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20 August 2021
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearm with an Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Pawtucket man convicted in Rhode Island state court in 2007 and in 2009 on drug trafficking charges, and found during a traffic stop by Pawtucket Police in October 2020 to be in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Jonathan Reyes, 35, was stopped by Pawtucket Police on October 14, 2020, when he was observed not wearing a seatbelt and driving a car with out-of-state license plates that were registered to a different vehicle. Reyes claimed to police that he had just purchased the vehicle. He provided them with a Bill of Sale that did not contain a VIN, date of sale/purchase, or signatures of the buyer/seller.
According to court documents, after Reyes and a front seat passenger were asked to exit the vehicle, officers discovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number inside a black satchel/fanny pack. As Reyes was being placed under arrest, he briefly attempted to flee police but was quickly apprehended.
Reyes pleaded guilty on June 1, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Reyes was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 60 months of incarceration in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William J. Ferland and Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the Pawtucket Police Department with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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Clinton Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A Clinton man was sentenced to serve 720 months in federal prison for production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Michael Allen Long, 49, of Clinton, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to two counts of production of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the FBI Jackson’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Clarksburg woman admits to carjacking chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Courtney M. Oliverio, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a carjacking charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Oliverio, 39, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Carjacking.” On June 3, 2020, Oliverio assisted another in attempting to take a motorcycle from a property in Shinnston, West Virginia.
Oliverio faces up to 15 years of incarceration and fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Shinnston Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/clarksburg-residents-indicted-carjacking-and-firearms-charges
Chandler Couple Arrested for AHCCCS Fraud and Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dale Henson, 53, and his wife Zoila Henson, 53, both of Chandler, Arizona, were arrested on Wednesday for fraudulently billing the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System and for fraud involving receipt of COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds. The couple was charged earlier this month by the federal grand jury in a 58-count indictment.
The indictment alleges that the couple used their medical billing company to bill AHCCCS for services not actually rendered. AHCCCS is primarily federally funded, and it provides healthcare programs for Arizona’s low-income residents. The couple is alleged to have submitted $1.2 million in fraudulent bills to AHCCCS over a 9-month period in 2019-2020, and then to have used some of the proceeds to purchase a $1.3 residence in Gilbert, Arizona. The indictment also alleges the couple lied in their applications for COVID-19 pandemic-related loans and used the proceeds of the loan funds for personal expenses, such as the purchase of a residence in Mexico, where Zoila Henson is a citizen.
The charges include healthcare fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. A conviction for healthcare fraud or wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 20 years, a conviction for money laundering carries a sentence of up to 10 years, and a conviction for aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory, consecutive 24-month prison sentence – in addition to hefty maximum fines for each offense.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Phoenix Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Monica Klapper, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 21-000601-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-054_Hensons# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Champaign Man Sentenced for Inciting RiotRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill.– A Champaign, Ill., man, Shamar N. Betts, 20, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on August 19, 2021, for inciting a riot in Champaign that began on May 31 and continued overnight to June 1, 2020. U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Mihm then reduced the sentence to three years imprisonment, in light of the year Betts had already spent in state custody. The judge ordered Betts to pay over $1.5 million in restitution. Following release from prison, Betts was ordered to remain on supervised release for three years.
At sentencing, Judge Mihm recounted the evidence that established Betts’s role in inciting the riot that began at Market Place Mall and spread to area businesses and moved to the commercial area of North Prospect Ave.:
On May 31, 2020, at 10:31 a.m., Betts posted a statement to Facebook and attached a flyer of a stock image of a burning vehicle overlaid with a date and time: “RIOT @ MarketPlace Mall, Time: 3.” The flyer listed items to bring including “friends, family, posters, bricks, bookbags, etc.” In a post accompanying the flyer, Betts wrote, in part, “We gotta put Champaign/Urbana on the map - expletive – gone hear and fear us too. SLIDE let’s get busy.”
Before 3:00 p.m., Champaign Police Department officers went to Market Place Mall to attempt to prevent a riot. When officers arrived, approximately 50 to 75 people had gathered. The group continued to grow in number, and at approximately 3:12 p.m., the group began breaking out windows at businesses located in the mall, including Old Navy and Macy’s, and looting merchandise from within. Betts is pictured in video footage of the riot exiting the Old Navy store with a handful of clothing items.
During the riot, Betts also used his cell phone to make and post a Facebook Live video. The video depicts Betts carrying multiple items, including numerous pairs of khaki pants with Old Navy tags attached. Betts is heard in the video repeatedly stating, “We out here…” In another video, taken by a bystander, Betts is seen carrying multiple items, including khaki pants, and walking from Old Navy. As Betts walked by the bystander, he stated, “I started this s---.” Betts also used his cell phone during the riot to instigate others to join or to brag about starting the riot including statements such as “I started this,” and “Are you sliding to my riot?”
Dozens of off-duty officers were called to the riot where there were multiple assaults of officers and intense confrontations with the police by the group. This activity continued throughout the night and into the early morning hours of June 1, 2020. By the end of the night, approximately 73 businesses in the area had been vandalized and / or looted, including multiple small businesses that were set to reopen on June 1, after being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss to those businesses exceeded $2.1 million.
Further, after the riot, Betts fled to Mississippi where he used his cell phone to conduct internet searches such as, “can police find your location by logging in messenger,” “can police track your facebook,” and “what are charges for starting a riot.”
"This case illustrates the major difference between legitimate First Amendment expression and inciting a riot. In close cooperation with our law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney's Office remains committed to vigorously prosecuting those who incite and cause wanton damage," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. "At the same time, we remain equally committed to ensuring all citizens have the opportunity to legitimately exercise their First Amendment rights."
“The FBI respects and encourages the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights within the U.S. Constitution,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Springfield Special Agent in Charge Sean Cox. “When someone chooses to engage in acts of violence, to incite violence, destroy property, or to assault law enforcement this is illegal activity and clearly is not someone exercising their rights as afforded under the U.S. Constitution. This sentence serves a clear message the FBI is committed to working with our partners to ensure justice is served and the people in our communities are protected.”
Betts was arrested in Mississippi on June 5, 2020, by the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force. He has been detained in custody since his arrest. On July 8, 2021, Betts was sentenced to three years of probation in Champaign County, Illinois for burglary related to the riot.
The Champaign Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, conducted the investigation in coordination with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Escaping from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from custody in the Gerald R. Hinzman Center was sentenced on August 19, 2021, to two years in federal prison.
Justin Troendle, age 35, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 26, 2021 guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody. At the plea hearing, Troendle admitted that, in May 2020, he was in custody at the Hinzman Center under a federal court order pursuant to his prior conviction for failure to register as a sex offender. Troendle admitted that, between May 5 and May 15, 2020, he left custody without authorization by failing to return to the Hinzman Center as required.
