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23 September 2021
Raeford Woman Sentenced to 36 Months in $1.49 Million Tax Preparer CaseRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Hoke County resident was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, announced Acting United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
NIKKI DECOLE CUNNINGHAM-QUICK, age 41, of Raeford, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 36-month term of imprisonment by Senior United States District N. Carlton Tilley, Jr. In addition to prison time, CUNNINGHAM-QUICK was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. CUNNINGHAM-QUICK owes the IRS $308,312 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on July 9, 2020, to aiding in the preparation of a false tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).
According to court records, CUNNINGHAM-QUICK prepared a number of false tax returns for some clients of her business, “Nikki’s Tax Service.” The court records indicate CUNNINGHAM-QUICK routinely included false items on federal income tax returns of some clients, including the use of false dependents, false income, and false education credits, all of which produced fraudulently inflated refunds. In total, the tax loss associated with the fraudulent refunds that CUNNINGHAM-QUICK prepared was $1,494,924.26, according to court records.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Kroeger.
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Queens Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Kidnapping That Resulted in the Murder of 24-Year-Old WomanRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JAVIER ENRIQUE DA SILVA ROJAS (the “defendant” or “DA SILVA”) was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for kidnapping Valerie Reyes (the “Victim”) in New Rochelle, New York and unlawfully transporting her to Connecticut, where her body was found approximately a week later. DA SILVA, who was arrested in Flushing, Queens in February 2019, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti on February 4, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss stated: “Javier Da Silva committed a horrific kidnapping that resulted in the death of a young woman. In the days after, he used her ATM card to empty her bank account and then attempted to cover up the evidence of his conduct. Valerie Reyes, the victim of this crime, was in the prime of her life when it was senselessly ended by Da Silva’s abhorrent act. Those who commit violence, especially those who kill, will not escape justice.”
According to the Indictment and other court documents, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
DA SILVA and the Victim, who was 24 years old at the time of her death, were previously in a romantic relationship, which ended in approximately April 2018. In the late evening of January 28, 2019, DA SILVA rented a car from a garage in Flushing, New York and drove to the Victim’s residence in New Rochelle, New York, arriving in the early morning hours of January 29, 2019. Before he entered the Victim’s home, DA SILVA switched his phone to “airplane mode.” Sometime after DA SILVA entered the Victim’s apartment, DA SILVA and the Victim had a violent altercation, during which the Victim suffered head trauma, bruising around the face, and a large hematoma to her forehead. DA SILVA then kidnapped the Victim—covering her mouth with several layers of packing tape and binding her feet and hands with packing tape and twine and putting her in a suitcase—before disposing of her body, still inside the suitcase, in Connecticut. Over the ensuing days, DA SILVA used the Victim’s debit card on various occasions to withdraw approximately $5,350 in cash from her bank account. DA SILVA also sold an iPad belonging to the Victim in the days following her death.
On January 30, 2019, the Victim was reported missing to the New Rochelle Police Department. A few days later, on February 5, 2019, her body was recovered in a red suitcase alongside a public road in the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut. The Connecticut Medical Examiner’s Office later concluded that the Victim died of homicidal asphyxiation.
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DA SILVA, 25, pled guilty to one count of kidnapping. In addition to the prison term, DA SILVA was sentenced to two years of supervised release.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises agents and detectives from the FBI, Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Westchester County Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, New York City Police Department, and U.S. Probation, as well as the FBI New Haven Division, the New Rochelle Police Department, the Greenwich Police Department, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, and the Westchester County Real Time Crime Center.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Mathew Andrews, and Andrew Dember are in charge of the prosecution.
Queens Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty today to tax evasion and employment tax fraud.
According to court documents, Rocco Manzione, of Queens, New York, owned and operated a series of concrete companies. From 2014 to 2017, Manzione withheld federal employment taxes from his employees’ wages, but did not timely file his companies’ employment tax returns, nor did he pay the required taxes to the IRS. For the third quarter of 2016 alone, Manzione failed to pay more than $85,000 in payroll taxes that he withheld from wages of employees of Advanced Transit Mix Corp.
In addition to his payroll tax fraud, Manzione evaded his individual income taxes. For tax years 2015 through 2017, Manzione did not file federal income tax returns, even though he earned almost $2,000,000 in income during that period. Manzione also concealed income from the IRS by transferring funds from his concrete companies to a bank account in the name of a nominee corporation called RA Equities LLC. He used some of the funds deposited into the nominee account for personal expenses, and did not report that income to the IRS. In total, Manzione caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1.5 million.
Manzione is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion and employment tax fraud. The defendant also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn M. Kasulis of the Eastern District of New York made the announcement.
The IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Kathryn Carpenter of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Putnam County Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jasen Michael Anderson (30, Crescent City) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of children on his cell phone and ordered him to serve a lifetime term of supervised release. He was also sentenced to a 2-year prison term, to be served concurrently, for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction and incarceration.
According to court documents, in 2011, while living in Port Orange, Anderson possessed and distributed images and videos of children being sexually abused; in May 2012, he was convicted on federal charges for those offenses. After serving a 7-year prison sentence, Anderson was released and placed under the supervision of the United States Probation Office.
On March 16, 2020, Anderson admitted to his probation officer that he had used his cellphone to access the internet and search a particular Russian website for sexually explicit images of children. The probation officer then confiscated Anderson’s cellphone.
Later, Anderson met with his probation officer and admitted that he had accessed child sex abuse images over the internet using a second cellphone. The probation officer also seized the second phone. Subsequently the United States Marshals Service arrested Anderson for violating the terms of his supervised release. Forensic examination of his cellphones revealed that one of these devices contained 110 images depicting children, including some as young as six years old, being sexually abused.
“Unfortunately, this previously convicted child predator did not learn his lesson the first time,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “HSI special agents, working with our partners at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service, have made sure he will have another opportunity to re-evaluate his actions from behind bars.”
This case was investigated by the United States Probation Office in Ocala and Tampa, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It 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.
Purple Pistol Bandit Guilty of Beaumont Area Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Derrick Rashard Gloude, 24, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to court documents, from November 9, 2020 through November 16, 2020, Gloude robbed six businesses and attempted to rob another in Beaumont. The stores were all engaged in interstate commerce and employed clerks who were engaged in the commercial activities of the stores at the time of the robberies. The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery affecting interstate commerce. In each of the robberies, Gloude brandished a purple pistol and pointed it at the clerks when demanding money.
