully bring some small measure of closure to the families of those soldiers who gave their lives for our country.”
According to the superseding indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
As of in or about 2007, NAJIBULLAH was the Taliban commander responsible for the Jaghato district in Afghanistan’s Wardak Province, which borders Kabul. In this role, NAJIBULLAH commanded more than a thousand fighters, at times acted as a spokesperson for the Taliban, and reported to senior leadership in the Taliban. During that time, NAJIBULLAH and the Taliban fighters under his command conducted attacks intended to kill and which did kill American and NATO troops and their Afghan allies, using automatic weapons, improvised explosive devices (“IEDs”), rocket-propelled grenades (“RPGs”), and other anti-tank weapons, including an attack that destroyed an Afghan Border Patrol outpost in or about September 2008.
On or about June 26, 2008, Taliban fighters under NAJIBULLAH’s command attacked a U.S. military convoy in the vicinity of Sayed Abad, Wardak Province, Afghanistan, with IEDs, RPGs, and automatic weapons, killing three U.S. Army servicemembers – Sergeants First Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sergeant Mark Palmateer – and their Afghan interpreter.
On or about October 27, 2008, Taliban fighters under NAJIBULLAH’s command shot down a U.S. military helicopter using RPGs in the vicinity of Sayed Abad, Wardak Province, Afghanistan. The Taliban subsequently claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter, asserting that it was “shot down [by] the mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate.” The Taliban also falsely claimed that “[a]ll those onboard were killed,” when, in fact, no troops died as a result of the attack.
On or about November 10, 2008, NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators, armed with machineguns, kidnapped an American journalist (“Victim-1”) and two Afghan nationals who were assisting Victim-1 (“Victim-2” and “Victim-3”) at gunpoint in Afghanistan. Approximately five days later, on or about November 15, 2008, NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators forced the three hostages to hike across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan, where NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators detained the hostages. For the next seven months, NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators held the hostages captive in Pakistan.
During their captivity, the victims of NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators were forced to make numerous calls and videos seeking help. For example, on or about November 19, 2008, while in Pakistan, NAJIBULLAH and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) directed Victim-1 to call his wife in New York. In one of the videos, Victim-1 – the American journalist – was forced to beg for his life while a guard pointed a machinegun at Victim-1’s face.
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NAJIBULLAH, 45, of Afghanistan, is charged with (1) conspiring to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, (2) providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, (3) conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, (4) murdering U.S. nationals Hilton, McKay, and Palmateer, (5) murdering officers and employees of the United States, and a person assisting them in their duties, by killing Hilton, McKay, Palmateer, and their interpreter, (6) attempting to murder officers and employees of the United States, (7) conspiring to destroy U.S. military aircraft, (8) destroying a U.S. military aircraft, (9) conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction, (10) conspiring to take hostages, (11) hostage-taking, (12) conspiring to commit kidnapping, and (13) kidnapping. Counts One through Five and Nine through Thirteen each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Counts Six through Eight each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Count Five also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Ms. Strauss and Mr. Lesko praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD. They also thanked the New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police and the Department of Defense for their assistance with this investigation, as well as the Ukrainian authorities and the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division for their assistance in the arrest and extradition of the defendant.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, David W. Denton, Jr., and Jessica K. Fender are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the Counterterrorism Section.
The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the superseding indictment and the description of the indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former SCANA CEO Sentenced to Two Years for Defrauding Ratepayers in Connection with Failed Nuclear Construction ProjectRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Kevin B. Marsh, 66, former SCANA Corporation (SCANA) Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Marsh intentionally defrauded ratepayers while overseeing and managing SCANA’s operations – including the construction of two reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station – so the company could obtain and retain rate increases imposed on its rate-paying customers and qualify for up to $2.2 billion in tax credits. In late 2016, confronted with information that the project was delayed and that the tax credits were at risk, Marsh and others withheld that information from regulators in an effort to keep the project going. Marsh’s false and materially misleading statements, as well as other false and materially misleading statements made by his coconspirators, allowed SCANA to obtain and retain rate increases imposed on SCANA’s rate-paying customers.
“Due to this fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “an $11 billion nuclear ghost town, paid for by SCANA investors and customers, now sits vacant in Jenkinsville, S.C. Hopefully, this prosecution will deter other corporate fraud in the future.”
“Kevin Marsh deceived regulators and customers to financially benefit SCANA,” said Susan Ferensic, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Unfortunately, Marsh’s and other executive’s actions resulted in South Carolinians bearing the financial brunt of the failed Summer Nuclear Station. This sentence should serve as a reminder to any corporation and their executives that there is a price to pay for those who conspire to commit fraud.”
According to evidence presented to the Court, Marsh has no prior criminal history, and has cooperated with federal and state investigators for more than a year in the ongoing investigation into criminal wrongdoing related to the V.C. Summer nuclear project. Marsh’s sentence reflects credit for his assistance in the ongoing investigation and prosecution of wrongdoing related to the failed nuclear construction project.
Marsh is the first defendant in the case to be sentenced in the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office has additionally obtained felony guilty pleas from Stephen Byrne, former Executive Vice President of SCANA and former Chief Operating Officer of South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G), and Carl Churchman, former Westinghouse Electric Corporation Vice President and the Project Director of the V.C. Summer Nuclear project. The United States Attorney’s Office has also executed cooperation agreements with Dominion Energy and Westinghouse Electric Company, which together provide over $4 billion in ratepayer relief; and it has charged Jeffrey Benjamin, former Westinghouse Electric Company Senior Vice President, in a sixteen-count felony criminal indictment.
United States District Judge Mary Lewis sentenced Marsh to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Lewis also imposed a fine of $200,000. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Marsh paid $5 million in federal forfeiture prior to his sentencing.
This sentencing is the result of an exhaustive and multi-year joint investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Brook Andrews, Winston Holliday, Emily Limehouse, and Special Assistant United States Attorney John O’Halloran are prosecuting the case.
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Former Long Island Doctor Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiring to Illegally Distribute OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Tameshwar Ammar, a former medical doctor in Roslyn, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley to five years’ imprisonment for conspiring to illegally distribute oxycodone. In June 2020, Ammar relinquished his license to practice medicine. In July 2020, Ammar pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of his sentence, Ammar agreed to forfeit $245,700 in criminal proceeds.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentence sends a stern warning that doctors who decide to betray their Hippocratic oaths by acting as profit-seeking drug dealers will face severe consequences,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis. “This Office and our partners at the DEA are working tirelessly to combat the opioid epidemic on Long Island and elsewhere, including by prosecuting medical professionals who contribute to the risk of addiction, overdose and death by their callous actions.” Ms. Kasulis also thanked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, for their assistance during the investigation.
“Doctors are supposed to be among the most trusted professionals in our society. This defendant, on the other hand, used his position to prey upon members of our community,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan. “By knowingly and intentionally writing prescriptions of addictive opioids that he knew would be resold, he violated not only his oath as a doctor, but the trust of his community. I applaud the efforts of the Long Island District Office’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York for their dedication to this investigation.”
As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, between 2013 and 2019, Ammar illegally prescribed thousands of highly addictive oxycodone pills to two individuals identified in the indictment as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2. According to a review of Ammar’s medical files for the two individuals, Ammar wrote the prescriptions without any diagnostic proof of legitimate medical need. Ammar prescribed oxycodone pills to John Doe 1, knowing that he intended to sell the pills to others. In addition, Ammar continued to prescribe oxycodone pills and methadone to John Doe 2, even after learning that he had been admitted to a psychiatric facility in March 2018.
The government’s investigation was led by the DEA’s Long Island Tactical Diversion Squad, comprised of agents and officers of the DEA, Nassau County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department, Port Washington Police Department and Rockville Centre Police Department. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad also worked in conjunction with officers and agents of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the Hempstead Police Department.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
TAMESHWAR AMMAR
Age: 53
Amityville, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-516 (DRH)
Former Liverpool Postal Carrier Sentenced for Stealing Gift Cards from MailRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas J. Joslin, age 58, of North Syracuse, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Syracuse to 3 years of probation after previously pleading guilty to three felony counts of stealing gift cards from the mail while employed as a carrier with the United States Postal Service, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPSOIG), Northeast Area Field Office.
