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10 September 2021
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Return PreparerRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Southern District of Florida has permanently enjoined a West Palm Beach tax return preparer from preparing federal income tax returns for others and from owning, operating, managing, assisting or working at any tax return preparation business in the future.
According to the court’s order, defendant Nate E. Dameus stipulated to entry of the injunction. The terms of the order require Dameus to send notice of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns, other tax forms, or claims for refund after Jan. 1, 2018, and to advertise the injunction on social media for one year. The order permits the United States to conduct full post-judgment discovery to monitor compliance.
The complaint filed by the United States alleged that Dameus employed fraudulent practices in preparing customer returns that understated the tax his customers owed and/or overstated the refund to which they were entitled. For example, the complaint alleged that he prepared returns with fabricated tax withholding and that he included claims for bogus unreimbursed employee business expenses like car mileage, tools, cell phone services and meals. In addition, the complaint alleged that Dameus routinely falsified home improvement expenses on his customers’ returns to claim residential energy credits his customers were not entitled to receive. According to the complaint, Dameus’s fraudulent activities resulted in substantial losses to the Treasury.
Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a list of important reminders for taxpayers who are about to file their 2020 tax returns, including how to prepare for a smooth filing process.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details
Jonesborough Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and FirearmRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On September 9, 2021, Robert Harrison Blevins, 54, of Jonesborough, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, to 152 months imprisonment, followed by a four-year term of supervised release.
In August 2019, a Grand Jury issued a multi-count indictment for Blevins alleging that he possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and that he possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense. Blevins entered a guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possession of the firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense.
As stated in the plea agreement filed with the court, on April 3, 2019, patrons of a McDonald’s on Market Street in Johnson City noticed a man who appeared unresponsive, sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle. Johnson City emergency medical services (EMS) and Johnson City Police Department officers responded to the location. EMS personnel were able to wake Blevins and determine that he was not in need of medical services. Police saw a handgun beneath the driver’s seat and determined that Blevins was on probation. When police asked about the firearm, Blevins attempted to flee, but fell and was taken into custody. A search of Blevins’ car located two loaded firearms, 7 grams of methamphetamine in individual baggies, scales, and other drug paraphernalia.
The case was investigated by the Johnson City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”).
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to targeting those individuals who use firearms to protect their drug trafficking and to working with our state and federal partners to reduce the threat of violence in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney, Francis M. Hamilton III.
ATF Special Agent in Charge, Mickey French remarked, “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence partnerships with our public safety partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office focuses on the devastating impact of firearms violence and works with the entire community to reduce the potential for violent crime.”
Assistant United States Attorney B. Todd Martin represented the United States.
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.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the grand jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Sept. 8 was:
Dewayne C. Shoots, Jr., 28, of Poplar, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shoots faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Shoots was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Wolf Point Police Department and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-65.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Grovetown man sentenced to federal prison after admitting to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Columbia County man who admitted possessing thousands of images of child pornography has been sentenced to federal prison.
Jordan Logan, 36, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 78 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Logan to pay a total of $57,000 in restitution to multiple victims, to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence, and to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Every image of child pornography represents the continuing victimization and exploitation of innocent children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “With our vigilant law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly strive to hold accountable those who commit these heinous crimes.”
As described in court documents and testimony, agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation were alerted when investigators from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office discovered electronic activity involving files of child pornography. With investigators from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents identified Logan and contacted him at his residence, where a subsequent search found more than 30,000 images of child pornography on electronic devices in Logan’s possession.
“The GBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent child victims of online exploitation,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the GBI. “We are grateful for the relationships we maintain with our federal partner agencies to bring these offenders to justice.”
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
The case was investigated by the GBI and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Grand Jury indicts St. Louis man accused of wire fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On September 8, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Ronald Scott Miller on four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, beginning on or about March 27, 2014 and continuing through at least September 29, 2020, Ronald Scott Miller devised a scheme to defraud his employer out of at least $300,000. The investigation revealed Miller fraudulently drafted and submitted false weekly timesheets reflecting work that employees did not perform. The indictment further alleges that it was part of the defendant’s scheme to defraud that he submitted fraudulent invoices and altered receipts so that his employer would pay him money that he was not entitled to receive.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Georgia defense contractor agrees to $900,000 payment to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Two Georgia companies and their owners have agreed to pay $900,000 to resolve allegations that they provided unapproved substitute parts to the U.S. Army and that they violated the Buy American Act.
The settlement, by Southeastern Equipment Co., Inc., SECO Parts and Equipment Co., and their owners, B. Roy Smith and Byron M. Morris (collectively, “SECO”), resolves allegations under the False Claims Act that SECO knowingly provided unapproved substitute parts through the U.S. Army’s Simplified Nonstandard Acquisition Program (SNAP) and violated the Buy American Act by providing parts manufactured in a non-qualifying country, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Defense contractors have an obligation to provide the government what they say they will,” said Acting U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. “We will continue to vigorously pursue contractors that do not honor their word and follow the law when doing business with our armed services.”
“Providing unapproved substitute parts to military programs is unacceptable,” said Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “This settlement is yet another example of how our agents and law enforcement partners will pursue fraud at every level to protect our military’s interests.”
“This settlement makes it clear to those who provide the government with substitute parts that they will be held accountable for violating their commitments,” stated Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “DCIS and our investigative partners work to ensure integrity in the acquisition process and readiness for our military.”
The settlement resolves allegations that were originally part of United States ex rel. Royal v. Southeastern Equipment Company, Inc. et al., a federal lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private citizens with knowledge of false claims to file suit on behalf of the government and to share in the recovery.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Schwedler and Jonathan A. Porter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Fort Pierre Man Sentenced for Resisting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Fort Pierre, 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.
Londelle Ashley, age 31, was sentenced to four months custody and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Ashley was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 1, 2020. He pled guilty on June 22, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on August 19, 2020, in the Big Bend community on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. Bureau of Indian Affairs officers were called to a report of a person acting in a disorderly manner at a residence. When officers entered the home, the defendant rushed the officer and actively resisted 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.
Former Venezuelan Official Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios Arrested Again in Spain in Connection with Narco-Terrorism, Firearms, and Drug-Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Wendy Woolcock, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), today announced that former Venezuelan official Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, a/k/a “El Pollo,” was arrested yesterday in Madrid, Spain, based on an Indictment filed in the Southern District of New York. The Indictment charges Carvajal Barrios with participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy and a conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, including a 5.6-ton shipment of cocaine transported from Venezuela to Mexico in April 2006, along with related firearms offenses.[1] CARVAJAL BARRIOS was originally arrested in connection with these charges in April 2019, and later that year the Spanish National Court approved CARVAJAL BARRIOS’s extradition to the United States. CARVAJAL BARRIOS has since remained a fugitive pending extradition until his arrest yesterday.
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Carvajal Barrios, 61, a Venezuelan national residing in Spain, among other places, is charged with: (1) participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, which carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life; (2) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life; (3) using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracies, which carries a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life; and (4) conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum sentence of life. The potential mandatory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit and Miami Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and the Spanish National Police’s Fugitive Unit.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Richman, Benjamin Woodside Schrier, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Navy Commander Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Coercing a Minor, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A former U.S. Navy pilot who admitted to coercing a minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct and to distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, all while actively serving in the U.S. Navy and following his retirement from active service, was sentenced today to life in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Lieutenant Commander Ronald W. Zenga, 45, of Middletown, RI, pleaded guilty on November 19, 2020, to coercion of a minor, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to life in federal prison and lifetime federal supervised release, and pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $500,000.
“Cases involving the coercion and sexual exploitation of children are among the most heart-wrenching and disturbing cases that federal prosecutors confront. This case is particularly troubling because, as the prosecutor in this case stated in a court filing, ‘[Zenga] abused the most sacred trust a human being can be given, responsibility for the health and well-being of another living soul,’’’ noted Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus. “Thanks to the work of our dedicated law enforcement partners both here and abroad, this defendant has been held to account for his vile crimes. We hope that today’s result will provide some relief to the victim in knowing that the man who preyed upon her will be safely locked away.”
“Ronald Zenga committed heinous crimes and had the audacity to brag about his exploits online—hubris which ultimately led to his arrest. The abuse and exploitation of children is deeply cruel, violating the trust and safety of victims and generating trauma that may never fully heal. We hope that today’s sentence provides a measure of justice to those he harmed,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston Field Office. “Homeland Security Investigations is grateful to our international partners for their vigilance and assistance in this case.”
“Today’s sentencing closes the case for the exceptional team of investigators and prosecutors that worked tirelessly to pursue Mr. Zenga for his crimes, but today our thoughts are with his victims who continue to suffer from his actions,” said Colonel James M. Manni, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety. “The Rhode Island State Police is grateful for the definitive outcome of this investigation and proud to work with this outstanding group of law enforcement agencies to bring justice to Mr. Zenga’s victims.”
According to court documents and information provided to the court, in September 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Providence received information from the Bedfordshire Police Department (BPD) in the United Kingdom that an individual, later identified as Zenga, was communicating with a BPD agent through a Russian file sharing website. The communications graphically described ongoing sexual encounters with a young minor child. Zenga described several years of sexual encounters with a child, dating back to the child’s prepubescent years.
On October 17, 2018, HSI agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Zenga and executed a court-authorized search of his Middletown residence. Forensic previews of Zenga’s electronic devices resulted in the discovery of emails and files of child pornography shared, received, and possessed by Zenga.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
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Former Kentucky Warehouse Owner, Former Crop Insurance Agent Sentenced for Charges Related to Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— Michael McNew, former resident of Mt. Sterling, was sentenced to 86 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Court Judge Karen C. Caldwell for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in furtherance of a crop insurance fraud scheme. Shortly thereafter, Roger Wilson, resident of Mt. Sterling, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, also by Judge Caldwell, for conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud.
McNew, 51, was a crop insurance adjuster until 2012, when he became a crop insurance agent. According to his plea agreement, in his role as an adjuster, he agreed with agricultural producers to inflate or fabricate the damage to their crops and falsify the number of acres of crop planted when preparing adjustments on their claims of loss on federal Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (“MPCI”) policies. As an insurance agent, he admitted to committing fraud on MPCI claims of loss, as well as private claims of loss to his contracted employer, ARMtech Insurance Services. He continued to inflate or falsify acreage reported and damage to crop and assisted with submission of generic photograph of loss that falsely purported to show damage to a particular producer’s farm. He also admitted he submitted applications for crop insurance for individuals he knew were not farmers, but were relatives or friends of his farmer co-conspirators, in order to spread out losses and obtain better guarantees. In total, McNew admitted to causing a total loss of more than $23,000,000.
