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13 September 2021
Bristol Man Sentenced on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man was sentenced last week to 21 and a-half years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Paul D. Crone, 56, conspired with others to traffic approximately 45 kilograms of methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas into Southwest Virginia for redistribution.
Crone pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Fifteen co-conspirators were also charged in the conspiracy.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia, Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Boston Woman Sentenced for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Marijuana EnterpriseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 for her role in a marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018.
Tatiana Fridkes, a/k/a Sonya, 34, of Mattapan, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to time served and two years of supervised release. Fridkes was also ordered to pay restitution of $82,000. On Sept. 23, 2020, Fridkes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.
Fridkes and Deana Martin, 52, of Milton, were indicted in May 2019 in connection with their management of Northern Herb, a marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018. In May 2021, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and three counts of money laundering and is awaiting sentencing which is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2021.
Fridkes served as the office manager for Northern Herb. Fridkes coordinated with Martin on finances, marijuana suppliers, marijuana inventory, deliveries, workers and warehouse operations. Fridkes managed Northern Herb employees when Martin was not present, collected and organized cash from marijuana sales and paid cash wages to Northern Herb employees.
From May 2016 through July 2018, Northern Herb had total revenue exceeding $14 million. Northern Herb did not withhold or pay taxes on its millions of dollars in marijuana sales, did not remit or pay employment taxes in connection with its workforce and did not pay taxes on its profits. Northern Herb was not licensed by Massachusetts or any other governmental entity to sell or distribute marijuana. While Northern Herb purported to provide medical marijuana, it did not require a customer to provide proof of a medical marijuana card and would deliver marijuana to unattended locations (such as a front door or hallway) where unknown third parties might have access to it.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance with this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Abely, Chief of Mendell’s Criminal Division, and John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jason Lee Gentry, 44, of Boise, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today. Gentry was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on April 14, 2021.
According to court records, Gentry, while on probation after a conviction for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, sold another person methamphetamine on four different occasions. On December 2, 2020, he sold 10.45 grams of methamphetamine; on December 7, 2020, he sold 27.45 grams of methamphetamine; on February 2, 2021, he sold 28.05 grams of methamphetamine; and on February 10, 2021, he sold 28.05 grams of methamphetamine. On March 24, 2021, Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole officers conducted a search of Gentry’s home. When officers entered the premises, they discovered 30 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and plastic packaging materials commonly used to weigh and package drugs for distribution.
Gentry faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years and a maximum sentence of forty years in federal prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for December 8, 2021 before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.
Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez applauded the efforts of the Idaho State Police, Boise Police Department, and Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole, which led to the charges.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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Beloit Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Fabian Jones, 29, Beloit, Wisconsin was sentenced on Friday, September 10 by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jones pleaded guilty to this charge on June 16, 2021.
On March 15, 2020, Beloit police were investigating a reported disturbance and had contact with Jones, who consented to a search of his residence. In Jones’s bedroom, officers found a holster, laser sight for a gun, and a magazine chest carrier. Officers found three different types of ammunition in the kitchen, and a small safe in the basement. Jones was arrested and made phone calls from the jail talking about a gun in the safe and asking others to take responsibility for it. Officers later obtained a search warrant for the safe and found a loaded .40 caliber handgun and a spare magazine inside.
Jones has a previous felony conviction for a weapons offense in Illinois state court. In addition, he was convicted in federal court in the Western District of Wisconsin in 2015 of distributing cocaine and was sentenced to four years in prison.
At sentencing Judge Peterson remarked that Jones was still on federal supervision on the drug offense and had violated conditions of that release. Judge Peterson said that sentence was designed to punish Jones and deter him from having a gun in the future.
The charge against Jones was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Results of Monitor ReviewRead the Press Release
Today, at the International Association of Chiefs of Police annual meeting, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the results of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta’s review of the use of monitors in civil settlement agreements and consent decrees with state and local governmental entities. In a memo to the Attorney General, the Associate recommended 19 separate actions that the department should take to improve its use of monitors in these cases. The Attorney General has accepted the Associate’s recommendations and ordered them to be made effective immediately.
“The department has found that – while consent decrees and monitorships are important tools to increase transparency and accountability – the department can and should do more to improve their efficiency and efficacy,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Associate Attorney General has recommended – and I have accepted – a set of 19 actions that the department will take to address those concerns.”
“Consent decrees have proven to be vital tools in upholding the rule of law and promoting transformational change in the state and local governmental entities where they are used,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta. “The department must do everything it can to guarantee that they remain so by working to ensure that the monitors who help implement these decrees do so efficiently, consistently and with meaningful input and participation from the communities they serve.”
The 19 actions in the memo will ensure that any future monitorships of state and local governmental meet five principals outlined in Associate Attorney General Gupta’s memo:
- Monitorships should be designed to minimize cost to jurisdictions and avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.
- Monitors must be accountable to the court, the parties and the public.
- Monitors should assess compliance consistently across jurisdictions.
- Sustained, meaningful engagement with the community is critical to the success of the monitorship.
- Monitoring must be structured to efficiently move jurisdictions into compliance.
The steps the department will take going forward in all monitor agreements to ensure that these principles are met include:
- Budget Caps: Future consent decrees will include an annual cap on monitors’ fees to increase transparency and help contain costs.
- No Double Dipping: To dispel any perception that monitoring is a cottage industry, lead monitors in future consent decrees will no longer be able to serve on more than one monitoring team at a time.
- Monitors Should Prioritize Stakeholder Input: To ensure that monitors selected are able to understand of a variety of interests and perspectives of the stakeholders in the process, including impacted communities, law enforcement and victims of official misconduct.
- Term Limits: To ensure that monitors are being held accountable, consent decrees will impose specific terms for monitors that can only be renewed after a process of judicial evaluation and reappointment.
- Effective Practices Guide, Assessment Tools and Training Materials: To ensure that monitorships are being conducted consistently across jurisdictions, the department will convene a group of stakeholders to create a set of effective practices for monitors, training programs for new monitors and judges overseeing monitorships and assessment tools for monitors to use to evaluate jurisdictions.
- Termination Hearing After No More than Five Years: To ensure that monitorships are designed to incentivize monitors and jurisdictions to move towards compliance as efficiently as possible, future consent decrees will require a hearing after five years so that jurisdictions can demonstrate the progress it has made, and if possible, to move for termination. To the extent that full compliance has not yet been reached by five years, the hearing will be used to solidify the plan for getting over the finish line in short order.
Associate Attorney General Gupta and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division will convene a group of stakeholders within the next 90 days to begin working on the set of monitorship training materials and tools outlined in the memo.
2020 Rioter Sentenced to Federal Prison on Charges of Destruction of Government Property and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Alexander Charles Pridgen, of Greenville, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison, 2 years of supervised release (including three months of home confinement) and ordered to make restitution on the charges of Destruction of Government Property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361, and Receipt of a Firearm While Under Felony Indictment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(n).
According to court documents and arguments at sentencing, in May of 2020, Pridgen was serving a term of probation on a prior state felony conviction of possessing a stolen firearm. On May 31, 2020, Pridgen took part in a protest that devolved into riotous activity in Greenville, North Carolina. In connection with the riot, Pridgen threw a brick through a first-floor window of the United States Bankruptcy Courthouse causing more than $1000 in damages. Pridgen also lobbed a rock at officers with the Greenville Police Department’s Civil Disturbance Team.
After being arrested on federal charges relating to these acts, Pridgen was released on pretrial supervision on December 30, 2020. Within two weeks of release, Pridgen attended a party in Greenville and was seen, along with others, possessing a stolen firearm. The firearm accidentally discharged, striking another partygoer. After learning of these events, additional federal charges were filed against Pridgen for possessing the firearm while under indictment.
Acting United States Attorney G. Norman Acker, III stated, “Destructive rioters do not only harm innocent businesses and institutions with their actions, they also make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their time-honored right to peacefully protest. This case sends the important message that destruction of government property is not an act of protest – it is a crime paid for with time behind bars.”
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan announced the sentence. The United States Marshals Service investigated the case with the assistance of the Greenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Evan Rikhye served as the prosecutors.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-00121-FL-1.