After receiving a CrimeStoppers tip, investigators were able to develop Gloude as a suspect. A review of Gloude’s public Facebook page showed photos of Gloude wearing clothes matching the clothing reported by the clerks in each store. Additionally, Gloude’s Facebook showed pictures of him brandishing a purple handgun and flashing fans of cash. The pistol was recovered after Gloude’s arrest and determined to have been reported stolen in Beaumont.
“Gloude did more than use violence to steal money from local businesses, he terrorized the clerks by pointing guns in their faces,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Now, these victims can rest assured that they are safe from Gloude as a result of outstanding investigative work by our law enforcement partners.”
Gloude was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 13, 2021. He faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Possession of Firearms and Drugs Lead to Time in Federal Prison for Two Louisiana MenRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE/SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the resolution of two cases in the Western District of Louisiana today.
Darius Kaleei Nelson, 29, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 58 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm. On November 30, 2018, law enforcement officers observed a video which was running over the internet of a female packaging and weighing marijuana. Their investigation determined that the location where the video was taken was a residence in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Officers traveled to the residence and made contact with the female on the video and asked if any narcotics were present in the residence. The female gave officers consent to search the residence and they found a plastic bag with approximately .75 pound of marijuana. The female’s boyfriend, later determined to be Darius Kaleei Nelson, was found upstairs in the bedroom. Nelson gave officers consent to search his bedroom and they found a suitcase containing approximately 8.7 pounds of marijuana. A Glock 9mm handgun and two magazines and a pistol drum magazine were found in the bedroom closet. Nelson originally gave officers a fictitious name, but officers were able to determine his true name and learned that Nelson was a convicted felon and in fact had an outstanding extradition warrant from California for a parole violation from an earlier conviction for second degree robbery in 2015. Nelson admitted the firearm was his and knew that as a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing it.
The ATF and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Cardaries Marks, 29, of Florien, Louisiana, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 84 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On September 29, 2020, members of the Northwest Louisiana Violent Crimes Task Force and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office met regarding their investigation into the sale of narcotics in the Many, Louisiana area. Agents obtained evidence showing Marks handed a bag of suspected methamphetamine and approximately 95 suspected ecstasy pills to an individual and Marks received payment for those narcotics. The purchased narcotics were sent to the crime laboratory for analysis and confirmed to be over 5 grams of methamphetamine and the pills were confirmed to contain methamphetamine with a net weight of 13.116 grams.
Approximately one month later, law enforcement agents obtained additional evidence regarding an encounter which occurred between Marks and another individual. Marks sold two firearms to the individual and he paid Marks $750 for them. As a convicted felon, Marks knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. His prior felony convictions were for possession of methamphetamine in July 2019, and possession with intent to distribute narcotics in October 2019.
The FBI, ATF, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.
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Penn Hills Felon Charged with Violating Federal Drug and Gun LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotic and firearm laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The two-count Indictment, returned on September 21, named Tahj Thomas, age 23, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about August 25, 2021, Thomas possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing detectable amounts of fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, and tramadol. Also on August 25, 2021, Thomas possessed a firearm and ammunition despite being 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 a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years, a fine of $1,000,000.00 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 Monroeville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to firearms trafficking.
Gabriel Gispert-Poe, 24, of Hope Mills, N.C., pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2022. Gispert-Poe was charged on Aug. 6, 2021.
At various times in 2019 and 2020, Gispert-Poe acquired firearms in North Carolina from straw buyers or other sources, and then sold these firearms to Chiweze Ihunwo at a profit. Ihunwo then transported the firearms he obtained from Gispert-Poe to Massachusetts and offered them for resale, including through social media. Gispert-Poe and Ihunwo communicated by phone regarding the proposed acquisition and subsequent resale of firearms.
On Aug. 18, 2021, Ihunwo pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8, 2021.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Randolph Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Abely, Chief of Mendell’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case
Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $1.9 Million in COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme and Failing to Pay over Employee Tax Contributions to the IRSRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Nevada man pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to defraud multiple financial institutions by filing fraudulent bank loan applications that sought more than $1.9 million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The man also pleaded guilty to collecting over $350,000 from employees as income tax and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) withholdings for tax years 2014 to 2019, which he failed to pay over to the IRS on the employees’ behalf.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Jorge Abramovs, 40, submitted at least 12 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to seven different lenders in spring 2020. As part of the scheme, he submitted the loan applications in the names of multiple different businesses while falsely claiming to have numerous employees earning wages. In fact, these businesses were non-operational: they had no employees and no monthly payroll.
To support the fraudulent loan applications, Abramovs submitted false information about the businesses, fake tax documents and payroll schedules, and other forged documents. In total, Abramovs fraudulently obtained $1,986,737 in PPP loans. Rather than spending these funds to pay workers or for other specified business expenses as certified in the loan applications, Abramovs spent these funds on purchases for himself, including luxury condominiums, a Bentley, a Tesla, and payments on his home mortgage.
Abramovs further admitted that he failed to pay $475,000 in taxes owed to the IRS, relating to a different set of companies Abramovs controlled and operated. From 2014 through 2019, Abramovs was responsible for collecting and paying over employee-related taxes to the IRS, including withheld employee federal income tax, employee and employer FICA contributions, and federal unemployment tax. But Abramovs did not pay these withheld funds over to the IRS. Similarly, he failed to pay employer FICA contributions and unemployment tax payments the entities owed the IRS for those employees.
Abramovs pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of monetary transactions in criminally derived property, and one count of willful failure to collect or pay over tax. U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2022. Abramovs faces a total statutory maximum penalty of 45 years in prison.
Christopher Chiou, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada; Aaron C. Rouse, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office; Weston King, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General’s (SBA OIG) Western Region Office; J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); and C. Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, SBA OIG, TIGTA, and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
In May, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Navajo man sentenced to 12 years in prison for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Nathan Thomas, 45, of Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced on Sept. 22 in federal court to 12 years in prison for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country.
Thomas pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2020. In his plea, Thomas admitted that on Aug. 1, 2007, and July 21, 2010, he knowingly engaged in and caused sexual contact with Jane Doe, who at the time of both incidents was under the age of 12. Thomas committed the offense at his family home in San Juan County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Thomas will be subject to three years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Nayback prosecuted the case.
Moorhead Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Loaded Firearm in his HomeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Moorhead man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm in his residence after a minor was shot and killed with his gun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on March 21, 2021, Phillip Neal Jones, Jr., 34, possessed a Walther .40 caliber pistol in his Moorhead residence. While Jones was away from the residence, a visiting child found the loaded gun under a large snack chip box in the kitchen. The gun went off, hitting and killing a second child.
Jones has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Anoka Counties and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Moorhead Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan is prosecuting the case.