Wilson, 88, owned Clay’s Tobacco Warehouse, a tobacco warehouse, grading station, and auction house in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. In his Plea Agreement, he admitted that from September 2013 until at least May 2018, he arranged for farmers to purchase poor quality tobacco, so they could use this tobacco to get fake grades to apply to their insurance claims of loss, which resulted in inflated indemnity payments. Documents filed with the Court demonstrated that Wilson also produced fake sales receipts, shipping reports, and bale tags, all in efforts to facilitate fraudulent crop insurance claims of loss. These documents showed that Wilson was responsible for over $9,000,000 in losses to the federal government.
McNew pleaded guilty in October 2020. Wilson pleaded guilty in May 2021.
Under federal law, McNew must serve 85 percent of his sentence, while Wilson must serve his entire sentence. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for a period of three years. McNew must also pay restitution of $19,596,936. Wilson’s restitution order is still pending before the Court.
Other recent crop insurance fraud sentencings have resulted in the following sentences:
- Ronnie Jolly, 50, of Paris, Ky., was sentenced on August 13, 2021, to 36 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Bradley Price, 38, of Carlisle, Ky., was sentenced on August 20, 2021, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
- Brandon Price, 30, of Paris, Ky., was sentenced on August 20, 2021, to six months in prison and three years of supervised release.
- Jimmy Price, 61, of Carlisle, Ky., was sentenced on August 20, 2021, to six months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Jason M. Williams, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Edward J. Gray, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and Juan Garrett, Director, Kentucky Department of Insurance Fraud Investigation Division, jointly made the announcement.
The investigations were conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and Kentucky Department of Insurance. The United States is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Roth and Kathryn Anderson.
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Former Eastern Shore Resident Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Sell More Than $3.5 Million in Stolen Goods and for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Saurabh Chawla, age 36, of Aurora, Colorado, to 66 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on federal charges of conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen goods, and tax evasion. Judge Blake ordered Chawla to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $713,619, and signed an order of forfeiture requiring Chawla to forfeit a 2013 Tesla Model S and $2,308,062.61 from accounts held in his name and the sale of property in Aurora, Colorado.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Acting Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to his guilty plea and other court documents, from 2009 through 2019, Chawla purchased over $3.5 million of stolen goods from individuals with “insider” access to the goods and merchandise, such that they could steal the items and sell them to Chawla without detection. Chawla initially sold goods and merchandise on eBay through the eBay stores thecheetahexpress, eurotronics_4_less, and eurotronics-4-less; the latter two were associated with Chawla’s relatives. On about April 27, 2014, eBay suspended the thecheetahexpress and eurotronics_4_less stores from operating on eBay because “recent account activity has raised serious security concerns.”
“Saurabh Chawla coordinated a $3.5 million scheme - purchasing items from co-conspirators that he knew had been stolen, including electronics that were intended to help underprivileged New Mexico school children, and selling them for his personal gain,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “To add insult to injury, Chawla underreported his income on his tax returns and aided the tax evasion of a relative, causing a tax loss totaling more than $700,000 to the U.S. government. These are not victimless crimes. This criminal behavior cheats all the honest businesses and taxpayers who play by the rules. Hopefully, this sentence sends the message that we will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice.”
“This prosecution showcases what law enforcement agencies are capable of achieving when we work together. Criminals and those who refuse to obey the laws don’t stand a chance against a unified team of dedicated officers and agents working toward a common goal,” said Special Agent in Charge for HSI Baltimore Field Office James Mancuso. “HSI will continue to partner with our law enforcement friends to keep our communities safe and pursue justice for victims of these crimes.”
“When criminals like Chawla traffic stolen goods and willfully underreport their income to evade taxes, we all lose,” said Darrell J. Waldon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Washington D.C. Field Office. “Taxes pay for services, and criminal schemes like this one undermine the integrity of our nation’s tax system. We will continue to collaborate with our investigative partners to stop these divisive schemes and fulfill our mission to ensure the integrity and fairness of our tax system.”
Shortly thereafter, and continuing until law enforcement executed search warrants in 2019, Chawla convinced James Bender, who was a good friend from college, to allow him to sell goods and merchandise online through eBay accounts Bender controlled in exchange for Chawla paying Bender a commission. Bender controlled and operated multiple online eBay and Amazon accounts, including “HiddenGemFurniture” (“HGF”), which was registered to Person A, “EddiesAffordableGear” (“EAG”) and “AffordableGoodies4You” (“AG”). Bender used, operated and controlled a PayPal account ending in 4211 (“PayPal 4211”), which was linked to HGF, EAG, and AG. Over time, Chawla offered and sold a large amount of stolen goods and merchandise for sale through HGF, other eBay stores, and other online marketplaces. At one point, Chawla had 400 active listings for goods and products on eBay.
As detailed in plea agreements, Chawla purchased Apple products from Kristy Stock from 2012 to 2018. Stock was a New Mexico public school employee responsible for overseeing a program to provide Apple iPods to school children with the intent to benefit underprivileged Native American children in New Mexico. Stock stole more than 3,000 iPods purchased by the school district and sold them to Chawla. Chawla initially purchased the iPods from Stock on eBay, and they later dealt directly with each other, in emails, texts, and phone calls. Stock repeatedly advised Chawla of the items she had obtained, providing details such as the model, color and number of Apple products available. Chawla and Stock then negotiated a price, and Stock shipped the items to Chawla’s relative on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. Chawla paid Stock through PayPal. Stock admitted that she received more than $800,000 in illegal proceeds from selling stolen iPods worth more than $1 million. In 2019, Chawla purchased Apple products that he believed had been stolen by a different person working at another school district in New Mexico, including 25 iPads for $5,000 in May 2019. After his relative received the stolen goods, Chawla listed them for sale online through eBay at a substantial markup.
According to plea agreements, from 2009 through 2019 Chawla also purchased large quantities of goods from former FedEx employee Joseph Kukta, who obtained most of the items he sold to Chawla from bulk purchases shipped via FedEx and intended for delivery to FedEx customers, including a Walmart Distribution Center in Smyrna, Delaware. Kukta was able to steal the goods in such a way that FedEx never detected the crime, and Kukta then delivered the stolen goods and merchandise to Chawla’s relative in Maryland. Kukta sent Chawla “weekly lists of available goods and merchandise,” and Chawla typically paid 50% of the retail price for the goods and merchandise Kukta had stolen. As with Stock, Chawla sold the goods and merchandise from Kukta to eBay customers at significant markups (often at a 100% price increase). In total, Chawla paid Kukta more than $1.5 million for goods and merchandise that Chawla resold for more than $3 million.
In furtherance of the fraud scheme, Chawla and Bender repeatedly deceived online platforms such as Amazon, eBay, as well as the manufacturers and distributors, as to the source of the goods and merchandise being sold, including the iPods that Stock stole from the New Mexico school district and goods and merchandise that Kukta stole from the Delaware FedEx facility. Chawla and Bender repeatedly crafted deceptions and caused false information to be presented to cover up the true origins of the goods and merchandise offered online. For example, in May 2014, Chawla caused Kukta to create a fake invoice that had false information about the parties involved in the transaction and the price paid per unit purchased. As part of his participation in the fraud scheme, Bender received more than $10,000 per year from the eBay sales of stolen goods and merchandise.
Chawla further admitted in his plea agreement that he filed false tax returns for the tax years 2009 through 2017, falsely inflating the cost of goods sold and expenses for his businesses and underreported his adjusted gross income and tax due. As a result, Chawla agreed that he failed to pay at least $640,000 in additional taxes due for tax years 2009 to 2017.
From 2009 to 2017, Chawla also knowingly aided and abetted the tax evasion crimes of his relative and Chawla is therefore responsible for the tax losses stemming from his relative’s tax evasion. This mainly involved the underreporting of the relative’s $60,000 per year of wages from Cheetah Express, resulting in a tax loss of more than $70,000.
In total, Chawla caused a tax loss of more than $700,000 to the United States relating to the income of Chawla and his relative.
Co-conspirators Kristy Stock, age 46, of Waterflow, New Mexico, James Edward Bender, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland and Joseph Kukta, age 45, of Laurel, Delaware, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation and HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Paul A. Riley, who are prosecuting these cases.
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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Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A foreign national pleaded guilty to the federal felony offense of being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. Lamarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, on February 24, 2021, Michael Rempel Klassen, 24, was stopped for careless driving on U.S. Highway 98 by a New August Police officer. Klassen provided the officer with a driver’s license from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. Klassen said he did not have a driver’s license from the U.S., and that his work visa had expired in 2017. The officer observed a rifle on the back seat which Klassen admitted was his. Officers conducted a probable cause search and located two firearms, a silencer, and numerous rounds of ammunition.
The ATF was notified, and a Department of Homeland Security HSI Special Agent also joined the case regarding immigration issues. Records revealed that Klassen was born in Canada and confirmed that he was illegally present in the United States.
Klassen will be sentenced on December 14, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the New Augusta Police Department, and the Perry County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s crime reduction efforts, PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Federal Jury Finds Swain Co. Man Guilty of Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville convicted Shane McKinley Swimmer, 21, of Cherokee, N.C., of second degree murder late yesterday, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger presided over the three-day trial.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Josh Taylor of the Cherokee Indian Police Department join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on November 10, 2018, Swimmer and his uncle, Charles Ray “Chino” West, were at his uncle’s residence on Rocky Knob Trail in Swain County, which is within the boundaries of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians reservation. Trial evidence established that shortly before 7:00 p.m., Swimmer attacked his uncle with a baseball bat, striking the victim in the head at least nine times. The victim died as a result of his injuries. Following the attack, Swimmer went to another family member’s house nearby and announced that the victim was dead before calling 911. Officers with the Cherokee Indian Police Department arrested Swimmer shortly thereafter.
Swimmer remains in federal custody. The second degree murder charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentencing date for Swimmer has not been set.
In making today’s announcement Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pritchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Solheim is a state prosecutor with the office of the 30th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Solheim is duly sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 30th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 30th Prosecutorial District.
Federal Jury Convicts Tennessee Man of Possessing A Firearm While Being A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Following a three-day trial in United States District Court in Greeneville, a jury convicted Emory Q. Jackson, 41, of Johnson City, Tennessee, of possessing a firearm while being a prohibited person, specifically a person having been a convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.