11 September 2021
Justice Department Participates Virtually at G7 Meeting with Security MinistersRead the Press Release
On Sept. 8-9, 2021, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco met remotely with G7 and EU Security Ministers, along with the Secretary General of INTERPOL, to discuss responding to the rapidly evolving events in Afghanistan, as well as countering racially and ethnically motivated extremism. They were joined by Deputy Secretary John Tien of the Department of Homeland Security, who attended the London meeting in person. The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security joined in a series of G7 ministerial commitments on emerging security risks and transnational crime issues. The Ministers committed to work together on:
- Countering violent extremism and terrorism;
- Addressing criminal conduct on the internet;
- Ensuring economic security is not undermined by the threat of serious and organized crime;
- Supporting global action to confront emerging issues affecting national and border security; and
- Strengthening international action against corruption and kleptocracies.
Learn more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/g7-interior-and-security-ministers-meeting-september-2021
Connecticut Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Connecticut man was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Damian Perry, aka “Primo,” 39, to 137 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Perry pleaded guilty on August 19, 2019.
According to court records, on September 1, 2017, Perry and another person were found in possession of 94 grams of cocaine base and 34 grams of heroin at a Brewer hotel. Perry and the other person had been selling the drugs from the hotel. On August 21, 2017, Perry had used a telephone to have a conversation with another individual to make plans to come to Maine to sell the drugs.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Brewer Police Department investigated the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
10 September 2021
Wilmington Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Weapon OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Robert Rodriguez, age 58, of Wilmington, DE, pled guilty yesterday to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika accepted the plea.
According to court documents, on August 10, 2020, FBI agents conducted a search of the defendant’s residence and a nearby garage where they recovered over 100 bundles of fentanyl, a loaded black Glock handgun, and $18,268 in cash.
Rodriguez faces a minimum mandatory five years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on December 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Judge Noreika will determine Rodriguez’s sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, including the mandatory minimum.
“The negative long-term impact of heroin and fentanyl on our communities is incalculable. Working with our law enforcement partners, my office will continue to identify and prosecute those who choose to deal in illegal drugs and use firearms to protect their profits,” stated U.S. Attorney Weiss.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McTaggart are prosecuting the case. FBI Baltimore’s Wilmington Resident Office conducted the investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 20-062-MN.
Wichita Couple Accused of Prescription FraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment for two men on charges related to an alleged fraudulent prescription writing scheme.
David Sulzman, 59, and Martin Sulzman, 40, both of Wichita are charged with conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance. According to court documents, between 2014 and 2019, David Sulzman allegedly used his position as a physician assistant to prescribe controlled substances to individuals who were not his patients. David Sulzman faces 44 counts for the unlawful distribution and dispense of a controlled substance. Martin Sulzman is also charged with two counts of witness tampering.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deb Barnett is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Wausau Health Insurance Broker Sentenced for Scheme to Import & Distribute Misbranded Drugs from IndiaRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kenneth Zipperer, 54, Wausau, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today to one count of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. After accepting Zipperer’s two guilty pleas, U.S. District Judge William M. Conley sentenced Zipperer to 6 months in federal prison, imposed a $150,000 fine, and ordered him to pay $483 in restitution.
On November 18, 2020, a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin returned a 26-count indictment against Zipperer charging him with five counts of mail fraud, ten counts of wire fraud, two counts of distributing misbranded prescription drugs without a written prescription or license to administer such drugs, five counts of concealment money laundering, and four counts of promotional money laundering.
According to the indictment, Zipperer imported foreign-sourced prescription drugs from an internet pharmacy company in India via the U.S. Mail and Express Mail Service, and none of the drugs were approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for human consumption in the United States. The indictment alleged that Zipperer distributed many of the foreign-sourced prescription medications to his insurance clients in person, primarily at the business office for Zipperer Financial LLC in Wausau. Zipperer pleaded guilty to Counts 3 and 21 of the indictment.
“Distributing unapproved prescription drugs is illegal and puts consumers’ health at risk. In order to protect public health and safety, our office works closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who seek to profit from selling unapproved prescription drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney O’Shea.
“Patients who take foreign unapproved prescription drugs are at serious risk of harm, as the drugs have no guarantees of safety or efficacy and hold the potential to harm those who use them,” said Special Agent in Charge Lynda M. Burdelik, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who put public health at risk.”
The charges against Zipperer were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Food & Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber handled the prosecution.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. - A Virginia man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Jamie Otis Southern, 50, of Tazewell County, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty and admitted in June 2020 he contacted a woman on Craigslist who identified herself as a mother who would allow him to have sex with her children in exchange for money. During the conversation, Southern arranged to have the woman travel from Beckley to a hotel in Princeton with the 11- and 14-year-old girls the woman stated were her daughters. Southern would then pay approximately $400 plus the cost of the hotel room in order to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse with the children. Southern further admitted that in July 2020 he possessed images and videos of suspected child pornography on an SD card in his cell phone.
Upon release from prison, Southern will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 15 years and be required to register as a sex offender.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00117.
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United States Coast Guard High-Seas Interdiction Ends with Seizure of 520 Kilograms of Cocaine, Arrests of Four Dominican Republic Nationals, and Apprehension of Two Go-Fast VesselsRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that four Dominican Republic nationals were charged with possession of cocaine onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Carlos De La Rosa, 33, Alexis Sanchez Garcia, 32, Rafael Martinez, 29, and Elvis Manuel Rodriguez, 35, were charged by complaint and will appear in Federal Court on Monday, September 13, 2021, for their advice of rights hearing.
On August 30, 2021, United States Coast Guard Cutter (“CGC”) intercepted a white and blue, go-fast vessel with one outboard engine and two persons onboard at approximately 45NM south of Punta Salinas, DR. The go-fast vessel displayed no indicia of nationality and had packages and fuel barrels visible on deck. CGC TAMPA launched its over the horizon (“OTH”) vessel to intercept the go-fast vessel, but despite multiple warning shots, the go-fast vessel refused to stop. Coast Guard Officers then disabled the non-compliant go-fast vessel, which they reasonably suspected of drug smuggling in international waters. As the OTH approached the disabled go-fast vessel, both persons on board the vessel began jettisoning packages and bales into the ocean.
The OTH boarding team took control of the go-fast vessel and recovered 14 bales of suspected contraband from the ocean. The boarding team conducted two presumptive drug tests on the recovered contraband, which yielded positive results for cocaine. The bales of cocaine were loose kilos in a white burlap sack weighing approximately 520 kilograms at sea weight. The occupants, later identified as Carlos De La Rosa and Alexis Sanchez Garcia, both claimed Dominican Republic nationality, but refused to make a claim for the vessel or who was the master of the vessel. The vessel had no name, documentation, registration numbers, or homeport painted on its hull, and was therefore treated as a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
Also, on August 30, 2021, CGC TAMPA intercepted a second white and blue, go-fast vessel with one outboard engine and two persons onboard, at approximately 45NM south of Punta Salinas, DR. The second go-fact vessel displayed no indicia of nationality and had packages and fuel barrels visible on deck. CGC TAMPA launched their OTH to intercept the go-fast vessel, and despite multiple warning shots, the go-fast vessel refused to stop. Once disabled, the two persons on board that go-fast vessel began jettisoning electronic equipment and bales of suspected contraband into the ocean. The occupants of the second go-fast vessel began dousing the vessel with fuel.
The CGC boarding team was unable to locate the jettisoned packages. The individuals on board were identified as Rafael Martinez, 29, and Elvis Manuel Rodriguez, 35. Both claimed DR nationality, and the master verbally claimed the Dominican Republic flag for the vessel. The government of the Dominican Republic could neither confirm nor deny registry of the go-fast vessel. The USCG therefore treated the vessel as one without nationality and enforced United States laws. The detainees verbally admitted to acting as a decoy vessel for the go-fast vessel that was interdicted simultaneously with their vessel.
This case is being investigated by the USCG and the Drug Enforcement Agency and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith. The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely a charging document and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Manager of Money Laundering Ring in a Nigerian Romance Scam SentencedRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man was sentenced today in the Northern District of Oklahoma to four years in prison for managing a group of money launderers in an online Nigerian romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elderly individuals across the United States, and caused losses of at least $2.5 million.