Troendle was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Troendle was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 20-87.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Casey Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA – A Casey man, Dale Lee Waldroupe, age 36, was sentenced on August 19, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 150 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking. His term of imprisonment will be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Waldroupe pleaded guilty to the methamphetamine and firearm offenses in March of 2021.
In November 2020, Waldroupe was involved in a car accident in Council Bluffs and prior to law enforcement’s arrival he fled the scene. Waldroupe was located by law enforcement a short distance from the accident and officers discovered Waldroupe possessed fifty grams of methamphetamine, a scale, and a stolen firearm.
Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Buffalo Man Arrested, Charged with Manufacturing Ghost GunsRead 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 Lamborghini Lucas, 33, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with unlawfully manufacturing firearms. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 6, 2021, investigators executed a New York State search warrant at the defendant’s Woodlawn Avenue residence. During the search, a loaded Polymer 80 PF940SC 9mm PMF firearm, also known as a ghost gun, was recovered under a mattress in a bedroom. An additional three Polymer 80 PF940SC 9mm PMF firearms were discovered in a laundry basket full of clothing. A box sent from “JSD Supply,” which sells gun parts kits, was located in the living room. A receipt in the box showed three “PF940SC Full build kit-Minus Frame,” Two “Polymer 80 PF940SC Black,” One “Polymer 80 PF940SC Gray” for a total of $1,259.94. Throughout the residence, investigators also located three Polymer 80 boxes, three polymer 80 jigs, rotary bits, and a power drill. A records check determined that Lucas does not have a license to manufacture or deal in firearms.
The defendant appeared at a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on electronic monitoring.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Brazilian Citizen Who Ran Smuggling Organization Going to Prison for More Than 2 YearsRead 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 Tiago Mello-Lima, 34, a Brazilian citizen living in Canada, who was convicted of bringing aliens to the United States for commercial advantage or private financial gain, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Kruly, who handled the case, stated that the defendant managed and supervised a smuggling organization. Specifically, on April 28, 2019, while in Ontario, Canada, Mello-Lima and two other individuals, including co-defendant Renan Portela Bandeira De Souza, launched a boat, containing four alien passengers who were not citizens or nationals of the United States, into the Niagara River. In prior negotiations with two of the aliens, the defendant agreed to charge each alien approximately $6,000 to bring them to the United States. Mello-Lima drove the boat from Canada to the United States landing on Grand Island, NY. The four aliens disembarked, and the defendant returned the boat to a dock in Canada. Mello-Lima planned the April 28, 2019, smuggling and arranged for a U.S.-based individual to pick up the aliens on Grand Island and drive them to their final destinations in the United States. Between March 17 and July 2019, Mello-Lima smuggled or aided and abetted the smuggling of six more aliens into the United States.
Co-defendant Renan Portela Bandeira De Souza also pleaded guilty to bringing aliens to the United States for commercial advantage or private financial gain and was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison by Judge Arcara.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol Buffalo Sector, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent Andrew Scharnweber, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in the extradition of the defendant from Canada to the United States in March 2020.
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Bedford Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sexually Exploitative Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
A Bedford man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for receiving sexually explicit images of children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah.
Joshua Clyde Lamb, 35, pleaded guilty in April to one count of receipt of child pornography. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor.
According to plea papers, Mr. Lamb admitted that he used Skype, an internet-based video teleconferencing platform, to communicate with purveyors of child pornography based in the Philippines. On one occasion, he paid $30 for a video for a 10-minute video of an adult male raping a prepubescent girl.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with help from HSI’s Portland, Maine Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.
Bay Area Physician Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO– Joseph Andrew Mollick was charged in a federal complaint with possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.
According to the federal complaint filed July 13, 2021, and unsealed today, Mollick, 58, of Menlo Park, used the social media application Kik to upload an image depicting child pornography. The complaint alleges that Mollick possessed, on his Apple icloud account, at least 2000 images and videos of child pornography.
The complaint charges Mollick with one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B).
Mollick made his initial federal court appearance on the complaint this morning before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero. Chief Magistrate Judge Spero ordered Mollick released on an unsecured bond of $50,000 with special conditions imposed.
A complaint merely alleges that a crime has been committed. Mollick is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Chambers is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Ralph Banchstubbs and Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI.
Bapchule Man Sentenced for Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Kyle Andrew Jose, 27, of Bapchule, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to nearly 8 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jose previously pleaded guilty to Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder.
On March 1, 2020, Jose, an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community, was driving his car with his co-defendant, Brent Edwin Justin, as the front seat passenger. As Jose drove by the victim, Justin shot and killed the victim. Jose later disposed of the rifle that was used in the shooting. He also assisted Justin in trying to evade apprehension for the crime.
The Gila River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00557-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021- 052_Jose# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Baldwin County Man Sentenced to 108 Months for Possession of Ammunition During Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Robertsdale, Alabama man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at sentencing, Ronald Howard, 51, having previously been convicted of a felony offense, knowingly possessed ammunition in connection with a sexual assault and unlawful restraint. As part of the sentence, United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered that Howard undergo three years of supervised release after finishing his term of imprisonment, during which time Howard is ordered to participate in substance abuse treatment, sexual offender treatment, refrain from contact with minors, and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Resident Agent in Charge Kenneth J. Fos made the announcement. ATF and the Mobile Police Department (“MPD”) investigated the case.
At Howard’s sentencing, Judge Moorer heard testimony about the indicent. On the morning of February 11, 2020, officers from MPD responded to a 911 call from a bystander who reported seeing a woman being pushed out of a silver car. When the police arrived, the female victim had a bloodied head.
The victim reported that in the early morning hours of February 11, 2020, she was approached by three people in a silver car who offered her a ride and Howard was in the back seat, where the victim was also sitting. While both were in the backseat, Howard repeatedly struck the victim in the head with a gun and sexually assaulted the victim, who reported that Howard was armed with two guns. Mobile Fire Rescue transported the victim to a hospital to receive treatment for her injuries, which included a laceration to her head that required six staples.
A few hours later, Mobile Police Department officers stopped the silver car, which matched the victim’s description. Officers took the three occupants, including Howard, into custody. Officers found the victim’s identification card in Howard’s pocket and collected Howard’s clothing as evidence. Officers located nine unfired rounds of .38 Special ammunition in Howard’s pants pocket. Subsequent forensic testing completed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (“ADFS”) revealed that the victim’s DNA (a blood stain) was on the pants that Howard was wearing on the day of the assault. The victim made a positive identification of all three persons in the silver car in a photo lineup.