Monessen Man Admits Receiving Cocaine Concealed in Parcels Containing Designer Boots and SneakersRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- A resident of Monessen, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Devon White, age 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine before United States District Court Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that White’s cell phone contains multiple text messages between him and an individual using a specific phone number. On January 25, 2021, White and that individual exchanged text messages about two packages being sent to Western Pennsylvania – one to White’s home in Monessen and the other to the home of White’s son in Hazelwood. For the package being sent to White’s home, the individual texted a photo of a receipt with the tracking number and instructions to track the package over the phone but not leave White’s name. Two day later, the United States Postal Inspection interdicted both packages. Each package contained just under a quarter kilogram of cocaine and was addressed to the name of a fictitious person who does not live at that address. The Monessen package’s cocaine was hidden in designer boots and the Hazelwood package’s cocaine was hidden in sneakers. Postal Inspectors installed electronic monitoring devices in the Monessen package and replaced the drugs with a sham substance.
On January 28, 2021, the Monessen package was delivered to the front porch of White’s home in Monessen, he picked it up, and brought it into his home. He then opened the package, found the designer boots, found the sham drugs, and saw the electronic devices that had been installed by Inspectors. He took a photo of one of the devices and texted it to the individual’s cell phone. White also broke one of the electronic devices. White then wrote “return to sender” on the package, put the boots and sham back inside, sealed the package, and took it back to the porch with the electronic devices in his hand. When White exited his home, he encountered law enforcement personnel who were approaching the home to execute an anticipatory search warrant. They ultimately went back into the home with White, read him his Miranda rights, and he waived those rights in writing. White admitted that he knew this package was sent to his home and would contain the designer boots with approximately nine ounces of cocaine, which is just over a quarter kilogram. He also admitted that he knew the Hazelwood package would contain approximately nine ounces of cocaine.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2022 at 11:00 am. The law provides for a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine up to $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court continued White’s release on $10,000 unsecured bond and other conditions.
Assistant United States Attorney Ira M. Karoll is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Devon White.
Mobile Man Who Threatened Employer Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced today to 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Michael Lee Ammons, 51, made comments to coworkers in April 2021 threatening to “go postal” and “shoot up the place” at a trucking company in Mobile where he was employed. Federal agents responded to the business and detained Ammons, who admitted to making the threatening statements. During a later search of Ammons’s residence, agents recovered a .40-caliber pistol and .22-caliber long rifle bullets. Ammons admitted to possessing the pistol and the bullets. He also acknowledged that, as a convicted felon, he was not allowed to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Ammons to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. As a special condition of his supervised release, the court ordered Ammons not to have any contact with his former employer. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Ammons to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 228 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for trafficking thousands of fentanyl-laced pills.
According to court documents, Lyndon Aukeem Swarn, a/k/a Lyndon Aukeem Wiggins, 36, trafficked large amounts of imitation oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. In October 2019, law enforcement searched two properties associated with Swarn and seized more than 1,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 120 pounds of marijuana, three firearms, and $22,300 in cash. Law enforcement agents also raided Swarn’s farm in Ironwood, Michigan, and seized 300 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl-laced pills, Swarn’s passport, and more than $8,000 in cash.
According to court documents, following the raids, Swarn continued his fentanyl trafficking activities. On July 21, 2020, law enforcement arrested Swarn and executed a search warrant on his Hopkins residence and his vehicle. As a result of the searches, law enforcement seized a total of 34,640 fentanyl-laced pills, $21,000 in cash, and a firearm.
Swarn has also been charged in Hennepin County District Court with first-degree premeditated murder in connection to the 2019 kidnapping and murder of a local real estate agent.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Hopkins Police Department, with assistance from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Dunne and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Paulsen.
Miami Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Committing $650,000 in Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber today sentenced Andre Moore (37, Miami) to eight years in federal prison for credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Moore to pay $650,145.03 in restitution and to forfeit $3,110.55, related to the counts on which he was convicted.
Moore had pleaded guilty on June 8, 2021.
According to court documents, Moore stole the identities of more than 100 individuals. Between September 2019 and May 2020, Moore used those stolen identities to make more than $650,000 in purchases at retail stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Moore used fraudulent driver licenses and ID cards to open store credit card accounts under the stolen identities and to re-open dormant store credit card accounts. Moore took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic, making thousands of dollars in purchases while people were in lockdown, including using the stolen accounts to purchase items that were scarce early on in the pandemic. Further, Moore committed the fraud while living under a fake identity and, upon his federal arrest, lied about his name and identity to both federal agents and the Court.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Suzanne C. Nebesky.
Maumelle Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Flight Attendant En Route to Little RockRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK – A Maumelle man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a flight attendant. Leon Anderson, 40, entered his guilty plea Wednesday afternoon before United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
On October 6, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Anderson with one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft. Yesterday, he pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with one count of interference with a flight attendant.
Anderson was a passenger on PSA Airlines flight 5686 from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Little Rock on February 11, 2020. Prior to takeoff, a flight attendant was walking through the aisle of the plane when a passenger grabbed his leg. Startled, the flight attendant turned around, and the passenger—Anderson—apologized and said it was a mistake. Moments later, Anderson put one arm around the flight attendant’s shoulder and attempted to put a hand around his waist while apologizing again. The flight attendant told Anderson he did not need to apologize further.
The flight attendant continued his duties, but Anderson made inappropriate, sexual comments to the flight attendant and ultimately grabbed the flight attendant two more times in a sexual manner. The flight attendant notified the captain, who notified law enforcement.
Judge Moody will sentence Anderson at a later date. Anderson’s crime is punishable by not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and not more than three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Benecia Moore.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Aurelia Stanton, 39, of Baltimore, Maryland, and formerly of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division Wayne A. Jacobs.
Stanton pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of bank fraud. The Honorable Trevor N. McFadden scheduled her sentencing for Dec. 10, 2021. Under federal sentencing guidelines, she faces a likely range of 27 to 46 months in prison, as well as financial penalties. She also has agreed to pay about $233,000 in restitution. She also has agreed to pay an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
Stanton worked as an office manager from approximately June 2014 through May 2017 for a business, identified in court documents as “Company A.” She was responsible for ensuring timely payment of bills and invoices, accurate bookkeeping, and managing the office. From August 2015 through May 2017, according to court documents, she embezzled more than $233,000 writing checks to herself on the company’s check stock. She used a computer software program to conceal the fraudulent disbursements by editing the company’s bank statements to remove references to the fraudulently drafted, forged, and negotiated checks. In total, she deposited 187 checks with forged signatures.
In announcing the guilty plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Jessica Mundi. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Derrick Williams, who investigated and indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.
