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Friday 9 July 2021
Former middle school health aide charged with possession and distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Aaron Leon Happy, 40, of Shiprock, New Mexico, was arraigned in federal court on July 8 on an indictment charging him with possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and transfer of obscene materials to minors.
According to the indictment and other court records, Happy allegedly committed these offenses while employed as a Health Aide with the Central Consolidated School District in Newcomb, New Mexico. On Dec. 15, 2020, the FBI executed a search warrant on Happy’s person, office, and residence. Investigators allegedly found child pornography on one of Happy’s cellular telephones. The investigation revealed that Happy allegedly distributed adult pornography to a student at the middle school and child pornography to another individual using the Facebook messenger application.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Happy faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Albuquerque’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the FBI Gallup Resident Agency, the FBI Denver - Durango Resident Agency, the San Juan County (New Mexico) Sheriff’s Office, the Cortez (Colorado) Police Department and the Montezuma County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti is prosecuting the case.
Former Office Administrator Facing Federal Charges for Defrauding Her Employer of More Than $700,000, for Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security Disability Payments, and for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Linda Pylant, age 57, of Grasonville, Maryland, for the federal charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, social security fraud, and tax evasion. The indictment was returned on May 19, 2021 and unsealed today upon Pylant’s arrest and initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), Philadelphia Field Division and Acting Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the eight-count indictment, from 2012 to July 2020, Pylant worked as an office administrator at a trade association, where she was responsible for bookkeeping, making check deposits, and other accounting duties, among other things. The indictment alleges that from 2017 until 2020, Pylant obtained money intended for her employer, which she diverted for her own financial benefit.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that in October 2017, Pylant opened a bank account purportedly for her employer, without the employer’s knowledge or consent. Pylant allegedly caused over $700,000 worth of checks intended for her employer to be deposited into the fraudulently opened account. The indictment alleges that Pylant was the sole signatory on the bank account and hid its existence from her employer by causing bank statements to be mailed to Pylant’s home address. According to the indictment, Pylant used more than $75,000 of the diverted funds at a local bingo hall, spent over $100,000 for retail shopping, dining, and grocery expenditures, and withdrew more than $200,000 in cash.
The indictment further alleges that in August 2015, Pylant applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) falsely stating that she was disabled and unable to work, even though she continued to work and earn income from her employment as administrator at the trade association. As detailed in the indictment, after the Social Security Administration approved her SSDI application, Pylant continued to work for her employer and since 2018 received and spent more than $125,000 in SSDI benefit payments to which she was not entitled.
According to the indictment, from November 2014 until July 2020, Pylant evaded reporting her taxable income by causing her employer to pay her through a non-existent entity, LPSR Inc. The indictment alleges that Pylant did not register LPSR with the State of Maryland nor the Internal Revenue Service, and caused her employer to fail to issue a 1099 IRS reporting form for LPSR. As detailed in the indictment, Pylant allegedly caused her employer to pay LPSR more than $100,000, which was not reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Pylant also allegedly made false statements to the SSA concerning her income and employment, including that her employment with the trade association had ended in May 2014. The indictment alleges that in February 2016, Pylant filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy, which failed to list her taxable income from her employer. On March 14, 2016, Pylant allegedly made false statements in connection with her bankruptcy petition, claiming that she was disabled, had zero earned income, was not required to file any tax returns, and that her employment status had not changed since February 2016.
If convicted, Pylant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of five counts of wire fraud; a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft; and a maximum of five years in federal prison for social security fraud and for tax evasion. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI, the SSA OIG, and the IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davio, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Leader of Latin Kings Department of Correction Chapter Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Leader of the Massachusetts Department of Correction Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday on racketeering charges.
Frutuoso Barros, a/k/a “King Fruity,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 126 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Feb. 17, 2021, Barros pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
In February 2020, Barros and other gang members conspired to murder two members of the Latin Kings active in the area of Lynn, Mass., who were believed to be “renegade” and not following directives issued by the gang’s national leadership in Chicago. In 2015, Barros was convicted in Essex County Superior Court for these crimes and sentenced to state prison. While he was substantively convicted in state court for those offenses, Barros committed these crimes in furtherance of the Latin Kings racketeering enterprise.
As detailed in court filings, the Latin Kings bring disputes and related gang violence into jails and prisons where members are incarcerated. Once in state prison, Barros’s membership in the Latin Kings continued and he took the position as Inca, or Leader, of the Latin Kings within the Massachusetts Department of Correction (MA DOC) system. In this role, Barros coordinated the operations of the Latin Kings inside MA DOC, including issuing directives of violence against individuals serving sentences and coordinating the violence that the gang committed inside of the MA DOC facilities. As part of his leadership role, Barros received information concerning the identities of those targeted for violence in the jails and prisons, locations of the targets and of incarcerated Latin Kings members, the standing of certain individuals with the gang and the status of disputes and alliances with other gangs both inside and outside of the prison system.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Barros is the 35th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Charlotte Man of Armed Robbery, Attempted Armed Robbery, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte returned a guilty verdict late yesterday against Ron McQuay Garland, 38, of Charlotte, for his role in a string of armed robberies and attempted armed robberies, and related firearms offenses, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell presided over the three-day trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer is joined in making today’s announcement by Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to filed court documents, witness testimony and evidence presented at trial, on August 19, 2019, Garland, robbed at gunpoint a Zaxby’s fast food restaurant, located at 8905 Albemarle Road in Charlotte. Garland entered the restaurant while brandishing a black semiautomatic pistol at the employees. Garland ordered an employee to open the cash register and took approximately $1,000 in cash. Garland subsequently fled the scene with a co-defendant. According to trial evidence, on September 21, 2019, Garland robbed a Family Dollar store located at 4130 Rozzelles Ferry Road, in Charlotte. As witnesses testified, Garland entered the store and brandished a handgun at a store employee. Garland then forced the employee to open the register and Garland stole approximately more than $1,000 before fleeing.
According to court documents and trial evidence, Garland also attempted to rob two other Charlotte area businesses. On August 21, 2019, Garland attempted to rob an Arby’s fast food restaurant, located at 2501 Little Rock Road in Charlotte. Garland entered the restaurant, pointed a handgun at the employees and demanded money from the cash register. Garland was unable to open the register but took an employee’s cell phone before fleeing the scene with a co-defendant. On February 11, 2020, Garland also attempted to rob a Jack-in-the-Box restaurant, located at 10121 North Tryon Street in Charlotte. Garland pointed a firearm at an employee who was taking out the trash and attempted to enter the restaurant, first through the back door and then through the front door but was ultimately unsuccessful. Garland stole a wallet from a customer in the parking lot after eventually abandoning the attempted robbery. Garland fled the scene with a co-defendant and was apprehended early the next morning by the FBI and CMPD.
The jury convicted Garland of two counts of robbery of a business affecting interstate commerce, or “Hobbs Act” Robbery, and two counts of attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, for which the maximum prison term is 20 years per count; two counts of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, per count; and one count of felon in possession of a firearm which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
Garland’s co-defendant, Chan Tate, previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting three counts of Hobbs Act or attempted Hobbs Act Robbery and is currently awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was handled by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and CMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Taylor Stout of the of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Weapon ChargeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Jorge Amador, a federal inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at McDowell, pleaded guilty today to possessing a handcrafted weapon, commonly known as a “shank.”
According to court documents, on August 13, 2020, Amador possessed a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank.” During a search of Amador, a staff member from FCI McDowell found the shank, which was a piece of metal approximately 7 ½ inches in length, sharpened to a point at one end, with thread tied around the other end to form a handle. Amador admitted to staff members that he did possess the handcrafted weapon. Amador also admitted that the shank was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
Amador faces up to five years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence he is now serving, when he is sentenced on October 25, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing.
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. 1:21-cr-00082.
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Ex-Attorney Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A former Lynchburg attorney, who specialized in elder law and estate planning, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and making false statements.
According to court documents, Cherie Anne Washburn, 45, engaged in a scheme to defraud and obtain money or property by fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises from elderly victims C.A. and D.F. Washburn is alleged to have used the ill-gotten monies to enrich herself, including purchasing real estate and making donations to charities.
“This defendant held herself out as an attorney specializing in helping elderly clients. Instead, when hired by the victims in this case, she exploited the trust that was placed in her to use her clients’ money as her own and caused great harm to her victims,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said today. “The United States Attorney’s Office, FBI, and our partners at the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate and prosecute elder fraud as a top priority.”
“I am grateful to the U. S. Attorney’s Office who so willing offered to combine our efforts and resources for this case,” said Bethany Harrison, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Lynchburg. “The coordinated response to investigate Washburn’s financial exploitation of her former clients involved many agencies such as Adult Protective Services, the Lynchburg Police Department, and the FBI. The public can have confidence in our ability to work together to expose abuses of positions of power and trust as shown through this successful prosecution.”
In 2015 and 2016, a senior care management service company referred victims C.A. and D.F. to Washburn for the purpose of obtaining elder legal services. Washburn subsequently entered separate Power of Attorney (POA) agreements with both victims. Under the terms of both POAs, Washburn was entitled to reasonable compensation and reimbursement for reasonable expenses for services rendered but could not use the personal property of the client to benefit the attorney.
Despite the agreements, Washburn wrote multiple checks and made wire transfers from victim C.A. and victim D.F.’s accounts to herself for personal benefit. These checks and transfers ranged in value from $3,025 to $45,000. Additionally, in 2017, Washburn attempted to improperly make herself the beneficiary of two investment accounts held by C.A.. At the time, these accounts had a combined approximate value of $288,000.