Sentencing is set for February 28, at 9:00 am., before the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, in United States District Court in Greeneville, Tennessee. Jackson faces a fifteen-year minimum mandatory and a maximum life sentence in prison pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA).
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Jackson possessed a firearm both on the streets of Johnson City and in a music video posted to Jackson’s Social Media Account, where he waved and pointed the firearm at the camera while rapping.
Acting U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, made the announcement.
The Johnson City Police Department led the investigation that resulted in the indictment and subsequent conviction of Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan L. Gomez and Andrew C. Parker represented the United States at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced in Escape PlotRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Henry Poteet, age 66, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 10 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter for Conspiracy to Commit Escape. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release, Poteet will serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
On July 26, 2019, Poteet was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for Possession with Intent to Distribute More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (actual). Pursuant to this sentence, Poteet was incarcerated at the USP Leavenworth Camp, a minimum-security camp, in Leavenworth, Kansas. Poteet’s 10-month sentence will run consecutive to the completion of his 10-year sentence.
On October 28, 2020, Poteet and Katherine Woitaszewski conspired for Poteet to escape from Bureau of Prison custody at USP Leavenworth Camp. On October 28, 2020, Woitaszewski contacted an individual identified as Witness 1 and asked if she could borrow Witness 1’s truck. Woitaszewski explained to Witness 1 that her vehicle’s tires had been slashed and she needed a vehicle to travel from Omaha to Leavenworth to help Poteet escape from prison. The United States Marshals Service became aware of the escape plot and through a ruse a Deputy U.S. Marshal was contacted by Woitaszewski who did not know his occupation and discussed the Deputy U.S. Marshal renting a truck on her behalf.
At approximately 7:16 PM on October 28, 2020, Poteet called Woitaszewski by phone from USP Leavenworth Camp. Woitaszewski and Poteet discussed Woitaszewski arriving in Leavenworth the next morning at 8:00 am and Poteet would call her at 8:15 am. Woitaszewski and Poteet discussed Poteet wearing a mask at all times.
Woitaszewski then contacted an individual identified as Witness 2 and asked Witness 2 to rent a truck on her behalf. Woitaszewski traveled with Witness 1 from Omaha, Nebraska to Carter Lake, Iowa to pick Witness 2 up from Witness 2’s residence. Woitaszewski, Witness 1, and Witness 2 then traveled to the Omaha Eppley Airfield. Witness 2 attempted to rent a truck from Budget Rental Car for Woitaszewski to use. Witness 2 was unable to rent a vehicle and Woitaszewski asked Witness 1 to rent a vehicle from Budget Rental Car for her to use to drive from Omaha, Nebraska to Leavenworth, Kansas to facilitate Poteet’s escape from USP Leavenworth Camp. Woitaszewski was arrested shortly after leaving Budget Rental Car.
Katherine Woitaszewski is still pending trial and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Following Poteet’s sentencing hearing, Scott Kracl, United States Marshal for the District of Nebraska, stated, “The hard work, persistence and cooperative effort of Deputy U.S. Marshals and members of the Metro Fugitive Task Force have once again proven the effectiveness of our Nebraska partners in keeping our community safe.”
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Omaha Police Department.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- SeptemberRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the September 2021 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Maidel Aguilar-Morales. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States. Aguilar-Morales, 31, of Sapulpa, is charged with being an alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a Byrco Arms .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Sapulpa Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-404
Karee Dawn Alvarez. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On May 27, 2021, a hospital security officer investigated a complaint that possible gun shots were heard in the medical center’s parking lot. During that investigation, the security guard approached Alvarez in a parked car. Alvarez, 20, is alleged to have pulled a firearm from the glove compartment and shot him. The officer returned fire, striking the defendant. Alvarez did not own the vehicle nor the firearm. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department and Hillcrest Security are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-383
Preston James Campbell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Campbell, 38, of Bristow, is charged with being a felon in possession of a loaded Charter Arms Corp. Bulldog .44 caliber pistol and ammunition. He is also charged with being a drug user in possession of the pistol and ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Creek County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-39
Keith Vann Cone. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Cone, 26, of Tulsa, allegedly assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon by pointing a firearm at the victim and threatening to kill him on Aug. 21, 2021. The FBI and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-395
Julian Cruz Reyes. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cruz Reyes, 40, was found in the United States after having been deported on June 23, 2007, near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-405
Jeffrey Carl Cunningham. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country (counts 1, 2). Cunningham, 44, of Eucha, allegedly sexually abused two male victims under 12 years of age. The first crime is alleged to have taken place on Sept. 21, 2003, and the second crime on Jan. 1, 2011. The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-384
Jordan Matthew Dement; James Dylan Buchanan. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Dement, 19, and Buchanan, 20, both of Sand Springs, allegedly broke into a Sand Springs home from an outer window in order to commit a burglary on Aug. 9, 2021. The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-396
Robert Burnett Dixon Jr.: Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country. Dixon Jr., 44, of Tulsa, allegedly strangled an intimate partner on Aug.22, 2021. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-406
Robert William Fulton. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 1, 3); Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Counts 2, 4). Fulton, 31, of Tulsa, allegedly fired his gun at a female victim on May 13, 2021, after she followed him from her home believing he was stealing plumbing supplies while he was working there. Later the same day, Fulton is also alleged to have pulled his firearm, approached a male victim in a pick-up truck, and shot the victim through the vehicle’s windshield. He is further charged with two counts of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-385
Raul Hernandez-Moreno; Nicole Marie Hughes; Carlos Alfredo Arroliga. Carjacking (Counts 1,3); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Counts 2,4); Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States (Count 5); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Count 6). Hernandez-Moreno, 20, Hughes, 27, and Arroloiga, 26, all of Tulsa, are charged with brandishing a firearm and carjacking a victim, taking his 2006 Mazda 3 on Oct. 26, 2020. They are also charged with brandishing a firearm and carjacking a second victim, taking his 2010 Chevrolet Silverado the same day. Hernandez-Moreno is further charged with being and alien unlawfully in the United States and possessing a Bersa 9x19-caliber handgun and 13 rounds of ammunition. Finally, Hughes is charged with being a felon in possession of a Bersa 9x19-caliber handgun and 13 rounds of ammunition. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-386
Jose Guadalupe Jimenez-Barrios; Humberto Diaz-Rivas; Aleph Zain Farias-Jimenez; Miriam Jimenez; Gerardo Rodales-Morales. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 2); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises Counts 3, 4, 5). Jimenez-Barrios, 33, of Mounds; Diaz-Rivas, 36, residence unknown; Farias-Jimenez, 34, residence unknown; Jimenez 33, of Mounds; and Rodales-Morales, 35, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring together and with others to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. They are further charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Finally, they allegedly maintained a residence in Mounds for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine and maintained two residences in Tulsa for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine. All defendants except Miriam Jimenez are aliens unlawfully in the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Tonkin is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-398
Christopher James Johnson. Receipt of Stolen Property in Indian Country; Eluding Police Officers in Indian Country. Johnson, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with receiving stolen goods, specifically a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado that had a firearm and $900 worth of tools inside. The vehicle was stolen on Aug. 23, 2021, in Bixby. Later that day, a Tulsa Police officer saw the vehicle. When the officer pulled up behind the pick-up, Johnson allegedly sped away. The vehicle eventually went airborne as Johnson crested a hill then crashed. The defendant exited the vehicle and was pursued by the officer. He was tracked by a K-9 and later found hiding beneath a parked truck. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-400
Derek Lee Lovell. Attempted Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Attempting to Influence, Delay, and Prevent Testimony Through Corrupt Persuasion (superseding). Lovell, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to kidnap a female victim on Jan. 28, 2021. He is further charged with assaulting the victim when he attempted to kidnap her. In this superseding indictment, he is also charged with urging the victim to make false statements to use in his defense at a pretrial hearing and at jury trial. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Childress is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-48
Jesse Thomas Moore. Lewd Acts With a Child Under 16 in Indian Country (Count 1); Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country (Counts 2,3,5); Attempted Sexual Abuse by Threat in Indian Country (Count 4) Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (Count 6); Attempted Production of Child Pornography (Count 7) ;Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography (Count 8) (superseding) Moore, 19, of Tulsa, broke into a home and allegedly ejaculated on or near a minor under the age of 16 on May 6, 2020. According to the indictment, Moore also broke into a different individual’s home with intent to commit a crime by forcibly entering the outer door of the house on Nov. 8, 2020. On Dec. 13, 2020, he broke into another home and allegedly attempted to rape a female victim after he told her to “get the f**k up and don’t say anything or I’ll f**king kill you.” In this superseding indictment, Moore is also alleged to have coerced a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography from January 2021 to August 2021. He further requested she send the sexually explicit videos and images of herself to him via the program “JailATM” while he was in federal custody. You can find further details in the press release covering a second complaint filed against Moore in August 2021. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-47
Catherine Lee Petersen. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Catherine Lee Petersen, 59, of Los Lunas, New Mexico, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Pietro Bereta .40 S&W caliber pistol and ammunition. She is further charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Finally, she is charged with possessing the firearm to further her drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor F. Hurney is prosecuting the case. 21-cr-388
Daren Gilson Puffinbarger. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. On Aug. 18, 2021, Puffinbarger, 32, of Inola, is alleged to have killed Lucas Sanders by shooting the victim in the head six times while the victim was in bed at his home in Locust Grove. He then allegedly set the victim’s bed and body on fire. The fire caused substantial damage in the bedroom. Agents located two small propane torch kits in the bedroom, one on the bed and the other sitting upright on the floor next to the bed. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-382
Jesus Jose Quezada-Rios. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States (filed as an Information). Quezada-Rios, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with being an alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a Glock 19XGen 5 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-380
Juan Hector Romero. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of Unregistered Silencers. Romero, 35, of Austin, Texas, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock GMBH 9mm Luger caliber pistol and 86 rounds of ammunition. The firearm is alleged to have been modified into a machinegun. Romero is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. He is further charged with possessing a machinegun/firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. Finally, Romero allegedly possessed two silencers not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-389
Aron Wayne Simon. Kidnapping of a Minor in Indian Country. Simon, 32, of Okmulgee, is charged with kidnapping a minor on Aug. 5, 2021, after he stole a car with an infant inside. The FBI and Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-401
Victor Scott Stephens. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Stephens, 49, of Parkhill, is charged with assaulting the victim on Aug. 12, 2021, resulting in serious bodily injury. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Harder is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-390
Federal & State Officials Advise Wisconsinites That Making or Buying Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Cards is IllegalRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, joins Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Karen Timberlake, Secretary-designee and Anthony Baize, Inspector General of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to advise the public that any act of creating, distributing, selling, or buying of fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards and any act of forging COVID-19 vaccination information is illegal and punishable under federal law.