Maryland Tax Preparers Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
Two Maryland tax return preparers were sentenced to prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and preparing false tax returns. Lenore Worthy was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison and Veronica Fortune was sentenced on Sept. 14 to 12 months and one day in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants used varying business names, including United Tax Services LLC and Fortune’s Professional Services LLC, to provide tax preparation services. For the tax years 2012 through 2018, the defendants and a third co-conspirator, Anita Fortune, fraudulently inflated their clients’ refunds by fabricating and exaggerating Schedule A itemized deductions and by engineering Schedule C business losses.
According to information in the record, the IRS expelled Worthy from its e-filing program after she and Anita Fortune, who was using Worthy’s e-filing credentials, each prepared false returns for undercover IRS agents. Worthy and Anita Fortune subsequently used Veronica Fortune’s e-filing credentials to conceal their identities from the IRS and continue preparing false returns. The IRS later expelled Veronica Fortune from the e-filing program, but she obtained new credentials from a third party and again shared them with her co-conspirators. All three continued to prepare fraudulent returns through the 2019 filing season, causing a total tax loss to the IRS of $189,748.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm ordered Worthy to serve three years of supervised release and pay approximately $189,748 in restitution to the United States. Judge Grimm ordered Fortune to serve three years of supervised release and pay approximately $86,590 in restitution.
Anita previously was sentenced to 30 months in prison on June 4 for her role in the scheme.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Kathryn Carpenter of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Marshall County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – James M. Renforth, of Cameron, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Renforth, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Renforth admitted to selling methamphetamine in April 2021 in Marshall County.
Renforth faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Man Who Shot New Haven Restaurant Employee During Attempted Robbery in 2015 Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Acting New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez announced that TREIZY LOPEZ, 24, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a charge stemming from the attempted robbery of a New Haven restaurant, during which he shot an employee, in April 2015.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 11, 2015, Lopez, Tythrone Ford and another man entered the Smokin’ Wings restaurant, located on Congress Avenue in New Haven, and demanded money at gunpoint. Lopez subsequently discharged a firearm and shot a female employee in the stomach. Lopez, Ford and their associate then fled the restaurant. Responding New Haven Police officers subsequently located a .22 caliber revolver in a nearby trash can.
Approximately eight hours prior to the Smokin’ Wings robbery, Lopez and another individual, armed with handguns, entered Sapiaos Market, located on Lexington Avenue in Bridgeport, and demanded money. During the attempted robbery, the owner of the market, Jose Salgado, was shot and killed. Ford was waiting in a car outside of the market during the attempted robbery.
Forensic analysis of the revolver found in the trash can in New Haven, and projectiles collected from the scene of both attempted robberies, revealed that the gun was used in both shootings. DNA collected from the gun revealed that both Lopez and Ford possessed the gun.
Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2021.
Ford pleaded guilty to the same charge on September 21, 2021, and awaits sentencing.
Lopez is currently incarcerated in state custody after being convicted of offenses related to his role in the robbery and homicide at Sapiaos Market.
This matter stems from a cold case investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, and Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity,
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
Man Sentenced to 35+ Years for Pornographic Images of Six-Year-OldsRead the Press Release
A Grand Prairie man who sexually exploited two six-year-old girls has been sentenced to 430 months in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Juan Navarro, Jr., 38, pleaded guilty in January to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman.
In plea papers, Mr. Navarro admitted that in 2019, he enticed a female child into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of such conduct. He also admitted that he stored multiple sexually explicit images of children on his cell phone.
According to court documents, the investigation began when Yahoo reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of their email clients had uploaded child pornography. Law enforcement traced the email account in question to Mr. Navarro.
During a search of his residence, agents found a Samsung Galaxy phone containing multiple images of child pornography, including several images of little girls that appeared to have been created on the phone. In interviews with law enforcement, Mr. Navarro admitted that he sometimes emailed himself child porn, but initially denied knowing the girls.
However, the children’s mother confirmed that her daughters knew Mr. Navarro, and recognized the seat of his car in the images of her daughters, who have since received appropriate psychological and medical care.
“My girls are not physically here, but I am. I’m hear so my voice can be their voice and the voice of all of those other innocent victims,” their mother testified at sentencing. “We need our voices to be heard.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Grand Prairie Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Copan man was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty in January 2021 to Count 2 of a federal indictment- felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Thomas Jason Smith, 41, to 78 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
On Aug. 8, 2020, Smith was picked up by a friend in a stolen vehicle and taken to a hotel where they met up with several others. Tulsa Police Officers located the stolen vehicle at the hotel, observed several individuals exit the vehicle and enter a room, and then made contact with the group. In the hotel room, narcotics and multiple firearms were found. After a search of the stolen vehicle, officers discovered a .12 gauge shotgun in the back seat. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that he knowingly possessed a Tri-Star.12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun. He stated that he knew that his possession of the firearm was prohibited due to his criminal history.
Judge Kern further ordered the defendant to pay $500 in restitution to a victim under count 1 of the indictment- burglary in the third degree in Indian Country. Smith stole the victim’s cell phone from a pickup that was parked at a Tulsa convenience store on Aug. 3, 2020.
The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Jeffrey A. Gallant prosecuted the case.
The 2150 Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as those responsible as the “source” of the firearms to prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community.
Macon Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation in Social Media Child Pornography InvestigationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident has pleaded guilty to child sexual exploitation after investigators discovered multiple juvenile victims across the country ranging in age from 10-years-old to 16-years-old who he contacted on social media, coercing them to send him sexually explicit and pornographic images and videos.
Deon M. Moore, 37, of Macon, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. Moore is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by not less than five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. In addition, Moore will have to pay restitution ordered by the Court to any victim listed in the indictment and to a list of 14 additional victims to be filed under seal with the court. Moore will also register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
“Deon Moore aggressively sought young victims online, intent on manipulating and deceiving them to fulfill his sick desires,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “A dangerous child predator is no longer able to harm the children he was targeting on social media thanks to the investigators who unraveled his web of lies. Our office will pursue the full measure of justice against adults who seek to harm the most vulnerable people in our society.”
“Predators like Moore are another example for parents to keep a close eye on their children’s activity on-line and on their phones,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to one mother who called police, a vast web of child exploitation was uncovered and now Moore will be held accountable for his abhorrent behavior.”
