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Friday 13 August 2021
Crownpoint man charged with two counts of abusive sexual contactRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Emerson Pinto, 58, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on Aug 11 in federal court to two counts of abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. Pinto will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, between on or about Sept. 1, 2009, and Oct. 31, 2009, Pinto knowingly engaged in unlawful sexual contact with two girls who were under the age of 12 at the time of the offenses. Pinto admitted to touching the girls for sexual gratification at a home in Little Water, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
Under the terms of his plea agreement Pinto faces up to eight years and one month in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
Cherry Creek Man Sentenced for Assault and Tampering with EvidenceRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Cherry Creek, South Dakota, man was sentenced for Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding and Tampering with Evidence on August 12, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Samuel Francis White Horse, age 33, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $125.
White Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 9, 2020. He was convicted after a three-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, on June 25, 2021.
The jury found that on February 12, 2020, White Horse assaulted a man, who crashed his vehicle into White Horse’s yard while suffering from a medical emergency, by punching him in the head. Jerome White Horse, Jr., the defendant’s father, also used a garden hoe to strike the victim in the head multiple times. The victim died several days later after suffering from significant bleeding in his brain. Jerome White Horse, Jr. pled guilty to and was convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. After witnessing his father beat the victim with the garden hoe, the defendant took control of the weapon and hid it under the front porch of his home to conceal it from law enforcement. The garden hoe was recovered during the execution of a search warrant a couple days later and found by the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory to have the victim’s DNA on the blade and Jerome White Horse, Jr.’s DNA on the handle.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
White Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after the sentencing.
California Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Vahan Aghajanyan, 26, of Glendale, California, and Garnik Saroyan, 27, of Sun Valley, California, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October of 2018, Aghajanyan and Saroyan traveled from California to New Hampshire and Maine to use fraudulent debit cards encoded with other persons’ bank account information to make ATM withdrawals and purchase postal money orders. On October 31, 2018, postal employees in New Hampshire and Maine reported suspicious transactions involving the two men. The York, Maine police department located and stopped their vehicle. Three cell phones were seized from the men and a federal search warrant was sought to search the phones. A search of the phones revealed a map of post office locations in New Hampshire and photographs of Aghajanyan holding stacks of cash and postal money orders.
Bank records and surveillance videos showed that, on at least 15 occasions, Aghajanyan or Saroyan used a fraudulent debit card to check the balance of a bank account at an ATM. Subsequently, the card was used to purchase a postal money order at a post office in New Hampshire. Records confirm that between October 25, 2018, and October 31, 2018, the two men withdrew at least $2,673 from other persons’ bank accounts and purchased at least 35 postal money orders worth more than $22,000 using fraudulent debit cards.
Aghajanyan and Saroyan previously pleaded guilty on March 18, 2021. Aghajanyan was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison. Saroyan was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release with 6 months home detention. In addition, the court ordered full restitution in the amount of $25,533.65.
“Fraudsters who come to New Hampshire to commit crimes will be held accountable for their criminal actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “As this case demonstrates, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to seek justice for victims of financial crimes.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the York, Maine, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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California Man Charged with Unemployment Insurance Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday, a Stockton, California, man has been charged for allegedly using multiple California Employment Development Department (EDD) unemployment insurance benefits debit cards in other peoples’ names without their authorization.
According to allegations in court documents, on September 20, 2020, Breon Dante Mims, 30, was stopped by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers after he was observed smoking a marijuana blunt in public. During the stop, officers obtained Mims’ consent to search his backpack, which revealed: (a) ten EDD debit cards, none of which were in Mims’ name; (b) $10,080 in cash; and (c) narcotics, including marijuana, ecstasy, and hydrocodone pills. Between August 19, 2020, and September 19, 2020, Mims allegedly withdrew at least $77,000 from various ATMs in Nevada and California using these fraudulently obtained EDD debit cards. At least $261,600 in benefits were approved for the unemployment claims associated with the cards.
Mims is charged with one count of illegal transaction with access devices issued to other persons and one count of aggravated identity theft. He made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah. If convicted, Mims faces a statutory maximum penalty of 17 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Los Angeles Region made the announcement.
This case was investigated by DOL-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.
In May, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF web complaint form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Arizona man sentenced to eight years in prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Arturo Muñoz, 67, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced in federal court on Aug. 11 to eight years in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Muñoz pleaded guilty on Nov. 24, 2020.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, from on or about Feb. 19, 2019, to March 19, 2019, Muñoz conspired with his co-defendant, Ricardo Osornio, 44, also of Phoenix, to transport methamphetamine from Arizona to be sold in and around Deming, New Mexico. On March 19, 2019, Lordsburg Police conducted a traffic stop on Muñoz’s vehicle on Interstate 10 in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. After Muñoz consented to a search of his vehicle, officers discovered drugs in a compartment hidden in a speaker box in the trunk. Officers found a total of 2.17 kilograms of methamphetamine in the vehicle.
Osornio pleaded guilty on July 10, 2019, and was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.
Upon his release from prison, Muñoz will be subject to four years of supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Lordsburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ry Ellison and Maria Armijo prosecuted the case.
Allentown Man Now Facing Federal Charges in Murder-For-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Dominic Luis Escalera, 37, of Allentown, PA, was charged by Indictment on charges of murder-for-hire and being a felon in possession of a firearm related to a plot to kill two individuals in the Allentown area earlier this year.
The Indictment alleges that from about January 28, 2021 to about February 17, 2021, the defendant used a cell phone and traveled from Newark, NJ to Allentown to arrange for the murders of two individuals, M.R. and A.R., and made an agreement to pay someone to commit the murders using controlled substances and cash. The Indictment further alleges that the defendant, knowing he had previously been convicted of a felony offense, illegally possessed a firearm loaded with four live rounds of ammunition. The previous felony conviction precludes the defendant from possessing a firearm.
“This is the second murder-for-hire case our office has announced in the last three weeks,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “These charges are a warning to anyone thinking that solicitation of homicide is a solution to your problems: This is not a game. If you try to hire someone to commit murder, you will face an aggressive federal investigation and very serious charges. Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners across the District to do all we can do prevent senseless violence.”
“This indictment illustrates the power of the combined efforts of ATF and our law enforcement partners,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The vigilant work of our law enforcement partners enabled them to prevent a murder and hold the defendant responsible for his alleged crimes. I want to thank the Allentown Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued effort in combatting violent crime.”
“The Pennsylvania State Police worked in collaboration with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure a thorough and prompt investigation,” said Major Jeremy Richard, director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. “I would like to extend my gratitude to these joint forces whose teamwork spoiled Mr. Escalera’s efforts. Plots to potentially harm or kill another person are serious crimes that carry severe consequences. The Pennsylvania State Police is committed to ensuring the safety of Commonwealth residents.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Allentown Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Thursday 12 August 2021
“11 Hunnit” Gang Member Sentenced to 6½ Years for RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A member of the 11 Hunnit street gang from the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh has been sentenced in federal court to 78 months’ imprisonment on his conviction for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Richard Kelly (aka “RB,” aka “Rack Boy”), 26, formerly of the Hill District neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh, following his April 15, 2021 guilty plea to one count of RICO conspiracy.