In pleading guilty previously, Joslin admitted that he stole multiple gift cards from mail entrusted to him in Onondaga County between March 2019 and June 2019, including a $160 prepaid Mastercard rebate card; a $300 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card; and a $40 prepaid Visa card. The defendant admitted that he targeted pieces of mail he believed contained gift cards, and that he used the stolen gift cards to buy different gift cards in an attempt to distance himself from the thefts. Joslin is no longer employed by the U.S. Postal Service.
As part of his sentence, Joslin must pay a $2,000 fine; make restitution payments $500 to the known victims of his offenses; and perform 50 hours of community service. The sentence was pronounced by Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr., who presides over the case.
This case was investigated by USPSOIG, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Emergency Dispatcher Indicted for Producing and Distributing Materials Depicting Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Scott Matthew Yotka (47, Jacksonville) with producing and distributing materials depicting young children being sexually abused. Yotka faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, and up to 80 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Yotka was arrested at his residence by FBI agents on September 17, 2021, and is currently detained awaiting trial.
According to court documents, on September 15, 2021, Yotka, using the name “Scottnjax44,” utilized a particular social media application (app) to engage in online private conversations with an undercover FBI task force officer in Washington, D.C., who was posing as the parent of a child. Yotka and the undercover officer discussed, in detail, the sexual exploitation of children. Yotka stated that he was sexually active with two young children, both of whom were unable to talk. Yotka sent the undercover officer several photos and a video that depicted two children being sexually abused. Yotka also stated that he was employed as an “emergency dispatcher” and worked “12 hour shifts.”
The FBI’s investigation traced the online messaging activity to Yotka’s residence in Jacksonville and determined that the same “Scottnjax44” user account was also accessed from the City of Jacksonville facility at the Ed Ball Building located in downtown Jacksonville. FBI agents coordinated with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) and confirmed that Yotka was employed by JSO as a Police Emergency Communications Officer and that he routinely worked a 12-hour night shift.
On the morning of September 17, 2021, the FBI, assisted by JSO, executed a federal search warrant at Yotka’s residence and arrested Yotka. Following his arrest, Yotka resigned his position with JSO.
An indictment is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Washington, D.C., and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact the FBI Jacksonville office at 904-248-7000.
Former Alorton Police Officer Charged with Obtaining Funds from the Village of Alorton Police Department by FraudRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, ILL. – Jay A. Cobb, 57, of Cahokia, Illinois, formerly a police officer with the
Village of Alorton Police Department, was charged in a one-count Indictment with “Obtaining Funds by Fraud from the City of Alorton Police Department, a Unit of a Government that Received Federal
Funds.” The Indictment alleges that Cobb falsified time records for the period of January 2020 through April 2021 and acknowledges that he obtained funds by fraud from May 2018 through April 2021 claiming to be working when he was out of the jurisdiction, usually at his residence in Cahokia, Illinois. The Indictment alleges that there was approximately 654 hours where Cobb claimed he was working but he was outside the jurisdiction of the Village of Alorton causing a financial loss of approximately $9,815.U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said, “The allegations in this indictment should reassure the public that allegations of police misconduct are investigated seriously; but the charges should not undermine the public’s confidence in law enforcement, which is overwhelmingly made up of good and decent public servants who risk their lives for our safety.”
Embezzling money from an organization that receives federal funds carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, the defendant is presumed to be innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Public Corruption Task Force which consists of agents with the FBI and the Illinois State Police.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Citizens are encouraged to report suspicions of public corruption to the Southern Illinois Public
Corruption Task Force Tip Line at (618) 589-7373.
For the Third Time, Nashville Man Convicted of Being A Convicted Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal jury yesterday, convicted Davian M. Greenlee, 40, of Nashville, with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart.
This conviction arose from an incident which occurred on March 16, 2018, when Greenlee and Darius Gustus, 28, broke into a home in Antioch, Tennessee. Officers with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to a call from a neighbor and found Gustus on the roof of the home, trying to escape and Greenlee was found inside hiding under a pile of clothes in a closet.
A stolen, loaded .40 caliber Glock, taken from an earlier burglary, was found next to Greenlee, which he claimed belonged to the homeowner and a loaded 9mm pistol was found on the roof where Gustus was hiding. The homeowners testified that they did not own or possess a firearm.
Greenlee was previously charged in December 2002 with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty in July 2003. He was charged again with the same offense in May 2008 and also pleaded guilty to that charge. Greenlee was on supervised release when he committed the latest offense.
Sentencing in this case is set for February 14, 2022. If the Court finds that Greenlee is an Armed Career Criminal, he faces up to life in prison.
Darius Gustus previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced early next year.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert E. McGuire and Kathryn W. Booth prosecuted the case.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Delmar Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jesse Clarence Odum, age 35, of Pensacola, Florida, pled guilty today to an indictment charging him with robbing a Pioneer Bank branch.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Chief Gina F. Cocchiara of the Bethlehem Police Department (BPD).
As part of his guilty plea, Odum admitted that on May 2, 2015, he entered the Pioneer Bank branch located at 184 Delaware Avenue in Delmar, New York, stopped at a counter, wrote a note, and approached a teller. Odum then passed the teller the note, which instructed her to be silent and give him $10,000. The teller partially complied, and Odum fled the bank with $5,000 in cash.
Odum was subsequently arrested on May 26, 2015, by BPD officers, in the vicinity of the same Pioneer Bank branch.
Odum faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on February 4, 2022. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bethlehem Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
First Person Charged for Fraudulently Seeking COVID Relief Business Loans SentencedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - A Massachusetts man who became the first person in the country charged with fraudulently seeking forgivable pandemic relief small business loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and who faked suicide shortly after his arrest resulting in a nationwide search for him by the U.S. Marshals Service, was sentenced today to 56 months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
David Adler Staveley, a/k/a Kurt David Sanborn, a/k/a David Sanborn, 54, of Andover, MA, conspired with David Andrew Butziger, 53, of Warwick, RI, to file four fraudulent CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loan applications with a Rhode Island bank, falsely claiming they owned businesses with large monthly payrolls when, in fact, they did not own the businesses. Staveley admitted that as part of the scheme, on April 6, 2020, he and Butziger filed fraudulent loan applications seeking $185,570 to pay employees at Top of the Bay restaurant in Warwick, RI; $144,050 at Remington House Inn restaurant in Warwick, RI; $108,777 at On The Trax restaurant in Berlin, MA; and $105,381 to pay employees at Dock Wireless, an unincorporated business.
Staveley had no ownership interest in Top of the Bay, Remington House Inn, or On The Trax which were closed at the time the loan applications were submitted and remain closed. Dock Wireless had no employees and no wages were ever paid by the business.
Three weeks after being charged and appearing in U.S. District Court in May 2020, and released to home detention with electronic monitoring, Staveley removed his electronic monitoring device, staged his own suicide, and fled. Staveley left suicide notes with associates and left his wallet in his unlocked car that he parked along the ocean in Massachusetts. Further investigation determined that between May 26 and July 23, 2020, Staveley, who was to have appeared in federal court on June 2, 2020, traveled to various states using false identities and stolen license plates. He was apprehended by the United States Marshals Service in Alpharetta, GA., on July 23, 2020.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Staveley was sentenced to 56 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release.
Butziger is scheduled to be sentenced on November 1, 2021.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
The Justice Department acknowledges and thanks the SBA Office of Inspector General and the FDIC, Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID- 19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Felon Receives 57-Month Sentence for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Deeric Walton, 25, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentenced today.
According to information presented in court, on December 8, 2018, Memphis Police Department officers were searching for Deeric Walton at his residence on East Trophy Way. As officers announced their presence, they heard someone running throughout the apartment. Walton eventually answered the door, advising investigators that he was hiding guns. Law enforcement then transported the defendant to the MPD Homicide Office for a statement regarding a homicide.
A search warrant for his apartment revealed in the living room, a Lorcin .380 caliber handgun; in a bedroom, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm caliber firearm with a 30-round magazine, and a stolen Charles Daly 1911 .45 ACP caliber handgun; in another bedroom, an FNH USA 9mm handgun and a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. Walton was Mirandized and admitted to owning several of the handguns, having purchased all the guns "off the streets."
As a juvenile, Walton was previously convicted of a robbery and was prosecuted as an adult. As a result of his prior conviction, Walton is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. On November 19, 2020, a Federal Grand Jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted the defendant for this offense. Walton pled guilty, May 20, 2021.