In April 2018, Washburn entered into an agreement to purchase a residence in Lynchburg, Va., for approximately $219,000 using monies belonging to victim C.A. and a mortgage lender. In order to complete the purchase, on or about April 22, 2018, Washburn submitted a letter to Quicken Loans falsely stating that Washburn was victim C.A.’s great-niece and that C.A. provided Washburn with a gift of $40,000 for the purchase of the residence. The next day Washburn deposited $45,000 from victim C.A.’s SunTrust Account to Washburn’s Wells Fargo account.
Washburn pleaded guilty to two count of wire frauds and one count of making a false statement to a mortgage lender. At sentencing, Washburn faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lynchburg City Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Baudinet, Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison, and Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar are prosecuting the case.
Eight Individuals Charged in Nationwide Methamphetamine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Eight individuals were charged and arrested yesterday in connection with a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring operating between California and New England. Investigators seized approximately 152 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and package seizures.
The following individuals were indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine:
- Reshat Alkayisi, 60, a Turkish national residing in Coventry, R.I.;
- Brian Keleman, 52, of Woonsocket, R.I.;
- Robyn Costa, 35, of Whitman, Mass.;
- Eric Daneault, 45, of Manchester, N.H.:
- Andre Watson, 45, of Nashua, N.H.;
- Emil Dzabiev, 40, of Scarborough, Maine; and
- Edison Klotz 40, of Stoughton, Mass.
Klotz is also charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine - aiding and abetting, and Costa is also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking.
Patrick O’Hearn, 61, of Braintree, Mass., was charged separately by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
“Traffickers are bringing massive shipments of methamphetamine to New England, and that creates a new and especially dangerous threat,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “Meth is exceptionally destructive, and the people selling it here should see this prosecution as a warning: we are on to you, we are going to prosecute you, and you will go to federal prison. My office and our law enforcement partners cracked this case, but this is only the beginning.”
“Today we arrested members of a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking organization who lined their pockets by poisoning our communities, capitalizing on the misery of others. We have taken at least 152 pounds of methamphetamine off the street, which is a record amount for this region, and seized numerous firearms,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This investigation is just one example of the Boston OCDETF Strike Force’s coordinated efforts to disrupt those who traffic in violence, addiction, and death. We simply will not stand idly by and watch our neighborhoods degrade due to daily drug dealing and the violence it brings.”
“As methamphetamine seizures are on the rise, DEA stands committed to keeping this highly addictive drug out of New England,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office. “DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.”
As alleged in the charging documents, in approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, investigators identified Alkayisi as a methamphetamine trafficker, who distributes multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Between February and April 2021, the investigators conducted three controlled purchases of suspected methamphetamine—two directly from Alkayisi and one that was negotiated with Alkayisi and delivered by Keleman. Intercepted electronic communications identified regular methamphetamine customers of Alkayisi, including Costa, Daneault, Watson, Dzabiev and O’Hearn. It is alleged that O’Hearn assists Alkayisi in storing methamphetamine and drug proceeds.
On June 1, 2021, investigators seized four packages containing a total of approximately 100 pounds of suspected methamphetamine from Keleman that he allegedly picked up on behalf of Alkayisi from a UPS store in Rhode Island. According to court filings, investigators seized approximately 152 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and package seizures.
During a search of Alkayisi’s residence in Rhode Island yesterday, investigators seized an AK-47 assault rifle, a handgun and ammunition, over $23,000 case and multiple controlled substances, including suspected methamphetamine.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine each provide for a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to 40 in prison, four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $ 5 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking provides for a mandatory sentence of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta and DEA Boston SAC Boyle made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Strike Force including the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and James Arnold of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
EDVA Launches “UnMasked” Initiative to Combat Online ExploitationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), announced today the launch of “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults.
“Online predators target some of the most vulnerable members of our society and can cause a devastating impact on our communities and loved ones,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh. “The first step to fighting back is awareness—educating our youth and parents with information on how to prevent these crimes from happening. UnMasked will help achieve these goals by establishing a community-based program that is designed to raise awareness and combat the often-hidden scourge of cyber abuse.”
UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders committed to raising awareness of threats and resources through education. The initiative provides a platform to educate middle school, high school, and college students, along with parents, teachers, and the broader community, about the potential dangers of the internet. UnMasked presentations will use real-life case examples of online sexual exploitation, as illustrated by law enforcement agents, prosecutors, and survivors of these crimes.
The program name, “UnMasked,” alludes to the often hidden and clandestine nature of online sexual exploitation. Not only are internet predators able to use online identities as a mask to lure in their victims, but those victims are often also “masked” as a result of the fear and stigma that can accompany cyber exploitation. This educational initiative seeks to address both sides of these issues to “unmask” and expose these invisible dangers. The program will also provide a safe environment and opportunity for students and adults to disclose if they have been victims of online exploitation.
The UnMasked initiative will involve educational presentations at schools, colleges, and universities throughout the Eastern District of Virginia. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. Participants and others in the audience will hear personal stories by real survivors, along with presentations from experts in the investigative, forensic, and mental health fields. These events, which are set to begin during the 2021–2022 school year, will include interactive components, as well as live and video testimonials from survivors cautioning students about the dangers of online communications. UnMasked will offer lessons learned, tips, and best practices on how to avoid being subjected to exploitation, as well as what to do if they or someone they know becomes a victim.
According to NCMEC, online exploitation exploded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as social isolation and online activity increased. NCMEC’s “CyberTipline” received more than 21.4 million reports of child sexual exploitation from electronic service providers in 2020, as well as over 303,000 reports of online sexual exploitation from the public. This represents a 27% annual increase in reporting from electronic service providers, as well as a more than doubling in reports from the public. According to NCMEC, online exploitation encompasses a broad range of offenses, including “online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.” Cyber exploitation often begins with perpetrators contacting potential victims through social media applications, video games, and websites, typically using false online profiles, and such conduct can involve both online sexual exploitation and in-person sexual abuse.
EDVA’s partners in this community-based initiative will include the Washington, D.C., Richmond, and Norfolk Field Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the U.S. Department of Defense’s Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington, D.C., and Norfolk Field Offices; and NCMEC, among other law enforcement, educational, and community organizations.
“In those unfortunate instances when these horrific crimes occur, EDVA will prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law, seek justice for all victims, and send a strong message to deter others from engaging in this reprehensible conduct,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Parekh.
To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. The CyberTipline is operated by NCMEC in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Des Moines Woman Sentenced to Prison for Providing Firearm to a FelonRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IOWA – On Thursday, July 8, 2021, a federal judge sentenced Mariah Lynn Cross, age 24, of Des Moines, to 12 months and one day in prison for providing a firearm to a felon and illegally possessing firearms as a drug user. Cross previously pleaded guilty to the charges.
At sentencing, United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger found Cross had illegally purchased three firearms by lying on the purchasing forms. All three of those firearms were recovered in the hands of prohibited persons, including felons, drugs users, and an individual subject to a domestic violence restraining order.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Des Moines Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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.
Defendant Pleads Guilty to 2011 MurderRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL CASTILLO, a/k/a “Squirrel,” pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court in connection with the March 10, 2011, murder of Hector Arias in the Bronx, New York. U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl accepted the defendant’s guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Today, Michael Castillo admitted that he shot and killed Hector Arias in 2011. This guilty plea shows that law enforcement will relentlessly seek justice for murder victims and their loved ones, regardless of the passage of time.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court:
CASTILLO was a member of a conspiracy to distribute marijuana centered near 193rd Street and Broadway in New York, New York. CASTILLO was hired by the leader of the conspiracy, David Espinal, a/k/a “D-Block,” to kill Hector Arias, the leader of a rival marijuana business operating in the same area. On March 10, 2011, CASTILLO shot and killed Arias outside Arias’s home at 712 East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx, New York. The murder plot arose out of the rivalry between the two marijuana businesses.
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CASTILLO, 38, pled guilty to one count of murder through the use of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(j), which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. The statutory maximum and minimum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
CASTILLO is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Koeltl on October 15, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
On or about December 8, 2020, CASTILLO’s codefendant, Espinal, pled guilty to conspiring to kill Arias, among other offenses. During his guilty plea, Espinal admitted to hiring a hitman to kill Arias.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Bagliebter, Maurene Comey, Peter Davis, Scott Hartman, Lindsey Keenan, and Jacqueline Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.
Darlington Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alan J. Liphart, 36, of Darlington, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 96 months in prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Liphart pleaded guilty to this charge on April 8, 2021.
On May 25, 2020, Liphart was taken into custody for violating a condition of his probation and a smart phone was seized. Officers analyzed the phone and found text messages between Liphart and a then-14-year-old child from approximately five years earlier. In one of the messages, he asked the victim to send a picture of their genitals and the victim complied. Text messages also showed the defendant then traveled to meet the minor and paid the minor to engage in sexual conduct.
Judge Conley noted that Liphart’s criminal history began when he was 15 years old and that he had a history of victimizing children dating back decades. Judge Conley was also concerned that Liphart did not take his sex offender treatment seriously and that until he did, he remained a danger to the community.
The charge against Liphart was the result of an investigation conducted by the Darlington Police Department, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, and Rock Island (Illinois) Police Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.