During a subsequent search of the car, police found a loaded .380 caliber pistol and a loaded .38 caliber revolver. The two weapons matched the victim’s description of the firearms that Howard possessed during the assault. Police swabbed the guns for DNA testing completed by the ADFS, which later confirmed the presence of Howard’s DNA on a swabbing from the .380 caliber pistol.
Howard has pending state charges in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama for sodomy in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, and assault in the second degree. The Mobile County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting Howard’s related state offenses.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, and were assisted by the MPD Special Victims Unit, the Rape Crisis Center, USA Women’s and Children’s Hospital Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and the officers of MPD’s Third Precinct. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Receives Top Prosecutor Award from Women in Federal Law EnforcementRead 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash received the Top Prosecutor Award from Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE). AUSA Tokash was nominated by the Buffalo Office of Homeland Security Investigations for her tireless efforts fighting against human trafficking and advocating on behalf of victims.
AUSA Tokash was a commissioned officer and decorated Veteran in the U.S. Army where she specialized in prosecutions involving victims of sexual crimes before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2019. AUSA Tokash is head of the Special Victims Unit, which is focused on human trafficking, child exploitation and sexual assaults. She also leads the U.S. Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force, coordinating efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement and non-governmental organizations in human trafficking investigations. One of those investigations involved defendant Valentino Shine, Sr., who was convicted following a jury trial of five counts of sex trafficking, and one count each of sex trafficking conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, using and maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison.
AUSA Tokash is currently completing a 90-day commission on President Biden's Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military.
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19 August 2021
“SCO” Gang Leader Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 262 months’ imprisonment and 10 years’ supervised release on his conviction of narcotics trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Howard McFadden, age 31, following his February 20, 2020, guilty plea to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack.
According to information presented to the court, in August of 2018, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the FBI, began a long-term investigation in drug trafficking activity occurring in the Braddock section of Pittsburgh. McFadden, the leader of a neighborhood-based street gang, self-titled “SCO”, and over 30 additional individuals, were identified as illegally distributing controlled substances in the Greater Pittsburgh Region.
McFadden, a heroin, powder cocaine, crack and marijuana trafficker, provided large quantities of those controlled substances to other SCO members/associates to distribute into the community. During the proceeding, Judge Schwab noted that McFadden’s drug business was “carefully planned out” and “thoughtfully organized” and that as a result of his actions, over 20 other individuals were involved in the same criminal activity.
McFadden operated his drug trafficking organization by training and mentoring younger SCO members in the drug trafficking business and often employed the use of runners so that he was not the one conducting the hand-to-hand drug transactions. Even so, investigators observed McFadden conducting drug transactions in his Jeep Grand Cherokee, stash house locations as well as apartment complexes, throughout the Braddock and Penn Hills areas. The Court was informed that when McFadden was arrested, investigators searched that vehicle and found a Glock 30, .45 caliber automatic pistol, and 13 rounds of ammunition in a trap compartment on the driver’s side door along with drugs packaged to distribute. McFadden admitted that he illegally possessed that firearm since he is a convicted felon, having served a lengthy sentence in state prison for drug trafficking crimes. Investigators also seized $5,058 from his residence and $18,520 from a safety deposit box that was opened for McFadden by another individual.
McFadden’s drug trafficking operation also utilized a series of stash houses throughout Braddock, PA, which he allegedly repaired as a part of his house-flipping business called H&M Home Solutions. These stash houses, however, were strategically located throughout Braddock in an attempt to avoid law enforcement detection and used as meeting locations for McFadden and his co-conspirators to conduct their drug business. Additionally, McFadden used others – often drug addicts – and members of the conspiracy to work on the homes. Rather than pay those individuals with cash, he would give them drugs.
In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through May of 2019. Investigators intercepted communications over multiple telephones operated by McFadden, intercepting thousands of communications, during which time he discussed his drug trafficking operation. For instance, during one call he explained that his business was “booming” – that is he would buy 2 kilograms of cocaine which he cooked and converted into crack to sell and used the proceeds to buy another kilogram when his supplier was in town. He also described looking to increase his heroin trafficking from a few hundred bricks of heroin to between 600-700 bricks every 3-4 weeks.
The Court noted that the sentence in this case, falling at the low-end of the Sentencing Guideline Range, was sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing and tailored to the defendant’s case. To the argument that no one was hurt by McFadden’s actions, Judge Schwab stated, “I dismiss that. Drugs are killing people” and destroying families. The Court went on to urge McFadden to use the business and leadership skills that he demonstrated as a drug trafficker in a productive and law-abiding way following the service of his sentence.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the multi-agency team, which was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McFadden. Partners in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies included the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
“Cocaine Pepe” faces up to life in prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 32-year-old Alice resident has entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 112 grams of meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
On April 9, authorities found Jose Francisco Arredondo aka Cocaine Pepe in a vehicle with currency, drugs and a scale as well as a firearm.
Law enforcement had arrived at a local hotel in response to a potential disturbance. They soon observed a vehicle with its lights on and engine running. Arredondo was driving. As they approached, they immediately noticed a firearm in the center console. Knowing he was a convicted felon, authorities conducted a thorough search of the vehicle.
They ultimately uncovered $10,000 as well as four bags of narcotics, one with 112 grams of meth, two containing a total of 56 grams of cocaine and another with 13 grams of marijuana. Law enforcement also discovered a digital scale and a defaced firearm.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 17. At that time, Arredondo faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office and the Alice Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin is prosecuting the case.
Woman Charged with Carjacking A Ford Truck in Río PiedrasRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ruth Cintrón Valles with a carjacking in Río Piedras, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the Government’s allegations, on August 15, 2021 around 9 PM, a man was driving a Ford E-350 truck at the intersection of Barbosa and Gándara Avenues in Río Piedras. While the car was stopped, a woman later identified as Ruth Cintrón Valles opened the driver’s door, carrying what appeared to be a firearm. The victim, fearing for his life, got out of the car. Police found the vehicle approximately 45 minutes later and arrested Ruth Cintrón Valles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Giovannie Mercado of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation. If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to fifteen years in prison for the carjacking.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Wheeling man sentenced to 10 years for drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Sylvester Eugene Walker, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months of incarceration for drug charges, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Walker, 28, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location” and one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Walker admitted to selling cocaine base near Wheeling Central Catholic High School on January16, 2020 and selling cocaine base on January 20, 2020 in Ohio County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Wheeling man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lewis Smith, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 51 months of incarceration for selling cocaine near a local school, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Smith, also known as “Duck,” 51, pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Smith admitted to selling cocaine base or “crack” near St. Michael Parish School in January 2018 in Ohio County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
West Hazleton Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Crack Cocaine Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on August 19, 2021, Randell Bruton-Scott, age 34, of West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani, for crack cocaine trafficking and firearms offenses.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Bruton-Scott previously pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute between 28 and 112 grams of crack cocaine in May and June 2019. Bruton-Scott also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition that were recovered during a search warrant executed at his West Hazleton residence on June 20, 2019. Due to his significant criminal history, Bruton-Scott was deemed a career offender subject to enhanced potential penalties.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the West Hazleton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.”