According to information presented to the court, Kelly, a member of the violent street gang known as “11 Hunnit,” conspired with codefendants Sydney Pack, Dionte Griffin, and others, to conduct and participate in the affairs of the 11 Hunnit gang through a pattern of racketeering activity consisting generically of acts involving murder, robbery, and the distribution of controlled substances. Mr. Kelly acknowledged his personal participation in certain overt acts that were done in furtherance of the RICO conspiracy, which included a June 2015 incident wherein Mr. Kelly was found by police in a stolen vehicle with other gang members along with heroin and a stolen firearm previously used in a shooting; an incident in October 2016 wherein Mr. Kelly and another 11 Hunnit member conspired to rob an unknown person in the Hill District neighborhood; and two shootings on December 4, 2016, one of which rendered the victim permanently paralyzed.
In accordance with the United States Sentencing Guidelines, the Court directed a portion of the federal sentence to run concurrently to Kelly’s state sentence of imprisonment of five to ten years for related offenses. Upon Kelly’s release from imprisonment, he will be supervised by the United States Probation Department for three years.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, together with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kelly. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Young soldiers admit to transporting undocumented citizensRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two military men stationed at Fort Hood have entered guilty pleas to conspiring to transport undocumented aliens within the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Ralph Gregory Saint-Joie, 18, pleaded guilty today, while Emmanuel Oppongagyare, 21, entered his plea Aug. 11.
Saint-Joie has been identified as an active duty member of the U.S. Army while Oppongagyare is from the Pennsylvania National Guard. At the time of arrest, each noted they were stationed at Fort Hood.
On June 13, Oppongagyare and Saint-Joie attempted to go through the Border Patrol (BP) Checkpoint in Hebbronville wearing their army-issued uniforms. Upon inspection, authorities discovered two individuals hidden in the trunk who were determined to be in the country illegally. Authorities promptly took them and the soldiers into custody.
At the time of his plea, Oppongagyare admitted a person he met through Saint-Joie recruited him to pick up the aliens from McAllen and drive them to San Antonio. They expected to be paid once they arrived the destination.
The man who hired them had instructed the soldiers to wear their Army-issued uniforms to avoid questioning at the checkpoint.
The two Mexican nationals hidden in the vehicle admitted to paying Oppongagyare and Saint-Joie a fee in exchange for passage into the United States. They also identified Oppongagyare and Saint-Joie as the driver and the passenger, respectively, of that vehicle.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana accepted the plea and will set sentencing for a later date. At that time, Oppongagyare and Saint-Joie face up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. They were permitted release upon posting bond. Oppongagyare remains in custody, while Saint-Joie is on bond pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.
Wichita Man Sentenced to 135 Months for Child PornRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. –Thomas Schindler, 69, of Wichita was sentenced to 135 months years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
According to court documents, detectives with the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted an undercover operation on a peer-to peer file sharing network called BitTorrent. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Schindler as a network user in possession of child pornography. Detectives went to Schindler’s home, where he admitted accessing and using the BitTorrent network to obtain child pornography. A subsequent seizure of his computers revealed pornographic images of prepubescent girls.
The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case.Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Virginia Man Sentenced for String of Armed Robberies in Hampton RoadsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for his role in a series of armed convenience store robberies.
“The defendant and others committed a series of terrifying armed robberies and stole from community members throughout the Hampton Roads region,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will not tolerate the spreading of fear or violence in our neighborhoods, and our residents—including the hard-working entrepreneurs who run these businesses—deserve to feel safe at all times. This case serves as another example of our continued commitment to working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who commit such crimes.”
According to court documents, Daniel Zeigler-Irizarry, Jr., 22, and other co-conspirators, committed a string of armed robberies throughout the Hampton Roads region in November and December 2019. Zeigler-Irizarry and others robbed six different stores at gunpoint in four different cities in Hampton Roads of U.S. currency and commercial products. Zeigler-Irizarry and a co-conspirator stole vehicles belonging to others and used them to move between their targeted locations. During the final robbery, a tracker was concealed in one of the money packs stolen by Zeigler-Irizarry and a co-conspirator. The signal emitting from the tracking device allowed authorities to track their movements from the scene of the final robbery to a neighborhood in Newport News. To avoid being arrested, Zeigler-Irizarry and a co-conspirator fled at high speeds in a stolen vehicle through a neighborhood until they crashed the vehicle and were ultimately apprehended. At that point, law enforcement recovered the tracker, a firearm, commercial products, and U.S. currency.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Scott Burke, Interim Chief of Portsmouth Police; Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police; Kenneth Mark Talbot, Chief of Hampton Police; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherrie Capotosto prosecuted 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. 2:20-cr-87.
Victorville Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Causing False Statements to Be Made in Bankruptcy Court PetitionsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for continuing to act as a bankruptcy petition preparer (BPP) – despite court orders and injunctions barring him from doing so – and then repeatedly lying to bankruptcy courts about it.
Richard Allen Mease, 63, of Victorville, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $84,005 in restitution split among 30 victims. Mease pleaded guilty on May 20 to one felony count of making a false statement during a bankruptcy proceeding.
In June 2010, a bankruptcy court imposed a $4,000 fine on Mease for violating a federal law concerning individuals who negligently or fraudulently file bankruptcy petitions. The court also ordered Mease to pay $2,000 to the debtor in that case. In May 2011 the court further issued an injunction barring him from preparing or assisting in preparing bankruptcy petitions in the Central District of California until he had paid the fine and the $2,000 he owed to the debtor. The injunction was never lifted because Mease never complied with the court’s June 2010 order.
In November 2013, in a separate bankruptcy proceeding, Mease was held in civil contempt for continuing to act as a BPP in violation of the May 2011 injunction. Mease then proceeded to circumvent the injunction by falsely representing in bankruptcy petitions his involvement as a BPP.
For example, in May 2018, Mease willfully caused a false declaration and statement under penalty of perjury to be made in a bankruptcy case pending in the Central District of California. Mease caused to be submitted an official form which stated “No” to the question, “Did you pay or agree to pay someone who is not an attorney to help you fill out your bankruptcy forms?” In fact, Mease was the BPP for the bankruptcy petition in that case.
From November 2011 to May 2018, Mease prepared at least 10 bankruptcy petitions in this manner.
Mease sometimes charged debtors between $300 and $500 to prepare their bankruptcy petitions, and, in some cases, charged debtors between $1,000 and $3,000 to do so – despite a court injunction barring him from working as a BPP. Under applicable law and regulations, a BPP is permitted to charge fees of up to $200 to prepare and file a bankruptcy petition.
The FBI investigated this matter. The Office of the United States Trustee provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Eli A. Alcaraz of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Utah Man Convicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A chiropractor and health-care products business owner was convicted yesterday by a jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, of attempting to evade the payment of his federal income taxes and corruptly endeavoring to impair the administration of the internal revenue laws.