Dark Web User Known as “the Bull” Charged in Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal indictment and a criminal complaint charging APOSTOLOS TROVIAS, a/k/a “The Bull,” with securities fraud and money laundering in connection with his scheme to solicit and sell stock trading tips and pre-release earnings and deal information regarding public companies.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Today’s charges demonstrate our Office’s continuing commitment to stopping those who pursue and use inside information to gain an illegal edge in the stock market. As alleged, Apostolos Trovias attempted to hide his insider trading scheme behind anonymizing software, screennames, and bitcoin payments. The Indictment and Complaint unsealed today show that committing insider trading using new technologies still produces a decidedly traditional outcome: a criminal indictment.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Behind the veil of the Dark Web, using encrypted messaging applications and emails, Trovias created a business model in which he sold—for profit—proprietary information from other companies, stock trading tips, pre-release earnings, and other inside information, as we allege. The FBI operates within the Dark Web too, and as Trovias learned today, we don't stop enforcing the law just because you commit federal crimes from behind a router with your keyboard.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Since at least in or about December 2016, APOSTOLOS TROVIAS, who identifies himself by the pseudonym “The Bull,” has used websites on the Dark Web and encrypted messaging services to solicit and sell confidential, non-public information about publicly traded companies (“Inside Information”) to enrich himself. TROVIAS’s scheme consisted of multiple related efforts to obtain and monetize confidential nonpublic business information, including (1) the sale of misappropriated stock tips based on confidential customer trading information; (2) the sale of pre-release earnings reports and deal information misappropriated from publicly-traded companies; and (3) the attempted creation of an online marketplace to connect, for a commission, individuals misappropriating Inside Information to individuals willing to pay for and trade on Inside Information.
For example, between in or about December 2016, when he registered for a Dark Web site known as AlphaBay Market, and in or about July 2017, when AlphaBay ceased operations, TROVIAS offered for sale and sold stock tips that were based on non-public inside information about certain securities issuers and which could be purchased individually, or as weekly or monthly subscriptions.
At various times between in or about June 2017 and February 2020, TROVIAS sold Inside Information directly to purchasers, using encrypted messaging and email services to communicate about the sale, rather than exclusively through the marketplace features of the Dark Web forums. For instance, TROVIAS offered for sale and did sell, among other confidential information belonging to various securities issuers, for approximately $5,000 in Bitcoin, at least one pre-release earnings report misappropriated from a publicly-traded company.
In or about 2020, TROVIAS also took steps to design and build a website to facilitate the purchase and sale of material, non-public information for use in stock trading (the “Inside Information Auction Site”). TROVIAS planned to use the Inside Information Auction Site to enrich himself by charging membership fees and commissions from individuals using the Inside Information Auction Site to engage in the unlawful trade of Inside Information.
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TROVIAS, 30, of Athens, Greece, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of money laundering. The securities fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. The money laundering count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Ms. Strauss further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which today filed a parallel civil action, and the Internal Revenue Service for their cooperation and assistance in this investigation.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Podolsky and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the case.
The charges contained in the Indictment and Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Complaint, and the description of the Indictment and Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Dalton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dalton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to child sexual exploitation offenses.
James LaFrance, 65, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of children. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 19, 2021.
LaFrance admitted that on two separate occasions in 2018 and 2019, he encouraged a 16-year-old girl from Massachusetts, whom he had befriended on the internet, to engage in sexually explicit conduct during video chat sessions. LaFrance recorded the girl’s actions on his computer and provided specific directions as to what she was to do on camera. LaFrance engaged in virtually identical behavior toward a 16-year-old girl from Pennsylvania on two occasions in July 2019.
The charges of sexual exploitation of children each provide for a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and forfeiture. 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; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Dalton Police Chief Deanna Strout; Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King; and Newbury Police Chief John R. Lucey, Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Crimes Against Children Task Force Arrests 4 Individuals for Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico returned the following indictments, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Luis X. De Leon-Gonzalez was charged with Possession of Child Pornography and Receipt of Exploitation Material in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(a)(A) and (B) and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years of in prison for the receipt charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Alvarez is prosecuting the case. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Roberto Gonzalez-Medina was charged with violations Distribution and Possession of Child Exploitation Material in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(2)(A) (Distribution of; 2252 A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2) and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison if convicted of the Distribution charge. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Colon is the prosecutor assigned to the case. Homeland Security Investigations is the lead investigative agency.
Efrain Orama-Acevedo was charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2422(b), 2252 (a)(2); and 1470(b)(2) respectively. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the Coercion and Enticement Count. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Hernandez is prosecuting the case. The investigation was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also filed a criminal complaint against Emmanuel Romero De Jesus charging him with Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Production of Child Exploitation Material), Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Receipt of Child Sexual Exploitation Material, Transfer of Obscene Material and Interstate Threatening Communications in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251 (a), 2422(b), 2252(a)(2), 1470 and 875(d) respectively. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison for the Production of Child Exploitation Material Count. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon is prosecuting the case. The investigation was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Robbing Traveler at I-75 Rest AreaRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Florida man arrested following a high-speed chase along I-75 after he robbed a traveler at gunpoint was sentenced to federal prison for his crime.
James Clemente Holloway, 43, of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced to serve 80 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Holloway robbed a traveler at gunpoint at the southbound rest area at exit 79 on I-75 in Turner County, Georgia, on March 12, 2019. A BOLO was issued, and Valdosta Sheriff’s deputies pursued Holloway at speeds of 110 mph. Holloway changed lanes multiple times and deputies successfully deployed stop sticks, which caused Holloway’s tires to blow. Holloway was arrested without injury and found in possession of a Taurus .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol and the stolen cash. Holloway has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for felony grand theft auto, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, felony burglary, felony breaking and entering and felony probation violation.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Turner County Sheriff’s Office, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Deshawndo Dewight Williams, Jr., 27, of Texas City, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
Evidence presented in court revealed that on April 5, 2020, officers with the Lake Charles Police Department were dispatched to an apartment complex in connection with an ongoing domestic dispute involving a male, later identified as Williams, threatening a female with a rifle. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers located Williams and placed him into custody and located and seized the rifle. Their investigation revealed that Williams, who had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm, did in fact illegally possess the rifle.
Williams was previously convicted of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling (2015); and simple robbery (2016).
The ATF and Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
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Clay County Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice A 9-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual Activity and for Soliciting and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Videos over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announced today that Garrett Eric Weber (30, Green Cove Springs) has been arrested and indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to entice a 9-year-old child to engage in sexual activity, and for soliciting and distributing child sexual abuse videos using the internet. If convicted on all charges, Weber faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison, a $1 million fine, and a potential life term of supervised release. Weber was arrested on a federal warrant by the Green Cove Springs Police Department during a traffic stop on July 5, 2021. He was detained without bond on July 7, 2021.
According to court documents and evidence proffered at Weber’s detention hearing, in June 2020, Weber, using the name “BUBBLESXD_90,” uploaded an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child to a chat group on a popular social media application (app). Further investigation ultimately resulted in the identification of Weber.
Beginning in March 2021, an undercover FBI agent, posing as the parent of a young child, engaged in online conversation with Weber using the app. After some discussion and being told that the “child” was only nine years old, Weber offered to serve as the “child’s” trainer by engaging in sexual activity with the “child.” He requested that the “parent” take an explicit photo of the “child” for him, and he provided specific instructions on how to accomplish this through various means. On at least seven occasions, Weber sent the “parent” videos over the internet that depicted the sexual abuse of young children in an effort to demonstrate exactly how he planned to molest the “child.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Green Cove Springs Police Department, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Winnebago County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Milwaukee and Jacksonville, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ciudadano peruano sentenciado a 90 meses en prisión por conspirar para defraudar a miles de inmigrantes de habla hispanaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Un ciudadano peruano fue sentenciado a 90 meses en prisión por operar una serie de centros de llamadas en Perú que defraudaron a residentes estadounidenses de habla hispana, amenazándolos falsamente con arresto, deportación y otras consecuencias legales. En ese mismo caso, otros dos cómplices peruanos se declararon culpables y otros dos fueron extraditados al Distrito Sur de Florida para ser procesados por su papel en el plan.
Según documentos judiciales, Omar Cuzcano Marroquín, de 32 años, de Lima, Perú, fue sentenciado por conspirar para cometer fraude postal y fraude electrónico por medio de una serie de centros de llamadas peruanos que utilizaban declaraciones falsas y amenazas para obtener dinero de personas de habla hispana en todo Estados Unidos. Cuzcano y otros le dijeron falsamente a las víctimas que debían aceptar y pagar cursos de inglés y otros productos educativos y que si no lo hacían se pondrían en peligro legal.
Cuzcano admitió que él y sus empleados afirmaron falsamente ser abogados, funcionarios judiciales, agentes federales y representantes de un llamado “tribunal de delitos menores”, que no existe. Las personas que llamaban amenazaban a las víctimas con falsos procedimiento judiciales, marcas negativas en sus informes crediticios, encarcelamiento y consecuencias migratorias si no pagaban de inmediato los productos que supuestamente entregaron y las tarifas de liquidación. Entre abril de 2011 y julio de 2019 miles de víctimas estadounidenses realizaron pagos basados en llamadas de sus centros de llamadas. Cuzcano y sus cómplices acumularon millones de dólares de las víctimas.
“La Rama de Protección al Consumidor del Departamento de Justicia perseguirá y enjuiciará firmemente a los delincuentes transnacionales que defrauden a los consumidores estadounidenses vulnerables”, dijo Brian M. Boynton, Secretario Interino de Justicia Auxiliar. “Los acusados en este caso defraudaron descaradamente a personas recién inmigradas prometiéndoles productos gratuitos para mejorar su inglés. En realidad los acusados atarían a sus víctimas a una trampa de intimidación y miedo, que los dejaba mucho peor, con importantes pérdidas financieras y, muchas veces, cicatrices emocionales por estos crímenes. La sentencia de hoy demuestra que los acusados que se aprovechan de los consumidores estadounidenses desde otros países no quedan impunes”.