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Upshur County Man Sentenced for Identity Theft in Connection with CARES Act Economic Impact PaymentsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Gilmer man has been sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Dalton Brewer, 25, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2021, to conspiracy to unlawfully transfer, possess, and use a means of identification and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. Brewer was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,230.77.
“Not only was Mr. Brewer stealing taxpayer money – money intended to assist those suffering due to the pandemic – but he also stole the identities of innocent persons to effectuate his fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The CARES Act exists to provide economic stability and public confidence, both of which are undermined by criminal acts of program fraud. Together with its law enforcement partners, EDTX aims to be a vigilant guardian of the public fisc.”
“Understanding the impact financial crimes have on individuals drives the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to work diligently to hold perpetrators accountable,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division. “It’s unfortunate that while communities are recovering from the impact of the pandemic, suspects exploit the situation for their personal enrichment. The message is clear however, that if you engage in these crimes, Postal Inspectors will investigate and hold those responsible. We thank our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas for their efforts.”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration aggressively pursues those who endeavor to defraud programs afforded to the American people under the CARES Act,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “We appreciate the efforts of the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners in this effort.”
“Economic Impact Payments are intended to assist those in most need who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Brewer and Mrs. Fenton used our tax system to take advantage of innocent people and steal these critical relief funds. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with the US Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those who use this pandemic to commit fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the Dallas Field Office.
According to information presented in court, from at least November 2019 through June 2020, Brewer and Emilee Fenton conspired to possess and use the means of identification of other persons, including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, in connection with the theft of government money, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, theft of mail, and fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. Fenton was also charged with theft of government money and aggravated identity theft for her role in obtaining two EIPs using the means of identification of other persons. Fenton pleaded guilty to the same charge on March 23, 2021 and was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison on June 29, 2021.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized over $2 trillion in relief programs, including approximately $560 billion for benefits to individuals. An estimated $300 billion of that total was allocated for EIPs. Brewer and Fenton were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2020.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.
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United States Recovers over $1.4 Million from Four Additional Responsible Parties for the Release of Mercury in the Village of Rye BrookRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Walter Mugdan, Acting Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), announced today that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY (“DuPont”), D & D SALVAGE CORPORATION (“D & D”), OXY USA INC. (“Oxy”), and W.A. BAUM COMPANY, INC. (“W.A. Baum”) (collectively, the “Defendants”), and has simultaneously filed a consent decree settling the lawsuit. In the complaint, brought pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601-9675 (“CERCLA”) – commonly known as the Superfund statute – the United States alleged that the Defendants arranged for the disposal or treatment of mercury by Port Refinery, Inc. (“Port Refinery”), a mercury refining business in the Village of Rye Brook, New York, which led to releases of mercury into the environment. The consent decree provides for a combined payment of $1,412,255 by the Defendants for costs incurred by EPA in conducting clean-up activities at the site.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “DuPont, D & D, Oxy, and W.A. Baum contributed to contamination in a residential community by arranging for the treatment or disposal of over 7,000 pounds of toxic mercury, and now each is paying a share of the costs that EPA had to incur to clean up this site. This Office will continue to hold responsible parties accountable for their share of the costs at the site.”
EPA Acting Regional Administrator Walter Mugdan said: “EPA is recovering more than $1.4 million that the Agency spent to clean up mercury pollution released in the Village of Rye Brook, and that is good news for taxpayers as we are holding the polluter responsible for the cost. The funds can be put back into the Superfund to assist with cleanup of other sites. This case shows that EPA can take immediate action to protect people while still holding polluters responsible by recovering some of the money down the road. We don’t have to choose between protecting people and taking appropriate legal action – they go hand-in-hand.”
As alleged in the complaint filed yesterday in White Plains federal District Court, each of the Defendants arranged for Port Refinery’s treatment or disposal of used, surplus, or scrap mercury and mercury-containing materials at the Site. Port Refinery’s treatment and processing of mercury sent by the Defendants and other parties led to extensive releases of mercury into the environment, necessitating two separate clean-up actions by EPA. In connection with the second clean-up, EPA incurred costs at the Site for investigative and removal activities, including, among other things, excavating and disposing of more than 9,300 tons of mercury-contaminated soil from the site.
In the consent decree filed yesterday, the Defendants admit and accept responsibility for the following:
- EPA has determined that from the 1970s through the early 1990s, Port Refinery engaged in, among other things, the business of mercury reclaiming, refining, and processing.
- Port Refinery operated in the Village of Rye Brook out of a two-story garage bordered by private residences on its south, east, and west sides.
- EPA has determined that Port Refinery took virtually no environmental precautions or safety measures during its mercury refinement process.
- EPA has determined that Port Refinery released a significant amount of mercury into the environment, contaminating the Site.
- EPA has determined that mercury from the Defendants’ mercury-containing products was comingled at the Site and contributed to the mercury released into the environment.
Moreover, in the consent decree each Defendant admits and accepts responsibility for directly or indirectly delivering mercury to Port Refinery as follows:
- DuPont delivered 3,291 pounds of mercury, which included virgin, unused, scrap, used, and contaminated mercury, to Port Refinery during Port Refinery’s period of operations.
- D & D delivered 2,150 pounds of scrap mercury to Port Refinery during Port Refinery’s period of operations.
- Oxy sold 190 pounds of surplus mercury and mercury-containing materials to a third-party scrap dealer during Port Refinery’s period of operations, and EPA has determined that those surplus mercury and mercury-containing materials came to be located at the Site.
- W.A. Baum delivered 1,425 pounds of “dirty” mercury to Port Refinery during Port Refinery’s period of operations.
Pursuant to the consent decree, the Defendants will pay a total of $1,412,255 in costs incurred by EPA, consisting of $658,639 to be paid by DuPont, $430,352 to be paid by D & D, $38,031 to be paid by Oxy, and $285,233 to be paid by W.A. Baum.
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This lawsuit is the United States’ sixth lawsuit against responsible parties to recover clean-up costs for the second clean-up at the Site. With this settlement, the United States has recovered a total of $2,382,137 from responsible parties.
The consent decree will be lodged with the District Court for a period of at least 30 days before it is submitted for the Court’s approval, to provide public notice and to afford members of the public the opportunity to comment on the consent decree.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Environmental Protection Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Sun is in charge of the case.