According to the evidence presented at trial and other court documents, in March 2012, Louis Hansen, of Orem, presented a check to the IRS in the amount of $342,699.41 that was drawn on a closed bank account in a fraudulent attempt to pay taxes, penalties, and interest that he owed for a number of years. In June 2012, Hansen presented another 10 additional checks to the IRS drawn on a different closed bank account in a second attempt to fraudulently discharge his tax debt. Each of these 10 checks was in the amount of $425,000, and the evidence showed that they were sent to at least six different IRS offices.
U.S. District Judge Howard C. Nielsen Jr. scheduled Hansen’s sentencing for Nov. 4. Hansen faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for tax evasion and three years in prison for corruptly impeding the internal revenue laws.
Acting U.S. Attorney Andrea T. Martinez for the District of Utah and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The case was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin L. Sundwall and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kameros are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
United States Attorneys' Joint Statement Regarding Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Decision State Ex Rel. Matloff v. WallaceRead the Press Release
This morning the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals issued its decision in State ex rel. Matloff v. Wallace holding the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma does not apply retroactively. The United States Attorney’s offices in Oklahoma are reviewing today’s OCCA opinion and assessing its potential impact on cases previously referred to the United States for potential federal criminal prosecution,” said Acting United States Attorneys Christopher Wilson, Clint Johnson and Robert Troester. “In the interim, our offices will continue to focus on our mission of ensuring public safety and holding defendants accountable for their criminal acts.”
Two Bakersfield Men Charged with Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
RESNO, Calif. — Two Bakersfield men were charged today by a federal grand jury in separate indictments with being felons in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Duwayne Payton, 25, is a documented and active member of the East Side Crips criminal street gang in Bakersfield. On March 11, 2021, Payton possessed in his residence a stolen Glock Model 17 9 mm handgun. Payton may not lawfully possess firearms because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions in Bakersfield in 2014 for first degree burglary and vehicle theft.
According to the indictment in a separate case, on July 8, 2021, as Sabino Ramos, 45, was driving in Bakersfield, law enforcement officers attempted to stop him in order to serve an arrest warrant for probation violations. Ramos led officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds up to 90 mph, before losing control of his vehicle while exiting Highway 99 at Ming Avenue. Ramos then ran from pursuing officers but was eventually subdued. Ramos was found to be in possession of two handguns and approximately 30 rounds of ammunition. Ramos may not lawfully possess firearms because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions in 1995 for assault with firearm on a person and in 2017 for possessing controlled substances for sale.
These cases are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the cases.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Tri-County Hospitalists, LLC Agrees to Pay $200,000 to Resolve Allegations of Overbilling MedicareRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Tri-County Hospitalists, LLC (“TCH”) has agreed to pay a total of $200,000 plus interest to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act by overbilling Medicare for advanced care planning (“ACP”) and tobacco cessation counseling (“TCC”) services. In many instances, TCH sought Medicare reimbursement for ACP and TCC services regardless of whether the counseling was necessary, voluntary, or performed with patient consent.
The settlement resolves allegations that, between January and September 2019, TCH engaged in a coordinated effort to defraud the United States by pressuring TCH personnel to seek Medicare reimbursement for ACP and TCC services for patients TCH treated, regardless of medical need. In most cases, the prerequisites for ACP and TCC services were not met and not every patient required the services that were billed. In some instances, TCH allegedly billed Medicare four or more times where ACP services were provided to a single patient over a short time frame with no evidence of any documented changes in patient condition to justify its billing activities. TCH also allegedly unnecessarily sought and received Medicare reimbursement for tobacco cessation counseling where patients did not use tobacco.
TCH is a physician-owned medical group that employs over 75 health care providers, also referred to as hospitalists, who specialize in internal medicine, family practice, pulmonary medicine, hospital medicine, emergency medicine and cardiology. TCH has offices in Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Chester Counties and provides its services in hospitals, skilled rehabilitation facilities, outpatient practices, and urgent care centers.
“Receiving payments from Medicare while providing medically unnecessary services to patients who rely on their doctors for their professional judgment cheats patients and defrauds the federal government,” said Acting United States Attorney Williams. “This resolution represents our commitment to holding accountable those who engage in fraud that affects the residents of this city and this district.”
The allegations were brought by a former TCH hospitalist under the qui tam (or whistleblower) provisions of the False Claims Act. The qui tam provisions permit private parties to sue for false claims on behalf of the government and to receive a share of any recovery. The relator was represented by Christopher J. DelGaizo, Esquire of the Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC.
The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates its emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800‑HHS‑TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with assistance by Auditor Dawn Wiggins. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Zeth Holbert v. Tri-County Hospitalists, LLC (“TCH”) et al., Civil Action No. 19-4099.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Titusville Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Michael Craig Gorycki (51, Titusville) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Gorycki was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
Gorycki was found guilty on May 27, 2021, following a jury trial.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in August 2020, Gorycki engaged in online chats with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) task force agent who was posing as the father of a 13-year-old girl. During the conversation, Gorycki expressed interest in meeting the father in order to gain access to and sexually assault his minor daughter. Gorycki expressed in detail his intention to rape the child and teach her to perform a specific sexual act. Gorycki was arrested when he traveled to meet the father at a prearranged meeting place in Titusville so that he could have sex with the child.
“Thanks to HSI special agents and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, this child predator will now spend more than 13 years in prison for his crimes,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Taking child predators off the streets has a direct effect in making our communities safer for everyone.”
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily C. L. Chang and John M. Gardella.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Gun Smuggling RingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Sergio David Hernandez-Zuluaga (41, Tampa) to one year and one day in federal prison for providing a firearm to a prohibited person.
Hernandez-Zuluaga had pleaded guilty on May 14, 2021.
According to court documents, in December 2017 and February 2018, authorities in Bogota, Colombia seized multiple assault rifles and pistols that had been shipped from Tampa, Clearwater, and Kissimmee. The firearms were concealed in packages containing household items. Law enforcement agencies in the United States traced some of the weapons and determined that most of them had been acquired in the Tampa area. The agencies later discovered that Hernandez-Zuluaga had purchased and stored at least seven of the firearms before they were shipped to Colombia. Hernandez-Zuluaga transferred the firearms to his friend, Jhon Marin-Moreno, a dual citizen of the United States and Colombia, who arranged for their illegal export. At the time, Hernandez-Zuluaga knew that Marin-Moreno was a convicted felon who could not possess firearms.
Marin-Moreno was charged separately and sentenced to three years and three months in federal prison.
“This criminal thought he could circumvent our nation’s firearms laws with his participation in this international weapons smuggling operation,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Cochran. “But thanks to the law enforcement partnership between HSI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a criminal conspiracy has been stopped, making our local communities safer.”
“Collaboration with our law enforcement partners is essential in firearms trafficking investigations,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to detect, disrupt, and interdict illegal firearms trafficking schemes. This sentencing demonstrates that working jointly with HSI makes communities safer at home and abroad.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance from Colombian authorities. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.