Afeez Adebara, 36, of Norman, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on Nov. 3, 2020. According to court documents and testimony, between 2017 and November 2019, Adebara and co-conspirators knowingly concealed the proceeds of a romance scam operation by moving money between and among multiple bank accounts that were opened under various aliases using fake passports and other fraudulent identification documents to obscure the source of the funds and the identities of the co-conspirators. Thereafter, Adebara took further steps to conceal the source of the funds, took a commission for himself, and directed the remainder of the funds back to the online romance scammers in Nigeria, including in the form of vehicles and vehicle parts.
Adebara coordinated with overseas co-conspirators who had assumed false identities on online dating websites and social media platforms to defraud victims. Adebara opened multiple accounts using fraudulent identities, then provided the account and routing numbers to the overseas co-conspirators. The overseas co-conspirators told victims that they were U.S. residents working or traveling abroad. As the online relationships continued, the overseas co-conspirators requested increasingly larger sums of money, with the claimed purpose that the funds were needed to complete business projects or for them to return to the United States. The victims were directed by the overseas co-conspirators to send funds to certain bank accounts, with assurance that the money would purportedly be allocated as needed.
Previously, John Ogundele, 32, of New York, New York, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment; Paul Usoro, 25, a Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, six of which were to be served in home confinement; Joshua Ditep, 26, a Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment; Tobiloba Kehinde, 29, a Nigerian citizen residing in Norman, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, four of which were to be served in home confinement; and Chibuzo Obiefuna, 28, of Long Beach, California, and Jamiu Adedeji, 25, a Nigerian citizen residing in Norman, were each sentenced to time served.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Melissa Godbold of the FBI-Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI’s San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York Field Offices.
Trial Attorneys Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar of the Northern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an ongoing national effort by the Department of Justice to address online fraud schemes, including those based out of Nigeria, that target U.S. citizens and residents. The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams to the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov/.
U.S. Manager of Money Laundering Ring in a Nigerian Romance Scam SentencedRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man was sentenced today in the Northern District of Oklahoma to four years in prison for managing a group of money launderers in an online Nigerian romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elderly individuals across the United States, and caused losses of at least $2.5 million.
The Court further ordered Afeez Adebara, 36, of Norman, to pay $500, 740 in restitution to the victims of the crime.
“Afeez Adebara led a group of money launderers who bilked unsuspecting victims out of their hard-earned retirement and savings accounts as part of a Nigerian romance scam,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This con artist and his cohorts have been brought to justice thanks to the work of the FBI and federal prosecutors Babasijibomi Moore and Chris Nassar.”
Adebara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on Nov. 3, 2020. According to court documents and testimony, between 2017 and November 2019, Adebara and co-conspirators knowingly concealed the proceeds of a romance scam operation by moving money between and among multiple bank accounts that were opened under various aliases using fake passports and other fraudulent identification documents to obscure the source of the funds and the identities of the co-conspirators. Thereafter, Adebara took further steps to conceal the source of the funds, took a commission for himself, and directed the remainder of the funds back to the online romance scammers in Nigeria, including in the form of vehicles and vehicle parts.
Adebara coordinated with overseas co-conspirators who had assumed false identities on online dating websites and social media platforms to defraud victims. Adebara opened multiple accounts using fraudulent identities, then provided the account and routing numbers to the overseas co-conspirators. The overseas co-conspirators told victims that they were U.S. residents working or traveling abroad. As the online relationships continued, the overseas co-conspirators requested increasingly larger sums of money, with the claimed purpose that the funds were needed to complete business projects or for them to return to the United States. The victims were directed by the overseas co-conspirators to send funds to certain bank accounts, with assurance that the money would purportedly be allocated as needed.
Previously, John Ogundele, 32, of New York, New York, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment; Paul Usoro, 25, a Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, six of which were to be served in home confinement; Joshua Ditep, 26, a Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, five of which were to be served in home confinement; Tobiloba Kehinde, 29, a Nigerian citizen residing in Norman, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, four of which were to be served in home confinement; and Chibuzo Obiefuna, 28, of Long Beach, California, and Jamiu Adedeji, 25, a Nigerian citizen residing in Norman, were each sentenced to time served.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Melissa Godbold of the FBI-Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI’s San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York Field Offices.
Trial Attorneys Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar of the Northern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an ongoing national effort by the Department of Justice to address online fraud schemes, including those based out of Nigeria, that target U.S. citizens and residents. The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams to the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov/.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with community partners, launches Gun Awareness CampaignRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in a partnership with the Wheeling Police Department and the YWCA, is launching a gun awareness campaign, highlighting the risks of purchasing firearms for someone who is banned from having firearms.
“Too many times in West Virginia, someone is charged with a federal crime for purchasing a gun for someone who can’t. Federal prison isn’t worth it. We want everyone to think twice before helping someone commit a gun crime,” Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard.
The three-month campaign kicks off this month with a commercial highlighting the consequences of making an illegal gun purchase. The spot shows a young woman persuaded to purchase a firearm for a boyfriend who isn’t permitted to own a firearm. The ad then flashes ahead to the gun being used to shoot someone and her subsequent arrest.
“Gun violence is very real and adversely affects many individuals and communities. The Wheeling Police Department is once again proud to team up with our federal partners in a progressive manner, to make a positive impact. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a multi-faceted approach to curbing gun violence, and I am optimistic those impacts will be felt,” said Chief Shawn Schwertfeger, Wheeling Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2018-GP-BX-0085 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Watch the commercial here: https://youtu.be/1kVe3Xdr8gE.
U.S. Attorney's Office Marks 20th Anniversary of September 11th Terrorist AttacksRead the Press Release
BOSTON – On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, along with the Department of Justice, encourages members of the public to participate in the National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor those who lost their lives during, and as a result of, the unprecedented terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
“Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks that cut short the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent Americans and transformed our nation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell. “Although two decades have now passed, the wounds from that day remain fresh, especially for the families of the victims and for those who responded courageously to the attacks – both in the United States and the men and women in uniform abroad. In remembrance of those killed and injured, first responders and those who continue to defend our nation’s freedom, I invite the public to join me in a day of service. Volunteerism is one small way to honor those we lost that tragic day and continue the spirit of unity and patriotism that this great nation is built upon. Service is also an important way to recognize the many courageous and selfless men and women who have spent the last 20 years defending our freedom and making the world a safer place. Their sacrifices were critical in the continued safety of our country and the world. I hope that you will do your part and join the National Day of Service and Remembrance.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell said, “Standing on the Boston waterfront looking out at Logan Airport is a solemn and powerful reminder of the souls on American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 who departed from Boston bound for Los Angeles. We must continue to honor of the selflessness and bravery of those on the planes, as well as their families, friends and colleagues who we continue to remember and pray for.”
To find and register for a volunteer opportunity, visit https://americorps.gov/911-day.
Two Mid-State Men Sentenced in Hospital Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 10, 2021 – Two middle Tennessee men have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud two hospital management companies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Tyrone Floyd Berry, 46, of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to forfeit $247,734.92. Aaron James Hill, 43, of Fairview, Tennessee, was previously sentenced in July to 33 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $577,500. Both men previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Hill worked as a human resource coordinator at Community Health Services in Franklin, where he was responsible for selecting recruiting vendors on behalf of his company. Around August 2015, Hill and Berry agreed to create false invoices for “Berry Recruiting,” a company purportedly owned by Berry. Berry scoured various social media websites and pages such as LinkedIn and Craig’s List to obtain the names of unsuspecting job seekers. Hill submitted invoices to Community Health Services for payment, representing that these persons were recruited Berry Recruiting. In fact, these individuals were unaffiliated with Hill, Berry, Berry Recruiting, or Community Health Services. Berry Recruiting received $257,469.84 for 38 false invoices submitted to Community Health Services between August 2015 and April 2016.
Hill and Berry carried out a similar scheme at Quorum Health Corporation in Brentwood, where Hill began working in May 2016 as an employee relations manager. Hill and Berry subsequently submitted false invoices to Quorum Health on behalf of Berry Recruiting. Berry Recruiting received $567,765 for 33 false invoices, all of which falsely represented Berry Recruiting obtained and relocated new employees. The investigation determined Hill and Berry simply recycled the names of employees previously recruited by other firms and hired by Quorum Health.
Between August 2015 through April 2017, Hill and Berry obtained over $825,000 from the two companies, and thereafter split the unlawful proceeds.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Toussaint prosecuted the case.