On October 5, 2021, U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Walton to 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force investigated this case. The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative is 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. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice 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.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
###Federal Jury Finds Illinois Man Guilty of Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found an Illinois man guilty of sex trafficking a woman and transporting another woman to engage in prostitution, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a four-day trial before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, Darnell Deshawn Stennis, 29, was convicted of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, transporting an individual to engage in prostitution, and obstruction.
According to the evidence presented at trial, between January and March 2019, Stennis transported a woman between Minnesota and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution. During this same time, Stennis used threats and physical violence to force another woman into performing commercial sex acts.
On March 25, 2019, officers with the Bloomington Police Department were dispatched to the La Quinta Inn in Bloomington, Minnesota, following a report that a hotel guest heard yelling and what sounded like someone being thrown against a wall. Upon arrival, officers encountered Stennis and the two women, identified as Victim A and Victim B. Officers checked the hotel room and observed obvious signs of a disturbance, including a toilet seat that was broken into multiple pieces and a towel rack that was bent. Victim A reported to officers that Stennis had violently assaulted her after she told him she didn’t want to engage in commercial sex work anymore. Victim A reported that Stennis choked her, bashed her head into the towel rack, and pushed her down onto the toilet seat. Stennis, who also had outstanding warrants, was arrested and placed into custody.
“Darnell Stennis is a violent sex trafficker whose singular goal was to make money by gaining physical, emotional, and financial control over his victims. I commend the trial team and our investigative partners who built a strong case against this defendant and brought him to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
“The damage inflicted upon survivors of this form of sexual exploitation is immeasurable. The victims are subject to multiple forms of trauma, which never fully fade,” said Jamie G. Holt, acting special agent in charge of HSI St. Paul. “Stennis used violent assault, fear, coercion, and control to abuse and exploit two people for nothing more than simple greed. HSI special agents remain steadfast in our pursuit of all those who perpetrate this modern-day slavery.”
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bloomington Police Department.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Manda M. Sertich, and Evan B. Gilead.
Federal Charges for Fresno Man Caught with Approximately 9,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Salvador Ortiz-Padilla, 24, of Fresno, charging him with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence of a suspected fentanyl-pill dealer, Ortiz-Padilla. During the search of the residence, agents found approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills hidden in a safe that Ortiz-Padilla controlled.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ortiz-Padilla faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Fayetteville Drug Trafficker Receives 7½ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Miguel Marquis Hutchinson, 35, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was sentenced yesterday to 90 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court records, evidence presented in court and other court documents, on February 3, 2019, Hutchinson, during an encounter with Fayetteville police officers, gave a false name to the officers and made a suspicious movement with his arm as he exited the car.
During the encounter at the car, officers smelled the odor of marijuana and conducted a search of the car which resulted in locating 19.33 grams of marijuana inside the center console, baggies, and a digital scale. A loaded 9mm Taurus pistol was also located positioned and ready for use under the driver’s seat on the right side pinned against the center console.
Ten months later, while on state pre-trial release for this offense, Hutchinson was a passenger in a vehicle occupied by two others and was stopped for speeding on Fort Bragg. Military Police Officers located 3 firearms in the vehicle including an AK-47 assault rifle with an extended magazine and over $16,000 in cash at Hutchinson’s feet.
Hutchinson was previously convicted of second-degree murder in North Carolina state court in 2006 in Cumberland County, North Carolina and had just been released from custody two years prior.
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. Homeland Security Investigations, the Fayetteville Police Department and the Fort Bragg Military Police Traffic Unit investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz 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.5:19-CR-523-BO.
Ex-President of Ohio Healthcare Management Company Sentenced to Prison in $59 Million Check Kiting Scheme Targeting S&T BankRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - The former president of an Ohio healthcare management company has been sentenced in federal court to 42 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of bank fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Harold Sosna, age 68, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
“Harold Sosna received a long prison sentence which is consistent with the magnitude of his fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Kaufman. “He cheated community banks in western Pennsylvania and Ohio of an astounding sum - $59 million. Sosna is responsible for the largest bank fraud scheme ever prosecuted in our District.”
“Mr. Sosna has now been sentenced and held accountable for his greed and negligence in gaming the banking system,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “The FBI investigates these matters aggressively to safeguard the financial industry. Fraud of this magnitude will not be tolerated.”
The court was advised that during the time of the check kite, Sosna was the president of Premier Healthcare Management (Premier), located in Blue Ash, Ohio. It owned and operated nine nursing care facilities in southern and central Ohio. Premiere provided in-facility, post-acute, and long-term care for individuals recovering from medical procedures, as well as assisted living services through various corporate entities. Each entity had a subsidiary relationship with Premier and operated individual bank accounts at various banks to include S&T Bank, headquartered in Indiana Pennsylvania, and First Financial Bank, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
According to information provided during his plea hearing, Sosna wrote checks between various S&T Bank and First Financial Bank accounts under his control and associated with Premier, in increasing dollar amounts. This was done to manipulate the numerical balance in the accounts and thereby create the false and fraudulent appearance that the defendant had sufficient legitimate available funds in various accounts, and to trick the banks into honoring checks drawn against accounts with insufficient funds. Between May 15, 2020, and May 18, 2020, by writing and negotiating checks, Sosna, sent more than $118,000,000.00 through S&T Bank and First Financial Bank, which were unfunded amounts and were the equivalent of obtaining money from the banks without actual properly secured loans. A total of 203 checks were negotiated in execution of his scheme. S&T Bank incurred a loss of $59,240,000.00.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Cessar and Jeffrey R. Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sosna.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Steal Mail and Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to steal check books and credit cards from the postal system, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Tashon Ragan, aka “Ta,” 21, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence by videoconference.
Three of Ragan’s conspirators, Jeffrey Bennett, 27, of Irvington, New Jersey, and Jahaad Flip, 22, and Janel Blackman, 42, both of Newark, pleaded guilty before Judge Wigenton earlier this year to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and are awaiting sentencing. Blackman also pleaded guilty to filing fraudulent applications with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2019 to May 2020, Ragan conspired to fraudulently obtain money from victim financial institutions by depositing counterfeit checks and checks stolen from the mail into accounts at victim financial institutions and withdrawing funds from those accounts before the fraudulent checks were identified and further withdrawals were blocked. Ragan and his conspirators arranged for USPS employees to steal credit cards and blank check books from the mail in exchange for cash payments. USPS employees provided the checks to Ragan and his conspirators. Ragan and his conspirators forged the signatures of the accountholders and negotiated the checks by making them payable to individuals, some of whom were New Jersey high school students and who had given Ragan and his conspirators access to their accounts, also in exchange for cash. Ragan and his conspirators created counterfeit checks, including counterfeit pandemic relief checks. Ragan and his conspirators deposited the fraudulent checks online and at various bank ATMs throughout New Jersey and later withdrew funds from the bank accounts before the victim financial institutions identified the checks as fraudulent and could block further withdrawals. Ragan and his conspirators obtained and attempted to obtain approximately $366,000 from victim financial institutions.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton also sentenced Ragan to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $61,438.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; special agents with the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi; special agents with IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez; and special agents with the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked the Summit Police Department, the New Providence Police Department, the Piscataway Police Department, the Newark Police Department, the South Orange Police Department, and the Little Falls Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Fayer and Elaine K. Lou in Newark.
Erek L. Barron Sworn-In as the 49th United States Attorney for the District of MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief United States District Judge James K. Bredar today swore in Erek L. Barron as the 49th United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.
As the United States Attorney, Mr. Barron is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the District of Maryland. Mr. Barron oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the District of Maryland. He supervises an office of approximately 98 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 73 support personnel, who handle a high volume of cases including domestic and international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, organized crime, gang violence, public corruption, cybercrime, financial and healthcare fraud and civil rights violations.
Before taking office as the United States Attorney, Mr. Barron was a partner in a law firm in Maryland, with a focus on complex business and criminal litigation. Mr. Barron was also a member of the Maryland House of Delegates where he served as a member of the Maryland Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council and co-authored bipartisan legislation designed to enhance public safety, reduce corrections spending, and reinvest savings in evidence-based strategies to decrease crime and recidivism. Mr. Barron was also responsible for numerous legislative measures addressing criminal justice and behavioral health, including bills curbing opioid abuse and mandating treatment for opioid addiction and services for mentally ill individuals. Mr. Barron previously served as President-Elect of the Maryland State Bar Association and President of the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association.