The unauthorized use of an official government agency’s seal, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a crime and may be punishable under federal law under Title 18 United States Code, Section 1017, and other applicable laws.
“COVID-19 vaccines provide important protection for all of us when we are at school, attending public events, using mass transit, at the workplace, or attending a place of worship. Those who might claim to be vaccinated when they are not are putting themselves and their loved ones at risk of contracting COVID-19,” said Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “Get vaccinated, encourage your friends and family to do the same, and add an extra layer of protection by wearing a mask in public places including for teachers, staff and students in our schools.”
DHS also reminds Wisconsinites to not post vaccine cards on social media as the information could be stolen to commit fraud.
“If you have not been vaccinated, do not make your own cards or buy fake cards,” said Inspector General Anthony Baize. “If you were vaccinated and your card was not filled out correctly, do not fill in the card yourself. Instead, call your vaccine provider.”
“Public and private institutions, including employers, universities, schools, and businesses, need to be able to rely on the legitimacy of COVID-19 vaccine cards. Our office will use all available tools to prosecute individuals who knowingly falsify vaccine cards,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Frohling.
“Legitimate COVID-19 vaccine cards—like the vaccines themselves—are crucial tools to prevent illness and death. People who are foolish or selfish (or both) enough to supply bogus vaccination cards, allowing others to circumvent COVID-19 curtailment efforts, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
If you know or suspect that any healthcare provider, pharmacy, private business, or Wisconsin resident is creating, distributing, selling, buying or forging COVID-19 vaccination cards in-person or online, please report such conduct to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Office of Inspector General (877-865-3432 or www.reportfraud.wisconsin.gov); U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (1-800-HHS-TIPS ) or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).
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Federal and State Officials Advise Wisconsinites That Making or Buying Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Cards Is IllegalRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin joins Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, and Karen Timberlake, Secretary-designee and Anthony Baize, Inspector General of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to advise the public that any act of creating, distributing, selling, or buying of fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards and any act of forging COVID-19 vaccination information is illegal and punishable under federal law.
The unauthorized use of an official government agency’s seal, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a crime and may be punishable under federal law under Title 18 United States Code, Section 1017, and other applicable laws.
“COVID-19 vaccines provide important protection for all of us when we are at school, attending public events, using mass transit, at the workplace, or attending a place of worship. Those who might claim to be vaccinated when they are not are putting themselves and their loved ones at risk of contracting COVID-19,” said Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “Get vaccinated, encourage your friends and family to do the same, and add an extra layer of protection by wearing a mask in public places including for teachers, staff and students in our schools.”
DHS also reminds Wisconsinites to not post vaccine cards on social media as the information could be stolen to commit fraud.
“If you have not been vaccinated, do not make your own cards or buy fake cards,” said Inspector General Anthony Baize. “If you were vaccinated and your card was not filled out correctly, do not fill in the card yourself. Instead, call your vaccine provider.”
“Public and private institutions, including employers, universities, schools, and businesses, need to be able to rely on the legitimacy of COVID-19 vaccine cards. Our office will use all available tools to prosecute individuals who knowingly falsify vaccine cards,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Frohling.
“Legitimate COVID-19 vaccine cards—like the vaccines themselves—are crucial tools to prevent illness and death. People who are foolish or selfish (or both) enough to supply bogus vaccination cards, allowing others to circumvent COVID-19 curtailment efforts, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
If you know or suspect that any healthcare provider, pharmacy, private business, or Wisconsin resident is creating, distributing, selling, buying or forging COVID-19 vaccination cards in-person or online, please report such conduct to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Office of Inspector General (877-865-3432 or www.reportfraud.wisconsin.gov); Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (1-800-HHS-TIPS or www.oig.hhs.gov); or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).
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For further information contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
414-297-1700
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El Paso Businesswoman Arrested for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso businesswoman and her nephew were arrested today on criminal charges for their alleged roles in committing health care fraud.
According to court documents, Zenia Chavez, 45, and Raul Alejandro Fuentes, 23, of El Paso, conspired together to commit health care fraud. Chavez is the owner and Fuentes is an employee of Nursemind Home Health, Inc. (Nursemind), which provides hospice care services. The defendants sought out people in boarding homes and senior living facilities for enrollment in a Nursemind hospice program although they did not need hospice care or have a terminal illness. The defendants then created false and fraudulent medical records for the individuals, forged health personnel signatures, and submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare. In addition, Chavez is also charged with offering kickbacks for client referrals to Nursemind.
Chavez and Fuentes are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and 14 counts of health care fraud. Chavez is also charged with one count of conspiracy for illegal remunerations regarding a federal health care program and 11 counts of illegal remunerations regarding a federal health care program. If convicted, Chavez and Fuentes face a maximum penalty on each of the health care fraud counts of 10 years in prison. Chavez faces an additional five years in prison on the conspiracy for illegal remunerations charge and 10 years in prison on each of the illegal remuneration counts. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas; FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey, El Paso Division; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Skillern and Debra Kanof are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Dwayne Anthony Conley Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Coercion and Enticement and Promotion of Prostitution of Five VictimsRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DWAYNE ANTHONY CONLEY, a/k/a “Taquan Rashad,” a/k/a “Q,” a/k/a “Pops,” was sentenced to 11 years in prison for coercion and enticement and the promotion of prostitution of five victims. CONLEY previously pled guilty to those offenses on March 11, 2021, before United States District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Dwayne Conley exploited and victimized women for his financial gain. He coerced his victims into prostitution, including by physical abuse and exploiting a victim’s heroin addiction. For his wanton indifference to the suffering of his victims – indeed, for inflicting that suffering – Conley has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.”
According to the Superseding Information, publicly filed documents, and evidence presented at the trial of CONLEY’s codefendant Justin Rivera, in or about 2015, CONLEY persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a victim, described in the Superseding Information as “Victim‑3,” to travel from New York to Virginia to engage in prostitution. CONLEY used violence against Victim‑3 on many occasions. CONLEY also exploited Victim‑3’s severe heroin addiction, verbally abused Victim‑3, used Victim-3 to further his narcotics trafficking, and promoted Victim-3’s prostitution.
In or about 2015, CONLEY also attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two other victims to travel from New York to Virginia to engage in prostitution. CONLEY further promoted the prostitution of two additional victims, including by posting advertisements on the Internet for commercial sex with the victims, and providing heroin to one of the victims. In total, at his sentencing hearing, CONLEY was held accountable for his victimization and exploitation of five different women.
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In addition to today’s prison sentence, CONLEY, 52, of Central Islip, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Ms. Strauss thanked Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI-NYPD New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Human Trafficking Investigations Unit, and Special Agents from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their outstanding work on this case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran, Benjamin Woodside Schrier, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.
District Man Sentenced to 118 Months in Prison for Armed Robberies of BusinessesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ashanti West, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 118 months in prison for carrying out armed robberies of a convenience store and sandwich shop within a two-hour period in the fall of 2019.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division Wayne A. Jacobs, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
West is one of three defendants, all from Washington, D.C., who pleaded guilty to federal charges in the robberies. One co-defendant, Andre Thomas Jr., 27, was earlier sentenced to 112 months in prison, and another, Jaron Willis, 21, was sentenced to 42 months in prison and an additional six months of home incarceration.
West pleaded guilty in March 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to charges of robbery and using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 5, 2019, at about 11:37 p.m., West and Thomas entered a 7-Eleven in the 4400 block of Benning Road NE, unmasked and scoping out the store. Then, roughly 90 minutes later, at 1:16 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2019, West, Thomas and Willis entered the store, all wearing masks. Once the lone store patron completed her transaction, West retrieved a pistol from his coat pocket and brandished it in the face of a 7-Eleven employee, demanding that the cash register be opened. Willis then hopped over the cashier-counter and began to steal cartons of cigarettes. At that point, a second store employee, who had been stocking shelves, realized what was happening and started to move swiftly toward the exit. Thomas grabbed the employee by the neck and squeezed until the victim lost consciousness. The defendants fled after collectively stealing cash and multiple cartons of cigarettes.
The second robbery took place at approximately 2:50 a.m. All three defendants, again wearing masks, entered a Subway sandwich shop in the 4500 block of Benning Road SE. At the time of this robbery, the door to the left of the register was propped open as the store was actively receiving a delivery. Once again, West pulled out a firearm, pointing it at a store employee before heading to the back of the establishment. When West reached the back of the store, he encountered another employee, who was stocking the freezer with the new deliveries. West forced this victim at gunpoint to lie down on the floor on his stomach, in the entryway to the freezer. Meanwhile, Willis physically pulled and pushed the other employee to the register. Once that employee opened the register, Willis and Thomas told him to hide in the bathroom. The three men took cash, including the entire cash till, and beverages and fled.
The three defendants were arrested soon after the robberies by the Metropolitan Police Department and have been in custody ever since.
This investigation was conducted by Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force, which is composed of FBI Agents, working in partnership with MPD Detectives, and task force officers from other federal agencies to include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Department of Energy, and other partners. The task force investigates violent offenders within the D.C. metropolitan area.
In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Poulin and Paralegal Specialist Tasha Tobias, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin A. Vaillancourt, who prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing 14-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 57-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl while he was living with her and her mother in Northwest Washington, Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of second-degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances. He also pleaded guilty to a related charge of contempt of court. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon prison term in the range of four years to eight and a half years. Following his prison term, the man will be required to register for 10 years as a sex offender and complete a term of supervised release. The Honorable Juliet J. McKenna scheduled sentencing for Jan. 14, 2022.
In connection with his guilty plea, the defendant admitted engaging in sexual abuse against the victim on more than one occasion between October 2015 and December 2016. The victim disclosed what took place to her mother in March 2019. The defendant was arrested on April 5, 2019 and was initially detained pending trial. In May 2019, the Court released him with conditions that included a requirement that he have no contact and stay away from the victim and her mother. However, the Court learned that he continued to have contact with the mother, and as a result, he has been detained since August of 2019.