San Fernando Valley Man Found Guilty in Terror Plot to Bomb a Rally in Long BeachRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a California man today for attempting to bomb a rally in Long Beach for the purpose of causing mass casualties.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mark Steven Domingo, 28, of Reseda, was found guilty of providing material support to terrorism and attempting to use of a weapon of mass destruction. The investigation into Domingo was prompted by his online posts and conversations in an online forum in which he expressed support for violent jihad, a desire to seek retribution for attacks against Muslims and a willingness to become a martyr. After considering various attacks – including targeting Jewish people, churches and police officers – Domingo decided to bomb a rally scheduled to take place in Long Beach in April 2019.
As part of the plot, Domingo asked a confederate – who was working with the FBI as part of the investigation – to invite a bomb-maker into the scheme. Domingo then purchased and provided to the confederate and the bomb-maker – who in fact was an undercover law enforcement officer – several hundred 3½-inch nails to be used as shrapnel for the bombs. Domingo specifically chose those nails because they were long enough to penetrate organs in the human body.
Leading up to the attack, Domingo called for another event like the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Following an attack on Muslims in New Zealand in March 2019, Domingo called for retribution in an online post.
Domingo selected the Long Beach rally as his target and, in April 2019, drove his confederate and the undercover officer to Long Beach to scout the location he planned to attack. While there, Domingo discussed finding the most crowded areas so he could kill the most people. On April 26, 2019, Domingo received what he thought were two live bombs, but were inert explosive devices delivered by an undercover law enforcement officer. He was arrested that same day with one of the bombs in his hands.
Domingo was convicted of providing material support to terrorism and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1 and faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Los Angeles Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Long Beach Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema M. El-Amamy and David T. Ryan of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Lauren Goddard and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Rutherford County Man Is Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced today Jason Michael Miles, 37, of Forest City, N.C., to 132 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Miles was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as sex offender after his incarceration.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina, joins Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to admissions contained in plea documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on February 24, 2018, New Zealand investigators became aware that an individual later identified as Miles was utilizing the username “PURSEANON” to post pictures of children to a foreign image website. Court records show that Miles had posted approximately 15 photos albums containing images of young girls secretly taken in public places. One of the albums, titled “GIRL AT CVS,” contained information that helped investigators determine the images were taken a CVS store located in Morganton, N.C.
According to court documents, on February 25, 2018, New Zealand investigators began undercover communications with Miles, during which Miles expressed his interest in children and distributed files containing depictions of the sexual abuse of children to the undercover investigator. After law enforcement determined Miles’ identity, the investigation was transferred to the HSI office in Hendersonville, N.C. On May 31, 2018, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Miles’ residence in Rutherford County. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices. An analysis of the seized devices revealed that Miles had an extensive library of child pornography that contained more than 7,193 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers.
Court records show that while Miles was serving in the U.S. Air Force, he was convicted of two counts of Indecent Liberties With a Child Under Age 16 and was sentenced to four years in prison. As a result of that conviction, Miles was also ordered to register as sex offender for a period of 30 years.
Miles pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography on February 24, 2021. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended HSI for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Alexis Solheim, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case. Ms. Solheim is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Solheim is duly sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rockport Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Nationwide Scheme to Steal Social Media Accounts and CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockport man pleaded guilty today to conducting a scheme to take over victims’ social media accounts and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.
Declan Harrington, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, five counts of wire fraud, one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of aggravated identity theft. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Harrington was charged along with co-conspirator, Eric Meiggs, in November 2019.
Harrington, Meiggs, and co-conspirators targeted victims who were believed to have had significant amounts of cryptocurrency and those who had high value or “OG” (slang for “Original Gangster”) social media account names. Using an illegal practice known as “SIM-swapping,” Harrington, Meiggs, and others conspired to hack into and take control of these victims’ online accounts to obtain things of value, including OG social media account names and cryptocurrency.
“SIM swapping” attacks involve convincing a victim’s cell phone carrier to reassign the victim’s cell phone number from the SIM card inside the victim’s cell phone to the SIM card inside a cell phone controlled by the cybercriminals. Cybercriminals then pose as the victim with an online account provider and request that the provider send account password-reset links or an authentication code to the SIM-swapped device now controlled by the cybercriminals. The cybercriminals can then reset the victim’s account log-in credentials and use those credentials to access the victim’s account without authorization, or “hack into” the account.
Harrington, Meiggs, and their co-conspirators targeted at least 10 identified victims around the country and stole (or attempted to steal) more than $530,000 in cryptocurrency from these victims. Meiggs also took control of two victims’ “OG” accounts with social media companies.
Meiggs pleaded guilty on April 28, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2022.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $$250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of computer fraud and abuse provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identify theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. 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; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and are prosecuting the case.
Reed Point man admits, sentenced for unlawful use of strychnine to poison wolf on Ennis area ranchRead the Press Release
BUTTE – A Reed Point man today admitted to and was sentenced for unlawfully using strychnine in a manner inconsistent with its labeling to poison a wolf on a ranch near Ennis, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Jeffrey Scott Wood, 49, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with unlawful use of a registered pesticide, a misdemeanor, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine and to pay $1,000 restitution to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided.
"Misusing strychnine to lace a cow carcass to kill predators is a violation of federal law that results in the indiscriminate killing of all kinds of animals, large and small, wild and domestic, common and endangered. Wood not only killed a wolf, but he also likely killed a pet dog and probably countless other smaller birds and mammals. This office will continue to prosecute this kind of unlawful and irresponsible use of registered pesticides to the fullest extent of federal law. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon and the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for investigating and prosecuting this case,” Acting U.S. Attorney Johnson said.
The government alleged in court documents that in October 2019, Wood unlawfully used a registered pesticide, strychnine, in a manner inconsistent with its labeling to poison a wolf on the Sun Ranch, near Ennis. An investigation into the death of the wolf determined that the wolf had ingested strychnine oats rolled in meat, which appeared to have been placed beside a previously dead cow. A ranch employee had shot the cow because it was sick and not from it being poisoned. A necropsy of the wolf found grains containing strychnine in its stomach and intestines and that the grains were the likely cause of death. A ranch employee’s dog also was suspected of dying from ingesting the strychnine.
The government further alleged that law enforcement learned Wood had called a witness and said to “play stupid” if anyone asked questions about the dead wolf. Wood explained that he placed the poison around the cow carcass because he saw a grizzly sow and two cubs nearby. Wood initially denied to investigators that he had any involvement in the wolf’s death, then admitted he put out the poison to kill wolves—not grizzly bears. Wood admitted it was wrong to use the poison to kill wolves and was aware he could not put strychnine oats in meat.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Office of Law Enforcement and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks law enforcement.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced by Karen E. Schreier, U.S. District Judge.
Alex Usher, age 32, was sentenced on August 9, 2021, to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to pay $600 in restitution.