Two Hudson County Men Charged for Roles in Jersey City ShootoutRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Jersey City, New Jersey, men who were involved in a shootout made their initial court appearances today on charges that they possessed ammunition as previously convicted felons, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Shamir Blunt, 35, and Mark Franklin, 29, are charged by criminal complaint with one count each of being felons in possession of ammunition. Blunt and Franklin made their initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and were detained.
According to documents filed in this case:
In the early morning hours of May 23, 2021, Blunt was standing on the sidewalk in front of a bodega in the Grove Street area of Jersey City. Franklin parked across the street. Franklin got out of his car, and the two men started arguing. Blunt walked to the bodega and opened the door. Franklin followed him.
As Blunt entered the bodega, Franklin punched him in the face several times. The two struggled until Franklin pulled a gun out and fired a shot. Police later recovered a 9-millimeter shell casing from Franklin’s gun inside the bodega. Franklin then left and put the gun back inside his hoodie.
Emerging from the bodega, Blunt ran at Franklin and shot at him twice from close range. Franklin fell to the ground, and then he pulled out his own firearm and returned fire. The two men continued to exchange gun shots from across the street.
Franklin and Blunt shot at each other over 15 times, and both men were hit. They eventually got in their cars, sped away, and went to Jersey City Medical Center where police later found each of their cars parked outside. Police also collected their clothing from the hospital, which matched the clothing they were wearing during the firefight.
Police also later found at least nine 9-millimeter shell casings from Franklin’s gun and at least four 9-millimeter shell casings from Blunt’s gun. They also found several bullets lodged in parked cars and in windows of nearby businesses.
At the time, both Blunt and Franklin had at least one prior felony conviction.
The felon in possession of ammunition charges carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews, with the investigation. She also thanked the Jersey City Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Acting Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Emails to Newson6 Threatening President BidenRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man pleaded guilty today in federal court for sending threatening emails to KOTV Channel 6 directed at President Joseph Biden, unnamed members of the Congress, and their families, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
John Jacobs Ahrens, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of threat against the President of the United States and two counts of interstate communication with a threat to injure. He will be sentenced on Dec. 22, 2021.
“This office and our federal law enforcement partners take seriously any online threats made against the President and members of Congress,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I appreciate the staff at Newson6 for reporting John Ahrens’ threatening emails. It is their action along with the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick, the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and OSBI that ensured Mr. Ahrens was held accountable today in federal court.”
According to court documents, an executive producer from the station contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center to report the threatening emails dated between May and June 2021.
In his messages, Ahrens demanded money, and if it wasn’t sent, he wrote that he would kill the President, members of Congress, and their families.
On May 10, 2021, Ahrens sent a message stating, “Please go to my Facebook page and read what I sent to the men of the United States Congress. They have less than 48 hours to hand over my money or their children will start dying all over the country. I’m going to kill their children using the same law as the Government used to force our families on to the Trail of Tears.”
In a June 17 message, he wrote “You have until Monday morning 8:00 am sharp to hand a check over to the State of Oklahoma, the Muscogee Nation and my family in accordance with a signed agreement as set forth in the Treaty of 1866.”
Other messages included “America is going to get to see a sitting President get his head blown off right in front of them” and “…your families will start dying. After that is over, I’m going to come back here one more time and tell you to hand over my money.”
Ahrens was arrested at his Tulsa residence on June 18, 2021, by agents of the FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and task for officers with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.
Tooele Veterinarian Ordered to Pay $78,455 and Limit Prescribing for Failing to Properly Track and Control OpioidsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Dr. Joe Roundy, a licensed veterinarian and the owner of the Tooele Veterinary Clinic in Tooele, Utah, has been ordered to pay the United States $78,455 and restrict his prescribing of opioids and other controlled substances for violations of multiple provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”).
According to the allegations made by the United States, Dr. Roundy failed to properly inventory, track, and maintain control over controlled substances, including opioids such as oxycodone and morphine over a period of several years of practicing as a veterinarian and operating an active animal clinic. By not properly inventorying, tracking, maintaining control over, and storing the controlled substances, he violated the Controlled Substances Act. These violations were discovered by DEA investigators during an on-site inspection of Dr. Roundy’s veterinary clinic, which included an audit of his drug control practices. DEA investigators found CSA violations with respect to all eighteen of the eighteen controlled substances audited. Dr. Roundy could not locate or account for a significant number of the controlled substances the DEA audited.
“When those trusted to prescribe dangerous opioids and other medications like Dr. Roundy don’t track and control their opioids carefully, they create the potential to contribute to the menace of opioid abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrea Martinez. “The court’s order has cost Dr. Roundy a significant monetary penalty and has severely restricted his ability to prescribe and administer powerful opioids and other medications.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to ensuring that those entrusted with the ability to prescribe controlled substances, regardless of their profession, do so in a safe, responsible manner,” said Utah DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Tinkler. “This investigation highlights the critical role that DEA Diversion Investigators play in safeguarding the public from the dangers associated with the potential misuse of prescription drugs”.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office.
The statements in this release are only allegations. In entering into a civil settlement and agreeing to the court’s entering an order against him, Dr. Roundy did not admit to liability, and the order indicates that the parties entered into the settlement to avoid the uncertainty and expense of further litigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Ferre handled this matter on behalf of the United States.
Third defendant sentenced in scheme to use drone to smuggle contraband into a Georgia state prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: An Atlanta-area man is the third defendant sentenced in U.S. District Court after admitting to a scheme to use a drone to smuggle contraband into a Georgia state prison.
Cheik Hassane Toure, 24, of Marietta, Ga., was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Serving or Attempting to Serve as an Airman Without an Airman’s Certificate, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Toure had been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since June 9 after a hearing in which it was determined he had violated the conditions of his bond. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Toure to pay a $1,000 fine and to serve one year of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Toure’s co-defendants, brothers George Lo, 27, of Powder Springs, Ga., and Nicholas Lo, 25, of Dallas, Ga., are serving sentences of 12 months in federal prison after also pleading guilty in the scheme. The prosecutions in the case are believed to be among the first in the nation under federal law regulating non-passenger aircraft.
“The growing field of unmanned aircraft has bloomed enormous possibilities for legal commerce and recreation, but like all technological advances it also has provided a new tool for those who would attempt to smuggle contraband inside prison walls,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, this particular scheme was grounded before delivering its payload.”
As described in court documents and testimony, George Lo was serving a state sentence for armed robbery at Telfair State Prison in Telfair County when he began conspiring with Nicholas Lo and Toure, and others, to own and operate a Storm Drone 4 kit-built unmanned aircraft without registration or licensing. The Lo brothers discussed using the drone to deliver contraband to Telfair State Prison, and Nicholas Lo and Toure practiced flying the aircraft. George Lo planned to pay the two to fly the aircraft to deliver the contraband, which he intended to sell to other inmates.