Mr. Barron began his career as an Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County and then Baltimore City, working primarily as a violent crime prosecutor. He continued his public service as a Trial Attorney in the United States Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, where he handled regional and national gang and organized crime investigations and prosecutions. He then served as Counsel and Policy Advisor to then-Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, where he focused on law enforcement, crime policy and oversight of the United States Department of Justice.
Mr. Barron received his B.A. degree from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1996 and received his law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1999. In 2007, Mr. Barron earned an advanced law degree, focused on International and National Security Law, from Georgetown University Law Center.
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Elyria Man Sentenced to Thirteen and a Half Years for Coordinating Armed Gas Station RobberyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Jonathan Donnell, 33, of Elyria, Ohio, was sentenced today by Judge John R. Adams to thirteen and a half years imprisonment after Donnell was found guilty by a jury of interference with commerce by robbery and using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court records, on May 5, 2019, two masked men armed with handguns robbed a Marathon Gas on Huron Street in Elyria. The intruders stole approximately $30,000 in cash and cigarettes and bound a store employee with zip ties. Elyria Police Officers investigated the incident and later determined that Joseph Geiger and Michael Ward were responsible for the robbery.
While investigating the robbery, police learned that defendant Jonathan Donnell may also have been involved. Through further investigating, police learned that Donnell was responsible for planning the robbery and provided the other two defendants with the tools necessary to carry it out, including the guns, zip ties and gloves. Police further discovered that Donnell also drove both Ward and Geiger to a location near the robbery and was supposed to serve as the getaway driver; however, Donnell left before Ward and Geiger returned.
Joseph Geiger was sentenced by Judge Donald C. Nugent to thirteen years imprisonment for his role in the incident.
Michael Ward was sentenced by Judge Donald C. Nugent to nine years imprisonment for his role in the incident.
This case was investigated by the Elyria Police and the Cleveland FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki.
Eden Prairie Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in Firearms Straw Purchasing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing straw purchased firearms and possessing an unregistered firearm.
“Today’s sentencing reaffirms our office’s commitment to reducing gun violence and prosecuting violent offenders who put public safety at risk,” said Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, between June 15, 2020, and October 28, 2020, Damien Lashaun Nelson, 32, conspired with three women to illegally buy multiple firearms that he was prohibited from possessing because he is a convicted felon. One of the straw buyers, Melissa Hallich, 48, of Brooklyn Park, pleaded guilty to buying four guns on behalf of Nelson, including a Taurus .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver, and two Sccy 9mm semi-automatic pistols. Hallich lied on the required ATF Forms 4473, stating that she was the actual purchaser of the guns when, in reality, Nelson gave her money and directed her to buy the guns. On October 22, 2020, Nelson also possessed a loaded Western Field, Model 30, 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun. Because he has multiple prior felony convictions in Dakota, Scott, and Hennepin Counties, Nelson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Nelson pleaded guilty on December 29, 2020, to one count of conspiracy and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. Hallich, who pleaded guilty on June 21, 2021, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced the defendant.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Human Trafficking Task Force, the Burnsville Police Department, and the Eden Prairie Police Department, with assistance from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kevin J. Bell, 41, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This term of prison will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Bell pleaded guilty to this charge on July 14, 2021.
On October 16, 2020, West Central Drug Task Force officers purchased over 53 grams of methamphetamine from Bell through a confidential informant in Eau Claire.
On December 1, 2020, officers again purchased methamphetamine, this time roughly 13 grams, from Bell through a confidential informant in Eau Claire.
At the time of these incidents, Bell was on state supervision for four separate prior cases related to trafficking methamphetamine. His supervision in those cases was revoked and he is currently serving a state prison sentence with an expected release date of March 4, 2027. Judge Conley ordered this federal sentence to run concurrently with the state prison sentence.
In imposing the sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Bell’s lengthy criminal history and continued involvement in drug trafficking, saying it was unacceptable and merited a significant sentence. Judge Conley noted that Bell’s history of selling drugs contributed to other addicts’ downfalls.
The charge against Bell was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, and Eau Claire County Sheriffs’ Departments, Eau Claire Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on October 5, 2021, by Chief Judge Robert A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Charles Moran, age 44, was sentenced to 25 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Moran was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury on May 2, 2021. He pled guilty on July 15, 2021.
Moran was convicted of a sex offense in 1997. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. Between November 18, 2020, and February 21, 2021, Moran failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
This case was investigated by U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Moran was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dual United States-Colombian Citizen Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child Sex Abuse Materials and Engaging in Child Sex TourismRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Hugo Espinosa Chavez (58, Tampa) with the production and possession of child sex abuse materials as well as foreign travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor child. If convicted on all counts, Espinosa faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. On October 5, 2021, Espinosa made his initial appearance in Tampa and was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the indictment, from May until December 2020, Espinosa employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor victim to produce depictions of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Moreover, on December 12, 2020, Espinosa traveled from the United States to the Republic of Colombia for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with this minor.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, with substantial assistance from HSI Bogota, the Colombian National Police, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Drug Traffickers Sentenced to 20 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Drug PossessionRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH, Ark. – A Marshalltown IA, women and a Greenville MS, man were sentenced to 20 years combined in prison followed by five years each of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge P.K Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fort smith.
According to court documents, on March 13, 2021, an Arkansas State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Kyla Nicole Forbes, age 47, for a traffic violation. The vehicle was also occupied by a front seat passenger named Malcolm Dewayne Alexander, age 46. After asking and being denied consent to search the vehicle, a second Trooper arrived with his K9 partner. That Trooper utilized his K9 partner to conduct a sniff of the air around the vehicle. The K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics being in the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle 10 bundles of methamphetamine weighing a total of 6.3 kilograms were located inside a black duffle bag that was placed in the trunk. Also located inside the vehicle was a glass pipe used to smoke meth in Forbes purse and an open syringe in the center console.
Alexander was sentenced on September 16, 2021 to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Forbes was sentenced on October 6, 2021 to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Arkansas State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Williams prosecuted the case.
Dracut Man Indicted for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dracut man was indicted today in federal court in Boston in connection with the armed robbery of three convenience stores in Lowell and Tewksbury on Dec. 24, 2020.
Michael Vangpa, 32, was indicted on three counts of interfering with commerce by robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Vangpa was previously charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 12, 2021 and has remained in federal custody since.
According to the charging documents, on Dec. 24, 2020, Vangpa robbed three nearby convenience stores—two in Lowell and one in Tewksbury—within an hour. In each of the robberies, Vangpa allegedly brandished a firearm and demanded money from the store clerks. It is also alleged that Vangpa discharged the firearm during one of the robberies.
The charge of interference with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence provides for a mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed and up to life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. The Lowell, Tewksbury, Dracut and Nashua (N.H.) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Sentenced for Social Security Misuse and Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for false representation of a Social Security number and theft of government money.
Ramon Hiciano, 64, a Dominican national previously residing in Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hiciano was also ordered to pay restitution of $84,610 and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence.
Hiciano used the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen to apply for and receive federally funded MassHealth benefits, Section 8 housing assistance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Between January 2016 and August 2020, Hiciano used the victim’s identity to fraudulently receive approximately $58,093 in MassHealth benefits, $20,780 in Section 8 housing assistance benefits and $5,736 in PUA benefits.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The theft of government money charges provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Jermaine Jack, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Philip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Field Office; and Suzanne M. Bump, State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit 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.
Cut Bank man sentenced for strangulation, assault chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Cut Bank man convicted of strangling and assaulting a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced on Wednesday to 42 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said today.
Gordon Lee Connelly, 20, pleaded guilty in June to strangulation, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury and interstate violation of a protection order.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered $1,800 restitution.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that on Feb. 16, Connelly strangled and assaulted the victim, identified as Jane Doe, near Cut Bank, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, causing her substantial injuries. The government further alleged that on March 25, Connelly traveled from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in order to violate a portion of a protection order that prohibits violence, threats and communication with another person.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
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Cumberland County Man Charged with Manufacturing an Explosive Device and with Possessing Multiple Bombs and Precursor MaterialsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey, man will make his initial appearance today on charges related to his explosive devices and the materials used to manufacture them, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Thomas Petronglo, 63, of Vineland, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with one count each of unlawful possession of a destructive device, unlawful making of a destructive device, and unlawful storage of explosive materials. He is scheduled to appear by videoconference later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen.