According to court documents, the investigation was begun by the Fairborn, Ohio, Police Department (FOPD) on May 21, 2017, after the agency was contacted by the mother of a 12-year-old female victim, who had been communicating with Moore on Facebook and by text messages. Moore sent nude photos and requested to meet with the victim. Investigators discovered that Moore had changed his Facebook name to “Nathaniel Ellis,” and that he had numerous Facebook friends who appeared to be teenage females. The FBI and FOPD detectives determined that Moore used Facebook to find victims, using the false identities of Sharod King, Nathaniel Ellis, Jazmine Ellis and Sharde Carter. He sometimes represented himself to be a female and between the ages of teens to 30s, depending on the targeted victim. Moore was seeking young, black female girls, and Facebook transcripts indicate that he would ask them their ages. His victims ranged in age from 10 to 16, and he knew they were minors. Moore’s victims were from multiple states, and he would discuss sex in explicit terms with his victims and would request that they send him nude pictures of their breasts and genitalia. To coerce and induce victims to send sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, Moore would send them explicit pictures and videos.
Investigators discovered that a 10-year-old girl in the fourth grade began communicating with Moore on Facebook in May 2018. Moore represented himself to be a 14-year-old female living in Atlanta, and sent fictitious photos of himself, posing as female. He asked the 10-year-old victim to send pictures, which she did. Moore then asked the child victim for an explicit video, and he sent her a video to demonstrate what he was looking for her to send. The 10-year-old victim then sent him three explicit videos of herself.
During the time and scope of this investigation, Moore began conversation threads with a total of 1,306 individuals on Facebook, engaging 80 people in sustained conversations, 30 of which were juveniles. Four of these juveniles sent child pornography to Moore, and others sent explicit photographs of themselves, such as pictures of their breasts. Almost all of these victim received explicit sexual material from Moore, which he sent to induce, coerce and “educate” them.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Fairborn, Ohio, Police Department (FOPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCommon is prosecuting the case.
Louisiana State Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting ArresteeRead the Press Release
Jacob Brown, 31, a former trooper with the Louisiana State Police, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, for using excessive force against an arrestee.
The indictment charges Brown with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on May 30, 2019, Brown assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as A.B., by repeatedly striking him in the head and body with a dangerous weapon (a flashlight modified with a metal tactical cap designed for breaking glass). The indictment further alleges that the incident resulted in bodily injury to A.B.
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
The department has previously acknowledged that it has open and ongoing criminal investigations into incidents involving the Louisiana State Police that resulted in death or bodily injury to arrestees. Those investigations remain ongoing.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook of the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Long Island MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murdering a 15-Year-Old Boy in FreeportRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Eduardo Portillo, also known as “Firuli” and “Tito” (Portillo), a member of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the “MS-13,” pleaded guilty to racketeering charges relating to his participation in the murder of 15-year-old Javier Castillo, and to conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The guilty plea was entered before United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco.
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Stuart Cameron, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, the defendant, an MS-13 gang member, admits to an utterly depraved and heinous crime, of taking turns with a machete to hack a teenage boy to death, simply because he believed the boy belonged to a rival gang,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis. “This Office and its law enforcement partners in New York and El Salvador are committed to stopping the violence of MS-13 gang members and bringing an end to their reign of brutality and murder in this district. It is my hope that today’s plea brings some measure of closure to the family members of the young victim.” Ms. Kasulis expressed her grateful appreciation to the investigators and analysts from the FBI’s Transnational Anti-Gang (TAG) Unit in El Salvador, the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force for their outstanding collaboration in locating and apprehending this fugitive, as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their partnership in this case.
“Eduardo Portillo violently participated in taking the life of another teen as well as fed the drug epidemic plaguing our community,” stated SCPD Acting Commissioner Cameron. “This guilty plea is another step in the fight against gang violence and drug addiction in our county. Members of the department will continue to work with the Eastern District of New York and our law enforcement partners to put violent criminals behind bars and bring justice to the victims and their families.”
As set forth in prior court filings and the defendant’s statements during his guilty plea, Portillo and his fellow MS-13 members targeted Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang, one of MS-13’s principal rivals. On October 10, 2016, Portillo and other Brentwood-based members of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of the MS-13 convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to go with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana. They lured Castillo to an isolated marsh area in Cow Meadow Park in Freeport, where they attacked him, taking turns hacking the victim with a machete. Afterwards, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in October 2017.
Portillo also pleaded guilty to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy, admitting that between April 2016 and March 2017, he and other members of the Sailors clique conspired to distribute cocaine and marijuana in the Brentwood area to raise money for the MS-13 and fund its operations.
Portillo was arrested in Morazán, El Salvador on February 23, 2019 and extradited to the United States on November 6, 2020.
Today’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States, comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 60 murders in the Eastern District of New York and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, Megan E. Farrell, and John J. Durham are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
EDUARDO PORTILLO (“Firuli” and “Tito”)
Age: 24
Residence: San Francisco Gotera, Morazán, El Salvador; formerly of Central Islip and Brentwood, New YorkLeader of ‘Oxy Bandits’ Crew Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree of 15 Southern California PharmaciesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Lynwood man who organized and led a crew – dubbed the “Oxy Bandits” by law enforcement – that committed 15 armed robberies of independent “mom-and-pop” pharmacies throughout Southern California was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison.
Tyrome Lewis, 26, a.k.a. “Boobie,” was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt. After a two-day bench trial in April, Judge Kronstadt found Lewis guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and two counts of knowingly using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
From May 2018 to July 2019, Lewis conspired with others to commit 15 armed robberies. Lewis selected the pharmacies to be robbed, targeting smaller pharmacies to steal oxycodone and other similar prescription medication. He also assigned the roles from the crew members, and then he served as a lookout while co-conspirators committed the robberies. Following the pharmacy robberies, Lewis and others would sell the stolen prescription medication on the black market.
The Lewis-led armed crew robbed pharmacies in Glendale, Bellflower, Paramount, Cerritos, Hawthorne, South Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, Huntington Park, Claremont, Westminster, Fullerton, Anaheim, and Riverside.
Each of the robberies shared a common modus operandi, including targeting smaller pharmacies, placing the stolen prescription drugs into the pharmacy’s trash bags or trash cans, using a black semi-automatic handgun to threaten and intimidate store employees, and forcing employees to open the medication vault.
“Over the course of more than a year…Lewis led a violent spree of armed robberies that terrorized numerous innocent individuals in order to obtain dangerous pharmaceutical drugs that he and others then sold,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “[Lewis’s] conduct subjected numerous innocent civilians (employees, customers, and bystanders), law enforcement (who engaged in at least two high speed chases with defendant’s crew members), and robbery crew members to profound danger.”
The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter, with assistance from the Claremont Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Peter Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Justice Department Awards $270,782 to State of Louisiana to Aid Victims of Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded $270,782 collectively to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. and the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, Inc. to assist victims of sexual assault.
Nationwide, OVW is making 56 awards totaling $28.2 million through the Fiscal Year 2021 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program.