“La sentencia de hoy no sólo sirve como un castigo para este acusado, pero como aviso a otras personas que busquen aprovecharse de víctimas vulnerables en Estados Unidos”, dijo el Fiscal Federal Interino, Juan Antonio González, del Distrito Sur de Florida. “Sepan que el Departamento de Justicia y sus socios investigarán agresivamente dicha actividad criminal. Dondequiera que estén, los encontraremos y los haremos responsables”.
“En este esquema de telemarketing internacional, se usaron tácticas engañosas que provocan miedo para amenazar a miles de consumidores estadounidenses vulnerables para que compraran productos que no se iban a entregar, al pretender usar falsamente el sistema legal de Estados Unidos en su contra y coaccionarlos con millones de dólares”, dijo el Inspector a Cargo, Joseph Cronin del Servicio de Inspección Postal de Estados Unidos División de Miami. “Se espera que la sentencia de hoy le brinde alivio a los residentes estadounidenses que fueron víctimas de este fraudulento esquema transnacional. El Servicio de Inspección Postal de Estados Unidos, junto con la Rama de Protección al Consumidor del Departamento de Justicia y la Oficina Fiscal de Estados Unidos están comprometidos con responsabilizar a las personas que utilizan el correo de Estados Unidos para defraudar a consumidores”.
Recientemente dos de los cómplices de Cuzcano también se declararon culpables de su participación en el plan. Henrry Adrián Milla Campuzano, de 37 años, de Lima Perú hoy se declaró culpable de conspiración al cometer fraude postal y electrónico. De acuerdo con los documentos judiciales, Mills era propietario y operador de fraudulentos centros de llamadas que se llaman “Latinos en Acción” y “Acción Latino” localizados en Perú, que de forma similar extorsionaban a inmigrantes en Estados Unidos cuando de falsa se identificaban como abogados de empresas privadas y funcionaros judiciales o de inmigración”.
Otro cómplice, Fernán Huerta Haro, de 34 años, de Lima, Perú, el 11 de junio se declaró culpable de conspiración al cometer fraude postal y electrónico. Según los documentos judiciales, Huerta operaba y era propietario de los centros de llamadas “Camino Al Progreso” y “Neshuer Corporation” en Perú. Al declararse culpable, Huerta admitió que, desde 2011 hasta su arresto en 2019, él y sus empleados amenazaron y defraudaron a muchas personas de habla hispana recién inmigradas a Estados Unidos como parte del plan.
Milla y Huerta serán sentenciados por el Juez Federal de Distrito, Robert N. Scola Jr. este otoño, y ambos enfrentan una pena máxima de 20 años de prisión. El Juez Scola determinará sus sentencias después de considerar las Directrices de Sentencia de Estados Unidos y otros factores legales.
Cuzcano, Milla y Huerta formaban parte de un grupo de cinco acusados que las autoridades peruanas arrestaron el 2 de julio de 2019 basado en una solicitud de extradición de Estados Unidos, y cada uno de ellos ha permanecido encarcelado desde ese momento. Los acusados fueron extraditados al Distrito Sur de Florida el 23 de octubre de 2020. Los cinco acusados ya fueron condenados por conspirar para cometer fraude postal y electrónico. Otros dos acusados en el caso, Carlos Alberto Espinoza Huerta y Josmell Arturo Espinoza Huerta, eludieron el arresto en el momento de la detención de sus cinco cómplices en Perú. La policía peruana finalmente los localizó y arrestó, los extraditaron a Estados Unidos el 25 de junio y están detenidos en el Centro de Detención Federal en Miami.
El Servicio de Inspección Postal de Estados Unidos y la División de Protección al Consumidor de la División Civil investigaron el caso. Los abogados litigantes Phil Toomajian y Max Goldman, de la Rama de Protección al Consumidor, está procesando el caso. La Comisión Federal de Comercio, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia, la Oficina del Fiscal de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Sur de Florida, el Servicio de Seguridad Diplomática del Departamento de Estado y la Policía Nacional de Perú brindaron asistencia crítica.
Para más información sobre la Rama de Protección al Consumidor, visite la página web en www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Una dictamen acusatorio simplemente es una acusación y todos los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad, más allá de la duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
Christopher Grant Convicted in Federal Court for the Murder of Illinois State Trooper Nicholas HopkinsRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Christopher R. Grant, 47, of East St. Louis, Illinois, faces
the possibility of life without parole following his guilty plea earlier today to a series of
federal charges in connection with the 2019 murder of Illinois State Trooper Nicholas Hopkins. Tpr.
Hopkins, 33, was killed in the line of duty while attempting to execute a state search warrant at
Grant’s house in East St. Louis.Appearing in federal district court today, Grant pled guilty to 6 federal crimes, including using a
firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.“From the first hours of this investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has pledged to vigorously
pursue justice for Trooper Hopkins and his family,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D.
Weinhoeft. “Today’s conviction is an important step toward keeping that solemn promise. Our
thoughts and prayers remain with his family, and we will continue our work to honor his sacrifice.”On March 18, 2020, a federal grand jury returned an 8-count indictment against Grant, charging him
with distributing crack cocaine (3 counts), maintaining a drug house, possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a
firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and use of a firearm to commit
murder in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the charges for possessing and using a firearm during a federal drug
crime after Grant pleaded guilty to murder, although the dismissal of those lesser counts does not
change the statutory penalties Grant faces.Leading up to the murder, an Illinois State Police investigation showed that Grant was selling
marijuana and crack cocaine from his home on North 42ⁿᵈ Street, in East St. Louis.
Officers conducted a series of controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Grant and obtained a
search warrant to search his house. The ISP SWAT Team was called in to help execute the warrant
after it was learned that Grant had a cache of weapons inside.On the morning of Aug. 23, 2019, Tpr. Hopkins and two other SWAT Team members went onto
Grant’s porch to connect chains from the front hooks of a police Ford F350 to a set of steel barsprotecting the front door. Officers were preparing to forcibly remove the steel bars from the door
frame so they could enter through the front door.Grant later told officers that he was sleeping on the couch in the living room close to the front
door when the activity on the porch woke him up. Grant claimed that he suspected someone was there
to rob him, as he had been robbed of cash and drugs roughly two weeks earlier. As part of his
guilty plea, he admitted that he had been sleeping on a .9 mm handgun and that he fired the gun
three times towards whoever was on his porch.Tpr. Hopkins had just finished connecting the chain to the steel bars on the front of the house and
was turning to walk back down the steps when one of Grant’s gunshots passed through the wooden door
and struck him in the head, entering through his right temple. Officers returned directed fire as
other ISP SWAT Team members rushed to Hopkins’ rescue. He was transported to St. Louis University
Hospital, but all life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. on
Aug. 23, 2019.A later search of the house recovered 8 firearms, including an AR-15 rifle, an AK-47 rifle, and
five handguns. Grant’s DNA was found on the murder weapon: a Glock Model 19, 9 mm pistol.Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2021. Using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a drug
trafficking crime is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Chief United States
District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel will determine the sentence after considering the
U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.This case is being investigated by the Illinois State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms & Explosives. U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali M.
Summers are prosecuting the case.
Central Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Transporting Teenager Across State Lines to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Stockton man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge accusing him of transporting a teenage girl from Southern California to Nevada and Arizona so she could work as a prostitute for his financial benefit.
Christian Alexander Augustus, 25, a.k.a. “Sir Ceeco,” pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a minor in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and criminal sexual activity.
According to his plea agreement, in April 2019, Augustus willfully caused a teenage girl to be transported from Los Angeles County to Las Vegas with the intent that she would engage in prostitution and other criminal sexual activity.
More specifically, from December 2018 to July 2019, Augustus directed the transportation of the victim from Los Angeles and Orange counties to locations – including Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix – in order for her to work as a prostitute to obtain money for him.
Augustus admitted to forcing the victim to work on the streets and advertising her services on the internet. He also admitted that he collected the money the victim obtained by committing commercial sex acts.
United States District Judge James V. Selna has scheduled a November 29 sentencing hearing, at which time Augustus will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of local law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Nare of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
The core mission of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force is using a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach toward the goal of combating human trafficking in Orange County, making the recovery of juvenile victims its top priority.
Carroll County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Shon Brian Beck, age 56, of Eldersburg, Maryland, yesterday to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for the production and receipt of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to his guilty plea, in September 2001, Beck and his family traveled to Bethany Beach, Delaware, where they shared a condominium with two other families, including the victim’s family. Jane Doe, the victim, was six years old at the time. Beck admitted that he sneaked into the victim’s room and used a digital camera to produce eleven sexually explicit images of the victim.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in 2018, another victim reported that Beck had sexually abused her. The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Beck’s residence on March 22, 2019. Law enforcement seized Beck’s computer equipment and digital cameras. Beck’s digital devices were forensically examined. Investigators found the eleven sexually explicit images of Jane Doe, as well as more than 450 images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of minor victims, including prepubescent minors, many of which Beck had downloaded from the Internet.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation and thanked the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the federal 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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California Parent Pleads Guilty in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California parent pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a tax offense in connection with his involvement in the college admissions case.
Homayoun Zadeh, 60, an associate professor of dentistry at the University of Southern California (USC), pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 10, 2021. Zadeh was charged in March 2019.