In announcing the plea, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Children’s Advocacy Center. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris, Paralegal Specialist ReShawn Johnson, Investigators Sean Ricardi, Bryan Molnar, Nelson Rhone, and Nick Boffi. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Allen, Jason Feldman, and Angela Buckner, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Delaware man sentenced to 130 months in prison for distributing heroin and cocaine laced with fentanyl that resulted in series of overdosesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Darnell Reeves, 34, of Delaware, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 130 months in prison for distributing heroin and cocaine laced with fentanyl that resulted in a series of overdoses.
According to court documents, investigators traced fentanyl, heroin and crack cocaine back to Reeves (also known as Bookie), after they responded to the scene of an overdose death in Ostrander, Ohio on Feb. 28, 2018. The victim was found on a couch in a shed, slumped forward with a used syringe under him.
Further investigation tied Reeves’s trafficking activity to an overdose death on Jan. 22, 2018, a nonfatal overdose on Feb.12, 2018, and a fatal overdose on March 2, 2018.
Reeves was arrested in June 2018 on a federal criminal complaint and has remained in custody since.
“Reeves’ narcotics trafficking posed a deadly threat to his victims and brought dangerous and highly addictive drugs into our country and community,” said Special Agent in Charge Vance Callender of HSI Detroit. “HSI brings its national and international network of offices and partnerships to bear against local traffickers to build out international conspiracy cases and hold the leader organizers accountable. We remain deeply committed to working with our local law enforcement partners by providing federal resources, assistance and a global reach.”
“This is once again an example of the Delaware County Drug Task Force working in collaboration with our Federal, State, and local partners to remove a dangerous person from our community, as well as hold him responsible for the devastating results of his drug trafficking,” said Delaware County Sheriff Russell Martin. “Reeves’ actions have contributed to loss of life and the near death of several others. It is the continued mission of the Delaware County Drug Task Force to reduce the availability of drugs throughout our communities.”
“Almost 11 years in federal prison for causing overdoses is a step in the right direction,” said Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel. “The more we prosecute the drug supplier, the more impact we have in saving citizens from a life of addiction. I applaud the efforts of my predecessor and all the law enforcement agencies involved who helped achieve this lengthy and just resolution.”
Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Vance Callender, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel (and former prosecutor Carol O’Brien), Delaware County Sheriff Russell L. Martin, Delaware Police Chief Bruce Pijanowski and other members of the Delaware County Drug Task Force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Hunter and Kelly A. Norris are representing the United States in this case.
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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
A convicted sex offender who lived and worked in Iowa for about 14 months without registering as a sex offender was sentenced on September 9, 2021, to more than a year in federal prison.
Charles Gregory, age 50, from Charles City, Iowa, and previously from Illinois, received the prison term after a January 5, 2021 guilty plea to one count of failing to register as a sex offender.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Gregory is required to register as a sex offender for life because he was convicted of multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault in 1990. Gregory was also convicted of failing to register in Illinois state court in 2000. In May 2018, Gregory began working and living in Iowa. He continued to work and live in Iowa until September 2019. Gregory’s failure to register during this time was discovered when he was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Bremer County. He was eventually convicted of that offense, his second such conviction.
Gregory was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gregory was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gregory is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 20-CR-2054.
Convicted Felon Who Sold a Gun to a Confidential Informant Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a firearm that he then sold to a confidential informant was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison.
Delano Antwuan Deshazer, age 34, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 8, 2021 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
The facts in this case show that Deshazer sold a firearm to a confidential informant in Dubuque, Iowa, in February 2020. Deshazer has an extensive criminal history, including convictions in over 30 different cases. His convictions include felony convictions for eluding and escape. Deshazer was also previously convicted of domestic abuse on four occasions.
Deshazer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. William. Deshazer was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
Deshazer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-cr-1029.
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Cedar Rapids Man Charged with Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Rakeem Leonard, age 30, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The charge is contained in an Indictment unsealed on September 6, 2021, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in July 2021, Leonard possessed a pistol after having been convicted of two felonies and while he was subject to a no contact order.
If convicted, Leonard faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Leonard appeared for a detention hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Leonard’s next appearance for trial is set for November 8, 2021.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 21-53.
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Camden Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for conspiring to sell 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and quantities of furanyl fentanyl and heroin as well as distributing and possessing with intent to distribute these drugs, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
John Gunther, aka “Critty,” 38, was convicted on April 18, 2019, after an 11-day trial before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Brothers John and Taleaf Gunther worked together to lead a prolific drug trafficking organization that sold crack cocaine, heroin, and the synthetic opioid furanyl fentanyl on and around the 1700 block of Filmore Street in Camden, which was controlled by the organization. William Roland assisted the Gunther brothers as a manager within the organization. Ten members of the drug ring were initially arrested in June 2017 following a long-term investigation by the FBI, which utilized multiple telephone wiretaps, surveillance, confidential informants, cooperating witnesses, more than 20 controlled drug purchases, a GPS vehicle tracker and four court-authorized search warrants, among other investigative techniques. The investigation ultimately led to the seizure of more than 300 grams of crack cocaine, quantities of furanyl fentanyl and heroin, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia. Shortly after the execution of search warrants in the case, investigators learned that Taleaf Gunther also attempted to bribe another member of the conspiracy to lie to police about a handgun recovered from a residence he used. An eleventh member of the organization was charged in 2018. Taleaf Gunther and Roland were convicted along with John Gunther and are awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Gunther to 10 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley S. Benavides in Philadelphia; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
She also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Gloucester Township Police Department, the Camden County Sheriff’s Department, the Cherry Hill Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni and Alisa Shver of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Caldwell Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jessica Renae Green, 26, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison based upon her June 2021 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today. Green was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on March 10, 2021.
According to court records, Green sold four and a half grams of heroin to another person on March 3, 2021. After the transaction, law enforcement officers discovered there was a large quantity of drugs in the house where the transaction occurred. Based on both Green and her co-defendant’s parole status, law enforcement officers were able to gain access to the house where the suspected drugs were located. When officers entered the premises, they discovered 25 pounds of methamphetamine, three and a half pounds of heroin, one pound of cocaine, several thousand fentanyl pills, over $10,000, a digital scale, and plastic packaging materials commonly used to weigh and package drugs for distribution.
Green has a prior conviction for possession of a controlled substance in 2017. After serving her prison sentence, Green will be on supervised release for five years.
Co-defendant James Donavan Conour, 43, of Homedale, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2021, and charged with distribution of methamphetamine and possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute. Conour is currently scheduled for trial on November 15, 2021, at the federal courthouse in Boise.
Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez credited the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole; and the City-County Narcotics Unit, 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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Businessman Accused of Underreporting Tax Returns by $1 MillionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with five counts of false statement in a tax return.
According to court documents, Kenneth Madl, 64, of Joplin, Missouri, is the owner of Madl Construction, a company based in Pittsburg, Kansas. Madl allegedly submitted 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service that underreported the company’s gross income by a total of more than $1 million.
The IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger 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.
###Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Stealing Car Parts, Bourbon, and Electronics from Railroad CarsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Nicholas Birdwell, 39, of Cheektowaga, NY, who was convicted of breaking into and larceny from an interstate carrier facility, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who handled the case, stated that on multiple occasions in May and June of 2018, the defendant and co-defendants Paul Krieger and Ray Chrostowski went to the railyards in the vicinity of Broadway and Bailey Avenue in Buffalo, broke into railcars using a crowbar, bolt-cutters and other tools, entered the cars, and removed property from the railcars. On each occasion, co-defendant Krieger directed Birdwell and Chrostowski regarding which railcar to enter, what property to remove, where to hide the stolen items, and the manner by which each should conduct themselves in order to conceal their conduct from the attention of law enforcement and railyard personnel. On at least one occasion, Birdwell was responsible for bringing a vehicle to transport the stolen items from railroad property to locations in Buffalo where it was resold for profit.
• On June 8, 2018, the three defendants broke into a railcar carrying automobiles and removed the tires and rims from a 2018 Jeep and a 2018 Dodge. The total loss relating to the 2018 Jeep was $1,882.10, and the total loss relating to the 2018 Dodge was $2,836.06.
• On June 22, 2018, the defendants stole approximately 20 cases (120 bottles) of Jefferson bourbon, and sold them for profit. The value of the bourbon was approximately $3,118.80.
• On June 26, 2018, the defendants stole a 50-inch Samsung television valued at approximately $400.00.Co-defendant Ray Chrostowski was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 18 months in prison. Co-defendant Paul Krieger was also previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia and the CSX Police, under the direction of Chief Sean Douris.
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Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Selling Cocaine and Shooting at A Rival Drug DealerRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Gonzalo Velazquez-Cabrera a/k/a Bebe, 39, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 500 grams or more of cocaine and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 153 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who is handling the case, stated that between March and December 2015, the defendant conspired with others to sell cocaine. Velazquez-Cabrera, as a leader of the conspiracy, purchased and distributed approximately 125 grams of cocaine every week, obtaining, storing, and distributing the cocaine at his West Delavan Avenue residence. The defendant supplied co-defendants with cocaine so they could conduct street-level narcotics sales. Velazquez-Cabrera also personally engaged in the daily sale of varying quantities of cocaine both at his residence and on the west side of Buffalo.
In August of 2015, the defendant became embroiled in a feud with a rival drug dealer who also operated on the west side of Buffalo. Following verbal arguments that centered on Velazquez-Cabrera’s encroachment into the drug dealing territory of his rival, the defendant escalated the conflict to violence. On August 27, 2015, Velazquez-Cabrera and a co-defendant exchanged gunfire with the rival drug dealer. In a text message exchange that followed between Velazquez-Cabrera and the rival drug dealer, the defendant declared the rival drug dealer was a dead man.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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Bridgeport Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Stemming from Courthouse ShootingRead the Press Release
MARQUIS ISREAL, also known as “Garf” or “Gbaby,” 25, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to racketeering offenses related to his participation in a gang-related shooting in front of a state courthouse in Bridgeport in January 2020.
Today’s announcement was made by Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Isreal has been a member of the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport whose members sold narcotics, laundered narcotics proceeds, robbed drug dealers, stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used them to commit crimes, and tampered with witnesses who might testify against them. Since approximately 2017, O.N.E. members have been aligned with the “Greene Homes Boyz” (“GHB/Hotz”), a gang based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End, against rival groups in Bridgeport, including the East End, East Side and PT Barnum gangs, as well as 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport.