Usher was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2019. The charge relates to Usher, who is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms, being found in possession of a Winchester shotgun, which was found after a search of Usher’s residence in November 2018.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Usher was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Randolph County man sentenced for methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jesse David Tolson, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 150 months of incarceration for a drug charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Tolson, 35, pled guilty in December 2020 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than Fifty Grams of Methamphetamine.” Tolson admitted to having more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in December 2019 in Randolph County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Produce Importer Sentenced in Brooklyn Federal Court to 13 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Import Cocaine in a Shipment of Chili PeppersRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Humberto Baez, a produce importer based in Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Allyne R. Ross to 13 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to import and distribute cocaine, and for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. Baez was convicted by a jury in February 2019 following a two-week trial before the late United States District Judge Jack B. Weinstein.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentence demonstrates that this Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to stopping the flow of dangerous drugs into this country and to bringing drug traffickers like Baez to justice,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis. Ms. Kasulis expressed her grateful appreciation to the New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force for their work on the long-term investigation, the DEA’s Santo Domingo Country Office (SDCO) and the Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU) for their assistance.
“Concealing drug shipments with produce is one way drug traffickers try to elude law enforcement. This cat and mouse game evolves over time resulting in law enforcement recovering drugs in various places; such as inside coconuts, wheelchairs, animals, people, tombstones, etc. just to name a few. I applaud the members of the New York Strike Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York for their dedicated work throughout this investigation,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan.
“By conspiring to import cocaine hidden in a carton of chili peppers, Humberto Baez was fueling a violent trade that victimizes New Yorkers. His conviction and sentencing today sends a clear message that the NYPD and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to track these kinds of schemes and protect the public from the impact of illegal narcotics,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
Between August 2016 and March 2018, Baez conspired with others to import cocaine hidden inside a shipping container into the United States. Baez had contacted an importing company to use as a front to transport cocaine from Baez’s source of supply in the Dominican Republic. Baez and his co-conspirators then arranged for two “dry run” shipments containing only produce into the Red Hook Terminal in Brooklyn to establish the appearance of a legitimate business relationship between the exporter and importer, thereby avoiding scrutiny when subsequently shipping cocaine. In late February 2018, a third shipment arrived in Miami, Florida with approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the flaps of cardboard boxes containing chili peppers. Baez relayed information that a third shipment contained “ripe tomatoes,” using agreed upon code words for cocaine that would be transported by truck to Baez’s warehouse in Pennsylvania. On March 1, 2018, members of law enforcement searched the container and seized the hidden cocaine.
The Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. It is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the NYPD; the New York State Police; HSI; the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Secret Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; the Clarkstown Police Department; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nomi D. Berenson and Erin M. Reid are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
HUMBERTO BAEZ
Age: 52
Lancaster, PennsylvaniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-168 (S-1) (ARR)
Primghar Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced on July 28, 2021, to more than 6 years in federal prison.
Jeremiah Bottjen, age 38, from Primghar, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2021, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Bottjen admitted that on September 24, 2020, he was the driver of a vehicle that led a Clay County Sheriff’s Deputy on a high-speed chase where he eventually drove through a stop sign going 60mph while construction workers were present and ultimately crashed his vehicle. Deputies searched Bottjen and his vehicle and found a digital scale with methamphetamine residue and a torch. They also found a grocery sack at the scene of the accident containing a softball-sized amount of methamphetamine. Bottjen later admitted to distributing meth in Iowa from July of 2020 until his arrest.
Bottjen was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bottjen was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bottjen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, and the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-4009.
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Postal Employee Sentenced for Stealing Medication Intended for VeteransRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A former employee of the United States Postal Service was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for stealing mail containing medication intended for United States Veterans.
Ammie Hale, 46, of Raysal, West Virginia, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to three counts of theft by mail by an employee of the postal service for stealing mail on February 26, 2020, July 1, 2020, and August 5, 2020, and one count of making false statements.
According to court documents, from September 2019 through July 2020, the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) received over 40 reports from the Salem, Virginia Veterans Affairs Medical Center of medication parcels mailed to veterans in the Tazewell, Virginia area that were never delivered.
Agents of the USPS-OIG reviewed available video footage and observed Hale on two different occasions, while working at the Tazwell Post Office, removing parcels from the sorting area, and taking them to an area of the Post Office where employees keep personal belongings and hiding the parcels in her purse. On August 5, 2020, agents conducted on-site surveillance and caught Hale stealing pills from a package addressed from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Hale was interviewed on August 5 and falsely told investigators that she had never stolen mail prior to that day.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia and Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General Eastern Area Field Office made the announcement.
The United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case.
Portland Man Who Struck Sheriff's Deputy in the Face with Motorcycle Helmet After 100 MPH Chase Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, as part of a joint resolution of state and federal criminal cases, a local man was sentenced to federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, after fleeing from law enforcement officers at more than 100 miles per hour and striking a sheriff’s deputy in the face with his motorcycle helmet. He was sentenced in state court for second degree assault and assaulting a public safety officer, both felonies.
Marcus Gene St. Clair, 44, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. St. Clair was previously sentenced to 70 months in state prison. He will serve his state and federal prison sentences concurrently in federal prison.
According to court documents, on July 29, 2019, St. Clair fled from Hood River County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a motorcycle at more than 100 miles per hour. A Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office sergeant spotted St. Clair traveling westbound on Interstate-84 toward Portland. St. Clair left I-84 before the sergeant could stop him. The sergeant located St. Clair in a gravel lot off the highway and approach him on foot. Without warning, St. Clair hurled his motorcycle helmet toward the sergeant, striking the sergeant in the face and opening a large gash on his forehead.
Thinking quickly, the deputy pushed St. Clair’s motorcycle over so St. Clair could not flee and drew his gun. St. Clair fled on foot, yelling “I have a gun.” Another deputy deployed a taser, bringing St. Clair to the ground and, after a brief struggle, St. Clair was placed under arrest. Once St. Clair was secured, deputies search his backpack and found a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a round chambered, $1,440 in cash, and more than 300 grams of methamphetamine. The gun had been reported stolen. The deputies later learned St. Clair was traveling with a revoked driver’s license and had two outstanding felony arrest warrants.
On September 11, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted St. Clair for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A Multnomah County grand jury indicted St. Clair on several other offenses, including second degree assault and assaulting a public safety officer. Later, St. Clair was charged by federal criminal information with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On May 14, 2021, St. Clair pleaded guilty in federal court. He was sentenced in state court on June 4, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon and Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Sussman and Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney David Hannon prosecuted the cases.
Pittsburgh Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of production and attempted production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 38, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about September 8, 2019, Hoffman coerced and induced a child victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Cameo Witherspoon, age 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about July 6, 2021, Witherspoon possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Under federal law, possessing a firearm and/or ammunition is a violation of federal law for those who have previously been convicted of a crime punishable by greater than a year in prison.
The law provides for total sentence of not less than 15 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pierre Woman Charged with Wire Fraud, Mail Fraud, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Wire Fraud, Mail Fraud, and Money Laundering.