The SAS Formula Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers (including governmental rape crisis centers not in territories and tribal governmental programs) and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age. Funds provided through the SAS Formula Program are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial levels. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations, such as dual programs providing both domestic violence and sexual assault intervention services, play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
Judge sentences St. Louis man to drug and weapon chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Terrell D. Smith of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. on today’s date and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. Smith previously pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On or about June 19, 2019, members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were conducting surveillance on a vehicle being operated by Smith pursuant to an on-going Assault 1st Degree investigation. As police approached, Smith fled the scene in the vehicle. Surveillance of Smith was continued with a police helicopter to a residence in which Smith dropped off two firearms which were later recovered and seized by police. Smith was previously convicted of a felony preventing him from possession of a firearm.
On September 12, 2019, law enforcement arrested Smith pursuant to the previous incident after a federal warrant was obtained. At the time of the arrest, Smith was found in possession of 142 capsules containing over 7 grams of fentanyl, a schedule II-controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
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Judge sentences St. Louis County man for firearms charge and activity connected to the 2020 civil disorderRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Justin Cannamore of St. Louis County, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on September 22, 2021. Cannamore pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and for demonstrating a technique capable of causing injury to persons during the civil disorder in the summer of 2020.
On the night of June 1, 2020 during a period of civil unrest, the 7-11 located at 201 N. 17th Street, St. Louis, Missouri was set ablaze after rioters smashed windows and broke into an ATM machine. Cannamore assisted an unidentified individual by spraying a bottle of lighter fuel on the 7-11 building. In so doing, Cannamore was demonstrating a more effective technique to apply and disperse the lighter fluid to the building in furtherance of the attempt to burn the building. Cannamore also entered the business and ignited a fire in the aisle that self-extinguished when a firework exploded in the same location.
Days later, on June 5, 2020, Cannamore was stopped by the St. Louis County Police Department for a traffic violation. During the stop, police located and seized a .22 caliber revolver, which Cannamore knowingly possessed. The firearm was stolen and Cannamore, a previously convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing the weapon due to his conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Itasca County Man Sentence to 160 Months in Prison for Vehicular Assault on White Earth ReservationRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Itasca County man was sentenced today to 160 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting an individual with his vehicle, resulting in serious bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
“Mr. Doerr is a danger to the community, his actions caused pain and suffering for both the victims and for the White Earth community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “I hope today’s sentence offers a sense of relief and an opportunity to heal.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 7, 2020, Kevin Doerr, 35, was driving erratically through Elbow Lake Village on the White Earth Indian Reservation. Neighbors called 911 to report that a silver Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by Doerr, was trying to run people over and chasing people through the neighborhood. When law enforcement arrived, they found a chaotic scene with neighbors outside and badly injured victims. Law enforcement took Doerr into custody and the victims were airlifted to the hospital.
Doerr was convicted by a federal jury on May 20, 2021, on one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced Doerr to serve 80 months in prison for each count, to be served consecutively, followed by three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department, the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force and the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina L. Allery and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad tried the case.
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Individual Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of A Minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Denton Sumka, 27, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 2243(a)(1), 2246(2)(A), 1151, and 1153, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that from May 2017 until August 2020, Sumka knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a person who had attained 12 years of age but not yet attained 16 years of age, and who was at least four years younger than Sumka.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jose Ramon Gutierrez, 33, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 United States Code Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) and 2, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years to life, a fine of $10,000,000.00, or both, a mandatory term of supervised release of at least 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 12, 2021, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper observed a white Mazda CX-9 speeding eastbound on I-40 near Sallisaw, Oklahoma. The trooper stopped the Mazda (which had a driver and passenger in it) for the traffic violation, and the trooper smelled marijuana when speaking with the driver of the car, which was a rental car. Due to the smell of marijuana, a search of the vehicle was conducted, and the search led to the recovery of two THC vape pens, four cell phones, and a gray Oakley backpack from the rear cargo area. Inside the backpack, twenty vacuum-sealed clear packages containing a crystalline substance were found. A presumptive field test indicated that the substance contained methamphetamine weighing approximately 10.5 gross kilograms (including packaging). During a subsequent interview, the defendant admitted that he rented the car and had travelled to Alabama with the driver on a previous occasion.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Eduardo Angel, 32, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 United States Code Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) and 2, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years to life, a fine of $10,000,000.00, or both, a mandatory term of supervised release of at least 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 12, 2021, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper observed a white Mazda CX-9 speeding eastbound on I-40 near Sallisaw, Oklahoma. The trooper stopped the Mazda (which had a driver and passenger in it) for the traffic violation, and the trooper smelled marijuana when speaking with the defendant, who was driving the rental car. Due to the smell of marijuana, a search of the vehicle was conducted, and the search led to the recovery of two THC vape pens, four cell phones, and a gray Oakley backpack from the rear cargo area. Inside the backpack, twenty vacuum-sealed clear packages containing a crystalline substance were found. A presumptive field test indicated that the substance contained methamphetamine weighing approximately 10.5 gross kilograms (including packaging). During a subsequent interview, the defendant confirmed his knowledge of the methamphetamine as well as his intent to transport it to Birmingham, Alabama.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Possessing Contraband in A PrisonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Hurl Lemmon, 48, entered a guilty plea to Possessing Contraband in a Prison, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 1791 (d)(1)(F), punishable by imprisonment for a period of one year and/or a fine of up to $100,000.00, a term of supervised release of up to one year, and a special assessment in the amount of $25.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 12, 2021, an FBI Task Force Officer (TFO) received a report of a disturbance in the X-Pod at the Okmulgee County Jail. The X-Pod houses Federal inmates in accordance with a contract between the United States Marshals Service and the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority. Upon arrival, the TFO was informed the disturbance had been ongoing and had escalated into a riot situation. When additional law enforcement arrived, a team was formed to enter the pod and restore order. As the officers entered the pod, a group of inmates begin throwing pieces of concrete at the officers. The riot lasted approximately two and one-half hours before order was restored, and some of the inmates (including Lemmon) used cellular phones during the riot. A total of nine inmates (including Lemmon) were charged with federal offenses.
The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Okmulgee Police Department, the Okmulgee County Jail, and the Henryetta Police Department.