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Third Defendant, Extradited from the Dominican Republic, Arrested in Connection with Haulover Bay ShootoutRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Joan Morales Nolasco, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested and appeared yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the District Court for his initial appearance hearing. Morales Nolasco was extradited from the Dominican Republic and is charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees (18 U.S.C. § 111); Conspiracy to Traffic Controlled Substances and Attempt to Possess with Intent to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine (21 U.S.C. § 846); Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (18 U.S.C. § 924); and Possession and Discharge of Firearms During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence (18 U.S.C. § 924).
The charges stem from a shooting involving Joan Morales Nolasco, Rammer Guerrero-Morales, and Samuel Elias Pena Columna, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Interdiction Agents in St. John, USVI on September 25, 2019, which took place during an attempted narcotics deal planned by the aforementioned defendants. Guerrero Morales and Pena Columna were previously arrested and are currently awaiting trial. The defendants face up to life in federal prison.
According to Court documents, on September 25, 2019, members of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) conducted a maritime interdiction operation on the north coast of St. John, USVI, near Haulover Bay. This area is a known smuggling location where traffickers offload large shipments of narcotics and U.S. Currency. This location contains a trail that leads from the main road down to the beach of Haulover Bay.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Interdiction Agents observed two individuals, which were armed on a trail that leads down to the beach at Haulover Bay. The Agents identified themselves as “police”. Immediately thereafter, the individuals fired at the Agents. One CBP Air and Marine Interdiction Agent was wounded by the rounds fired by the individuals. Defendant Guerrero Morales was wounded by shots fired in self- defense by CBP Air and Marine Agents. CBP Air and Marine Agents recovered two firearms at the scene, described as an AR-15 style .223 caliber rifle and a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan A. Albino.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Suitland Felon Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Avante Daquan Lee, age 28, of Suitland, Maryland, today to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Lee’s guilty plea, on March 15, 2020, a Prince George’s County police officer observed Lee in a Temple Hills, Maryland parking lot attempting to restart a dirt bike that did not have a license plate, as required. The uniformed police officer pulled his unmarked vehicle in front of Lee, who then dropped the dirt bike and fled into a wooded area followed by the police officer, who gave Lee several verbal commands to stop.
During the chase, Lee threw a 9x19mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol into underbrush near a chain link fence. Lee stopped running when he reached the chain link fence and began to reach into his waistband. Believing that Lee was attempting to retrieve a weapon, the police officer who was pursuing Lee advised Lee that he was under arrest and ordered him to the ground.
Prince George’s County police officers who arrived on the scene during the chase saw an object fly through the air and land in the underbrush near where Lee was running. They searched the area where the object landed and recovered the pistol, which was loaded with 10 cartridges. The frame of the firearm was orange and the slide was silver. Further investigation revealed the gun had been stolen on April 25, 2016.
Lee was searched incident to his arrest and officers discovered a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol in Lee’s left pant leg. The firearm was loaded with 10 cartridges and an additional cartridge chambered in the barrel. Two additional magazines—one loaded with 10 cartridges and the other loaded with seven cartridges—were recovered from Lee’s right front pocket.
Lee’s cellphone was also recovered from his right front pants pocket. Law enforcement subsequently obtained a search warrant for Lee’s cellphone and discovered numerous pictures and videos of Lee with firearms, including the stolen handgun Lee threw prior to his arrest, and the pistol recovered from Lee’s left pant leg when he was arrested.
Lee knew that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a result of two previous felony convictions in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County—a 2011 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon and a 2017 conviction for firearm possession.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Harvey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Statement Regarding the Death of Caroline County Circuit Judge Jonathan NewellRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Dorchester County State’s Attorney William H. Jones and Caroline County State’s Attorney Joe Riley provided the following statement regarding the death of Jonathan Newell:
This morning agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation went to the residence of Jonathan Newell, age 50, of Henderson, Maryland, to arrest him on a federal criminal complaint filed on September 9, 2021. Upon entering the residence the agents found Newell suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at 6:43 a.m. Maryland State Police will lead the investigation into the apparent suicide.
The criminal complaint has been unsealed and is publicly available, Case No. 1:21-mj-02533-JMC.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
If you or someone you know would like assistance obtaining counseling regarding this matter, please contact the FBI Baltimore Field Office at (410) 265-8080.
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Southbridge Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Southbridge man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to methamphetamine distribution.
Christopher Williams, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2022. Williams was charged on March 9, 2021.
On two occasions in January 2021, Williams sold multiple ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover officer for $4,500 in Southbridge.
The charge of distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston; and Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Kilo of MethRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A South Carolina resident was sentenced to federal prison for attempting to distribute one kilogram of methamphetamine.
Jack Shuttleworth, 55, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to serve 151 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal in Athens federal court on Thursday, September 9, after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Individuals caught trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and similar deadly, illegal narcotics face the possibility of federal prosecution and lengthy federal prison sentences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and DEA for their efforts to shut down methamphetamine distribution in our communities.”
“Methamphetamine is not only toxic, but it destroy families, communities and lives,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “Because of spirited law enforcement cooperation, Mr. Shuttleworth will no longer be able to distribute this poison and will spend well-deserved time in prison.”
According to court documents, a Greene County, Georgia, Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a truck driven by Shuttleworth for a seatbelt violation on September 10, 2020. Shuttleworth was found to be driving on a suspended license. A K-9 alerted on Shuttleworth’s truck, and a subsequent search of the vehicle located 1,003.2 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine, in addition to clear plastic baggies and a digital scale. Co-defendant Shyanne Harden, 25, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was seated in the front seat and has since pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Harden was sentenced to serve 55 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Judge Royal on July 15, 2021.
The case was investigated by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and DEA.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker prosecuted the case for the Government.
Shreveport Man Involved in Drive-By Shooting Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Javerea Cockerm, 29, of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 58 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
On September 7, 2019, the Shreveport Police Department received a complaint regarding a drive-by shooting. When officers arrived at the shooting scene, they learned that a male had gotten out of the passenger side of a car and opened fire on another vehicle. The victims in the vehicle were able to evade the shooting and drove off from the scene. Police officers were able to determine the descriptions of the shooter, the occupants of the vehicle, and what vehicle they were driving. Moments later, officers stopped a vehicle in a nearby neighborhood matching the description they received and were able to identify Cockerm as the shooter. Cockerm was sitting in the front passenger seat when officers stopped the vehicle and his physical build and clothing matched the descriptions provided. Officers discovered two firearms in the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat and an opened box of ammunition underneath the front passenger seat. Cockerm has previous felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute drugs (2014), aggravated flight from an officer (2015), and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2018). Cockerm knew that as a convicted felon he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Santa Fe woman sentenced to a year in prison for illegally cashing U.S. Treasury checksRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Zayra Olivia Alvarado, 38, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was sentenced on Sept. 8 to a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to five counts of theft of public money from the United States and one count of aiding and abetting the theft of public money from the United States. Alvarado pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2020.
According to court records, in 2014 and 2015, Alvarado obtained U.S. Treasury tax refund checks that were fraudulently acquired. She used her position at Wells Fargo Bank to open accounts in the names of the people to whom the checks were issued or to search for accounts with names similar to those on the checks. Alvarado then either cashed the checks or deposited them into the accounts she had opened and withdrew funds from the accounts.
In addition to her prison term, Alvarado must pay restitution of $23,195. Upon her release from prison, Alvarado will be subject to three years of supervised release.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Steve Kotz prosecuted the case.
Pine Ridge Man Found Guilty of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that Garrett Waters, age 39, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was found guilty of three charges of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor following a federal jury trial in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on September 3, 2021.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on each charge.
Waters was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 2, 2021. The charges relate to Waters having sexual contact with a female, who was under the age of 12 years, between 2018 and 2020, at Pine Ridge.
This case was investigated by the Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child as a Registered Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – James Wright, 50, of the 1500 block of South Easton Avenue, in Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced on September 9, 2021, to 37 years (444 months) in prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempted sex trafficking of a child as a registered sex offender.
At Wright’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid found that Wright’s claim that he had merely been attempting to investigate the trafficking of children, rather than attempting to engage in a sex act with a child, lacked credibility in light of the evidence produced at trial. Judge Shadid noted the lengths Wright had gone to in order to engage in a sex act with an individual that he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Judge Shadid further stated that Wright’s 2012 state conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor female of the same age made his excuse even less believable.