At 1:30 a.m., on Aug. 26, 2019, Telfair County Sheriff’s deputies observed an approaching vehicle turn off its lights about 100 yards from Telfair State Prison. During a search, Deputies encountered Nicholas Lo and Toure in a wooded area between the road and prison. The pair possessed a large duffle bag containing the drone, a controller, a video monitor and a headset. In addition, the bag contained 14 cell phones, at least 74 grams of tobacco, a digital scale and earbud headphones. Both men were taken into custody.
Federal law requires registration of unmanned aircraft weighing 0.55 pounds or more, and the Storm Drone 4’s weight was in excess of that requirement. Also, federal law requires the pilot of any unmanned aircraft to hold an airman’s certificate when operating the unmanned aircraft for compensation or hire.
“Federal laws and regulations related to owning and operating drones serve to ensure the safety of the public and our nation’s airspace. Violating those laws while attempting to smuggle contraband into a state prison is a recipe for disaster,” said Todd Damiani, Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “This sentencing sends a strong message that, together with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we are committed to keeping our skies safe and illicit activities at bay.”
“We are pleased to see that justice has been served on these individuals for their role in attempting to introduce dangerous contraband into our facilities,” said Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Timothy C. Ward. “This outcome should serve as a clear message that perpetrating criminal activity, even while behind prison walls, will not be tolerated.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III and E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield to conspiring to traffic cocaine and launder money.
Miguel Betancourt, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Dec. 8, 2021.
Betancourt was indicted in November 2017 as part of a 14-month wiretap investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization supplied by sources in Mexico and spanning at least four states.
At the plea hearing, Betancourt admitted that, in 2016, he knowingly purchased five kilograms of cocaine, which he intended to distribute to others. Betancourt then used his auto dealership, State Line Auto Sales in Enfield, Conn., to launder some of the drug proceeds by providing two vehicles registered in another individual’s name to the source from whom he purchased the cocaine as well as wiring $9,500 to a co-conspirator in Mexico.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Carlsbad (Calif.) Resident Office and the Westfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil L. Desroches and Steven H. Breslow of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office 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.
Spring Hill Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced David Naylor (59, Spring Hill) to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for theft of government funds. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Naylor to pay $730,561.73 in restitution and, separately, entered a forfeiture money judgment against him in the amount of $549,426.23, the proceeds of the offense of conviction.
Naylor had pleaded guilty on September 22, 2020.
According to court documents, Naylor engaged in a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). To deceive and steal from the VA, Naylor made false representations regarding his physical limitations in connection with his application for VA Disability Compensation. Based on these false representations, the VA found that Naylor was entitled to Disability Compensation and other related benefits. In total, Naylor received $549,426.23 in VA benefits to which he was not entitled. Naylor also received $181,135.50 in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits as a result of relevant conduct.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Spearfish Man Sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Spearfish, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced on August 17, 2021, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Stanley Lee Lumbardy, age 70, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund. Lumbardy will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Lumbardy was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2019 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple chats Lumbardy exchanged with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent. Lumbardy requested photos from the 15-year-old undercover persona and negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Lumbardy went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Lumbardy was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Southern California Man Pleads Guilty After Attempting to Set Fire to Federal Courthouse During Portland ProtestRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Southern California man pleaded guilty today for attempting to set fire to the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse during a protest in Downtown Portland on July 13, 2020.
Kevin Benjamin Weier, 35, of Vista, California, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of depredation of government property.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2020, Weier was present at a protest outside the Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Portland. During the protest, Weier placed a burning piece of wood against the building.
On August 10, 2021, Weier was charged by criminal information with one count of depredation of government property.
Depredation of government property is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release. Weier will be sentenced on November 15, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Karin J. Immergut.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Federal Protective Service and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
South Florida Liquor Store Owner Guilty of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A Lake Worth, Florida man who did not report his liquor store’s cash sales to the IRS pled guilty yesterday in federal district court in West Palm Beach to tax evasion.
Ajay Kumar, 60, was the sole officer and registered agent of Kruthi, Inc, a company registered in Florida, and doing business as “Tri County Discount Liquor.” Kumar attempted to evade taxes by keeping records of the liquor store’s income in two separate retail point-of-sale systems. Kumar reported the income from one of these systems to his accountant. Kumar recorded the cash sales on a separate stand-alone cash register and did not report this income. As a result, Kruthi’s return for tax year 2017 underreported the liquor store’s gross receipts by approximately $557,268.
During the hearing in West Palm Beach before U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, Kumar admitted that he failed to report all his liquor store’s gross receipts and that he owed substantial income tax in addition to the amount declared on the 2017 tax return that he jointly filed with his wife.
Judge Middlebrooks will sentence Kumar on November 4, at 11:00 a.m. Kumar faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Marc Osborne is prosecuting this case.
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 at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 21-cr-80091.
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Rochester Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Stealing Nude Photos of Dozens of VictimsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nicholas Faber, age 25, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced today to serve 36 months in prison for computer fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with his hacking of online social media accounts and theft of nude images of dozens of female victims.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.; Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and State University of New York-Plattsburgh Police Chief Patrick Rascoe.
As part of his guilty plea on February 8, 2021, Faber admitted that from about 2017 to 2019, he worked with co-conspirator Michael Fish to access the school email accounts of dozens of female college students and then used information from those school email accounts to gain access to the victims’ social media accounts. Faber then stole, and traded online with others, private nude photographs and movies stored in the victims’ social media accounts. Also, as a result of Faber’s crimes, the university had to allocate money and staff to identifying compromised accounts, reviewing computer and server access logs, resetting passwords, and notifying students and parents.
Faber obtained his undergraduate degree from SUNY-Plattsburgh, graduating in 2017.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Faber is released from prison, and ordered him to pay $35,430 in restitution to SUNY-Plattsburgh and a $200 special assessment.
Fish pled guilty to computer hacking, aggravated identity theft and child pornography offenses on May 19, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2021.
This case was investigated by the FBI with substantial assistance from the SUNY-Plattsburgh Police Department. Deputy Chief Michael Stawasz from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Wayne A. Myers, prosecuted the case.
Previously Deported Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Crimes and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A 29-year-old Mexican national living in South Florida who pretended to be a nine-year-old girl during on-line chats and solicited minors to produce child sexual abuse material pled guilty today in federal district court in West Palm Beach to committing child exploitation crimes and being in the United States illegally following deportation.