In pleading guilty, Isreal admitted that he and his associates attempted to kill members and associates of the East End gang on January 27, 2020, in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a Bridgeport courthouse. At 12:11 p.m. on that date, Bridgeport Police responded to the area of 172 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport after a Shot Spotter activation detected approximately 20 shots being fired in front of the state courthouse located there. Upon arrival, investigators discovered that four victims had been shot while sitting inside a black Chevrolet Impala. One victim was shot in the side of his chest and was left paralyzed and a second victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his back, shoulder and wrist. The victims’ vehicle had approximately 23 entry bullet holes in the driver’s side and windshield area.
As alleged in court documents in a related case, Isreal had previously been shot and seriously wounded by one of his victims in a restaurant at 1653 Barnum Avenue in the East End of Bridgeport on September 15, 2019.
Isreal pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and aiding and abetting, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder, both in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute. Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for December 3, 2021, at which time Isreal faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Isreal has been detained since August 6, 2020.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Rahul Kale, Peter D. Markle and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Breathitt County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lost Creek, Ky., man, Kevin Combs, 32, pleaded guilty on Thursday, before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to cultivating more than 50 marijuana plants and brandishing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to Combs’ guilty plea agreement, on July 16, 2020, Kentucky State Police law enforcement responded to an investigation regarding suspected marijuana plants. At the location, Combs confronted one of the officers with a stainless-steel, loaded revolver pistol. When the officer told Combs to lower his pistol, he refused, ran away, and hid the pistol. The pistol was subsequently recovered as evidence. Combs further admitted to cultivating over 50 marijuana plants on the property that was part of the investigation.
Combs has several prior state felony convictions, including fleeing and evading law enforcement, escape, trafficking in a controlled substance first degree, and trafficking in a controlled substance second degree.
Combs was indicted in October 2020.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Colonel Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Kentucky State Police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West.
Combs is scheduled to be sentenced on January 1, 2022. He faces a maximum of 20 years on the marijuana charge and not less than seven years on the firearm charge, which must run consecutively to other sentences. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Biddeford Man Sentenced for Committing and Conspiring to Commit Federal Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for his role in committing and conspiring to commit a federal hate crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Dusty Leo, 30, to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims. Leo pleaded guilty on February 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 Mathew 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.
The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Tim Visser prosecuted the case.
Bergen County Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Role in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud financial institutions of hundreds of thousands of dollars, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Dennys Tapia, 55, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 to 2018, Tapia conspired with others to fraudulently obtain mortgage loans from financial institutions, including “Mortgage Lender A” and “Mortgage Lender B,” to finance the purchase of properties by unqualified buyers. Applicants for mortgage loans are required to list their assets and income on their mortgage loan applications, and mortgage lenders rely on those applications when deciding whether to issue mortgage loans.
Tapia admitted participating in a conspiracy in which he knowingly provided fraudulent documents to a loan officer at Mortgage Lender A for potential borrowers, including fraudulent lease agreements, bank statements, and a gift check and gift letter. Based on this false information, Mortgage Lender A issued mortgage loans to unqualified buyers, which caused Mortgage Lender A hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. Some of the loans Mortgage Lender A issued to unqualified borrowers were sold to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation “Freddie Mac,” a government-sponsored enterprise with the mission of providing liquidity, stability, and affordability in the United States housing market.
Tapia also admitted causing a straw borrower, “Individual A,” to apply to Mortgage Lender B for a cash-out refinance mortgage loan that contained multiple misrepresentations of material facts and fraudulent documents, including pay stubs and a verification of employment. Based on the false information submitted by Individual A and Tapia, Mortgage Lender B issued a false and fraudulent cash-out refinance mortgage loan, which resulted in Tapia earnings tens of thousands of dollars in profits.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Tapia to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $182,508 and forfeiture of $176,532.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, and special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fayer of the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlie Divine of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General.
Beckley Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for attempted production of child pornography. Douglas Patrick Humphrey, 33, will also be required to serve his lifetime on supervised release following his release from prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Humphrey previously admitted that on August 25 and 26, 2020, he communicated with a 15-year-old female via Snapchat. During that conversation he asked her to meet him to engage in sexual activity and also asked her to produce and send a video of herself engaged in sexual intercourse with another man. Humphrey admitted that in July 2020 he had made a similar request of the minor female and had received a video depicting her engaged in sexual activity. Humphrey was arrested on August 26, 2020, when he arrived at the location where he had arranged to meet the minor.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. During the sentencing hearing, the Court stated that Humphrey had caused “astounding” harm and is a “sexual predator of a serial nature.”
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
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. 5:21-cr-00005.
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Bank Teller Charged with Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on August 27, 2021 a Bill of Information charging DEMETRIA MYERS SILVIO, age 32, of New Orleans, Louisiana, with Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. If convicted, SILVIO faces a maximum term of twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.00 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense. In addition, SILVIO faces a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years after her release from prison and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the Bill of Information, between November 2017 and February 2020, SILVIO held the positions of head teller, universal banker, and mortgage loan assistant at IberiaBank (“Iberia”) in New Orleans and Metairie. From December 3, 2018 to December 6, 2019, SILVIO embezzled approximately $63,059.82 from five customers’ Iberia accounts by forging approximately 66 counter checks. SILVIO deposited the fraudulent checks into her own bank accounts with Chase Bank and Capital One.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Three Armed Robberies Where Victims Were Zip-Tied and One Victim Was Hit in the HeadRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Javaughn Berry, age 26, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 115 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for three armed commercial robberies.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from October 2019 to December 2019, Berry and a co-conspirator committed three armed commercial robberies—one each in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, and Baltimore County. In each robbery, the robbers brandished a firearm and stole a victim’s vehicle to flee the scene. Investigators with the FBI obtained cell phone records which revealed that Berry and his co-conspirator’s phones were in close proximity to each of the victim businesses around the time of the robberies.
As detailed in Berry’s plea agreement, on October 13, 2019, Berry and a co-conspirator robbed a Baltimore pharmacy. After the robbery, Baltimore Police Department officers responded to the scene and spoke to a victim who reported that the two male suspects wore black masks, black gloves, glasses, and yellow reflective vests. Prior to the robbery, both men were picking up trash in the parking lot. When the pharmacy opened at 8:00 a.m., the suspects entered. One suspect pointed a black revolver at a victim employee and demanded access to the safe. The suspects took $1,630 in cash from the safe and tied the victim’s hands with zip ties. They took also took the victim’s keys and fled in the victim’s vehicle.
Berry and his co-conspirator also robbed a retail store in Millersville, Maryland, on November 17, 2019. Victims reported to Anne Arundel County Police officers that two men entered the store as it was closing and demanded money. Both suspects wore masks and had black handguns. The suspects stole $3,200 in cash and zip-tied the employees. One of the suspects struck a victim on the head and pulled her to the ground. The victim sustained a cut to her right ear and was treated by medics on scene. As in the pharmacy robbery, Berry and his co-conspirator fled the scene by stealing an employee’s vehicle.
Finally, Berry admitted that on December 13, 2019, he and his co-conspirator robbed a Parkville, Maryland chain restaurant. On the morning of December 13, 2019, Baltimore County Police Department (“BCPD”) detectives responded to the restaurant and found the shift manager and his co-worker inside. According to the victim employees, around 7:00 a.m., the shift manager and co-worker unlocked the front doors and two male suspects entered the store wearing dark, hooded sweatshirts and masks. Berry’s co-conspirator approached the shift manager, pulled out a revolver, and demanded that he open the safe. Berry’s co-conspirator stole $3,393.37 in cash, then put the shift manager’s wrists and ankles in zip ties. Berry approached the co-worker and put zip ties on his wrists and ankles. As in the previous robberies, Berry and the co-conspirator stole the shift manger’s vehicle and fled the scene, leaving behind the stolen vehicle from the November retail robbery.
On December 14, 2019, a BCPD officer found the vehicle stolen during the restaurant robbery parked a few blocks away from Berry’s residence. BCPD officers placed a GPS device on the vehicle to track its movements. FBI investigators had also gotten a warrant to track the co-conspirator’s phone in real time.
Berry and the co-conspirator were arrested on December 16, 2019, after BCPD tracked the stolen vehicle to the intersection of Joppa Road and Harford Road in Carney, Maryland. The co-conspirator was driving behind the stolen vehicle and was stopped by officers and arrested. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the car and found a black replica handgun, several black gloves, black zip ties, and a yellow reflective vest.
Investigators continued following the stolen vehicle, which was being driving by Berry. Berry abandoned the car and fled on foot. Investigators found Berry walking along Harford Road soon afterward. It was dark, cold, and snowing, yet Berry was wearing very little clothing. Given the hour and the weather, Berry was the only person walking in the area. He showed investigators the call log on his phone, which revealed several recent completed and missed calls to the co-conspirator’s number, After waiving his Miranda rights, Berry told officers that he saw the stolen car earlier that morning and wanted to take it for a joy ride.
Berry’s phone was seized. A search warrant executed on the device recovered photos of Berry holding large amounts of cash that were taken on the morning of the first robbery. A search warrant executed on the co-conspirator’s phone recovered a picture of a vehicle similar to the vehicle stolen from the employee in the second robbery. Metadata revealed that the picture first appeared on the co-conspirator’s phone after the robbery.
Berry admitted that he committed the December 13, 2019 robbery of the victim restaurant. Berry also agreed that he took money from the victims, against the victims’ wills, by using actual or threatened force, violence, or fear of injury.
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 FBI, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon K. Moore, who is prosecuting 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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Amherst Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Gary Todd Baker, 52, of Amherst, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that on March 4, 2020, the defendant was convicted in Erie County Court of possession of a sexual performance by a child under the age of 16. Baker was designated a level-2 sex offender, and sentenced to 10 years’ probation.
On March 12, 2020, eight days into his probation term, Erie County Probation Officers conducting a routine check discovered that the defendant possessed an internet-capable cellular device, as well as empty boxes of printer ink and paper. After questioning Baker, Probation Officers located a bag containing numerous torn-up printed images. Members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force reassembled several of the images and confirmed that they depicted child pornography. The defendant was subsequently arrested on May 28, 2020. At the time of his arrest, Baker was found to be in possession of hundreds of additional images of child pornography.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Erie County Probation Department, under the direction of Commissioner Brian McLaughlin; and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Stauffiger.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2022, before Judge Sinatra.
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40 Charged with Gun, Drug Crimes in LubbockRead the Press Release
Forty defendants – including 15 arrested in Wednesday’s “Operation Taste the Rainbow” in Lubbock – have been charged with gun and drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah.