At sentencing, the government produced evidence that Wright had engaged in protracted online discussions and negotiations related to engaging in a sex act with a minor and also had attempted to solicit pornographic images of the minor. The government noted that Wright had arrived at the location where the sex act was supposed to occur at the time agreed upon in those communications and stated that Wright was carrying the exact amount of money that had been agreed upon in a separate pocket from the rest of his money.
Wright was convicted following a bench trial of attempted sex trafficking of a child (Count One) while a registered sex offender (Count Two).
“This very significant sentence imposed by Judge Shadid again demonstrates that those who desire and take steps to sexually harm people they believe to be children will be severally punished,” said Acting United States Attorney Doug Quivey. “The United States Attorney’s Office along with the FBI, ISP, and our other law enforcement partners, expends great effort and resources to try and proactively protect our children. We will continue to do all we can to arrest and prosecute those who want to sexually harm children.”
"The FBI remains dedicated in the fight to protect our future by ensuring our children can prosper where individuals like Wright do not threaten their welfare," said Federal Bureau of Investigation-Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy Ferguson. “With this sentencing, a clear and concise message is delivered to anyone who would prey on our nation’s most vulnerable of victims. The FBI, Illinois State Police and our law enforcement partners will use every available resource to stop child predators in their tracks, and the consequences of this egregious type of criminal behavior will be swift and substantial.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Paul B. Morris represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Owner of Maryland Company Providing Prosthetics and Orthotics Materials to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Sentenced to Federal Prison for Paying GratuitiesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Bruce Thomas, age 53, of Germantown Maryland, yesterday to eight months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, with four months of that to be served in home confinement, for paying gratuities to a public official in exchange for official acts. Judge Chuang also ordered Thomas to pay a fine of $50,0000 and forfeit and pay restitution in the amount of $27,890.62. Thomas is the owner and operator of Pinnacle Orthopedic Services, Inc., also located in Germantown.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from at least 2012 to 2019, Pinnacle provided prosthetics and orthotics materials to the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Walter Reed), the largest joint military medical center in the United States, in return for payments from the government. Walter Reed provides health services to military families and individuals serving on active duty, individuals returning from war, veterans, and elected officials. The Walter Reed Prosthetics and Orthotics Department provided a full range of prosthetic and orthotic services, including state of the art prosthetic limbs, and nationwide support of wounded warriors. From about 2011 to 2017, Thomas and Pinnacle received more than $20 million in payments from the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Walter Reed for prosthetics and orthotics materials.
From about 2009 until May 2019, David Laufer (Laufer) was a public official and civilian employee of the Department of Defense, working as the Chief of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Walter Reed. As such, Laufer represented Walter Reed in ordering and purchasing prosthetics and orthotics materials, including purchases made from Thomas and Pinnacle.
Thomas admitted that from about 2012 to 2017, he gave and promised things of value to Laufer for, and because of, official acts performed by Laufer. Specifically, Thomas provided Laufer with cash, airlines flights, meals, entertainment, and other benefits because of Laufer’s official acts as the Chief of the Walter Reed Prosthetics and Orthotics Department, and Laufer’s official acts in connection with the purchase of prosthetics and orthotics materials from Pinnacle.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from 2010 until May 2019, the Walter Reed Prosthetics and Orthotics department used Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) to order and purchase prosthetics and orthotics materials. This allowed the department to obligate funds to purchase materials so that employees could order materials without charging a credit card each time or engaging in a formal contract for each purchase of materials. Thomas regularly interacted with Laufer about Pinnacle’s business with Walter Reed, including the award of BPAs, future BPA funding, orders charged against the BPAs, and fulfillment of orders. Pinnacle was awarded multiple BPAs by Walter Reed, which the Prosthetics and Orthotics department used to order and purchase prosthetics and orthotics materials from Pinnacle.
Thomas admitted that between 2012 and 2016, he provided Laufer with things of value, including cash gratuities on a regular basis, totaling at least $20,000; food, drinks, and other financial benefits; airline travel; lodging benefits; and entertainment tickets. In exchange, Laufer undertook official acts in connection with the gratuities including sending multiple purchase requests obligating at least $14.75 million to Pinnacle for prosthetics and orthotics materials and personally ordering and causing to be ordered prosthetics and orthotics material from Pinnacle.
Laufer also restricted the availability of BPAs to some of the manufacturers and distributors from whom Pinnacle purchased products, thereby inhibiting those companies from doing business directly with Walter Reed, and actively encouraged and directed those companies to sell to Walter Reed through Pinnacle. As detailed in Laufer’s plea agreement, Laufer knew that having the other companies sell to Walter Reed through Pinnacle would result in a higher price to the government.
On October 20, 2020, David Laufer, age 63, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty to acceptance of gratuities by a public official, and faces a maximum of two years in federal prison. He is awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; HHS OIG; and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit; the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General; DOD Cyber Crimes Center Defense Cyber Forensics Laboratory; and the Defense Contract Audit Agency for their assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Dana J. Brusca, who are prosecuting the case.
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Owner of Illegal Racehorse Doping Websites Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that defendant SCOTT MANGINI was sentenced today to 18 months in prison in connection with his years-long sale and distribution of adulterated and misbranded drugs, including performance-enhancing drugs (“PEDs”) marketed to racehorse trainers and others in the racehorse industry. MANGINI pled guilty to a one-count Information on April 23, 2021, before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who presided over today’s sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Scott Mangini used his skills as a pharmacist to create and supply a market for adulterated and unregulated performance-enhancing drugs that endangered racehorses. Mangini designed and peddled dozens of products intended for use by those engaged in fraud and animal abuse. Mangini’s products were manufactured in unsanitary facilities that he hid behind shell companies, straw owners, and fake prescription records. His conduct persisted despite efforts by state and federal regulators to shutter Mangini’s operation and strip his license. Today’s sentence underscores this Office’s commitment to the prosecution of those who, in their race for riches, would corruptly produce, peddle, or deploy illegal substances that endanger the animals under their care.”
According to the prior Indictments, the Superseding Information to which MANGINI pled guilty, and other court documents, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2011 through at least in or about March 2020, MANGINI and his conspirators manufactured, sold, and shipped millions of dollars’ worth of adulterated and misbranded equine drugs, including performance-enhancing drugs intended to be administered to racehorses for the purpose of improving those horses’ race performance in order to win races and obtain prize money. MANGINI, a former pharmacist whose license was suspended in 2016, sold these drugs through several direct-to-consumer websites designed to appeal to racehorse trainers and owners, including, among others, “horseprerace.com” and “racehorsemeds.com.”
MANGINI contributed to the conspiracy by, among other things, using his training to design and create custom PEDs that were advertised and sold online, using misleading labels, packaging, and return address information, including sales to customers in the Southern District of New York. Among the drugs advertised and sold during the course of the conspiracy were “blood builders,” which are used by racehorse trainers and others to increase red blood cell counts and/or the oxygenation of muscle tissue of a racehorse in order to stimulate the horse’s endurance, which enhances that horse’s performance in, and recovery from, a race, and customized analgesics, which are used by racehorse trainers and others to deaden a horse’s nerves and block pain in order to improve a horse’s race performance. MANGINI and his co-conspirators repeatedly touted illegal drugs sold on these websites as substances that “WILL NOT TEST” in the event of drug screens by racing officials. For example, MANGINI’s pain-numbing product “Numb It Injection” was advertised as a “proprietary formula and without question the most powerful pain shot in the market today AND WILL NOT TEST,” and customers were expressly directed to administer the drug by “injection as close to the event or extreme exercise as possible.”
The drugs distributed through the defendant’s websites were manufactured in facilities not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), and carried significant risks to the animals affected through the administration of those illicit PEDs. For example, in 2016, MANGINI and his co-conspirator, Scott Robinson, who was previously convicted and sentenced in this case, received a complaint regarding the effect of his unregulated drugs on a customer’s horse: “starting bout 8 hours after I give the injection and for about 36 hours afterwards both my horses act like they are heavily sedated, can barely walk. Could I have a bad bottle of medicine, I’m afraid to give it anymore since this has happened three times.” Commenting on this complaint to MANGINI, Robinson wrote simply, “here is another one.”