Zadeh agreed with William “Rick” Singer to pay $100,000 to facilitate the admission of Zadeh’s daughter to USC. Zadeh made installment payments toward that total to Singer’s purported charitable foundation, the Key Worldwide Foundation, and deducted the payments from his taxes as a purported gift to charity, despite knowing that they were not legitimate charitable contributions, but were made in exchange for facilitating his daughter’s admission to USC.
Singer has previously pleaded guilty for his role in the college admissions scheme.
Zadeh is the 31st parent to plead guilty in the case. Under the terms of Zadeh’s plea agreement, the parties have agreed to a sentence, subject to the Court’s approval, of six weeks in prison, one year of supervised release with 250 hours of community service and a fine of $20,000.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents, and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney, Ian J. Stearns, Karin M. Bell and Stephen E. Frank of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Arrested for $3.6 Million PPP and EIDL Loan FraudRead the Press Release
A California man was arrested Thursday on criminal charges related to his alleged scheming to submit fraudulent loan applications seeking millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds.
According to an indictment returned last week by a federal grand jury in San Francisco, and unsealed today, Lebnitz Tran, 40, of San Jose, submitted at least 27 PPP loan applications and at least seven EIDL loan applications on behalf of multiple persons and business entities, using false and fictitious information and documents, including falsified employee information, fictitious or grossly exaggerated payroll figures, and fake tax documents. The indictment alleges that Tran sought in excess of $8 million in PPP and EIDL funds, obtained over $3.6 million in illicit loan proceeds, and ultimately netted approximately $2 million from the scheme. The indictment further alleges that Tran and others used these illicit loan proceeds to make purchases at restaurants and retail stores, make deposits into personal investment accounts, buy cryptocurrency, and, in one instance, to purchase a $100,000 Tesla from a luxury car dealership.
Tran is charged with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as to each count of bank fraud, and 20 years in prison as to each count of wire fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds of the Northern District of California; and Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Western Region made the announcement.
The FBI and SBA-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Christopher Jackson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Griswold of the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Arrested for $3.6 Million Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan FraudRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE –A California man was arrested today on criminal charges related to his alleged scheming to submit fraudulent loan applications seeking millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds.
According to an indictment returned last week by a federal grand jury in San Francisco and unsealed today, Lebnitz Tran, 40, of San Jose, submitted at least 27 PPP loan applications and at least seven EIDL loan applications on behalf of multiple persons and business entities, using false and fictitious information and documents, including falsified employee information, fictitious or grossly exaggerated payroll figures, and fake tax documents. The indictment alleges that Tran sought in excess of $8 million in PPP and EIDL funds, obtained over $3.6 million in illicit loan proceeds, and ultimately netted approximately $2 million from the scheme. The indictment further alleges that Tran and others used these illicit loan proceeds to make purchases at restaurants and retail stores, make deposits into personal investment accounts, buy cryptocurrency, and, in one instance, to purchase a $100,000 Tesla from a luxury car dealership.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tran is charged with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of bank fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as to each count of bank fraud, and 20 years in prison as to each count of wire fraud. The court also may order additional assessments, forfeiture, and restitution; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds of the Northern District of California, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Division Craig D. Fair made the announcement.
The FBI and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Griswold of the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney Christopher Jackson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Buffalo Man Who Attempted to Flee from Police Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead 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 Demetrius Parker, 38, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who is handling the case, stated that on October 10, 2017, an individual called 911 and reported a road rage incident that had occurred near the intersection of Hertel and Delaware Avenues in Buffalo. The caller (victim) reported that the driver of a green minivan had pulled alongside his vehicle, pointed a gun at him, and threatened to shoot him. The victim described the driver as a black male with a beard wearing a black hat, and the gun as a black handgun with a square-shaped nozzle and orange sights.
Approximately 30 minutes later, two Buffalo Police officers on patrol located the green minivan on Olympic Avenue in Buffalo and initiated a traffic stop after the minivan turned on to Alma Avenue. An officer approached the minivan being driven by the defendant. While speaking with the officer, Parker put the vehicle into gear and attempted to flee the scene with the officer hanging halfway in the vehicle. The minivan crossed Alma Avenue and drove up over the curb in front of a residence and came to a stop. Following a physical struggle, officers secured and detained the defendant.
Subsequently, officers recovered a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, next to the driver's seat in the minivan. The victim was transported to the scene on Alma Avenue by officers and immediately identified the minivan as the vehicle involved in the road rage incident, and Parker was positively identified him as the driver who threatened him with a gun.
The defendant was previously convicted of Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree in Erie County Court on March 30, 2006, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John Devito, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2021, before Judge Arcara.
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Bristol Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Scott Remick, 46, of Bristol, Vermont, was charged by criminal complaint in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, with one count of possession of child pornography. Remick made his initial appearance to answer the complaint on July 8, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. On July 9, 2021, Judge Doyle denied the government’s motion for detention and ordered Remick released on conditions. Remick is next scheduled to appear in Federal court on July 26, 2021.
According to court records and proceedings, on June 16, 2021, a source of information (SOI), who is a private software developer and security analyst and who is part of a group of individuals involved in analyzing a specific piece of software with a specific security vulnerability, identified a computer with the security vulnerability (the Target Computer). The SOI accessed the Target Computer, including the contents of an encrypted volume mounted on it. The SOI viewed some of the image files in that container and discovered that they depicted child pornography. The SOI also created a text file that contained directories and file names of files located in the encrypted volume. The file names indicated that the files contained sexually explicit content involving children.
The SOI reported its findings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and to the Vermont State Police (VSP). VSP reached out to special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). After HSI spoke with the SOI and conducted additional investigation into the suspected user of the Target Computer, Scott Remick, agents obtained a warrant to search remotely electronically stored information at Remick’s residence, and a second warrant to search Remick’s residence.
On July 3, 2021, HSI agents executed the remote search warrant and recovered images of child pornography, as well as items associated with Remick. On July 7, 2021, HSI agents executed the warrant to search Remick’s residence. Agents determined that a self-built computer at the residence was the same one searched pursuant to the remote search warrant. Agents found additional images of child pornography on the self-built computer.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt emphasized that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Remick’s sentence will be determined by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the impact, if any, of any mandatory minimum prison terms applicable to any count of conviction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ophardt commended the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in the investigation of Remick.
Barbara A. Masterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, is handling the prosecution of Remick. The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Vermont has been appointed to represent Remick.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ophardt noted that 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 Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Boston Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fentanyl trafficking.
Andres Arias, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Jan. 21, 2021, Arias pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Arias and co-defendant Cristian Lara Diaz conspired to distribute fentanyl and engaged in five separate controlled sales of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Boston between April 2017 and January 2018.
On Jan. 12, 2021, Lara Diaz was sentenced to 63 months in prison and four years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Border Pesticide Initiative Results in Prosecution of 50 defendants for Smuggling Dangerous ChemicalsRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson (619) 546-7976
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 9, 2021
SAN DIEGO – A San Diego-based effort to block the smuggling of dangerous Mexican pesticides into the United States has resulted in the prosecution of more than 50 defendants for environmental crimes and the seizure of nearly 1,000 containers of illegal Mexican pesticides so far.
The Border Pesticide Initiative group was formed at the end of 2019 and includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office; the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Homeland Security Investigations; the California Department of Toxic Substances Control; and the San Diego City Attorney’s Office.
The initiative began in response to complaints that law enforcement officers were being injured during the eradication of illegal marijuana cultivation sites on public lands by exposure to powerful Mexican pesticides not permitted in the United States.
Of the more than 50 defendants who have been charged federally, 14 were convicted of felonies and 26 were convicted of misdemeanors. The defendants have been ordered to pay more than $60,000 in restitution to cover the cost of disposing of the pesticides. Eight cases have also been filed by the San Diego City Attorney’s Office under California law for possession of pesticides found at the border.
The pesticides imported by these defendants were labeled in Spanish and did not bear any registration number showing that the products were approved by the EPA, as required by law for pesticides intended for use in the United States. The lawful importation of pesticides requires a Notice of Arrival to be filed in advance with the EPA to allow for inspection, which none of the defendants provided.
The pesticides most frequently encountered in these cases are those containing the active ingredients of carborfuran and methamidophos, which are cancelled pesticides not permitted to be sold or distributed in the United States. Carbofuran, sold in Mexico under the trade names Furadan and Qufuran, is classified by the EPA as Toxicity Category I, the highest toxicity category, based upon its lethal potency from absorption by ingestion, contact with skin, and inhalation, and has been cancelled in the United States since 2011.
Methamidophos, sold in Mexico under the trade names Metaldane 600, Tamaron or Monitor, is one of the most acutely toxic organophosphate pesticides and is similar to a class of chemicals that were originally manufactured as chemical warfare nerve agents. Methamidophos was cancelled in the United States in 2009. The application of these chemicals on public lands has been documented to pollute streams and soils and kill wildlife. Moreover, cannabis users are also at risk from exposure to pesticide residues. During the smoking of cannabis, pesticides are transferred directly into the blood stream, increasing the potential for exposure.[1] In one study, the pesticide transfer rate of carbofuran into cannabis smoke from glass pipes was as high as 70 percent of the initial concentration in the plant.