According to documents filed in this case:
On March 12, 2021, Petronglo was found in possession of one destructive device, a 5 ¾-inch diameter metal can, containing a quantity of an explosive mixture of potassium perchlorate and aluminum, with a fuse sticking out of the device.
Petronglo also possessed multiple intact improvised explosive devices and explosive materials, including:
- One suspected improvised explosive device containing a plastic cylinder, suspected explosive mixture inside the plastic cylinder, with cardboard tubing and a fuse sticking out of the device;
- One suspected improvised explosive device containing a plastic cylinder, M class device inside the plastic cylinder, with suspected explosive mixture wrapped in black electrical tape with a fuse sticking out of the device;
- One suspected improvised explosive device, containing a black plastic cylinder wrapped in black electrical tape, inside the cylinder is a suspected explosive mixture, with a fuse sticking out of the device;
- One suspected improvised explosive device, containing cardboard tubing with twine wrapped around the cardboard tubing and the wrapped in black electrical tape, with a suspected explosive mixture inside the cardboard tubing and a fuse sticking out of the device;
- Two M class devices – one 3-inch M class device and one 2-inch M class, both suspected devices in red cardboard tubes with wooden plug at the end of the devices, inside the cardboard tubing is a suspected explosive mixture with a fuse sticking out of the device;
- Numerous materials used to manufacture destructive devices, including precursor chemicals, hobby fuse, time fuse, the explosive making materials such as the cardboard tubing, and black plastic cylinders.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark; the Vineland Police Department, under the direction of Chief Pedro Casiano; the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The counts of possession of a destructive device and making of an explosive device each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The count of unlawful storage of explosives carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean C. Sovolos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A Hot Springs man was sentenced on October 5, 2021 to 92 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2019, an Arkansas State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Redmon DeShawn Logan, 33, for a traffic violation. As the Trooper approached the vehicle the Trooper observed a bullet in the driver’s door handle. The Trooper asked Logan if he had any weapons in the vehicle. As Logan began to reach down toward the weapon the Trooper pulled Logan from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. A vehicle search was conducted and resulted in the Trooper locating and seizing two stolen handguns, an assault rifle, and over 200 rounds of ammunition.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Arkansas State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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.
Columbus Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio man was sentenced to prison today after being convicted earlier this year of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Lewis Von Burks, Jr., 52, was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about October 2018 until November 2019, Lewis Von Burks, Jr. was selling black tar heroin to several individuals in Jackson County, West Virginia, and elsewhere. These individuals were regularly travelling to Columbus in order to meet Burks and complete the transactions. Burks had knowledge at the time that several of the individuals were taking the heroin back to Jackson County, and that at least one of the individuals was re-selling the heroin in Jackson County. During the period of the conspiracy, at least 100 grams of black tar heroin were re-sold within Jackson County.
Burks admitted to law enforcement officers during the investigation that he had been selling heroin to Jackson County residents since at least 2015, and estimated that he sold hundreds of ounces of heroin to Jackson County residents during that time.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00114.
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Columbia Man Indicted for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, KY returned an indictment on October 5, 2021, charging a Columbia, KY man with distributing greater than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on September 10, 2021, Trey Williams, 25, of Columbia, KY, sold approximately six pounds of crystal methamphetamine to another person. The sale price was $23,300.00. Following the sale, FBI and local law enforcement conducted surveillance at the apartments where the drug deal took place. Law enforcement was able to locate Williams and arrested him.
Williams is charged with Distribution of a Controlled Substance. He is scheduled for arraignment on October 27, 2021 before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Williams is currently in federal custody. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen made the announcement.
The FBI, Kentucky State Police, and the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Co-Conspirator of Former Norfolk Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Franklin, Tennessee, man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud by paying bribes to secure medical services contracts for the Norfolk City Jail.
“The defendant conspired with the corrupt former Norfolk Sheriff to defraud the citizens of our community through an extensive bribery scheme involving cash, travel, entertainment, gifts, and campaign contributions,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This prosecution should send a clear message to those who seek to erode the public’s trust through bribes—including government contractors who pay them and corrupt elected officials who accept them—that they will be held accountable, regardless of their wealth or position.”
According to court documents, Gerard Boyle, 66, admitted to engaging in a 13-year bribery scheme with former Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe. Boyle was the founder and chief executive officer of Correct Care Solutions (CCS), a company that provided medical services to inmates at local jails. Over the course of the conspiracy, Boyle provided McCabe things of value, such as gifts, cash, entertainment, a Richard Petty driving experience, travel, campaign contributions, and in-kind political contributions. In exchange, McCabe performed official acts related to CCS’ medical services contracts with the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office. The medical services contracts were worth approximately $3.2 million per year. On August 24, 2021, a Norfolk federal jury convicted McCabe of all eleven charged counts related in part to this scheme.
“Gerard Boyle leveraged McCabe’s greed to unfairly game the system and get ahead of competitors. Their conspiracy to steer contracts to Boyle’s business in exchange for bribes was not only unfair to other businesses that played by the rules, but it betrayed the trust and confidence of the community,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “The FBI will never allow bribery to become business as usual.”
“Paying bribes to get business is not only unethical, but it puts competitors who follow the law at an unfair disadvantage,” said Darrell J. Waldon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Washington DC Field Office. “We will continue to vigorously investigate those who seek to stifle fair competition by participating in pay-to-play contract schemes.”
Boyle is scheduled to be sentenced on February 25, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Darrell J. Waldon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Internal Revenue Service, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Randy C. Stoker, and Anthony Mozzi are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-171.
Cleveland Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Cleveland, Oklahoma, man pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday in federal court for possessing more than 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Ryan Daniel McNabb, 24, to 84 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. Judge Frizzell further ordered McNabb to pay $30,000 in restitution to 10 identified victims that were abused in the making of the child sexual abuse material.
“The law enforcement community doggedly pursues justice for victims who have been sexually exploited first by their abuser and then by those who trade and view images of the abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Individuals, like Ryan McNabb, who access and view child sexual abuse material will be prosecuted, and their criminal behavior will not be tolerated.”
“HSI will leverage all resources at our disposal to arrest those who prey on innocent children,” said Christopher M. Miller, Deputy Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “Working alongside our law enforcement partners and NGOs, we will always apply a victim-centered approach throughout our investigations, and will be relentless in our pursuit of the predators who exploit our most vulnerable through child sexual abuse material. ”
McNabb admitted in his plea agreement that on March 18, 2021, he knowingly accessed with intent to view depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Federal agents ultimately found 997 images and 96 videos of child pornography on his electronic devices.
According to court documents, the investigation into McNabb’s criminal acts began when NCMEC sent law enforcement 20 CyberTipline reports indicating that an IP address associated with McNabb was used to upload child pornography.
During the execution of search and seizure warrants related to the case, McNabb admitted to downloading child pornography at his previous home in Broken Arrow. He also told agents that child pornography was still on his cell phone.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.
Cleveland Man Found Guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal jury has found Lawrence Dunbar, 28, of Cleveland, guilty of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession with the intent to distribute carfentanil, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 25, 2019, members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) responded to an apartment building in Cleveland to arrest Dunbar due to a warrant for violation of parole conditions and a second warrant for felonious assault. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers detained Dunbar and searched the apartment. Court documents state that in plain view in the master bedroom, officers identified a suspected bag of heroin and additional baggies on a nightstand. Other officers in the hallway observed a firearm in the living room under a couch.
Officers later obtained a warrant to search the apartment and located various amounts of suspected narcotics, including carfentanil, heroin, and cocaine, a 9mm pistol and ammunition, various drug paraphernalia, mixing tools, safety equipment, packaging and distribution materials, digital scales and several cell phones.
At the time of the arrest, Dunbar was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple previous convictions of felony offenses such as drug trafficking, drug possession, attempted felonious assault and more in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Dunbar is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2022, before Judge Donald C. Nugent.
This case was investigated by the NOVFTF and the ATF. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam J. Joines and Margaret A. Kane.
Claremore Man who Illegally Possessed Firearms and Child Pornography SentencedRead the Press Release
A Claremore man who possessed over a thousand images of child pornography was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jeffrey Rahn Reetz, 67, to four years in federal prison followed by 25 years of supervised release.
Reetz pleaded guilty in April to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and to possession of child pornography.