The Honorable Steven Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Felony Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Melvin James Battiest, 60, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felony Murder in Indian Country, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 1111, 1151 and 1153, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than life, a fine of $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 23, 1984, deputies of the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a body that was found in the Wahoo Bay in the Fort Gibson Lake area. An autopsy revealed that the person found (Donald Cantrell) died of blunt force trauma to the head and chest. During a subsequent investigation, the defendant admitted that he and another man robbed and murdered Mr. Cantrell at Wahoo Bay and stole his truck and burned it. The defendant took detectives to the crime scene and showed them where everything took place.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, the Muskogee Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Timothy D. Degiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Assault with A Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country and Discharge of Firearm in Relation to A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shylow Shane Young, 37, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 113(a)(3), 1151 and 1153, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00, and to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 United States Code Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i)(ii)(iii), punishable by a term imprisonment of not less than 10 years in addition to the punishment provided for such crime of violence, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about September 5, 2020, officers of the Sallisaw Police Department responded to a trespass call at a horse barn in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, where they discovered the defendant and repeatedly instructed him to leave. The defendant refused to do so, and the police informed him that he was under arrest. During the arrest the defendant began physically resisting arrest and engaged in an extended physical confrontation, during which, the defendant grabbed one of the officer’s firearms and discharged a round which travelled through the officer’s holster and caused bodily injury to an assisting officer after ricocheting off the ground.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Bucca represented the United States.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Arson of A Dwelling in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dillion McClain, 32, entered a guilty plea to Arson of a Dwelling in Indian Country in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 81, 1151 and 1153, punishable by imprisonment for any term of years or for life and/or a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release not more than 5 years, and a special assessment in the amount of $100.00.
The Indictment alleged that on or about January 27, 2021, the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a private residence in Ada, Oklahoma for a house fire, and four separate smoldering fires were extinguished and there was a haze of smoke inside the home. The defendant is the son of the owner/renter of the home, and the defendant posted a video with audio on Facebook of him burning property inside the home. A review of the audio of the Facebook posting revealed that the defendant states on the audio that the “whole house is fixing to go up into flames in about 30 minutes.”
The charges arose from an investigation by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberley West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Hogansburg Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Marijuana ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Tyren Terrance, age 26, of Hogansburg, New York, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for conspiring to distribute, and possessing with intent to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his May 2021 guilty plea, Terrance admitted that on August 20, 2020, he and a co-conspirator used two pickup trucks to transport 10 hockey bags containing approximately 200 kilograms of marijuana through the Northern District of New York with the intent to distribute the drugs in the New York City area.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Terrance to serve 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release and forfeit $35,000 as proceeds of Terrance’s offenses.
This case was investigated by the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal.
Hartford Man Charged with Narcotics Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment yesterday charging LUIS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ, 23, of Hartford, with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
As alleged in the indictment, on November 19, 2020, a search of Rodriguez’s Hartford residence revealed distribution quantities of crack cocaine and fentanyl, two loaded semi-automatic handguns, and $9,436 in cash.
It is further alleged that Rodriguez’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for larceny and burglary offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Rodriguez with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and fentanyl, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rodriguez has been detained in state custody since November 19, 2020.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Correction Division of Parole and Community Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gresham.
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.
Hancock County Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Shooting Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Hancock County man was sentenced today to 257 months in federal prison for assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to court documents, on July 21, 2020, a member of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force (USMS agent) was shot in the neck by Joseph Dale Sonnier, while executing an outstanding arrest warrant. Sonnier, 32, had an outstanding arrest warrant from the Hancock County Circuit Court for two counts of kidnapping, armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The shooting occurred at the Siegel Select Gautier, an extended stay hotel in Gautier. After multiple attempts knocking on Sonnier’s hotel room door and announcing their presence, a woman opened the door and told the USMS agents there was another person (Sonnier) in the room. The USMS agents, from outside of the hotel room doorway, identified themselves as USMS agents and attempted to call Sonnier out. Sonnier, who was sitting in the hotel room bathroom, shot two rounds from a High-Point .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol at the USMS agents. One round fired by Sonnier struck the USMS agent in the neck. Sonnier was taken into custody unharmed. The USMS agent was transported to the hospital and treated for the gunshot wound to his neck.
Sonnier pled guilty on April 1, 2021 to assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shundral H. Cole.
Hampton Falls Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kelley Bevin, 53, of Hampton Falls, pleaded guilty in federal court to theft of government funds, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bevin’s mother passed away in May 2016. At the time of her death, Bevin’s mother was receiving monthly Social Security benefits in a bank account. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) was not informed of her death until April 2020, resulting in an overpayment of $80,826. Several weeks before her mother’s death, Bevin acquired the bank card for her mother’s account. Over the course of four years, Bevin used the card to access her deceased mother’s bank account and spent the funds.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economics Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act provided for, among other things, $1,200 stimulus payments to Americans under certain income thresholds. However, deceased persons were not entitled to those payments. The U.S. Treasury deposited a $1,200 stimulus payment into the bank account of Bevin’s mother. Bevin was not entitled to that payment, but it was among the funds she unlawfully converted to her own use.
In total, Bevin stole $82,026 in SSA benefits and COVID-19 stimulus payments that she was not entitled to receive.
Bevin is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2022.
“Social Security and CARES Act benefits provide important financial support for qualified recipients,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “In order to protect the integrity of these federal programs, we will not hesitate to pursue criminal charges against those who steal federal benefits. I am grateful the Office of Inspector General for its investigative efforts in this case.”
“Bevin misused Social Security benefits intended for her deceased mother for several years and additionally, she stole money intended to help a population struggling with the economic effects of the coronavirus. This should stand as a warning to anyone who is receiving and misusing Social Security benefits intended for someone else,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “Anyone who fails to report a death to Social Security should take heed of this guilty plea and know that we will come knocking on the door. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Chen for pursuing this case and holding her accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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Hampshire County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrew Ross Hose, of Augusta, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Hose, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Hose admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in August 2020 in Hampshire County.
Hose faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Gulfport Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced today to 74 months in prison for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court documents, on January 7, 2021, Gulfport Police officers and ATF agents executed a search warrant on the residence of Connor Higginbotham, 22, as part of investigation into stolen firearms. Agents discovered 12 firearms, several of them capable of receiving high capacity magazines. Officers also discovered approximately 300 grams of marijuana and an unregistered silencer.
Higginbotham pled guilty on June 24, 2021, to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Higginbotham received sentencing enhancements for possessing stolen firearms, possessing the firearms in connection with another felony offense, and the number of firearms that he possessed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Gulfport Police Department, and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner 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.
Government Contracting Companies Agree to Settle Civil False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Virginia-based companies agreed to pay a combined $1,174,584 to settle allegations that they solicited and received kickbacks in connection with federal government contracts reserved for “8(a)” small businesses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Index Systems, Inc. (Index), located in Fairfax, was certified by the Small Business Administration as an 8(a) small business, meaning that it was owned and operated by a socially or economically disadvantaged citizen. Chinna Nemelidinne, a resident of Herndon, is the president and sole owner of Index. Capital Consulting Group, Inc. (CCG), a company located in Arlington, lacked an 8(a) certification. Index and Nemelidinne agreed to pay $1,010,084 to settle claims under the Anti-Kickback Act and False Claims Act, and CCG agreed to pay $164,500 to settle claims under the Anti-Kickback Act.