Marietta Ravnaas, age 52, was indicted on August 3, 2021. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 10, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $700 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that Ravnaas participated in a scheme involving CARES Act unemployment benefits. Specifically, other participants in the scheme unlawfully obtained, possessed, and shared with one another the personal identifying information (PII) of various individuals. The PII was used to falsely and fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits from various states. The Indictment alleges that Ravnaas knowingly allowed the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits payments to be deposited into her bank account, and then transferred money at the direction of other participants in the scheme. Ravnaas frequently transferred the funds to other participants using WorldRemit, an international money transfer service. Ravnaas also kept some of the funds to use for her own purposes.
The charges are merely accusations and Ravnaas is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Ravnaas was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for October 12, 2021.
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.
Parent in College Admissions Case Agrees to Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former chief executive of a California-based media company has agreed to plead guilty in connection with her involvement in the college admissions case.
Elisabeth Kimmel, 57, of La Jolla, Calif., will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the parties have agreed to a sentence of six weeks in prison and two years of supervised release, with the first year spent in home confinement. Should the Court accept the plea, Kimmel will also be required to pay a $250,000 fine and perform 500 hours of community service. A plea hearing is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 16, 2021.
As set forth in the charging document, Kimmel agreed with William “Rick” Singer and others to pay $275,000 to facilitate her daughter’s admission to Georgetown University by having Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst allegedly allocate a tennis admission slot to her daughter, even though she was not a competitive tennis player and was not actually being recruited to play on the Georgetown tennis team. Kimmel further agreed with Singer and others to pay $250,000 to facilitate her son’s admission to the University of Southern California as a pole vault recruit, even though he was not a pole vaulter.
Kimmel will be the 32nd parent to plead guilty in the case. Ernst has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in November 2021.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up 20 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.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney, Ian J. Stearns, and Stephen E. Frank of Mendell’s Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Paducah Felon Convicted by Federal Jury of Illegally Possessing HandgunRead the Press Release
Paducah, Kentucky – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of a Paducah man on August 10, 2021, for being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jermaine Tyrone Jones, 41, of Paducah, possessed a handgun on August 30, 2017, after being previously convicted of a felony offense. Paducah Police Department Officer Andrew Parrish located the handgun in Jones’s clothing after Jones’s arrest for Fourth-Degree Assault, Domestic Violence.
“Identifying and prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms is an important component of our overall effort to reduce violent crime in the Western District of Kentucky,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “I commend the trial team, the Paducah Police Department, and the ATF for their work in this case and for their ongoing commitment to make our communities safe for all citizens.”
“Cases like this show our continued efforts to reduce the amount of gun violence in Paducah,” said Paducah Police Chief Brian G. Laird. “This is another good example of inter-agency cooperation to arrest, prosecute and convict violent offenders to help keep our community safe.”
“Repeat violent offenders are a threat to the safety and security of our communities,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “ATF partnerships with our local law enforcement agencies in Western Kentucky are getting results. Together, we’re making arrests and successfully prosecuting felons who illegally possess firearms.”
Sentencing is scheduled for December 9, 2021. Under federal law, Jones is facing a maximum of 10 years in prison.
The Paducah Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Hancock is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Cristy Crockett, paralegal.
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This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Video over the InternetRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Franqui Soto (44, Orlando) to seven years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material. Soto was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit his smartphone.
Soto had pleaded guilty on May 28, 2021.
According to court documents, a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity on a popular social media application (app) identified Soto as a member of multiple groups on this app that are dedicated to the sharing of child sexual abuse material. On several dates in November 2020, Soto distributed and posted to those groups videos depicting the sexual abuse of a child. On January 7, 2021, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Soto’s residence in Orlando and seized his cellphone.
A forensic examination of his cellphone revealed approximately 230 images and six videos depicting children being sexually abused. Additionally, law enforcement discovered approximately 14 chats between Soto and other individuals wherein child sexual abuse material was exchanged.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
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.
North Carolina Woman Sentenced for Running Tax Refund Scam in SyracuseRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Lathisa Smokes, age 38, formerly of Syracuse, New York, and currently residing in Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 5 years of probation, after previously pleading guilty to filing false tax returns, and assisting others in preparing false tax returns, which caused the IRS to issue refunds worth over $100,000.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, and Thomas Fattorusso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
In pleading guilty, Smokes admitted that from January 2013 to March 2014, she falsely represented herself as a licensed tax preparer, and told taxpayers in Syracuse that she could obtain refunds for them by filing their individual federal tax returns. Smokes convinced the taxpayers to supply her with their dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, and other information for themselves and their minor dependents. Smokes then prepared and filed 21 individual federal income tax returns that she knew contained false information relating to the taxpayers’ income, withholding, and eligibility for certain tax credits. The false returns caused the IRS to deposit $102,918 in refunds to the taxpayers and Smokes. The IRS has recovered the majority of this money.
Smokes was also ordered to pay $11,135 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury as part of her sentence, which was pronounced by United States District Judge David N. Hurd.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.
Mohamud Muse Receives 98 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Chief United States District Judge Robert J. Jonker sentenced Mohamud Abdikadir Muse, age 25, of Lansing, Michigan to serve 98 months in federal prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Following his release from prison, Mohamud Muse was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release. The government sought a sentence of 198 months in prison consistent with the sentence recommended by the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
On January 21, 2019, special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of its Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Mohamud Muse at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after his brother, Muse Muse, checked in for a flight to the first of a series of destinations on his way to Mogadishu, Somalia, with the goal of joining ISIS. Their relative, Mohamed Haji, also was arrested for conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.
According to court documents, between December 2018 and January 2019, Muse Muse coordinated with an individual he believed to be a Somali ISIS fighter to wire funds to be used to purchase airline tickets for travel to Mogadishu, Somalia, where he believed he would meet an ISIS representative. All three defendants picked up money to provide Muse Muse the funds to travel to join ISIS, all three defendants pledged allegiance to ISIS in recorded videos, and all three submitted their videos to individuals they believed were associated with ISIS. Additionally, records provided to the Court at sentencing demonstrated that throughout the conspiracy, which began in January 2017, all three defendants participated in numerous conversations during which they discussed traveling overseas to join ISIS and even adopted fighter aliases by which they would be known when fighting for ISIS.
In January 2020, Mohamud Muse admitted that he: (1) agreed with one or more individuals to provide material support or resources (which includes personnel) to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization; (2) knew that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization or had engaged or engages in terrorist activity or terrorism; and (3) is a U.S. national and that part of the offense occurred in the United States. He further admitted that the individuals he conspired with were his relatives and co-defendants, Muse Muse and Mohamed Haji.
On Tuesday, Muse Muse was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison for his role in the offense. Haji also pled guilty in connection with the plot and awaits sentencing on September 22, 2021.