The men and women, all allegedly tied to methamphetamine trafficking in and around Lubbock, have been charged in a series of three indictments with an array of federal crimes, primarily distribution of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of firearms, and conspiracy. They began making their initial appearances in federal court on Friday morning.
In bringing these charges, the United States Attorney’s Office focused on bringing to justice Lubbock’s most violent recidivists. Between them, the 40 defendants have been previously charged with 32 assaults, nine burglaries, three robberies, a murder, 24 firearm crimes, 69 serious controlled substance violations, three terroristic threats, a forgery, 12 frauds, and a child sexual assault.
In an effort to keep the community safe, FBI’s Dallas Field Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and their federal, state, and local law enforcement partners deployed nearly 200 personnel to execute Wednesday’s operation, which resulted in the arrest of 15 defendants. Meanwhile, agents served federal arrest warrants on an additional 20 defendants already behind bars. The remaining five defendants charged remain fugitives. Members of the public are encouraged to contact law enforcement at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) with tips.
Fugitives include:
• Oscar Alcala Jr. (believed to be in Lorenzo)
• Alexandra Cruz (believed to be in Lorenzo)
• Bobby Joe “Ace” Garcia (believed to be in Lubbock)
• Christopher Eldon “Skittles” Limbaugh (believed to be in Littlefield)
• Christopher Joshua Ruiz (believed to be in Lubbock)
Those arrested Wednesday morning include:
• Alexandria Unique Conner
• Kelsey Marie Applegate
• Ruby Alexis Banuelos
• David Bustos, Jr.
• Teresa Delhierro
• Sergio Lopez
• Christopher Ray Lovington
• Madison Whitney Michaels
• Katie Dshawn Montez
• Stephanie Shea Ortiz
• Adriana Pena
• Julie Ann “Juicy” Sifuentes (arrested in San Antonio)
• Colten Shane White
• Toby Mack Woods
• Michael Joseph Ybarra
Those served with federal warrants while already in custody include:
• Mark Adam “Cinco” Alonzo
• Beatrice Delgado
• Yesenia Flores
• Christopher Daniel Garcia
• James Raul Garza
• Austin Tyler Grant
• Megan Francisca Gomez
• Bobbi Jean Hendrix
• Isaac Levi Hernandez
• Jesse “J.J.” Martinez, Jr.
• Robert Rangel, Jr.
• Symon Anthony Maldonado
• Alejandro Antonio “Ace” Mendez
• Gabriel Lee Mendoza
• Megan Francisca Gomez
• Daniel Ramon, Jr.
• Edilberto “Bird” Reyes
• Samantha Denise Rodriguez
• Jessie Luciano “Lucky” Salazar
• Gerald Felipe “Gizmo” Vargas
“This was a victory for the rule of law in Lubbock. Dozens of criminals, and their guns, and their drugs were removed from the streets in a matter of hours, and the community is safer because of that,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah. “We zeroed in on the men and women who are driving up the city’s crime rates – the ones that are most responsible for the uptick in violent crime. Federal authorities are committed to partnering with state and local law enforcement to remove the worst criminal elements from this community, and we don’t plan to rest until we’re done.”
“The FBI’s criminal investigative focus is on targeting the overall leadership of gangs and criminal enterprises that drive violence in American communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “Through our law enforcement partnerships and task forces we’re sending a loud and clear message to violent criminals that we will deploy our collective strength to ensure the safety and security of our neighborhoods and communities. In today’s world, the threats we face are too diverse, too dangerous, and too all-encompassing for any of us to tackle alone.”
“This is an excellent example of a law enforcement officer's daily commitment to fulfill their sacred duty of serving and protecting. The Texas Department of Public Safety values the importance of the teamwork displayed during this successful operation with our city, county, and federal partners in achieving the common objective of providing safer communities for the citizens of the great State of Texas,” said Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Director Joe Longway.
Indictments are merely allegations of wrongdoing, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, many of these defendants would face decades-long sentences.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with the help of six agency partners: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Lubbock Police Department, the U.S. Marshals, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting the case.
9 September 2021
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Charges of Civil Disorder and Possession of an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today to civil disorder and possession of three Molotov cocktails during a demonstration in the City of Worcester over the death of George Floyd.
Vincent Eovacious, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of civil disorder and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2022. Eovacious was indicted in October 2020.
On June 1, 2020, crowds gathered at various locations in Worcester to protest the death of George Floyd, including South Main Street. At approximately 10:00 p.m., a large crowd blocked traffic and began throwing objects in the direction of the police. As officers on scene gathered into a line formation, one officer observed a man dressed in a trench coat standing on top of a building at 848 Main Street which is clearly marked, “No Trespassing.” The man, later identified as Eovacious, paced back and forth on the rooftop. The officer then observed Eovacious remove a bottle from his satchel that appeared to contain liquid and attempt to insert a rag into the bottle while holding a silver object that the officer believed to be a lighter. Minutes later, officers observed Eovacious walking in the area of May and Main Streets, still carrying the satchel, and stopped him. They searched the satchel and recovered three clear glass bottles with a slightly yellow liquid that smelled of gasoline, five white rags, one green lighter and one silver lighter. Eovacious stated that the liquid in the glass bottles was gasoline and that he was “with the anarchist group” and was “waiting for an opportunity.”
The charge of civil disorder provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine $250,000. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Woolwich Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Woolwich man pleaded guilty today in federal court to possessing images of child exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
According to court records, on June 18, 2020, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at the residence of Clifton Given, 32. In an interview with investigators, Given admitted to using his cell phone to view images of children engaged in sex. Investigators later found several images and videos on his cell phone depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Given faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Woodbury County Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on September 8, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Fabian Alcaraz-Santillan, 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Alcaraz-Santillan admitted that from August 2020 through September 11, 2020, he and others conspired to distribute more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Alcaraz-Santillan received multiple packages of methamphetamine from Mexico with the intent for further distribution.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Alcaraz-Santillan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Alcaraz-Santillan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and five 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 Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4090. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Windham Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Taiwanese Exchange StudentsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Windham woman was sentenced today in federal court for two counts of wire fraud stemming from her scheme to defraud Taiwanese exchange students studying in Maine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Ni Ni Chang, 51, to five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $65,524.94 in restitution to the victims. She waived indictment and pleaded guilty on January 14, 2021.
According to court records, between September 2016 and December 2019, Chang hosted two Taiwanese exchange students seeking to study abroad in Maine at the University of Southern Maine and Windham Christian Academy. Prior to and after their arrival, Chang falsely represented the cost of tuition and other educational expenses to the families of these students and pocketed the difference between the actual costs and the wrongfully inflated costs. At sentencing, she acknowledged that her actions had been driven by greed.
Both victims attended the sentencing proceeding remotely from Taiwan, and one of the victims addressed the Court during the Zoom proceeding, expressing her gratitude to the American judicial system for helping her family obtain justice.
Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated the case.
Wichita Businessman Faces 19 Counts of COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita indicted a Kansas man on charges he defrauded federal, state, and local agencies of more than $450,000 in COVID-19 business recovery funds.
According to court documents, Michael Capps, 43, of Wichita is the owner and/or majority owner of Midwest Business Groups, LLC and Krivacy, LLC. Court documents also indicate he is a member of the Fourth and Long Foundation. Capps is accused of submitting false and fraudulent documents on behalf of the companies to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), as well as to the Kansas Department of Commerce for Small Business Working Capital grants, and to Sedgwick County for a Sedgwick County Cares grant.
Capps also allegedly sent false and fraudulent documents to Emprise Bank to receive a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan.
The indictment filed against Capps charges him with:
• one count of making false statement to a bank for a PPP loan, • one count of bank fraud in connection with a PPP loan, • three counts of false statement to the SBA for EIDL loans, • three counts of wire fraud in connection with EIDL loans from the SBA, • two counts of wire fraud in connection with grants from the Kansas Department of Commerce, • one count of wire fraud in connection with a grant from Sedgwick County, and
• eight counts of money laundering.The investigating agencies are the FBI and investigators from the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger 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.
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Violent Neighborhood Gang Known as “the Hazelwood Mob” DismantledRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has returned two separate, but related, Indictments following a four-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking and violence in and around the Hazelwood neighborhood in Pittsburgh. The Indictments charge 25 residents of Western Pennsylvania with narcotics trafficking and firearms violations, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman said, “Years ago Hazelwood thrived along with the steel industry. But with its fortunes tied to the steel industry, it also underwent a decline. Now is it being revitalized, and incapacitating the Hazelwood Mob will lead to a safer community.”
“The Hazelwood Mob has terrorized this neighborhood and is responsible for the increase of violent crime to include murder, retaliatory shootings and illegal drug distribution,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “This investigation is another example of the commitment by the FBI and our Safe Streets program to work with our law enforcement partners to rid our neighborhoods of these violent street gangs.”
“I am grateful for the consistent cooperation, intelligence-gathering, and information-sharing between our local, state, and federal partners so that once again, we can witness the results of those collaborative efforts, which is to bring those responsible for crimes to justice,” said Wendell Hissrich, Public Safety Director, City of Pittsburgh.
The first Indictment, returned on August 31 unsealed today, names the following 24 individuals as defendants in a conspiracy to distribute drugs: • Joshua Yarbough, 36, of Hazelwood
• Asia Andrews, 26, of McKees Rocks
• Justin Bailey, 34, of Braddock
• James Correll, 30, of Hazelwood
• Javon Grant, 20, of Hazelwood
• Gregory Griffin, 45, of Mount Oliver
• Neil Harris, 36, of Hazelwood
• Jasson Hart, 19, of Hazelwood
• Vernessa Hines, 37, of Hazelwood
• Taemon Johnson, 20, of Hazelwood
• Otis Mickens, 42, of Arlington
• Delrico Shields, 25, of Hazelwood
• Steve Smith, 30, of Hazelwood
• Cameron Snow, 23, of Hazelwood
• Aronde Stamps-Howard, 21, of Hazelwood
• Rich Stanford, 57, of Pittsburgh
• Ronald Stanford, 34, of McKeesport
• Lawrence Strothers, Sr., 38, of Hazelwood
• Michael Strothers, Jr., 25, of Hazelwood
• Michael Strothers, Sr., 48, of Hazelwood
• Moniem Strothers, 22, of Hazelwood
• William Thomas, 43, of Pittsburgh’s Hill District
• Dorian Wood, 40, of Clairton
• Jemeal Youngblood, 24, of Sheraden/HazelwoodThe named conspirators include leaders, members, drug suppliers, and associates of a violent neighborhood gang known as the “Hazelwood Mob” or the “Down Low Gang” based out of the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The Indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, 280 grams of crack cocaine, and quantities of heroin and fluorofentanyl from August 2019 through August 2021. The Indictment further alleges individual drug trafficking charges against Joshua Yarbough, Asia Andrews, Taemon Johnson, Lawrence Strothers, Sr., and Jemeal Youngblood. The Indictment also includes the allegation that Joshua Yarbough discharged a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in connection with a shooting that occurred on June 13, 2021 and that he possessed ammunition after having been convicted of several crimes punishable by more than a year in prison. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The second Indictment, returned on August 31 and unsealed today, charges Kodi Downing, 33, of Swissvale, Pennsylvania, with one count of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison.