MANGINI is among 29 individuals charged to date in a series of Indictments arising from an investigation of a widespread scheme by racehorse trainers, veterinarians, PED distributors, and others to manufacture, distribute, and receive adulterated and misbranded PEDs and to secretly administer those PEDs to racehorses competing at all levels of professional horseracing. By evading PED prohibitions and deceiving regulators, horse racing officials, and the FDA, among others, participants in these schemes sought to improve race performance and obtain prize money from racetracks, all to the detriment and risk of the health and well-being of the racehorses.
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In addition to his prison sentence, MANGINI, 55, of Boca Raton, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a forfeiture penalty of $8,108,141.65.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Office’s Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force and its support of the Bureau’s Integrity in Sports and Gaming Initiative. Ms. Strauss also thanked the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department for their support of this investigation, and the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance and expertise.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Mortazavi, Andrew C. Adams, Anden Chow, and Benet Kearney are in charge of the prosecution.
Ordering Silencers Delivers Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Ronald Allen Grace Jr., age 54, of Arvada, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for possessing an unregistered silencer.
According to the plea agreement, federal law enforcement intercepted two packages containing firearm sound suppressors, commonly known as silencers, which had been shipped from China and bound for the defendant’s address. Federal agents investigated the defendant and learned that he had previously been convicted of two felony offenses and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or silencer.
Federal agents obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s home, where they recovered 15 firearms and 14 firearm suppressors. Under federal law, it is illegal to possess silencers which are not properly registered as required by the National Firearms Act. None of the defendant’s firearm suppressors had been registered as required under the National Firearms Act. Further investigation revealed that the silencers had been ordered from a Chinese website known to sell silencers and illegally ship them to addresses in the United States.
“Silencers are often used to facilitate crimes, which is why federal law requires that they be registered,” said Acting United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “We will continue to protect public safety by seeking stiff penalties for people breaking federal firearms laws.”
“HSI will continue to bring our investigative capabilities to those who illegally obtain weapons and weapons’ silencers,” said Steven Cagen, special agent in charge, HSI Denver. “This sentence holds Grace accountable for his crimes and serves as a warning that HSI along with our law enforcement partners will work diligently to keep weapons out of the hands of convicted felons.”
“Many things are available for home delivery, suppressors are not one of them,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge David Booth. “ATF is proud to work with our Federal partners to keep communities safe and keep firearms out of the hands of prohibited persons.”
United States District Court Judge Phillip Brimmer sentenced Grace on September 3, 2021.
The investigation was conducted jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
CASE NUMBER: 20-cr-00199-PAB
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North Dakota Man Indicted for Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Fort Yates, North Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Assault by Strangulation, and Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender.
Calvin Killspotted, a/k/a Sonesakda Killspotted, age 39, was indicted on August 10, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 7, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 2 and 3, 2021, in Corson County, Killspotted unlawfully assaulted an intimate partner when he had previously been convicted of two prior acts of domestic abuse, and that the assault resulted in bodily injury. The Indictment further alleges that Killspotted unlawfully assaulted an intimate partner by strangling and suffocating her.
The charges are merely accusations and Killspotted is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justices Services, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Killspotted was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Newport Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jacob Valley, 26, of Newport, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of firearms, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2019, law enforcement officers searched Valley's home pursuant to a federal search warrant. During the search, they found firearms and ammunition. As a person with felony convictions, Valley is legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Valley previously pleaded guilty on March 23, 2021.
“In order to protect our citizens from violent crime, it is important to keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “By working with our law enforcement partners to enforce federal gun laws, we are preventing criminals from using guns to commit acts of violence and helping to keep the Granite State safe.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the New Hampshire Attorney General's Drug Task Force; the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office; the Manchester Police Department, Claremont Police Department, Charlestown, Police Department; and the New Hampshire State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Dronzek.
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.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Passing Altered Postal Money Orders and TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ANTOINE MERCHANT, age 32, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty on August 26, 2021 to conspiracy to pass altered U.S. Postal money orders, passing altered U.S. Postal money orders and possessing stolen U.S. government property today before United States District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to court records, MERCHANT and a co-defendant who has already plead guilty, Anthony Smalls, travelled from New York to Louisiana in October of 2019 to cash stolen U.S. Postal money orders that had been altered to show amounts worth hundreds of dollars. MERCHANT and the co-defendant cashed two such postal money orders in Kenner and Metairie, LA, and a number of altered money orders in the Baton Rouge area. When arrested, the defendants also possessed 58 U.S. Postal money orders that they had stolen from an Ascension Parish U.S. Post Office the day before.
MERCHANT is to be sentenced on December 9, 2021. At that time, he faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison on the possession charge and up to five years in prison for the Postal money order charges, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release. At sentencing, MERCHANT must also pay a mandatory $100 special assessment for each count of conviction.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with assistance from the Louisiana State Police - Criminal Investigations Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.
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Naturalized U.S. Citizen from India Extradited to United States to Face ChargesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A naturalized United States citizen living in India who was arrested in England made his initial court appearance and was arraigned today following his extradition to face charges that he obstructed the parental rights of his child’s mother by kidnapping the child and failing to return him to the United States when ordered to do so, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Amitkumar Kanubhai Patel, 38, of Vadodara, India, formerly of Edison, New Jersey, was charged in an indictment that was unsealed today with one count of international parental kidnapping. A federal grand jury sitting in Camden returned the indictment on July 22, 2020. On Sept. 9, 2021, Patel was extradited from England. He appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. William in Camden federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The child’s mother, a resident of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Patel were in a relationship and resided together in New Jersey from August 2015 through July 2017. They never married. In November 2016, they had a child.
According to the mother, Patel wanted to take the child to India to introduce him to Patel’s parents and obtain DNA testing. Patel claimed DNA testing was necessary for the child to claim property that Patel’s family owned in India. Patel attempted to obtain an Indian visa for the child when the child was approximately four months old. The visa application was denied because Patel did not have documentation of his custodial rights to the child.
Patel told the child’s mother that in order to obtain an Indian visa for the child, he would need to secure sole custody of their son, which required them to go to court. Patel instructed the child’s mother to tell the court that they had a “mutual understanding” regarding the custody of their child. He instructed the mother to state that she did not have a work permit, and since she was unemployed, and could not care for her child.
On May 1, 2017, Patel went to New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division Family Court, to obtain sole custody of the child. According to the child’s mother, the majority of the hearing was conducted in English with no translator. At the time of the hearing, the child’s mother spoke limited English. The mother answered the court’s questions as she had been instructed by Patel. She was not represented by an attorney during the hearing.
On May 2, 2017, the court entered an order granting Patel sole legal custody of the minor child and allowing the mother to file for joint legal custody in the future. Upon receiving the court order, Patel obtained visas to India for himself and the child through Quick Travel Inc. Patel told the child’s mother the trip to India would be for two weeks. On July 26, 2017, Patel and the child traveled to India.
According to the child’s mother, she sent multiple messages to Patel requesting confirmation that the two arrived safely in India and got no response for several days. Patel eventually called the mother and said he was never bringing the child back to the United States. The child’s mother obtained legal counsel, returned to the New Jersey Superior Court, and on Oct. 16, 2018, the court ordered Patel to immediately return the child to the United States. Records show Patel and the child have not returned to the United States since July 2017.
On Oct. 2, 2020, Patel and the child flew from India to the United Kingdom, where Patel was arrested.
The international parental kidnapping count carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley S. Benavides in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to the indictment. Acting U.S. Attorney Honig also thanked members of the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police for their assistance in the extradition.
The government is represented by Deputy U.S. Attorney Andrew Carey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney=s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Murderers of Miami Plumber Sentenced to Decades in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – The two 35-year-old South Florida men who killed a Miami plumber during an armed robbery and carjacking in 2018 were sentenced yesterday in federal district court in Miami. U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman sentenced Jamal Lamar Head to 60 years in prison and Keon Travy Glanton to just over 33 years in prison.
On July 11, 2018, Head and Glanton worked together to rob a Roto-Rooter plumber of valuable plumbing equipment in Riviera Beach, Florida. Head and Glanton lured the Roto-Rooter plumber to an abandoned residence in Riviera Beach, where Head assaulted him with a firearm. Valuable plumbing equipment was removed from the vehicle.