Two of the felony convictions noted above were the result of verdicts rendered by trial juries. On July 9, 2021, Veronica Perez of Hemet, California, was sentenced to 60 days in following a guilty verdict by a federal jury in San Diego in November 2020 related to the charge of smuggling unregistered pesticides into the United States. Perez concealed twenty containers of zinc phosphide (sold under the Mexican trade name Fosfuro de Zinc) in her purse and failed to declare the items at the border when she attempted to cross into the United States from Mexico on July 11, 2019. Consumption of a single zinc phosphide pellet can be lethal to a small bird or mammal.[2] Ingestion of seven drops to one teaspoon of zinc phosphide would likely kill a 150-pound person.[3] Perez also had Qufuran and Metaldane in her vehicle.
On May 26, 2021, Selene Elizabeth Barraza of Visalia, California, was convicted by a federal jury in San Diego of smuggling 25 containers of illegal Mexican pesticides and fertilizer, including Metaldane, and Furadan, into the United States from Mexico. On February 26, 2020, Barraza failed to declare the pesticide containers when she attempted to enter the United States with the pesticides concealed under the middle row seats in her vehicle. Barraza is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2021.
On June 18, 2021, Felix Gutierrez Valencia was sentenced to 90 days in custody, ordered to pay a fine of $2,500 and restitution of $8,807 for the cost of disposal of the pesticides he smuggled, and also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service during his three years of supervised release. Gutierrez had smuggled 48 containers of various pesticides, including Furadan, Monitor and Rodentox (which contains zinc phosphide). Gutierrez had concealed some of the pesticides in cereal boxes and boxes of cookies. While his case was pending, Gutierrez offered another individual $40/bottle to smuggle pesticides. That person was caught at the border with another 38 containers of pesticides, including Furadan.
On March 26, 2021, Beatriz Santillan was sentenced to 70 days in prison and ordered to pay $20,079 restitution after pleading guilty to smuggling 56 containers of seven different types of illegal Mexican pesticides, including Qufuran, Metaldane and zinc phosphide (under the Mexican trade name Rodentox) into the United States from Mexico. Santillan was in possession of receipts showing three prior purchases of similar pesticides, and a search of her phone revealed chats with associates regarding the tending and cultivation of marijuana plants, including the use of the pesticides.
On April 27, 2021, Saul Flores Banuelos was sentenced to 60 days in prison and $1,200 restitution after pleading guilty to smuggling Qufuran, alcohol and medications into the United States from Mexico.
“All of these law enforcement agencies have come together to protect people, wildlife and the environment from extremely dangerous pesticides, and the result has been an overwhelming success,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “But this effort has also been a sobering reminder that trafficking in pesticides is a prolific problem. Those who commit these crimes care about profit, not people, so this ongoing enforcement action should force them to rethink their priorities.” Grossman commended the exemplary work of prosecutor Melanie Pierson, who specializes in cases related to environmental protection, and Environment and Natural Resources Division Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte, as well as the federal and state agencies participating in the initiative, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the California Department of Toxic Substances Control; the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section; and the San Diego City Attorney’s Office.
“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to protecting public lands, human health, and the environment through continued enforcement of the laws regulating the importation, sale, and distribution of dangerous pesticides,” said Jean E. Williams, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with our federal agency and state partners to ensure that those who import and use these prohibited chemicals are held fully accountable for their crimes.”
“The significant number of individuals arrested throughout this multi-agency initiative highlights the pervasiveness and dangers of illegal substances being smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “The chemicals banned from importation into the U.S. are highly toxic and hazardous to humans, wildlife and the environment. These smugglers often use the banned chemicals for cultivating cannabis. What’s most disturbing is that some of the chemicals can be transferred directly into the bloodstream of cannabis users, so it’s important that HSI and all the partner agencies participating in this initiative continue to prevent these toxic chemicals from being smuggled into the U.S.”
“The results of these recent prosecutions clearly demonstrate that individuals intentionally violating pesticide and smuggling laws will be held responsible for their crimes.” said Scot Adair, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s criminal enforcement program in California. “EPA will continue to work diligently on the Border Pesticide Initiative with our law enforcement partners. We are committed to holding responsible parties accountable for actions that put entire communities at risk.”
“This is an example of what can be accomplished when multiple agencies work together for a common goal to protect human health and the environment,” said Hansen Pang, Chief Investigator for the Office of Criminal Investigations of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
“Protecting our region from environmental toxins is an office priority,” San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott said. “As part of the Border Pesticide Initiative, the City Attorney’s Office works closely with the U.S. Attorney and other law enforcement agencies to protect Californians from exposure to lethal chemicals and hold accountable those who illegally traffic these dangerous substances.”
DEFENDANTS Case Numbers
Veronica Perez Age: 40 Hemet, CA 20cr0869-DMS
Selene Barraza Age: 34 Visalia, CA 20cr1442-DMS
Beatriz Santillan Age: 29 Menifee, CA 20cr2178-GPC
Saul Flores Banuelos Age: 56 Apple Valley, CA 20cr2179-JLS
Felix Gutierrez Valencia Age: 40 Perris, CA 20cr2058-JLS
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Smuggling – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division; California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Criminal Investigations
[1] Leung, M.C.K., M.H. Silva, A.J. Palumbo, P.N. Lohstroh, S.E. Koshlukova, S.F. DuTeaux. 2019. Adverse outcome pathway of developmental neurotoxicity resulting from prenatal exposures to cannabis contaminated with organophosphate pesticide residues. Reproductive Toxicology. 85: 12-18.
[2] EPA. 2004. Potential Risks of Nine Rodenticides to Birds and Nontarget Mammals: A Comparative Approach; Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, DC, 2004.
[3] NOAA CAMEO Chemicals, version 2.7.1 rev 1. Zinc Phosphide Chemical Datasheet. National Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration.
Biddeford Middle School Employee Arrested and Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was arrested and charged by criminal complaint today with possession of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
According to court documents, in April 2021, Jesse Kiesel, 48, engaged in an internet chat with an undercover member of law enforcement posing as a 13-year-old girl. During the chat, Kiesel steered the conversation towards the topics of sex and sexual contact, and ultimately transmitted images of his erect penis to the undercover officer. Following the execution of a search warrant at Kiesel’s residence, numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were recovered from his computer.
Also according to court documents, Kiesel is an employee of Biddeford Middle School with the job title of Ed Tech II.
If convicted, Kiesel faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kiesel will make an initial appearance via videoconference on July 12 at 2:00 p.m.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case, with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department, the Newbury, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Marshals Service.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baltimore Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking Four Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Sean Dean, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. Judge Hazel also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Dean must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Russell E. Hamill III of the City of Laurel Police Department.
According to Dean’s plea agreement, from December 2017 until January 2018, Dean recruited, harbored, transported, and/or maintained five females, including four minors ranging from 15 to 17 years old, to engage in commercial sex acts. Dean utilized social media and cellular telephones to recruit, monitor, direct, and communicate with the four girls and the woman.
In furtherance of the sex trafficking enterprise, Dean and/or a co-conspirator rented hotel rooms in Timonium and Laurel, Maryland to be used by the victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Dean and his co-conspirator transported the victims to the various hotels where they would stay for multiple days. While in the hotel rooms, at Dean’s direction, the victims used a website to advertise themselves for commercial sex acts. The advertisements contained pictures of the victims in provocative poses and provided contact information for clients to use to secure a “date” with the victims. The victims were required to share a portion of the proceeds from any commercial sex acts with Dean and his co-conspirator.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Dean and his co-conspirator transported three of the minor girls and the woman to a hotel in Timonium. The victims were at the hotel for approximately one week and met with multiple customers per day to engage in commercial sex acts. The victims shared a portion of the proceeds earned from their commercial sex acts with Dean and the co-conspirator. Dean also rented rooms at a hotel in Laurel, where the victims engaged in commercial sex acts with multiple clients. Dean also recruited the fourth minor girl to come to the hotel to engage in sex acts.
On January 11, 2018, Dean and his co-conspirator transported all five victims to another hotel in Laurel, where Dean had rented rooms for the victims to use for commercial sex acts. In response to a complaint, law enforcement responded to two different rooms rented by Dean. Law enforcement located three minor girls and the woman in the two rooms. The fourth minor girl had already left the hotel. Dean and the co-conspirator fled to avoid detection by law enforcement. After leaving the area, Dean exchanged messages with the woman indicating that he had left to avoid law enforcement because he knew one of the victims was underage. Dean also directed the woman to delete their messages.
This case was investigated by law enforcement agencies that are members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the HSI and the Laurel Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Elizabeth Wright, who prosecuted the case.
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Army Reservist Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Participating in Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EMEKA NNAWUBA, a/k/a “Benjamin Alabie,” who is a member of the United States Army Reserves, was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison for participating in a scheme to launder over $1 million in proceeds of romance fraud and business email compromise schemes perpetrated against dozens of victims. NNAWUBA previously pled guilty before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who also imposed yesterday’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Emeka Nnawuba laundered money for a scheme that trolled dating websites in order to steal money from the accounts of unsuspecting women. He will now spend time in prison and be compelled to make restitution to the victims of the scheme.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment, court documents, and statements made in court:
From at least 2016 until 2018, NNAWUBA participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims. Among other things, NNAWUBA used false identities and false passports to open bank accounts, received or attempted to receive more than $2 million in fraud proceeds, withdrew tens of thousands of dollars of fraud proceeds in cash, and transferred more than $1 million of fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators in an effort to conceal the source of funds.
The funds laundered by NNAWUBA were procured principally by (a) romance scams, in which members of the scheme trolled dating websites to find unsuspecting women and stole their money on false pretenses, and (b) business compromise scams, in which members of the scheme impersonated individuals, professionals, or businesses in the course of otherwise ordinary financial transactions, and then fraudulently induced the counterparties to those transactions to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled and operated by NNAWUBA or other members of the scheme.