According to the United States’ allegations, in 2018, Index and CCG agreed that Index would use its 8(a) certification to bid on a government contract on which CCG was not eligible to bid. Index and CCG allegedly agreed to subcontract all the work on that contract to CCG in exchange for a “fee” calculated by each hour of work subcontracted to CCG, and CCG allegedly paid Index the agreed upon kickback amount when the work was subcontracted to them.
The United States also alleged that, between 2018 through 2020, Index had a similar kickback arrangement in place with Sage Consulting Group, Inc. (Sage), in connection with three federal 8(a) set-aside contracts. The United States further alleged that Index also obtained one of the contracts through fraudulent representations to the federal agency that Index employees would be doing all the work on the contract, even though Index intended to subcontract much of the work on the contract to Sage. The United States and Sage reached a settlement in July 2021.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Krista Anderson.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. A copy of a press release describing the United States’ settlement with Sage Consulting Group, Inc. can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/sage-consulting-group-inc-agrees-pay-48-million-settle-civil-false-claims-act-and-anti
The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Fulton County Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearms and Distribution of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert H. Stone, age 54, of Mayfield, New York, was sentenced today to serve 39 months in prison for unlawfully possessing three firearms as a felon and to possessing marijuana for the purpose of distribution.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also sentenced Stone to a 3-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.
As part of his guilty plea on April 28, 2021, Stone, who has prior felony convictions for drug and weapons offenses, admitted that in October 2020, he possessed two shotguns and a rifle at his residence in Gloversville, and 3.8 kilograms of marijuana and 1,395 rounds of pistol, rifle and shotgun ammunition on his 46-acre property in Mayfield.
This case was investigated by ATF and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Former Union County Postal Employee Admits Stealing Credit Cards from MailRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former Union County, New Jersey, woman today admitted stealing credit cards sent through the mail while employed as a clerk at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Myriam Jimenez-Valentin, 33, now of Barbourville, Virginia, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging her with one count of theft of mail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 1 to July 23, 2019, Jimenez, then a postal employee, admitted stealing credit cards addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses on postal routes in Elizabeth and Roselle Park, New Jersey, that she provided to other individuals in exchange for offers of $100 per card. The fraudulent charges on the credit cards Jimenez stole totaled over $2,000.
The mail theft charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, and special agents with the USPS-Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to today’s charge. She also thanked the U.S. Secret Service, the New Jersey State Police, the Elizabeth Police Department, and the Secaucus Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Former SUNY Student Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Makahi Daevon Bryant, age 20, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to fraudulently obtaining over $13,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from the State of California.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG).
As part of his guilty plea to one count of access device fraud, Bryant admitted that he obtained debit cards containing California unemployment insurance benefits in the names of other individuals. During September and October 2020, while he was a student at the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi), Bryant effected unauthorized transactions using the debit cards to obtain cash, goods, and services.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2022, in Binghamton, before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. Bryant faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from the University Police Department at SUNY Delhi, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Chisholm.
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.
Former Nassau County Fire Rescue Employee Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Images and Videos over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Robert Arthur Ginder (35, Callahan) to seven years and six months in federal prison for receipt of child sex abuse images. The Court also ordered Ginder to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Ginder had pleaded guilty on April 22, 2021.
According to court documents, an investigation was initiated by law enforcement agents after they had gained access to an online cloud platform and a group chat in which users actively distributed images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The agents observed that, when any user joined the group chat, various members of the group would share numerous image and video files depicting child exploitation .
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Ginder’s residence as the source of the internet protocol (IP) addresses used by this particular account on the cloud platform and, further, determined that Ginder worked for Nassau County Fire Rescue as a logistics officer.
On October 20, 2020, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant at Ginder’s residence and authorities arrested Ginder later that day. Ginder admitted to receiving a link to the cloud platform and joining the group chat of the online cloud platform that contained child exploitation material. He also admitted to viewing and sharing child exploitation materials using the cloud platform. Ginder acknowledged that he had received an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child from this cloud platform over the internet.
A subsequent search and forensic review of Ginder’s electronic devices revealed that Ginder’s cellphone contained thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
“The sexual exploitation of children has no place in our communities,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “HSI special agents and our partners at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office will continue to pursue anyone involved in the production, distribution or possession of child pornography, or who target children in our communities in any way.”
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
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.
Former Manager of Mascoutah Trucking Company Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Company Out of More Than $600,000Read the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – This morning, Timothy P. Mayer, 42, of Waterloo, Ill., was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison for defrauding his former employer, Jung Truck Service (“Jung
Truck”) of Mascoutah, Ill., out of more than $600,000.
In addition to operating its own trucks and warehouse facilities, Jung Truck also provides maintenance services for other trucking companies. Mayer was the manager of Jung
Truck’s East St. Louis location.Mayer pled guilty to the fraud scheme in federal court in East St. Louis on May 4, 2021. When he pled guilty, Mayer admitted that beginning in July 2019, he started charging expensive tires to
Jung Truck’s accounts at a local tire supplier. Mayer then sold the tires on the side and pocketed the cash. The value of the tires that Mayer fraudulently charged to Jung Truck exceeded
$590,000. Mayer also stole tires and brakes from Jung Truck’s inventory and sold those items on the side. In total, Mayer caused Jung Truck to sustain a loss of more than $620,000. The scheme lasted until Mayer was caught in May 2020.In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Mayer to serve a period of 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The court further ordered Mayer to pay $624,807.63 in restitution to Jung Truck.
The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, Fairview Heights Resident Agency. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney
Scott A. Verseman.
Former Louisiana State Police Trooper Indicted on Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting ArresteeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Jacob Brown, 31, a former trooper with the Louisiana State Police, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, for using excessive force against an arrestee, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook of the Western District of Louisiana and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
The indictment charges Brown with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on May 30, 2019, Brown assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as A.B., by repeatedly striking him in the head and body with a dangerous weapon (a flashlight modified with a metal tactical cap designed for breaking glass). The indictment further alleges that the incident resulted in bodily injury to A.B.
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The United States Attorney’s Office has previously acknowledged that it has open and ongoing criminal investigations into incidents involving Louisiana State Police that resulted in death or bodily injury to arrestees. Those investigations remain ongoing.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Luke Walker of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
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