The following day, July 12, 2018, Head and Glanton planned to rob another plumber, this time at a vacant house in Miami Lakes, Florida. After Head and Glanton called several plumbers, plumber “L.S.H.” agreed to come to the Miami Lakes house to perform plumbing work. When L.S.H. arrived, Head forced L.S.H. into another vehicle at gunpoint, while Glanton drove away in L.S.H.’s plumbing van.
Head began driving L.S.H. away from the scene, and L.S.H. struggled with Head. Head then shot L.S.H. once in the chest and twice in the abdomen and crashed his car into a tree. Head fled the scene and called Glanton, who returned to the area in L.S.H.’s van to pick up Head. Head and Glanton then fled the area together. They later drove to another area of Miami, where they doused L.S.H.’s van in gasoline and lit it on fire.
Paramedics arrived at the murder scene and found L.S.H.’s body in the rear seat of Head’s vehicle. L.S.H. was pronounced dead on the scene. The medical examiner determined that L.S.H.’s cause of death was blood loss from the three gunshot wounds.
Earlier this year, Glanton and Head pled guilty to conspiring to commit a Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking resulting in death, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert Cekada, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, and Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez III, Director, Miami Dade Police Department, announced the sentences.
ATF Miami and MDPD investigated this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Jessica Kahn Obenauf. AUSA Richard Brown is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-20063.
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Montebello Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges for Causing Fentanyl Overdose that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Montebello man pleaded guilty today to federal narcotics charges, including that he provided a woman a fatal dose of fentanyl.
Edwin Oliva, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He has been in federal custody in this case since March 2019.
According to his plea agreement, during the early morning hours on February 28, 2019, Oliva gave the victim a line of drugs to snort, but he did not tell her that the substance was fentanyl. The victim ingested the drug, which resulted in a fatal overdose. Oliva admitted to knowingly distributing fentanyl to the victim.
Oliva did not call 911 or otherwise seek medical care for the victim until nearly six hours after texting a friend that the victim was not breathing.
In the nearly six hours between when Oliva learned that the victim was not breathing and when he ultimately called 911, he cleaned his apartment, removing the fentanyl and other evidence of drug trafficking. He placed these items in the trunk of his significant other’s car and then drove away from the apartment in attempt to hide it from law enforcement.
Later that day, Montebello Police officers executed a search warrant on the car and discovered 1.9 kilograms (4.2 pounds) of heroin, 21 grams of fentanyl, 1.4 kilograms (3.2 pounds) of marijuana, 0.4 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a loaded .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, a blue flip phone he used to conduct drug transactions, and a notebook he used as a pay/owe ledger.
Oliva admitted that, while in custody in March 2019, he directed his significant other to destroy evidence in the case, and he also directed her to tell law enforcement that the blue flip phone was a play phone for their children.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. has scheduled a January 7, 2022 sentencing hearing, at which time Oliva will face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The fentanyl distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The heroin possession charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montebello Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Jhai and Kathrynne Seiden of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - Henry A. Wright, 42, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 48 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced.
Henry A. Wright was charged in an indictment and pleaded guilty to the charge on April 30, 2021. According to information presented to the court, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began surveillance of Wright on February 21, 2020 and watched him as he met an individual outside a business in Shreveport where he worked. Agents observed Wright exchange narcotics for cash with the individual. The individual was later stopped by agents and found to have tablets that he purchased from Wright in his possession. The tablets were tested by the crime lab and confirmed to be 316.7 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
The DEA conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Melvin, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty September 7, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Todd Gruis, 50, from Melvin, Iowa was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Gruis admitted that in March 2021 he received multiple packages by mail, each containing methamphetamine. Gruis planned to use some of this methamphetamine and the remainder he planned to distribute to another.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gruis was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Gruis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and four years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4044. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Martinsburg woman admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tinesha Joann Burrows, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Burrows, 37, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Heroin.” Burrows admitted to working with another to distribute fentanyl and heroin in February 2019 in Berkeley County.
Burrows 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 Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Washington County, Maryland Task Force investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Maine Man Sentenced for Committing and Conspiring to Commit Federal Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
A Maine man was sentenced today to three years in prison, along with three years of supervised release and restitution, for his role in committing and conspiring to commit a federal hate crime, the Justice Department announced.
Dusty Leo, 30, of Biddeford, Maine, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a hate crime and of actually committing a hate crime on Feb. 25, 2020.
Following a three-day trial in March 2020, a jury convicted Leo’s co-conspirator and uncle, Maurice Diggins, of conspiring to commit and committing a series of racially motivated assaults against Black men in Maine. For his convictions, Diggins was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
“The defendant violently attacked a Black man for no reason other than his race,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentencing marks the final chapter in the long road to justice for the victims of these violent, racially-motivated crimes. The Department of Justice will continue to use the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and every tool at our disposal, to vindicate the rights of victims of hate crimes, and will continue to investigate and prosecute these acts wherever they occur.”
“The crimes committed by Mr. Leo and his co-conspirator injured and traumatized their victims, and also traumatized the communities in which they occurred,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark for the District of Maine. “No one should be targeted for violence because of the color of their skin or their ethnicity. Crimes like this tear at the very fabric of our society. This prosecution makes clear that individuals who commit hate-motivated crimes will be made to pay for their actions. I am proud of the investigators and prosecutors who tirelessly pursued this case, and so appreciative of the victims, who courageously confronted Mr. Leo's co-defendant at trial.”
“Today’s sentence should make it crystal clear that those who traffic in hate, targeting people in our community because of their skin color, will be held accountable for their horrific, violent crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Field Office. “No one should be afraid to walk down the street and be targeted by an act of violence based on how they look, where they are from, or any part of their identity. The FBI would like to thank the brave victims in this case for their courage in coming forward to ensure that Dusty Leo, and his uncle did not escape justice, and we’d like to encourage other victims of hate crimes to do the same. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, and everyone deserves a voice.”
According to Leo’s guilty plea and evidence presented at Diggins’s trial, on April 15, 2018, Diggins attacked a Sudanese man without provocation outside of a bar in Portland, Maine. The assault, which broke the victim’s jaw, was immediately followed by an attack on another Black man who was standing on the street nearby.
In a second incident, which occurred approximately an hour later and approximately 20 miles away in Biddeford, co-conspirators Diggins and Leo drove in Leo’s truck into a parking lot of a convenience store, where Diggins got out of the truck and approached a Black man who was walking toward the store’s entrance. Diggins directed a racial slur at the man and distracted him while Leo got out of the truck and sucker-punched the victim in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The unprovoked attack broke the victim’s jaw in several places.
Leo was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen. The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Tim Visser.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Resisting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Resisting, Opposing, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on September 7, 2021, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Shiloh Small Jumper, age 31, was sentenced to 3 years of probation, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Small Jumper was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2020. He pled guilty on September 7, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on February 4, 2020, in Lower Brule, South Dakota. Following a complaint call of a disturbance, officers arrived at the scene where Small Jumper was present and would not leave the residence. Small Jumper resisted officer’s attempts to place him under arrest.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Louisville Man Arrested for Federal Narcotics and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville man was arrested yesterday in Louisville on criminal charges related to his alleged violations of federal narcotics and firearms offenses. Mosley made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today.
According to court documents, Eric D. Mosley, 30, of Louisville, Kentucky was arrested by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task force following the execution of a search warrant on a hotel room that Mosely occupied in Louisville. A subsequent search of the hotel room found that Mosley was in possession of approximately one kilo of cocaine, one AK-47 style pistol, one Zigana PX-9 handgun, and approximately $100,000 in cash. The Zigana PX-9 was previously reported stolen. According to a check of Mosley’s criminal history, he is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Mosley is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Mosley faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Louisville FBI Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray made the announcement.
This case was investigated by FBI Louisville’s Safe Streets Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and investigators from Louisville Metro Police Department, Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl, Ann Marie Blaylock, and Rob Bonar are prosecuting the case.
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.
A Criminal Complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Lompoc Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter Charge for Causing Fatal Car Accident Near Vandenberg Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Barbara County man pleaded guilty today to a federal manslaughter charge for crashing a stolen Jeep near Vandenberg Air Force Base while under the influence of drugs, killing one motorist and severely injuring another.