For all defendants charged in the first Indictment, the law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, or both. As to Kodi Downing, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Munhall Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and Whitehall Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Vernon Man Involved in Firearm Burglary of Stafford Pawn Shop is SentencedRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAMIEN GARCIA, 34, of Vernon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to five years of probation for a firearm offense stemming from a Stafford pawn shop robbery in 2019.
Garcia also has pleaded guilty to related charges in state court, where he faces a 66-month sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 15, 2019, the Connecticut State Police received a report that the Simon Says Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee in Stafford, had been burglarized the previous evening and that several firearms had been stolen. Investigators subsequently determined that seven handguns were missing from the store. On September 17, Vernon Police developed information that Garcia was involved in the burglary and was in possession of a firearm. That evening, after officers approached Garcia and his associate, Lawrence McEwen, on West Main Street in Vernon, Garcia and McEwen attempted to flee before. After both were apprehended, officers recovered a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol that McEwen discarded as he ran away. The firearm was one of the seven stolen from the Simon Says Pawn Shop on September 14.
The investigation revealed that Garcia sold the other stolen firearms to three separate drug dealers in Hartford in exchange for drugs and cash.
Garcia has been detained since his federal arrest on September 23, 2019. On December 9, 2020, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On May 12, 2021, McEwen, of Vernon, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut State Police, Vernon Police Department and Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.
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.
U.S. Attorney Kennedy Announces Results of VIPER InitiativeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today the results of the first 60-days of the federal Violence Prevention and Elimination Response (VIPER) Initiative, which sought to address the dramatic increase in gun violence in the City of Buffalo during the first half of 2021.
The initial 60-day period of VIPER covered the time period between July 7 and September 7, 2021. Following the implementation of VIPER, the homicide rate in the City of Buffalo decreased by over 50%. In addition, in the first four months of 2021, the number of shooting victims in Buffalo was up 100% compared to the five-year average for those same months. Following the implementation of VIPER in 2021, shooting victims in Buffalo are down 6% compared to the five-year average for those same months.
VIPER achieved its ultimate objective of saving lives by focusing on four primary objectives:
1. Enhanced Targeted Enforcement - Using every tool that we have to get all levels of law enforcement to work together to get violent gun offenders off of our streets and locked-up in jail where they belong. Fishing with a spear, not a net.
2. Enhanced Federal Prosecutions - Prioritizing the arrest and federal prosecution of: • Prohibited persons who possess firearms and ammunition; • Individuals who unlawfully buy, sell, or traffic (or attempt illegally to buy, sell or traffic) guns; and
• Violent criminals and drug dealers who illegally possess firearms in furtherance of their unlawful activities.3. Enhanced Cooperation and Use of Intelligence-led Policing - All Buffalo gun arrests were subject to daily, real-time review by both state and federal prosecutors.
• Layered over this aggressive reactive process, however, was a proactive collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement to decide who poses the greatest risk to public safety in our community.
• In addition, all levels of law enforcement in and around Buffalo, led by the USMS Fugitive Task Force, was extremely proactive in arresting fugitives from justice who had active arrest warrants for gun crimes or crimes of violence.4. Enhanced Community Engagement - As noted at outset in announcing the formation of VIPER, the increase in violence experienced over the last 18 months or so coincided with the deterioration of police and community relations. All partners have worked hard over these last 60 days through enhanced community policing and engagement efforts, to help improve the relationship between the police and the community.
During VIPER, 144 firearms arrests were made, 44 are pending federal prosecution, while 96 are pending state prosecution. The VIPER Task Force also seized 122 firearms, taking them out of the hands of those who would commit acts of violence.
“Just a few days before VIPER began, on July 5th, Shaquelle Walker Jr., a three-year-old boy was shot in Buffalo and later died of his wounds,” noted U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “His nickname was Quell, and one meaning of that word is ‘to put an end to.’ In honor of that three-year-old, every level of federal, state, and local law enforcement in this District joined forces, through VIPER, in furtherance of our shared objective of beginning to quell the violence in Buffalo. Those efforts have worked and produced some pretty impressive results. But we still have more work to do, and for that reason, I am announcing today that the VIPER initiative here in Buffalo will be extended and continued through the end of October. That means that those of us in law enforcement will continue our proactive efforts to get violent criminals off of our streets. Importantly, and as part of our effort, I am also calling on all members of our community not only to continue—but to expand—their support and participation in our effort. Together we have made great progress over these last 60 days, as violent criminals are starting to realize that they will be held accountable for their actions, and that their adversary is not just law enforcement police but every law-abiding man, woman, and child in our community.”
“The VIPER Task Force was a collaborative response to the surge in gun violence affecting communities in Western New York. I anticipated there would be additional increase in shootings as more incidents typically occur during the summer months. I believe this multi-agency initiative, along with our efforts to re-engage and improve relations with our community, has made a positive impact as the number of shootings did decrease in the City of Buffalo during this time period. The results of this task force show our commitment to preventing further violence by removing illegal guns and narcotics from our streets. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their hard work over the past two months and their continued dedication to keeping our neighborhoods safe,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
“Over the past year, firearms-involved violent crimes in Buffalo have surged dramatically and the effects have been diverse, dangerous, and far-reaching," said Stephen Belongia, special-agent-in-charge of the FBI Buffalo Field Office. "Families, friends, and neighbors have witnessed the work of callous criminals who pull triggers for a living and are not bothered by the fragments left behind--the splintered remnants of the lives that could have been. This unrelenting crime problem never slows down and demands that we tackle it together. From the onset of the VIPER initiative, it has been our collective responsibility and goal to save lives. And over the last eight weeks we have saved lives. The statistics reflect our successes. Our strategy is defined by a valued team approach and includes a sustained, systematic, and coordinated push across all law enforcement agencies. Today, we stay committed. We will continue this battle against violence. We stand with the community and promise to maintain our efforts to make Buffalo a safer place where Buffalonians and can live, work, and enjoy lives not tethered by crime.”
“Gun violence is an epidemic that is taking a devastating physical and emotional toll on the streets of our communities across the country,” stated John B. DeVito, ATF Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division. “But as this VIPER effort demonstrates, when all levels of law enforcement come together and work collaboratively, sharing information and resources, guns and the criminals terrible committing acts of violence with them, can be removed from our neighborhoods, greatly improving the quality of life for citizens living in those neighborhoods.”
“As stated at the creation of this initiative, HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to curbing gun violence in Western New York,” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino said. “Albeit the efforts taken thus far are noteworthy, we remain cognizant of the work that still needs to be done.”
“Law enforcement’s job is to increase public safety, health, and save lives,” said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan. “The VIPER Task Force has proven effective in taking guns off the streets which safeguards our communities. I commend the members of the Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York for their diligent efforts.”
“These results demonstrate how law enforcement agencies work to solve community problems,” stated Sheriff Timothy B. Howard. “The agencies were focused on getting criminals and illegally possessed weapons off the streets. Our collected efforts show in the numbers, and the people of our community should feel good about the VIPER Task Force’s work. This effort provided some momentum and, together, we can continue to removed criminals and illegally possessed weapons.”
Members of the Federal Violence Prevention and Elimination Response Task Force include the United States Attorney’s Office, under the direction U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr.; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the United States Marshals Service for the Western District of New York, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Two Nevada Men Charged with Defrauding Victims Out of $3.3 Million in Home Rental SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Two Las Vegas residents — Norbert Ozemena Ikwuegbundo (28) and Omniyi Jonathan Omotere (35), both citizens of Nigeria — have been indicted for defrauding people seeking to rent houses out of $3.3 million, through a scheme that involved using multiple false identities and counterfeit drivers’ licenses.
According to allegations in court documents, from about March 2018 until about September 2019, Ikwuegbundo, Omotere, and others engaged in the following fraudulent scheme:
- The defendants assumed the identities of homeowners who were advertising on websites to rent their properties.
- They posted imposter rental advertisements online at reduced rent prices, using the names and personal identifiers of true homeowners — but changing the contact information to email addresses and phone numbers controlled by the defendants.
- Using wire transmission instructions provided by the defendants through emails and text messages, prospective renters wired money for first and last month’s rent (and security deposits) to commercial businesses that provide wire transfer services to their customers.
- The defendants used various lulling techniques, such as sending false rental agreements for victims to sign, so that they would have more time to pick up the wired money.
- The defendants laundered proceeds from the scheme by using some of the stolen money to buy cars at auction.
Ikwuegbundo and Omotere are both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition, Omotere is charged with one count of wire fraud, while Ikwuegbundo is charged with two counts of wire fraud, one count of possessing equipment used to make counterfeit drivers’ licenses, one count of concealment money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Ikwuebundo made his initial court appearance on August 11, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah. Omotere made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe. A jury trial has been scheduled for October 18, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. If convicted, Ikwuegbundo faces a statutory maximum penalty of 97 years in prison; and Omotere faces a statutory maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Francisco Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Special Agent in Charge Charles R. Beckmeyer of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by HSI and DSS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly M. Frayn is prosecuting the case.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Charleston Men Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two Charleston men were sentenced today to prison for federal drug crimes. Darius Coles, 23, and Joshua Lawson, 31, were sentenced to 78 and 60 months in prison respectively.
According to court documents, Coles previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that he met a confidential informant at the Go-Mart near Bigley Avenue in Charleston to collect $1,200 for an outstanding drug debt on January 27, 2021. Coles collected the $1,200 and fronted the confidential informant an additional amount of methamphetamine to be paid for later.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Lawson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and admitted that after he left a meeting with his methamphetamine source of supply on December 27, 2020, officers with the Charleston Police Department conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle in the 600 block of Ruffner Avenue. An officer performed a pat down of Lawson and found an ounce of methamphetamine hidden in his groin area. Lawson admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman handled the prosecutions.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.
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