In sentencing Mohamud Muse to more than eight years in prison for his role in the offense, the Court found that Mohamud Muse was more culpable than co-defendant Muse Muse because the evidence demonstrated that Mohamud Muse was the first of the three defendants to embrace ISIS’s ideology and, as an older brother, helped radicalize Muse Muse’s views and encouraged him to follow and support ISIS. Due to the Court’s disagreement with the Sentencing Guidelines and because Mohamud Muse did not have a prior criminal history, the Court departed downward from the applicable Sentencing Guideline sentence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI was assisted by the Michigan State Police, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Eaton County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State University Police Department, Lansing Police Department, Grand Rapids Police Department, Gerald R. Ford Airport Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshals, and Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant United States Attorneys Clay West and Christopher O’Connor are prosecuting the case with assistance from the National Security Division Counterterrorism Section.
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Mission Woman Indicted for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.
Carlianna Erickson age 25, was indicted on June 8, 2021. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 9, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to eight years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on May 4, 2021, in Todd County, South Dakota, Erickson did assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with a law enforcement officer who was employed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and that such conduct involved physical contact.
The charge is merely an accusation and Erickson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Erickson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Mission Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Kerry Browning, age 35, was indicted on June 8, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 9, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 11, 2021, in Todd County, Browning, who had previously been convicted of crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a firearm, which had been previously shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Browning was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minneapolis Man Charged in Child Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been arrested and indicted on federal sex trafficking charges for allegedly recruiting six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, from May 2020 through December 2020, Anton Joseph Lazzaro, a/k/a “Tony Lazzaro,” 30, conspired with others to recruit and solicit six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Lazzaro, who was taken into custody earlier today by FBI agents, made his initial appearance in United States District Court before Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson.
The indictment charges Lazzaro with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, five counts of sex trafficking of minors, one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of obstruction. Lazzaro will remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing on August 16, 2021.
Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI Minneapolis Division at 763-569-8000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minneapolis Police Department, the West Hennepin Public Safety Department, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura M. Provinzino, Angela M. Munoz, and Emily A. Polachek are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Middletown Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Selling Cocaine and Crack While on State ProbationRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DERRICK STOKES, 29, of Middletown, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine and crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July and August 2019, the DEA New Haven Task Force made four controlled purchases totaling more than 100 grams of crack cocaine from Stokes. Stokes was on state probation at the time of the sales. After Stokes was incarcerated on a state felony drug conviction and probation violation in early September 2019, he instructed his associate, Rayshon Frazier, to take over his drug distribution activity. Between September and November 2019, investigators made three controlled purchases of crack, totaling approximately 40 grams, from Frazier in Waterbury.
Subsequent analysis of Stokes’ cell phone records revealed that between January 2017 and September 2019, Stokes sold a total of nearly 600 grams of cocaine to two individuals.
Stokes has been detained since September 4, 2019. On March 24, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”).
On December 22, 2020, Frazier pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine base. On March 18, 2021, he was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Middletown Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda S. Oakes and Sarala V. Nagala.
Meridian Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, James T. Britain, 51, failed to stop at a traffic safety checkpoint on July 5, 2019. The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office conducted the traffic safety checkpoint and pursued Britain after he refused to stop. Britain led the police on a chase before stopping. After Britain was arrested, he admitted to a Sheriff’s Deputy that there was a firearm in his vehicle and that he was a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Britain to possess any firearm.
The ATF and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Merced Man Indicted for Possessing and Manufacturing 10 Destructive DevicesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment today against Wes Parker McDaniel, 52, of Merced, charging him with four counts of possessing unregistered destructive devices, manufacturing destructive devices, impersonating a federal agent, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the indictment, between Feb. 1, 2021, and June 22, 2021, McDaniel manufactured approximately 10 destructive devices, which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and possessed those devices on four separate occasions in Merced and Kings Counties. On June 20, 2021, one of those devices is alleged to have caused damage to residential rental properties in Merced.
In addition, McDaniel unlawfully possessed a rifle and ammunition. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms, including destructive devices, and ammunition.
The indictment also charges that on June, 20, 2021, McDaniel falsely represented himself to be a Special Agent of the National Security Agency for the purpose of arresting another person.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Merced Police Department, the Lemoore Police Department, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, McDaniel faces a mandatory minimum prison term of five years in prison and a maximum prison term of 20 years if convicted of malicious destruction of property by means of explosive materials. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of possessing unregistered destructive devices, manufacturing destructive devices, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. He faces an additional three years in prison for the impersonation charge. Each of the charges also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. 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 being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
McKees Rocks Woman Indicted on Federal Drug Law ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Amanda Herrity, age 22, of Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from July 2020 to July 2021, Herrity conspired to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Cook is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Man from Loving charged with transporting and harboring illegal aliens and kidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eddie Sanchez, (43), of Loving, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 10 on charges of kidnapping, transporting an illegal alien, and harboring an illegal alien. Sanchez will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 13.
According to a criminal complaint, around December of 2019, Sanchez allegedly began communicating with a victim by telephone and Facebook, and the two began a long-distance relationship. After several months, Sanchez allegedly informed the victim that he had arranged for her to be smuggled into the United States illegally.
On or about Jan. 4, the victim and about 12 other aliens were smuggled illegally into the United States near Presidio, Texas. Sanchez allegedly met the group and guided them through the desert to waiting vehicles. The aliens were transported to Odessa, Texas, and later to Andrews, Texas.
Sanchez then allegedly transported the victim to his home in Loving, where the two briefly continued their relationship. When the victim attempted to end the relationship and return to Mexico, Sanchez allegedly refused to allow the victim to leave the house. Sanchez allegedly took possession of the victim’s travel documents, including her passport and Mexican electoral identification card and allowed the victim only limited, monitored use of a cell phone. Sanchez allegedly provided the victim with little food and water and bound the victim’s hands and feet when he was away at work. Sanchez allegedly threatened the victim with death if she attempted to leave him. On or about July 21, the victim was able to escape from Sanchez’s home and call for help.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Sanchez faces up to life in prison
Homeland Security Investigations, FBI Task Force officers and the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the Hobbs (New Mexico) Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Ramirez, Rachel Feuerhammer and Luis Martinez are prosecuting the case.
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Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm After Highway Shootout with Greensboro PoliceRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - JULIUS MONCRE WILLIAMS was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Greensboro for knowingly possessing a firearm following a shootout with Greensboro Police Department (GPD) officers announced Acting United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
WILLIAMS, age 38, was sentenced to a 118-month term of imprisonment by United States District Judge Catherine C. Eagles. In addition to his sentence, WILLIAMS was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and submit to 3 years of supervised release following his imprisonment. WILLIAMS pleaded guilty on May 4, 2021, to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
Court records show that the GPD’s Traffic Safety Unit initially encountered WILLIAMS after an officer conducting a speed enforcement operation on Interstate 85 noticed WILLIAMS traveling 85 miles per hour in a 60 mile per hour zone. After refusing to pull over for GPD officers, additional officers were called for assistance. WILLIAMS then accelerated to a speed of 100 miles per hour before crashing into a tractor trailer in the middle-lane of the highway. After his vehicle veered off the highway into an embankment, WILLIAMS shot at a GPD officer approaching to investigate who returned fire in response. A Glock 9mm semi-automatic was located in his vehicle and was later identified by GPD as stolen out of Charlotte, NC.