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NNAWUBA, 31, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, pled guilty to and was sentenced on one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to the prison term, NNAWUBA was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $2,096,248.39 and pay $1,362,528.46 in restitution.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations for its assistance.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana N. Murray and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
Another Bridgeport Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charge Related to 2018 MurderRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAYLEN WILSON, also known as “Jay-Dot,” 22, of Ansonia and Derby, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering charge stemming from a gang-related murder in Bridgeport’s East End in August 2018.
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. Wilson was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gang, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, sold narcotics, laundered narcotics proceeds, stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used them to commit crimes, and tampered with witnesses who might testify against them.
On August 8, 2018, Wilson and other O.N.E. members stole a white Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, Wilson conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members who he had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Union Avenue in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder.
In pleading guilty, Wilson also admitted that he distributed controlled substances, including heroin and marijuana, and possessed firearms.
Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He has been detained since July 7, 2020.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, 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 Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, 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 a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
Amite Woman Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHAWANDA DOVE, 51, of Amite, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2021 to use of an interstate facility with intent to carry on unlawful activity and tampering with a witness.
According to the superseding bill of information, DOVE used a cell phone to carry out a bribery scheme, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1952(a)(3) and 2. Specifically, DOVE paid a Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Records Division Supervisor in exchange for fraudulent bonds used for the release of incarcerated persons. Additionally, in an related matter, DOVE made multiple threats to a witness cooperating in the federal prosecution of DOVE’s son, Aaron Nakeenen Womack, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(b)(1).
As to the bribery scheme, DOVE faces maximum penalties of five (5) years incarceration, a $250,000 fine, a three (3) year term of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. Additionally, DOVE faces maximum penalties of twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000, three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for the witness tampering charge. DOVE’s sentencing is scheduled on October 6, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Tracey Knight and Paige O’Hale are in charge of the prosecution.
Albany County Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Eberlein, age 54, of Albany, pled guilty today to multiple counts of transportation and possession of child pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Jodi Cohen, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Eberlein admitted that he emailed hundreds of child pornography images and videos to himself from June 2008 through May 2019. He also admitted to possessing child pornography images and videos on three laptops and one thumb drive.
Eberlein faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, when he is sentenced on November 9, 2021. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Additionally, Eberlein will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Williams.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Adult Man Pretending to be Teenager Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Palm Beach Gardens, Florida adult who enticed minor girls into sending him sexually explicit pictures of themselves by, among other things, pretending to be a teenager during on-line chats has pled guilty in federal court in West Palm Beach to production, distribution, and possession of child pornography.
According to court records, beginning in 2008, Dwight Castaldi, 45, communicated with girls as young as 13 on a social networking website. Castaldi told the girls he was a teenager and sent the victims pictures of an unknown young man, falsely claiming they were pictures of him. During chats, after promising each girl an exclusive relationship, Castaldi convinced the minors to take sexually explicit pictures of themselves and send the images to him. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Castaldi’s Palm Beach County home in 2018. They found several electronic devices containing hundreds of videos and photographs of child exploitation material and evidence of Castaldi communicating with others about it.
Castaldi’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 20, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Castaldi faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life.
Castaldi recently completed a three-year sentence in California on separate charges for similar conduct of enticing a 13-year-old girl using the internet.
Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of FBI Miami announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami investigated the case, together with the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department and Huntington Beach California Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 20-cr-80087.
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Thursday 8 July 2021
Wilkes-Barre Woman Sentenced for the Straw Purchase of A FirearmRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Crystal Hughes, age 37, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to one year of probation for making false statements in order to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Bandler, Hughes pleaded guilty to making false statements on April 30, 2020, to a Luzerne County federally licensed firearms dealer in order to purchase a pistol. The false statement related to the fact that she was not buying the pistol for herself, but on behalf of another person.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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White Earth Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man was sentenced yesterday to 205 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing a minor.
According to court documents, between April 2018 and October 2018, within the exterior boundaries of the White Earth Indian Reservation, Evan James Oppegard, 33, knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a minor. Oppegard also admitted to sending sexually explicit communications to, and soliciting sexual acts with, the minor via Facebook.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department, the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Wellston Man Pleads Guilty to Lying on a Federal ATF Record to Purchase a Firearm from Licensed Gun DealerRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, BRANDON ALLEN McNEILL, 40, of Wellston, pleaded guilty to a "lie and buy" by making a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) firearms transaction record when purchasing a firearm from licensed gun dealer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On March 2, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against McNeill, charging him with making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm, and possessing a firearm after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction. According to the Indictment, on January 8, 2021, McNeill entered a federally licensed firearm dealer to purchase a firearm. During the process, McNeill made a false and fictitious written statement on a federal ATF firearms transaction record indicating that he had not been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, when in fact, he had been convicted of such an offense in 2019.
Federal law prohibits a person who has previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm. McNeill was found in possession of the firearm on January 14, 2021, as alleged in the Indictment.
At today’s hearing, McNeill pleaded guilty to making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm. At sentencing, McNeill faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, the government will dismiss at sentencing the second count, charging him with illegally possessing the firearm after a domestic violence conviction.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan West.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. The local implementation of these initiatives in the Western District of Oklahoma is through "Operation 922," which prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Wells Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to Firearms DealersRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine—A Wells man pleaded guilty today in federal court to providing false information to firearms dealers while purchasing firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
According to court records, in April 2019, Christopher Thomas Proach, 24, purchased seven firearms from three different federal firearm licensees in Cumberland and York counties. While purchasing the firearms, Proach responded “Yes” to a question on an ATF form that asked him if he was purchasing the firearms for himself. In truth, he was purchasing the firearms for a Connecticut resident. He gave all seven firearms to the Connecticut resident immediately after the sales. It is against federal law to provide false information to federal firearm licensees when purchasing firearms from them.
Proach faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the three counts to which he pleaded guilty. 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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wells Police Department investigated the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
PSN is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. PSN is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources. Across all districts, PSN follows four key design elements of successful violent crime reduction initiatives: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability.
Washington State Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison After Traveling Across State Lines for Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington man was sentenced to federal prison today for sending sexually explicit emails and text messages to an undercover law enforcement officer posing online as a 13-year-old girl, and then traveling across state lines for a planned sexual encounter with the child.
Daniel Lee Baldie, 35, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 25 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in January and February 2020, Baldie sent emails and text messages to a Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy posing online as a 13-year-old girl. Baldie’s emails included requests for a nude photo and descriptions of sexual acts he would engage in with the child. Baldie also sent the deputy a photo of his genitals. As part of the email and text message exchange, Baldie arranged to meet the purported child and bring her back to his residence in Vancouver for a sexual encounter.
On February 7, 2020, law enforcement officers followed Baldie from his residence to a meeting location in Corvallis, Oregon where he was arrested. Baldie admitted he intended to meet the child and take her back to his residence.
On February 11, 2020, Baldie was charged by criminal complaint with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, attempted production of child pornography, and coercion and enticement. On March 30, 2021, he pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
This case was investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and the Benton County District Attorney’s Office
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Vestavia Hills Father and Son Arrested in Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, a father and son were arrested and charged in a bank fraud scheme in which they provided fraudulent information to financial institutions for the purpose of purchasing boats, luxury vehicles, and heavy equipment, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
A 26-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Christopher A. Montalbano, 38, of Vestavia, and Gus Anthony Montalbano, 75, of Vestavia, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, false statements on a loan application, and money laundering. Christopher Montalbano was also charged with aggravated identity theft and bank fraud. Christopher Montalbano and Gus Montalbano were arrested at their respective homes in Vestavia.
According to the indictment, from 2015 through February 2020, the Montalbano’s conspired to submit fraudulent information regarding their income to numerous financial institutions in support of numerous fraudulent loan applications to purchase boats, luxury vehicles and heavy equipment. The defendants submitted fraudulent personal and corporate financial statements, tax returns, pay stubs, W-2s, invalid Hull Identification Numbers (HINs), and invalid Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) in support of the loan applications. In addition, the defendants applied for and obtained multiple loans for the purpose of purchasing a luxury vehicle without disclosing that they had already financed the purchase of the same luxury vehicle with a different financial institution. The funds obtained from the fraudulent loans were used to pay for personal living expenses and make loan payments owed to other financial institutions.
In March 2018 and September 2018, Christopher Montalbano fraudulently used the identity of another individual on an application for loans submitted to USAA Bank.
The indictment also charges Christopher Montalbano with bank fraud due to the violation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. On April 29, 2020, Montalbano submitted to Cross River Bank a fraudulent PPP loan application for LSA Corporation. Montalbano fraudulently represented that the funds he sought for LSA Corp. would “be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments” when, in fact, he intended to use the funds he obtained from the PPP for personal expenses. On April 30, 2020, Cross River Bank approved and deposited $58,153.00 into the LSA Corporation’s bank account.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with agencies across government, to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin B. Mark and Kristen Osborne are prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Harassment of VA EmployeesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert Seifert, age 63, of Utica, New York, plead guilty today to making telephonic threats to employees of the Albany Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.
Seifert, who has been convicted twice before of threatening VA employees, admitted that on January 14, 2021, he made three successive calls to employees at the Albany Stratton VA with no legitimate purpose other than to harass and threaten them, and left threatening voicemails in which he used demeaning and offensive language that caused each of the employees to fear for their own safety and property.