Michael James Culligan, 30, of Lompoc, pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
According to his plea agreement, on June 16, 2020, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Culligan drove a stolen 2019 Jeep Wrangler on Vandenberg Air Force Base property. After veering onto the right shoulder, Culligan’s car swerved into the oncoming lane of traffic and collided head-on with a blue Lexus sedan, killing its driver and seriously injuring its passenger. Following the traffic collision, Culligan climbed out of the Jeep Wrangler’s sunroof and fled the scene. Law enforcement later found him hiding in a drainpipe.
Culligan was under the influence of illegal narcotics at the time of the accident and during his post-arrest interview, he admitted to using drugs before operating the Jeep, crashing the Jeep into another car and fleeing the scene of the accident.
Culligan has been in federal custody since June 2020.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. has scheduled a January 7, 2022 sentencing hearing, at which time Culligan will face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.
The United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations investigated this matter. The California Highway Patrol and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Litchfield Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Defrauding BanksRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Wayne H. Kruger, 73, of Litchfield, Illinois, was sentenced on September 9, 2021, to 36 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for defrauding several banks in Central Illinois.
Kruger pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud on February 22, 2021. According to court documents, Kruger admitted that beginning in December 2010 and continuing through about May 2012, he attempted to execute or executed schemes to defraud banks including the Carlinville, Illinois, National Bank and Trust Company; the State Bank of Cerro Gordo, Illinois; and the State Bank of Bement, Illinois, resulting in a total loss of $4,185,957. Kruger, then the president and owner of Ponder Equipment Company, Inc., a bus dealer, regularly sold buses “out of trust.” This fraudulent practice involves a dealership – here, Ponder – selling a bus that has been paid for with loan proceeds but failing to use the sale proceeds to pay back the lender. When Kruger sold a bus and failed to repay the associated loan, the relevant bank was unable to seize the loan collateral because it no longer existed as an asset of the business.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Mills noted that Kruger’s scheme affected small banks in communities built on personal relationships and trust. The judge also ordered restitution for all three banks in the amount of $4,185,957.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass represented the government in the prosecution.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jason J. Mullen, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 9, 2021, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and an unspecified amount of marijuana, after a conviction for a serious drug felony. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Mullen to 21 years and 10 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Following his release from prison, Mullen will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Mullen was responsible for the distribution of at least five kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture and at least 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of marijuana in the Lincoln area between January of 2015 and May of 2020,
On April 9, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence of Mullen and his co-defendant, Jerah Stovall. During that search, officers found approximately 2/3 ounce of methamphetamine and approximately six ounces of marijuana as well as a digital scale, packaging materials, and a .380 caliber handgun with ammunition. On May 1, 2020, officers were looking for Mullen on an outstanding warrant, and they saw him with Stovall and a third person. Mullen had a small amount of marijuana and some cash in his possession.
Mullen has a prior conviction from Adams County, Nebraska for Attempted Delivery/Possession with Intent to Deliver of Methamphetamine.
Stovall pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge with a prior serious drug felony conviction and was sentenced to 235 months in July 2021.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Latta Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Dollar Store Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Che Quan Charon David Page, 26, of Latta, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that, on the morning of December 9, 2018, while an employee was opening a Dollar General store in Dillon, Page forced his way into the store. Page held the employee at gunpoint, forcing her to turn off the alarm and directing her to put the money from the store safe in a black drawstring bag he provided. Page then left the store.
Minutes later, a Dillon County Sherriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle speeding away from the area of the Dollar General. As the passenger in the vehicle, Page was wearing distinctive clothing that matched clothing worn by the robber.
On a nearby roadside, law enforcement found a firearm consistent with that used by the robber, as well as a drawstring bag with cash both inside and scattered around the bag.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Page to 84 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 60-month term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.
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Laredoan sentenced for transporting 149 aliens in packed trailerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 54-year-old resident of Fort Meade, Florida, has been ordered to federal prison after he agreed to drive a tractor-trailer full of undocumented aliens from Laredo to San Antonio, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Joseph Winslow pleaded guilty March 5.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Winslow to serve a 72-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On Dec. 30, 2020, Winslow arrived at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35 approximately 29 miles north of Laredo. Authorities conducted an X-ray of the trailer he was driving and discovered it was full of people. They ultimately identified a total of 149 undocumented aliens inside.
Winslow agreed to transport the individuals in return for $10,000.
Winslow is currently in custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett prosecuted the case.
Kuna Man Sentenced to Prison After Receiving Drugs in the Mail That He Intended to DistributeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Daniel Jake Keller, 36, of Kuna, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Keller to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Keller was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on March 10, 2021. He pleaded guilty to the charge on June 8, 2021.
According to court records, the United States Postal Inspection Service searched a mail parcel on February 24, 2021. The parcel, which was addressed to Keller, contained approximately 65 grams of methamphetamine. The next day, Keller was arrested after he arrived at the post office and took possession of the parcel that contained methamphetamine. In response to questioning from investigators, Keller admitted that he knew the parcel contained methamphetamine and that he intended to sell some of it to others. Postal Inspectors obtained a search warrant for Keller’s residence. During the search, investigators found six more grams of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun. As part of the sentence, Chief Judge Nye ordered Keller to forfeit the handgun and ammunition.
“The U.S. Mail is not a delivery service for drug traffickers,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “Let this sentence send a message: if you attempt to unlawfully use the mails to make a quick buck, federal and state law enforcement will hold you accountable.”
“The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to our mission of ensuring the safety of United States Postal Service employees and customers and the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Seattle Division. “The proliferation of methamphetamine in our communities is a significant law enforcement and public health threat. Our agency has and will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who attempt to use the U.S. Mail to distribute dangerous narcotics and hold those responsible to account.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez credited the efforts of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which led to the charges.
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Knoxville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Advertising Child Pornography on the InternetRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On September 10, 2021, Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, sentenced Daniel Logan Brown, 24, to serve 180 months in federal prison for advertising child pornography on the internet. Following his imprisonment, Brown will be supervised by the United States Probation Office for ten years and will be required to register with the state sex offender registry in any state in which he lives, works, or attends school. Additionally, Brown will be required to pay $60,000 in restitution to victims of his crime.
According to the filed plea agreement, Brown admitted that he advertised child pornography by circulating hyperlinks to others that linked to online data storage accounts where Brown had saved child pornography. According to other documents filed in the case, the online storage accounts contained thousands of files of child pornography for others to download.
The case was jointly investigated by the Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Morris represented the United States.
This case was brought forward as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Knoxville Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud the Small Business Administration's COVID-19 Economic Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On September 9, 2021, James Waylon Howell, 39, currently of Knoxville, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Sentencing has been set for January 13, 2022, at 9:45 am, before the Honorable R. Leon Jordan, in the United States District Court at Knoxville. Howell faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Under the terms of the written plea agreement, Howell has agreed to pay restitution to the victims of his fraud in the amount of $69,354.88.
As part of the written plea agreement, Howell waived an indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343, and one count of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1957.
According to the plea agreement, beginning on or about April 1, 2020, and continuing through the end of June 2020, Howell applied for four loans totaling $154,700 through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Howell submitted false and fraudulent applications under the names of two companies that did not qualify for the Covid-19 relief funds that Howell sought. Howell submitted two fraudulent applications to financial institutions seeking PPP funds and two fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration seeking EIDL funds. As part of his fraud scheme, Howell submitted false supporting records and made false statements about the number of individuals the companies employed, the revenue generated, and the wages paid. Howell also made false statements about the corporate entities and the intended use of the loan proceeds.
The plea agreement reflects that Howell submitted an online application to the Small Business Administration in the name of Advanced Strategy Holdings, LLC, seeking $83,800 in EIDL funds. On the application and in the supporting documents, Howell falsely claimed that Advanced Strategy Holdings employed four individuals, generated $700,000 in gross revenue, incurred $0 in cost of goods sold, and paid wages of $440,000 in the 12 months preceding the Covid-19 pandemic. These claims were all false. In further support of the application, Howell
submitted fabricated Internal Revenue Service documents. After receiving the loan proceeds from the Small Business Administration, Howell transferred the proceeds to his personal bank account, knowing that the loan proceeds were obtained fraudulently.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Roach, Jr.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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