Andres Rivera Reyes, who has lived both in Boca Raton and Pompano Beach, Florida, admitted that over the past two years, he posed as a nine-year-old girl on social media to try to obtain child sexual abuse material from girls in the United States as young as eight. Rivera Reyes used social media networking platforms to share and receive child sexual abuse material and kept videos on his cellular phone of children under 12 engaged in sexually explicit acts. Rivera Reyes also admitted that he is in the United States illegally and that the United States had previously deported him twice.
Rivera Reyes pled guilty to one count of attempted production of child pornography, two counts of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg, who sits in West Palm Beach, will sentence Rivera Reyes on October 20, at 11:00 a.m. Rivera Reyes faces up to 112 years’ imprisonment.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI ), Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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 21-cr-80064.
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Portland Area Identity Thief Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Gresham, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for stealing financial and identification documents from more than 100 people in and around Portland.
Robert Loren Finanders, 40, pleaded guilty to unauthorized access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between April 2019 and April 2020, Finanders is alleged to have stolen financial and identification documents from dozens of people in the Portland area with the intent to steal money from them and from local businesses. Finanders spent tens of thousands of dollars using stolen credit cards and other personal information. Some of the identity material recovered had been located in wallets and purses stolen from vehicles.
The Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) East Precinct Street Crimes Unit began investigating Finanders in late September 2019 after finding a fraudulent Oregon driver’s license in the name of an adult victim during an arrest. The license had Finanders’ photo on it in place of the named victim. Investigators learned that around the same time, police officers in Bend, Oregon had arrested Finanders and a co-conspirator after receiving a report of a person using a stolen credit card at a local restaurant.
Bend police searched the vehicle driven by Finanders’ co-conspirator and found a passport, W2s, and a retail credit card matching the name of the victim whose stolen driver’s license was recovered by PPB. A search of Finanders’ Bend hotel room returned several additional W2s in the name of another victim and a victim profile notebook.
PPB officers linked Finanders to additional identity theft crimes in Portland, Gresham, and Lake Oswego, Oregon and, on January 22, 2020, executed a search warrant at his Gresham residence. Officers seized stolen profiles of more than 80 individuals; dozens of stolen and fraudulent identification and personal documents including passports, government-issued identification cards, and driver’s licenses; an embosser; a card reader; stolen mail; additional victim profile notebooks; three handguns; a dismantled AR-15; body armor; and evidence of drug trafficking.
On March 12, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a nine-count indictment charging Finanders. On April 1, 2020, he was arrested by PPB.
Finanders will be sentenced on December 6, 2021 by U.S. District Court Judge Karin J. Immergut.
As part of his plea agreement, Finanders has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the PPB East Precinct Street Crimes Unit with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Pineville Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Billy Ray Jones, Jr., 39, of Pineville, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 57 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Jones pleaded guilty on May 18, 2021 to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The charges stem from an incident in November 2019 when law enforcement officers from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and Lecompte Police Department began investigating a burglary at a Burger King in the Lecompte area. Information obtained by law enforcement led them to suspect that Jones, who was the boyfriend of the restaurant manager, committed the burglary. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence where Jones was living. Upon execution of the warrant, officers found the burglar’s attire and mask in a bag in the master bedroom closet, along with a wallet with identification belonging to Jones. Also in the closet were six firearms and two homemade silencers.
While searching the residence, an adult and juvenile approached from the nearby woods wearing camouflage hunting attire and both had rifles with scopes. Not knowing the adult male was Jones, officers directed them away from the residence. When they learned it was Jones, the female in the residence called them back and he arrived without the rifle that he had been previously carrying. Jones initially denied that the firearms, burglar’s attire and mask in the closet belonged to him, and that he had been carrying the rifle previously. Another search warrant was obtained for the rifle that Jones had been carrying and it was found hidden in a nearby field under tree limbs and pine straw. Jones was interviewed again and admitted to committing the burglary at Burger King and that he had purchased the rifle with money obtained during the burglary, as well as the fact that he had control of the six firearms and silencers in the closet.
Jones has prior convictions for attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2018), illegal possession of stolen things (2018), and simple burglary (2008) and was prohibited from possessing any firearms.
The ATF, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and Lecompte Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Parolee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Property for Stealing Humvee from Army Reserve Center in UplandRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Pomona man who stole a military Humvee from the Army Reserve Center in Upland and briefly led police on a chase through Pomona’s residential streets pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge.
Armando Garcia, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property. At the time of the offense, Garcia was on parole after being convicted in 2019 in state court on theft and burglary charges.
According to court documents, on November 9, 2020, Garcia stole a militarized High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle – commonly known as a Humvee – that had been secured by a padlock at the Reserve Center in Upland.
Soon after Garcia drove off with the semi-armored combat vehicle with a turret mount, Pomona Police officers saw the Humvee and attempted to make a traffic stop of the unlicensed vehicle, according to a complaint affidavit previously filed in this case.
“During the pursuit, which lasted approximately four minutes, the Humvee traveled at excessive speeds, drove on the wrong side of the street (in the direction of oncoming traffic), failed to stop at multiple red lights and stops signs, and failed to signal for turns,” according to the affidavit. Garcia stopped the Humvee in front of a home on a residential street in Pomona and was arrested at the scene.
Inside the Humvee, police found a large pair of bolt cutters and an Army-approved padlock that appeared to have been cut, according to the complaint, which notes the padlock had secured a steel wire put in place to prevent the turning of the steering wheel inside the vehicle.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt has scheduled a December 2 sentencing hearing, at which time Garcia will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force investigated this matter. The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the Task Force and has hosted the task force since its inception in 2008.
Assistant United States Attorney Juan M. Rodríguez of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Operation Leads to Conviction of 26 Brunswick County Defendants, Including Highest-Ranking Member of Bloods Street Gang in Brunswick CountyRead the Press Release
BOLIVIA, N.C. – Beginning in 2017, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina partnered with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to investigate and prosecute violent Bloods gang members and high-volume drug traffickers operating in the Brunswick County area.
The ensuing investigation, named Operation Hell Swamp, led to the successful investigation, prosecution, and conviction of 26 defendants from the Brunswick County area.
During the investigation, agents seized fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, and multiple kilograms of cocaine. Agents also seized more than a dozen firearms.
Some of the defendants are described in detail below.
Nicholas Shamar Griffin described himself as the highest-ranking member of the Bloods street gang in Brunswick County. He was a significant cocaine and crack cocaine trafficker, who was also willing to use violence. While on federal supervised release for a prior federal conviction, Griffin shot a man during a gang-related dispute. Griffin was sentenced to more than 29 years’ imprisonment.
Covia Dzell Smith was a violent, high-level member of the Bloods street gang. The investigation showed that Smith committed several acts of violence, including a shooting. He was charged with drug trafficking offenses, was convicted at trial of all counts. He was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.