“Child predator Jeffrey Reetz collected more than 1,000 images and videos of children being sexually abused, illegally possessed nine firearms, then attempted to flee to Cuba to avoid prosecution. Thankfully, law enforcement stopped him, and he will now spend time in federal prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office and our law enforcement partners will use every tool available to hold accountable individuals who possess, distribute or manufacture child pornography.”
Reetz stated in a plea agreement that between March 2019, and January 23, 2020, he knowingly possessed three rifles, two shotguns, four handguns, and 1,421 rounds of ammunition after being convicted of a felony. Reetz further admitted that between January 2017 and January 23, 2020, he knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view more than 1,000 graphic image files and video files of child pornography, including images of adult males raping toddlers.
On Jan. 23, 2020, agents and officers executed a federal search and seizure warrant at Reetz’s residence and located the firearms. Reetz was subsequently taken into custody at the Tulsa International Airport while he was trying to flee the country to Cuba to avoid arrest and prosecution.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Department of Corrections conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda M. Villalobos, Vani Singhal, Christopher J. Nassar, and Edward Snow are prosecuted the case.
Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury deliberated for just under 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict against Joseph Allen Wilcher, 40, of the 1800 block of Western Drive SW in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on October 6, 2021, for one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Sentencing for Wilcher has been scheduled for February 3, 2022, before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony this week, the government presented evidence to establish that Wilcher arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity on the dating application MeetMe. Further evidence showed that Wilcher ultimately traveled from Cedar Rapids to Rock Island, Illinois, to meet the individual and engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Wilcher faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment for the attempted enticement of a minor charge and up to 30 years imprisonment for the traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct charge. Following the jury’s verdict, Wilcher was taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
“This guilty verdict shows both the ongoing threat to our children and that law enforcement and prosecutors are working together to combat the threat,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey. “We will all collectively continue to work together to protect our children.”
“Children can be easily lured into the clutches of those who wish to betray and exploit them online, said David Nanz, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division. “The FBI is committed to flushing out sexual predators with a sense of urgency to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. If you suspect someone is having inappropriate contact with a minor, report it to law enforcement immediately.”
Wilcher was arrested in November of 2020 as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, operation conducted in Rock Island, Illinois. The operation was conducted with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the East Moline Police Department, the Galesburg Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, and the Knox County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Hodges and Jennifer Mathew represented the government at trial.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.
Business Owners Plead Guilty in Two Separate Tax Fraud CasesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The owners of separate and unrelated businesses pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to charges they failed to report substantial amounts of income to the Internal Revenue Service and failed to pay taxes on the income, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
On Wednesday, Gladys Rossi, 53, the sole owner and operator of R.I.J. Inc, a Providence-based company that affixes price tags to jewelry for other companies, admitted to a federal court judge that she failed to disclose more than $1.2 million dollars in gross revenue and failed to pay more than $400,000 in taxes due to the Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2012 through 2015.
According to court documents, from 2012 through 2015, Rossi paid employees under-the-table and failed to maintain or prepare business records that accurately tracked expenditures, gross income, net income, profits, and dividend disbursements. An investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation determined that business and personal tax returns filed by Rossi failed to report income totaling $1,226,707.21, resulting in an underpayment of taxes of at least $407,767.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Rossi pleaded guilty to two counts of filing a false tax document. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2022. According to a plea agreement filed in this matter, the defendant will pay full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, including all back taxes and interest.
In a separate prosecution, Richard Karski, 59, of Brighton, MA, today admitted that for tax years 2015 through 2018, he failed to report $1,917,658.96 in business and personal income and failed to pay $192,814 in taxes due the Internal Revenue Service.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, an investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation determined that from 2015 through 2018, Karski operated K.C.O. Builders based in Quincy, MA. During that time Karski traveled to Rhode Island and cashed checks he received from his customers at a check-cashing business in Rhode Island. He failed to declare any of the income or pay any taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Karski pleaded guilty to tax evasion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 18, 2022. According to a plea agreement filed in this matter, the defendant will pay full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
The case brought against Gladys Rossi is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah. The case brought against Richard Karski is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
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Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Wide-Ranging Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today to his role in a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy reaching from Boston to Brockton to Lawrence to Cape Cod.
Djuna Goncalves, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone and marijuana; possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana; two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Under the terms of the plea agreement the government will recommend a sentence of 308 months in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Feb. 9, 2022.
According to court documents, in the fall of 2018, federal and state law enforcement agents began investigating a violent Brockton drug crew headed by Djuna Goncalves. The investigation revealed that Djuna Goncalves worked with others, including his brothers Cody and Anthony Goncalves, to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana throughout southeastern Massachusetts from a base of operations in Brockton. The neighborhood surrounding the crew’s Brockton base has been the scene of numerous murders, shootings and other crimes of violence for several years.
During the investigation, large quantities of heroin and fentanyl were seized from Djuna Goncalves, who had previously been convicted of state drug distribution charges and who distributed fentanyl while on pre-trial release for state drug charges. A search of the Brockton base resulted in the seizure of a Glock .45 caliber pistol, a large number of ammunition clips to various types of firearms, accompanying ammunition, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, suboxone strips, a hydraulic press, packaging materials, digital scales, approximately $12,000 in cash and an AK-47 assault rifle:
In all, 17 defendants, including Djuna, Cody and Anthony Goncalves, were indicted as part of a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy reaching from Boston to Brockton to Lawrence to Cape Cod. Of the 17 defendants named in the indictment, nine have been sentenced. Djuna Goncalves is the 15th defendant to plead guilty in the case. On Sept. 12, 2021, Cody Goncalves pleaded guilty to similar charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 2, 2022. The remaining defendants are scheduled to plead guilty. Anthony Goncalves is scheduled to plead guilty on Oct. 12, 2021.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone and marijuana provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, from and after the sentence imposed on the applicable drug trafficking counts, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; and Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea E. Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The detailed contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boone, N.C. Man Is Sentenced to 25 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Frank Darrell Cromwell, 25, of Boone, N.C., to 25 years in prison for producing child pornography, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cromwell was also ordered to pay special assessments in the amount of $55,100, to serve a lifetime of supervised release, and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Andy LeBeau of the Boone Police Department, join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to court records and today’s hearing, between December 2018 and February 2019, Cromwell used Snapchat to convince multiple minor victims that Cromwell was a female, and to communicate with the minors. During the relevant time period, Cromwell induced and sometimes coerced the minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to send explicit images and videos to Cromwell.
“Technology misused by predators like Cromwell can impact the safety and well-being of children everywhere,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer. “It is important – now more than ever – to have conversations with children about the dangers that lurk on the internet, and remind them that things, and people, online are not always what they seem. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their investigation of this case, and all they do to help us protect children.”
“Cases like this should put predators on notice that they cannot use the internet to hide from justice, because we will use all of our resources to find you and hold you accountable,” said Special Agent In Charge Martinez. “HSI along with its partners will continue to combat this heinous crime, but we need everyone to be vigilant and monitor what our children do online as well as who they interact with.”
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended HSI and the Boone Police Department for their investigation the case and thanked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cortney Randall and Stephanie Spaugh prosecuted the case.
The case was were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
Boise Return Preparer Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – A federal grand jury in Boise returned an indictment on September 15, 2021, charging a Boise man with aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
The indictment alleges that, Andres Sanchez, 32, of Boise, assisted individuals in the preparation of federal income tax returns. While assisting individuals in the preparation of their 2014, 2015, or 2016 U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Sanchez allegedly included dependents which he knew the taxpayers were not entitled to claim on their Forms 1040.
Sanchez is charged with eight counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false and fraudulent return. Sanchez appeared in court this week and entered not guilty pleas to all charges. Trial is scheduled for December 6, 2021 at the federal courthouse in Boise before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
If convicted, Sanchez faces a maximum of three years in federal prison and a fine of up to $100,000 on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and credited the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, which led to charges.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Distribution RingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Arizona man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for aiding and abetting possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in February of 2021, Francisco Leon, 31, was one of three occupants staying at a hotel room in South St. Paul. While executing a search warrant for the room, law enforcement discovered two separate bags above the rented room’s bathroom ceiling tiles. Inside the two bags were several clear plastic baggies that contained approximately 14 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also seized a wire transfer receipt and seven cell phones from the hotel room. On May 20, 2021, Leon pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Dakota County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force and the Utah State Highway Patrol.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter, Jr.