WILLIAMS was convicted in 2011 in Lenoir County Superior Court for kidnapping and served a prison term of more than one year, rendering him ineligible to possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Guilford Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey A. Freeman, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Inman, and Assistant United States Attorney Nicole R. Dupre.
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Man Charged with Traveling to Have Sex with Minor and Possession and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Aldo David Alcaraz, 27, of Long Beach, charging him with production and possession of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between December 2020 and January 2021, Alcaraz produced nine videos of himself engaged in sex acts with a minor victim in Tulare County. Alcaraz is also charged with possessing sexual images of minors, including minors under the age of 12 and another set of videos that Alcaraz produced of himself engaged in sex acts with a different minor victim. Finally, according to court documents, in January 2021, Alcaraz traveled to Kern County in an attempt to meet a minor to engage in sex acts, and he sent obscene images to that minor.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information related to this case or who believes that they or their child may be a victim can contact HSI at its tollfree tip line: 1-866-347-2323 or fill out the online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
If convicted, Alcaraz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the MS-13 gang who was an alleged leader of a local Massachusetts clique of MS-13 pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy charges.
Djavier Duggins, a/k/a “Haze,” 32, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15, 2021.
MS-13, or La Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. MS-13 members follow certain core rules and principles, including that members attack and attempt to kill members of rival gangs, and members do not act as informants or cooperate with law enforcement.
MS-13 is organized in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the form of so-called “cliques” or smaller groups that operate under the larger mantle of MS-13. Duggins was the alleged leader of the Sykos Locos Salvatrucha (Sykos) clique of MS-13. Achieving promotion in MS-13 generally requires the commission of a significant act of violence.
In November 2018, Duggins and five other MS-13 Sykos clique members were indicted following an investigation into the body of a teenage boy found in a park in Lynn on Aug. 2, 2018. The injuries to the victim’s body indicated that the victim had been stabbed dozens of times. Duggins, who is the alleged leader of the group, did not participate in that murder, but his five co-defendants did participate. Duggins, however, has a prior history of violence and was previously convicted of attempted murder in state court in 2012.
Duggins is the sixth and final defendant in this case to plead guilty to RICO conspiracy charges. The five other defendants previously pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, admitted to their participation in murder and are scheduled to be sentenced with Duggins on Dec. 15, 2021.
Duggins faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Acting Boston Police Commissioner Gregory Long; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy made the announcement.
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.
Lowell Man Indicted on Firearm and Ammunition ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in connection with illegal firearm and ammunition possession.
Barndol Suong, 35, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Suong was previously charged by criminal complaint on June 10, 2021 and has been detained since.
According to the charging documents, a search of Suong’s residence on June 10, 2021 led to the recovery of a .45 caliber Taurus pistol revolver, five .410 gauge, 2.5 inch cartridges stored in a latex glove next to the firearm and 15 additional rounds of the same ammunition. Suong is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to 2008 convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm and assault and battery with a deadly weapon.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 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; and Kelly Richardson, Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the FBI’s Merrimack Valley Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran and Fred Wyshak, III of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang 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 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.
Louisiana Compound Marketer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Pay Illegal Kickbacks and Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport – A Monroe, Louisiana man pleaded guilty today to engaging in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to pay illegal health care kickbacks and conspiracy to defraud the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the DoD OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office.
According to court documents, Thomas “Tommy” Wilburn Shoemaker, 57, admitted that he participated in a scheme to defraud TRICARE and other health care benefit programs by acting as a marketer for World Health Industries, Inc. (“WHI”), a pharmacy specializing in the production of compounded medications. Shoemaker acknowledged that he allowed WHI to use his TRICARE insurance to adjust prescription formulas to ensure the highest reimbursement without regard to efficacy, and he recruited doctors to procure prescriptions for high margin compounded medications. Furthermore, as a marketer, Shoemaker admitted to obtaining numerous fraudulent prescriptions using personal information of military acquaintances. Through his company, he received over $300,000 in commissions for the prescriptions that were reimbursed by TRICARE, and in total, he received at least $672,538.19 in proceeds that were derived directly from the fraud scheme.
Shoemaker is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Alejandra Arias of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case with assistance from Sara Porter and Dustin Davis from the DOJ Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Kentucky Man Convicted of Possessing over Five Kilograms of Methamphetamine Is Sentenced to More Than 18 YearsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer announced today that Mitchell Glenn Bell, 45, of Monticello, Kentucky, was sentenced to 226 months in prison and five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger presided over the hearing.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Asheville Post of Duty, and Sheriff Chip Hall of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to information in filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on November 7, 2018, a deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the motorcycle Bell was riding following a traffic violation. Court records show that after Bell pulled over to the side of the road and the deputy exited his vehicle to approach the motorcycle, Bell sped away. Law enforcement located the abandoned motorcycle shortly thereafter and began to search for Bell in the nearby woods. The defendant was located and placed under arrest. At that time, deputies also recovered from the woods Bell’s backpack, which contained more than five kilograms of methamphetamine, digital scales, other drug paraphernalia, ammunition, over $11,500 in cash, and multiple fake driver’s licenses.
On January 11, 2021, Bell pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the DEA and the Jackson County Sheriff’s office for their investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pritchard, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
KCK Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than three kilograms of heroin that was intercepted by law enforcement officers when it was shipped from California to Kansas City, Missouri.
Solomon B. Hawthorne, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in a conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, a Kansas City, Mo., police detective intercepted a suspicious package at a local FedEx facility. The package, which was being shipped from California to a Kansas City, Mo., address, contained a black metal safe. Inside the safe were three bundles of a total of 3.179 kilograms of heroin.
An undercover law enforcement officer conducted a controlled delivery of the package on Nov. 20, 2020. The undercover detective knocked on the front door of the residence but no one answered. He placed the package on the steps of the porch and officers initiated surveillance. In less than an hour, an individual arrived via Uber and began continuously walking the block, texting and talking on his cell phone for a couple of hours, appearing to be keeping an eye on the parcel. At one point, he walked up to the house and repositioned the parcel on the porch in order to conceal it from the street.
A couple of hours later, Hawthorne arrived, driving a 2016 Dodge Ram truck. The individual got into Hawthorne’s truck and they drove around the block before pulling into the driveway of the residence. Hawthorne and the other individual were taken into custody.
When officer’s searched Hawthorne’s truck, they found a large clear storage bag that contained approximately 134.04 grams of heroin. They also found a black bag that contained $48,680 in cash and a Glock 9mm magazine with 10 rounds of ammunition. Another Glock 9mm magazine, which contained 15 rounds of ammunition, was found in a hidden compartment underneath the dashboard.
According to court documents, Hawthorne had conducted similar transactions twice over the previous few months and had paid approximately $100,000 to purchase heroin that was shipped to Kansas City.
Under federal statutes, Hawthorne is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Dec. 16, 2021.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the MoWIN Task Force.