United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart is scheduled to sentence Seifert on October 6, 2021, at which time Seifert faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 364 days and a maximum fine of up to $1,000 for each of the three counts, and a term of supervised release of up to 1 year. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Veterans Affairs Police Service at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping.
Two Modesto Men Charged with Illegal Weapons PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Cesar Castro, 41, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a one‑count indictment against Juan Dimas, 31, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 1, Castro was arrested in Modesto in possession of a loaded firearm. On May 20, Dimas was arrested in Modesto after discarding a loaded firearm during a police chase. Both men are convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, and both men were serving terms of post-release community supervision following firearms convictions at the time of their arrest on these charges.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Castro and Dimas each face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Two Indicted for Maritime Drug-Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on August 25, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Herlin Hernandez-Trinidad (a/k/a “Rainely), and on January 26, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Jose Crespo-Lorenzo (a/k/a “El Colombiano”). In both cases, the defendants were charged with a count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506(b); and a count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.
Both Hernandez-Trinidad and Crespo-Lorenzo were recently arrested in Puerto Rico and transferred to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to face prosecution in this district.
“These indictments demonstrate an extraordinary effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement to hold accountable those involved in international drug-trafficking activity designed to flood the streets of the United States and other parts of the world with harmful controlled substances,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling.
“This investigation demonstrates the commitment of DEA and the involved partner agencies to pursue and disrupt the drug-trafficking organizations that are inflicting harm upon our communities with dangerous and illegal narcotics,” said DEA Wisconsin Assistant Special Agent in Charge John McGarry.
“This indictment is a great example of what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies work in collaboration. HSI will continue its efforts to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations like this one to keep our communities safe from the harmful effects of illicit drugs,” said Angie Salazar, special agent in charge, HSI Chicago.
“Wisconsin DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation worked alongside federal and local law enforcement partners on this sweeping investigation into large-scale drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Kaul. “Thank you to the investigators whose work has led to the arrests of many alleged members of this drug trafficking conspiracy. Cases like this one disrupt the supply of dangerous drugs to communities and can make a real difference in the fight against the drug epidemic.”
Each count carries a mandatory ten-year term of imprisonment and up to life imprisonment. The defendants further face fines of up to $10,000,000, and from five years to a lifetime term of supervised release.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictments are the product of a multi-year investigation into international drug-trafficking activity, including maritime shipments of bulk quantities of cocaine that were ultimately intended to reach various locations within the continental United States (such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and elsewhere.
The investigation is led by law enforcement agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Milwaukee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Brady, Jr., and Gail Hoffman are prosecuting the case.
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Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Carjacking and RobberyRead the Press Release
A 19-year-old Tulsa man arrested for a series of robberies and carjackings that occurred in Tulsa and Broken Arrow pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
In his plea agreement, Tavian Caleb Steward admitted to carjacking, robbery in Indian Country, and two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to Steward, he and an accomplice, Roderick Brooks, acted in concert with one another in carjacking a victim and stealing his Toyota Rav4 in Tulsa on Dec. 30, 2020. Furthermore, Steward brandished a firearm during the crime. Brooks has also been charged for taking part in the carjacking. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Steward also admitted that he entered a Subway restaurant in Tulsa and robbed a cashier at gunpoint on Jan. 7, 2021. According to court documents, Steward then stole the victim’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo and fled the restaurant. Steward was finally taken into custody after he was involved in a hit and run collision on Jan. 10, 2021. He was driving the Monte Carlo when he caused the accident.
Steward is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and all crimes occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. Steward’s sentencing date is scheduled for October 27, 2021.
The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.
Tulare County Men Indicted on Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Regino Garcia Jr., 20, and Anthony Martinez, 24, both of Tulare County, charging them with dealing firearms without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, distribution of methamphetamine and possession of auto-sear devices, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Garcia and Martinez met with undercover officers and sold them a total of 14 firearms and 40 auto-sear devices for converting a firearm into a fully automatic weapon. One of the firearms sold was a short-barreled rifle. Additionally, they sold methamphetamine to the undercover officers on three occasions. Neither defendant had a license to deal firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Tractor-Trailer Driver from Illinois Pleads Guilty to Transporting Minor from Virginia to South Dakota and Engaging in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Cahokia, Illinois man pleaded guilty today to transporting a minor from Virginia to South Dakota with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents, David Kyle Skaggs, 33, was an over-the-road tractor-trailer operator. In 2015, Skaggs started communicating on Facebook with a 15-year-old boy in Lee County, Virginia. Over the course of several months, Skaggs and the boy, “AA,” developed a friendly relationship and Skaggs became acquainted with AA’s family, including AA’s younger sister, victim “KL,” who was 13 years old.
In August 2015, Skaggs took AA and KL on a long-distance trip in his tractor-trailer. Skaggs picked up AA and KL in Lee County and drove them to South Dakota. After stopping at a truck stop in South Dakota, Skaggs bought the two minors alcohol, and they all drank while sitting in the truck. After AA was asleep, Skaggs had sexual intercourse with KL in the sleeper portion of Skaggs’ truck. KL later gave birth to Skaggs’s child.
Skaggs is scheduled to be sentenced on September 30, 2021 and faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lee County Sheriff’s Department, and Virginia Department of Social Services investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case.
Toledo Man Charged with Sinking Vessel and Disposing Garbage in the Maumee RiverRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Wayne Robert Banks, Jr., 48, of Toledo, Ohio, with the destruction of a vessel, deposit of refuse in navigable waters, obstruction of navigable waters and failure to mark or light a sunken vessel.
According to the indictment, on October 29, 2020, the Defendant willfully sunk and destroyed a 24’ Reinell boat within navigable channels of the Maumee River. The indictment further charges that the Defendant failed to immediately mark the sunken craft with a buoy, beacon or light. The Defendant is also accused of disposing of refuse materials, including bottles, electronic equipment, batteries, cardboard and other garbage in the Maumee River.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation was conducted by the Coast Guard Investigative Service under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Edward L. Songer, Detroit, Michigan. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody L. King.
Texas Resident Sentenced to 30 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – An alien from Honduras was sentenced to 30 months in prison for the crime of transporting and harboring illegal aliens, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2019, Dennis Omar Escobar-Castro was driving a Chevy Suburban with Texas license plates eastbound on Interstate I-20 when a Rankin County Sheriff’s Deputy made a traffic stop for careless driving. Escobar-Castro could produce no driver’s license, and none of the eleven passengers had identification or driver’s licenses, other than South American IDs. Two of the alien passengers were unaccompanied minors.
Castro admitted to agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that he believed all his passengers were nationals of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and that Escobar-Castro had been driving them from Houston, Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia, to take them to work. At least one alien passenger claimed to have paid $1,000 for Escobar-Castro to drive him from Texas to his destination.
An original indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in April 2019, charged Escobar-Castro with transporting and harboring aliens. He pled guilty on March 25, 2021.
Escobar-Castro appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Carlton W. Reeves in Jackson. Judge Reeves sentenced Escobar-Castro to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of $1200.
Acting U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Special Agents with HSI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case, and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office who assisted with the discovery and arrest of defendants. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore Cooperstein and Keesha Middleton.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Brokering Illegal Gun SalesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Daniel Morales, age 36, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for causing the sale of firearms and ammunition to a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Kenton Buckner, City of Syracuse Police Department.
In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Daniel Morales was also ordered to serve a three (3) year term of supervised release following his release from incarceration.
In pleading guilty previously Daniel Morales admitted that he acted as a middleman in the sale of 13 firearms and ammunition recovered in a joint investigation conducted by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Syracuse Police Department. The investigation in late 2018 and early 2019 included undercover purchases of stolen firearms, fully automatic weapons, illegally short-barreled rifles, and non-commercially fabricated “ghost guns” (pistols and rifles). Morales brokered a series of undercover firearms sales in Syracuse and Solvay from sellers Luis Matos, and later Jovaun Clark. During these sales, Morales connected the illegal firearms sellers with the undercover buyer for a fee paid in cash. The sales of the firearms included:
- one (1) Ruger, model 10-22RB Carbine rifle, caliber .22LR
- one (1) Marlin, model 1894 Carbine rifle, .357 caliber
- one (1) Marlin, model 1894 Carbine rifle, .357 caliber
- one (1) stolen Gristmill MFG, Valley Arms model XM177ES, .223/.556 caliber rifle with illegally short barrel
- one (1) grey and black P80, unserialized 9mm caliber “ghost gun” pistol
- one (1) black P80, un-serialized .40 caliber “ghost gun” pistol
- one (1) grey and black P80, unserialized .40 caliber “ghost” gun pistol with a threaded barrel
- one (1) fully automatic tan and black P80, un-serialized .40 caliber “ghost gun” pistol
- one stolen (1) Ruger, model Mini-Thirty, 7.62 caliber rifle
- one (1) grey and black rifle bearing no make, model or serial number, .223 caliber, with an illegally short barrel
- one (1) fully automatic grey and black P80 9mm caliber unserialized “ghost gun” pistol
- one (1) Smith and Wesson, model 5906 9mm pistol
- one (1) black and tan semiautomatic pistol with extendable grip, caliber 5.56 x 45 mm, bearing no serial number.
Luis Matos pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and was sentenced on July 28, 2020, to serve 60-months in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
Jovaun Clark is charged in a pending indictment with several firearms offenses. He is currently scheduled for trial on November 15, 2021. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and he is innocent until or unless proven guilty
This case was investigated by The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Syracuse Police Department-Special Investigations Division (SPD-SID), and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.