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Dark Web Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Lee White, 56, of Chandler, Arizona, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, to two counts of distribution of heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, White and co-defendants Jason Keith Arnold, 47, and Alicia McCoy, 33, both also of Chandler, Arizona, operated the vendor accounts SICKNESSVERSION2 and 23MIGHTYMOUSE23 on the dark web marketplace known as Dream. These vendor accounts distributed heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other federally controlled substances on the dark web.
Law enforcement agents working undercover purchased heroin and other controlled substances from these vendor accounts on various dates in 2018, and had them sent to an address in the Eastern District of California. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at a motel room in which White and McCoy were staying and seized at least 315 grams of heroin, 45 grams of cocaine, 593 grams of methamphetamine, and 30 grams of marijuana. Agents also seized a loaded and unregistered Kel-tec 9 mm handgun from a nightstand in the motel room.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Hemesath and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.
Arnold pleaded guilty on March 5, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2021. Charges are pending against McCoy, and a status conference is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2021. The charges against her are allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
White is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on Jan. 6, 2022. White faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each count to which he pleaded guilty. 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.
Alabama Woman Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Providing False Statements During Purchases of Firearms in Central IllinoisRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An Alabama woman, April Alexandra Soriano, 31, formerly of the 1800 block of East Bertman Avenue, in Springfield, Illinois, pleaded guilty on October 6, 2021, to making false statements during the purchase of multiple firearms during November 2018 and April 2020. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 27, 2022.
In federal court yesterday, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley, Soriano admitted to lying on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives forms when she indicated she was purchasing the guns for herself when, in fact, she was buying them for someone else.
During the change-of-plea hearing, the government stated that during an investigation of a shooting in Chicago, an ATF gun trace revealed that Soriano purchased five firearms from May 1, 2019, to April 15, 2020. A 9mm Taurus handgun she purchased in East Peoria on November 10, 2018, was recovered 64 days later by law enforcement during a search of the residence where she lived with her then-boyfriend in Peoria. A second gun, a 9mm Ruger handgun she purchased at Scheels All Sports in Springfield on April 14, 2020, was recovered 46 days later in Chicago following a shooting incident where a victim sustained a gunshot wound to the foot.
The government further stated that in filling out ATF forms to purchase both the (1) Taurus, Model G2C 9mm caliber pistol from Midwestern Firearms on November 10, 2018, and (2) the Ruger, Model EC9S 9mm caliber pistol from Scheels All Sports on April 14, 2020, Soriano certified that she was the actual buyer and was not acquiring the firearm on behalf of another person.
During the course of the plea proceedings and previously during an interview with law enforcement, Soriano admitted that she provided false information on the forms and had, in fact, purchased both guns for the then-boyfriend. Soriano further admitted that she purchased Taurus pistol for her boyfriend when they lived together on East Nebraska Street in Peoria and said that it was used for protection because drug deals were taking place out of the residence. In relation to the Ruger pistol later recovered in Chicago, Soriano acknowledged that her boyfriend accompanied her to the gun store in Springfield and made the final decision on which gun to purchase.
“This guilty plea highlights the danger of straw purchases of firearms and the relationship between drugs and violence in our community,” said Acting U.S Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “It is simply not okay to purchase a firearm with the intent to give it to someone who cannot legally possess it.”
“The continuing unacceptable level of violence in the Peoria area has multiple causes,” Quivey added. “There is no question that the illegal transfer and possession of firearms are contributing factors. The USAO and our law enforcement partners will do all we can to continue to address the firearm issue but we need the community to help. If you see something, please say something.”
“When people straw purchase firearms on behalf of those who are prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms themselves, they often end up in the hands of those who commit violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kristen de Tineo of the Chicago Field Division. “ATF appreciates the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting those responsible for trafficking firearms.”
Agencies participating in the investigation include ATF, the Peoria Police Department, and the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
For the offense of false statements to a licensed firearms dealer in connection with the purchase of a firearm, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
19 Defendants Charged with Defrauding the National Basketball Association Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit PlanRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud the National Basketball Associations (“NBA’s”) Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of nearly $4,000,000. TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with aggravated identity theft in connection with the same scheme. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, their alleged scheme has been disrupted and they will have to answer for their flagrant violations of law.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Today we’ve charged 18 former NBA players and one spouse for their alleged participation in a health care fraud scheme that resulted in nearly $2 million in losses to the National Basketball Association’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan. The health care industry loses tens of billions of dollars a year to fraud. Thanks to the work of our dedicated FBI agents and partners alike, cases like this demonstrate our continued focus in uncovering health care fraud scams that harm both the industry and the consumers of their services.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Today’s federal indictment represents the NYPD’s long-term commitment, working with its law enforcement partners, in making sure those accused of health care related fraud are held accountable. I commend those involved in the investigation, the FBI, and the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District in New York for its work in ensuring there is justice in this case.”
TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, GREGORY SMITH, and ANTHONY WROTEN were arrested today.
WILLIAMS and WROTEN will be presented in the Western District of Washington. DAVIS will be presented in the Central District of California. SMITH will be presented in the Eastern District of California. PATTERSON will presented in the Northern District of Ohio. MOON will be presented in the Northern District of Alabama. BYNUM and ELY will be presented in the Northern District of Illinois. MILES will be presented in the Middle District of Florida. ANDERSON, WATSON, and WRIGHT will be presented in the District of Nevada. BROWN will be presented in the Northern District of Georgia. DESIREE ALLEN will be presented in the Western District of Tennessee. TELFAIR will be presented in the Southern District of New York before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
ANTHONY ALLEN, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, and ROBINSON remain at large.
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today[1]:
The National Basketball Association Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan (the “Plan”) is a health care plan providing benefits to eligible active and former players of the NBA. From at least in or about 2017, up to and including at least in or about 2020, TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud the Plan by submitting and causing to be submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement of medical and dental services that were not actually rendered. Over the course of the scheme, the defendants submitted and caused to be submitted to the Plan false claims totaling nearly $4 million.
WILLIAMS orchestrated the scheme to defraud the Plan. WILLIAMS recruited other Plan participants to defraud the Plan by offering to provide them with false invoices to support their fraudulent claims. WILLIAMS provided ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, BROWN, BYNUM, DAVIS, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, ELY, MOON, MILES, PALACIO, PATTERSON, ROBINSON, SMITH, TELFAIR, WATSON, WRIGHT, and WROTEN with false provider invoices, which those defendants then submitted and caused to be submitted to the Plan for reimbursement of fraudulent claims.
WILLIAMS provided the other charged defendants fake invoices from a particular Chiropractic Office in California, which were created by individuals working with WILLIAMS. In addition, WILLIAMS obtained fraudulent invoices from a dentist affiliated with dental offices in Beverly Hills, California, and from a doctor at a Wellness Office in Washington State. The fraudulent invoices purported to document that ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, BROWN, BYNUM, DAVIS, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, ELY, MOON, MILES, PALACIO, PATTERSON, ROBINSON, SMITH, TELFAIR, WATSON, WRIGHT, and WROTEN, and, in some cases, members of their families, had been recipients of expensive medical and dental services. But the defendants had not received the medical or dental services described in the invoices WILLIAMS provided them. In many instances, the defendants were not even located in the vicinity of the service providers on the dates the invoices stated they received medical or dental services. In particular, GPS location information and/or documents, such as flight records, show that the defendants were in locations other than the vicinity of the medical or dental offices falsely claimed as the providers of services.
In return for his provision of false supporting documentation for their fraudulent claims, many of the defendants paid WILLIAMS kickbacks, totaling at least approximately $230,000. WILLIAMS also used the personal identifying information of an employee of the Administrative Manager, which managed the Plan, in the course of the fraud scheme.
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TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI/NYPD Health Care Fraud Task Force, which is composed of agents, detectives, and investigators from the FBI, the NYPD, and other law enforcement entities. Ms. Strauss additionally praised the work of the FBI’s Seattle, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Birmingham, Chicago, Sacramento, Memphis, Tampa, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Portland, and Detroit Field Offices.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy J. Greenberg and Ryan B. Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
6 October 2021
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Heroin While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LANCE BAPTISTE, 43, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment for distributing heroin while on supervised release for a prior heroin trafficking conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury and Naugatuck Police Departments. The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Keith Jordan of Waterbury received large quantities of heroin from various suppliers and sold the drug to other drug distributors and street-level customers. Jordan also purchased and distributed cocaine.
The investigation further revealed that Domingo Alves, of Waterbury, served as one of Jordan’s drug suppliers, and also sold heroin to other distributors and his own customers. Baptiste assisted Alves in his heroin distribution activity.
Baptiste’s criminal history includes six drug convictions, including a federal heroin trafficking conviction in 2012 for which he was sentenced in the Southern District of New York to 87 months of imprisonment. He was released from federal prison in July 2017 and was on federal supervised release at the time of his criminal activity in this case.
Baptiste, Jordan, Alves and 26 other individuals were charged with various offenses related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine as a result of this investigation.
Baptiste was arrested on March 20, 2019. On January 22, 2020, he Baptiste pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin.
Baptiste, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on November 10, 2021.
On January 27, 2021, Jordan was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, Waterbury Police Department and Naugatuck Police Department, with the critical assistance of the U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, East Haven, West Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Production and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the production and receipt of child pornography.
Abraham Razook, 43, of Arlington, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography on June 30. In pleading guilty, Razook admitted to sexually exploiting a prepubescent minor on multiple occasions and producing videos of this abuse. Specifically, from June to August of 2020, Razook created a series of sexually explicit videos of the prepubescent minor, and in February 2021, he produced a more than 6-minute video depicting graphic sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Razook also amassed a large number of online images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of hundreds of other child victims. Razook began this unlawful conduct as early as 2013, and between April and September 2020, he used a specific internet-based peer-to-peer program to download thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse.
“The Department of Justice is committed to vigorously tracking down and holding accountable people like Razook who callously prey on vulnerable children for their selfish enjoyment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I commend the investigators and prosecutors in this case who are responsible for putting an end to Razook’s direct abuse of one minor and his perpetuation of the harm done to so many others in the videos and images he amassed.”
“The defendant engaged in devastating acts of sexual exploitation against a defenseless child and produced videos of her sexual abuse for his warped gratification,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He escalated his conduct over the course of years, from viewing and amassing child sexual abuse material to becoming an abuser himself. For his crimes against children, the defendant will now serve a significant prison sentence where he can no longer prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
“Today, Mr. Razook will begin to pay for his reprehensible actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Raymond Villanueva of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “This sentencing is the result of many arduous hours of work by members of HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. It should serve as a warning to anyone who intends to victimize children; they will be held accountable.”
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya D. Song of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Utica Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Aggravated Harassment of Albany VA EmployeesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert Seifert, age 63, of Utica, New York, was sentenced today to serve 24 months in prison for making telephonic threats to three employees of the Albany Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.
As part of his guilty plea on July 8, 2021, Seifert admitted that on January 14, 2021, he made successive calls to three separate employees at the Albany VAMC and left each of them threatening voicemails in which he used demeaning and offensive language that caused each of the employees to fear for their own safety and property.
United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart also sentenced Seifert to serve 1 year of post-imprisonment supervised release.
This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Veterans Affairs Police Service at the Albany VAMC, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping.
Two Portland Gang Members Face Federal Charges After Illegally Purchasing More than 80 FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Two self-identified members of the Unthank Park Hustlers, a local Bloods gang set, are facing federal charges after illegally purchasing 82 firearms from local gun shops since April 2020.
Edward Charles Green and his twin brother Thomas Edward Green III, both 23 and residents of Gresham, Oregon, have been charged by criminal complaint with falsifying information in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and making false statements in a federal firearms licensee (FFL) record.
According to court documents, in May 2021, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) opened an investigation after receiving information from the Gresham Police Department (GPD) and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) describing several shooting incidents allegedly involving Edward Green and Thomas Green III. At around the same time, ATF agents also received information alleging multiple illegal firearm purchases by the brothers.
On April 5, 2020, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers responded to an incident involving the Greens where a gun was fired from one apartment into another on Southeast Alder Street in Portland and later seized a .357 caliber revolver. Less than two weeks later, on April 23, 2020, PPB officers responded to reports of a house struck by gunfire on NE Sumner Street in Portland. Officers observed that the gun appeared to have been fired from inside the Greens’ father’s home, leaving a small hole in their father’s front window. After telling officers he threw a rock through his own window, the brothers’ father changed his explanation and claimed a gun accidentally fired when he was showing his son how to clean it. PPB located and seized three handguns and an AK-47 from the residence. After reviewing Edward Green’s firearm purchase records, ATF agents determined Green had illegally purchased three of the four guns seized.
Between August 25 and August 30, 2020, PPB officers recovered four more firearms illegally purchased by Edward Green. One of the firearms was recovered after officers responded to a shooting incident outside the brothers’ Southeast Portland apartment. Three others were recovered when PPB officers responded to Portland Adventist Hospital to interview a walk-in gunshot victim and observed a vehicle parked outside with obvious signs of gunshot damage. Officers arrested the vehicle’s occupants and located the firearms.
On November 11, 2020, MCSO deputies responded to a Fairview, Oregon car crash caused by gunfire involving Edward Green. Deputies later executed a search warrant on a backpack recovered from Green’s vehicle and found two more pistols Green had illegally purchased and two pounds of packaged marijuana. A few months later, on January 23, 2021, MSCO deputies recovered another firearm illegally purchased by Green during a traffic stop.
In May 2021, GPD officers responded to two separate shooting incidents at a house on SW Lillyben Avenue in Gresham. At the time of the shootings, both Green brothers listed the Lillyben residence on their Oregon driver’s licenses. During the first shooting, on May 12, 2021, an unknown assailant fired several rounds into the house. During the second shooting, on May 21, 2021, a drive-by assailant fired 14 additional rounds into the house. An unknown person in the house fired 30 rounds in response, some of which struck occupied neighboring houses. On June 3, 2021, members of the Metro Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant on the residence and found nine empty semi-automatic gun cases, several dozen spent bullets and cartridge casings, 27 firearm and rifle magazines, a range bag with more than 400 spent cartridges, and five receipts for recent gun purchases made by the Green brothers. Forensic analyses of the spent cartridges linked them to at least 10 different shootings in the Portland area between April 6, 2020 and July 11, 2021.
In July and August 2021, two more firearms linked to the Green brothers were recovered by law enforcement. On July 23, 2021, officers from the Beaverton Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with no license plates. While searching the vehicle, officers located a .40 caliber pistol purchased by Thomas Green III just four days earlier. On August 30, 2021, PPB officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by four people, one of whom was a known member of the Hoover Criminal Gang. Officers located a .40 caliber pistol in vehicle illegally purchased by Edward Green several months earlier.
In total, between April 5, 2020 and August 30, 2021, area law enforcement officers recovered 12 firearms illegally purchased by the Green brothers. A subsequent review of ATF and State of Oregon records revealed that in an 18-month period beginning April 1, 2020, the brothers illegally purchased 82 firearms from Portland area gun shops.
On September 29, 2021, a coordinated law enforcement operation was conducted on a local apartment occupied by Victor White, a felon and gang associate of the Green brothers. Thomas Green III was found sleeping in the apartment and arrested. Investigators seized two semi-automatic firearms, 16 empty gun boxes, and ammunition from the residence. Green made his first appearance in federal court the same day and was later released to home confinement pending further court proceedings.
Edward Green was arrested today by ATF agents at his father’s residence in Northeast Portland. He made his first appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was detained pending further court proceedings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by members of the Metro Safe Streets Task Force including ATF, FBI, GPD, MCSO, and PPB. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Formed in April 2021, the Metro Safe Streets Task Force is a multi-agency initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting gun crimes in Multnomah County. As part of this effort, federally-deputized officers from the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and Gresham Police Department work with agents from the FBI and ATF to investigate gun crimes after they occur and, where appropriate and supported by evidence, charge those responsible in state or federal court. Prosecutors from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon work closely with task force officers to determine if state or federal charges are warranted and which jurisdiction is most appropriate for adjudication.
Two Men Indicted for Fentanyl Trafficking on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two men have been charged by a federal grand jury for their roles in distributing fentanyl onto the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Christopher Douglas Richard, 40, of Detroit, Michigan, conspired with others to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl on and around the Red Lake Indian Reservation. In a separate indictment, on April 30, 2021, Leroy Varney, 52, of Bemidji, Minnesota, allegedly possessed more than 40 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it on and around the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
Richard is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and other controlled substances. Varney is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
These cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, and the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelica Ramirez.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.