Spencer Bryant was found responsible for distributing approximately fourteen kilograms of cocaine base in the Brunswick County area, and he was sentenced to more than 17 years’ imprisonment.
Andreis Jenrette was found in possession of cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and a loaded firearm. He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Deonte Bigelow and Courtnae Wiley were arrested while transporting one kilogram of cocaine, which had a street value of approximately $35,000. In total, Bigelow was found responsible for trafficking approximately 28 kilograms of cocaine. Bigelow was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Below is a summary of the results of the cases in this investigation:
- Nicholas Shamar Griffin, 7:18-CR-00174-D-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack)
- Sentence: 350 months’ imprisonment
- Covia Dzell Smith, 7:18-cr-00093-D-1:
- Convicted at trial of distribution of cocaine, marijuana
- Sentence: 300 months’ imprisonment
- Freeman Hankins Jr., 7:17-cr-00110-BR-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Sentence: 75 months’ imprisonment
- Deontray Tremell Bryant, 7:17-cr-00150-FL-1:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin
- Sentence: 70 months’ imprisonment
- Deonte Xavier Bigelow, 7:17-cr-00165-BR-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine
- Sentence: 120 months’ imprisonment
- Courtnae Shantae Wiley, 7:17-cr-00165-BR-2:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine
- Sentence: 5 years’ probation
- Delmas C. Gause, 7:18-cr-00005-BR-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and a quantity of cocaine
- Sentence: 71 months’ imprisonment
- Michael Montray Frink, 7:18-cr-00033-BO-1:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Sentence: 117 months’ imprisonment
- Alex Alterick Hamilton, 7:18-cr-00034-BO-1:
- Pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment
- Ryan Alexander Stewart, 7:18-cr-00040-D-1:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base
- Sentence: 60 months’ imprisonment
- Victor Demetrious Watson, 7:18-cr-00035-BO-1:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Sentence: 120 months’ imprisonment
- Terrance Leon Washington, 7:18-cr-00039-D-1:
- Pled guilty to distribution of cocaine and cocaine base (crack); possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine
- Sentence: 60 months’ imprisonment
- Wayne Levanughn King, 7:18-cr-00056-BR-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack)
- Sentence: 120 months’ imprisonment
- Rodrick Bryant, 7:18-cr-00081-BO-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and a quantity of marijuana
- Sentence: 42 months’ imprisonment
- Zane Alan Williams, 7:18-cr-00146-D-1:
- Pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of cocaine
- Sentence: 120 months’ imprisonment
- Andreis Jenrette, 7:18-cr-00175-BO-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack); possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base (crack); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Sentence: 180 months’ imprisonment
- Hester Griffin, 7:18-cr-00174-D-2:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine
- Sentence: time served, then six months’ imprisonment for violation of supervised release
- Gregory Orlando Gause, 7:19-cr-00041-FL-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack); distribution of a quantity of cocaine base (crack)
- Sentence: 28 months’ imprisonment
- Spencer Lamont Bryant, 5:19-cr-00113-D-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of a quantity of cocaine base
- Sentence: 210 months’ imprisonment
- Bruce James Daniels, Sr.:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base; distribute of a quantity of cocaine base
- Sentence: 39 months’ imprisonment
- Anthony Junior Bell, 7:19-cr-00095-FL-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base; possession of a firearm by a felon
- Sentence: 66 months’ imprisonment
- Malcolm Jackson, 7:19-cr-00113-BO-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack); possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base (crack)
- Sentence: 144 months’ imprisonment
- Dev Vontrai Bland, 7:20-CR-00082-D-1:
- Pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of cocaine; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Sentence: 151 months’ imprisonment
- Shawn Deontae Hewett, 7:20-cr-00162-D-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack); possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base (crack); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Not yet sentenced
- Oneisha Williams, 7:20-cr-00162-D-2:
- Pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack)
- Not yet sentenced
- Gregory Lee Bellamy, 7:20-cr-00164-D-1:
- Pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine; distribution of a quantity of heroin, cocaine base (crack); possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Not yet sentenced
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the cases.
Valuable assistance was also provided by the District Attorney’s office for Brunswick, Columbus, and Bladen counties.
Operation Hell Swamp is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is also part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For additional information about this initiative, click here https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for the case numbers listed above.
- Nicholas Shamar Griffin, 7:18-CR-00174-D-1:
Omar Amanat Sentenced to Prison for Multiple Fraud Schemes After Conviction at Trial During Which He Fabricated EvidenceRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that OMAR AMANAT, an associate of codefendant Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, the former chairman and chief executive officer of the technology start-up company KIT digital, Inc. (“KITD”), was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe to five years in prison for participating in various securities fraud-related offenses. AMANAT and Tuzman were found guilty in 2017 after a two-month trial presided over by Judge Gardephe. AMANAT was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aiding and abetting investment advisor fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Omar Amanat defrauded investors of millions of dollars through years of lies and deceit. Among his many fraudulent tactics, Amanat teamed up with Kaleil Tuzman and others to manipulate stock prices and hide investment losses through years of false account statements. When finally caught, Amanat doubled down on his lies by introducing fake emails into the trial record as ‘exculpatory’ evidence. Neither the Government nor the jury was fooled. Amanat was convicted on all counts and remanded by the Court into federal custody, where he will remain until his sentence is served.”
According to the Indictment and other filings in Manhattan federal court and the evidence presented at trial:
The Scheme to Defraud Maiden Capital Investors
Stephen Maiden[1] was the managing member of Maiden Capital, a hedge fund that managed portfolios of securities. Between in or about February 2009 and in or about June 2012, AMANAT, along with Maiden and others, devised and carried out a scheme to hide from Maiden Capital investors the fact that Maiden Capital’s investments in Enable – an investment fund run by AMANAT’s brother and codefendant, Irfan Amanat, for which AMANAT raised money (based, in part, on false and misleading representations) – had been lost. To facilitate the scheme, Maiden, with the knowledge and approval of AMANAT, generated false client account statements that failed to disclose the Enable losses. In addition, AMANAT wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Maiden Capital bank account to support Maiden Capital, including to allow Maiden to repay investors whose redemption requests could not be forestalled and thus to continue to keep secret from Maiden Capital investors the Enable losses for over three years.
The Market Manipulation Scheme
Between in or about December 2008 and in or about September 2011, AMANAT, Tuzman, and Maiden engaged in efforts to artificially inflate the share price and trading volume of KITD shares. During this time period, KITD shares traded on the OTC Bulletin Board and on the NASDAQ. Maiden, at Tuzman and AMANAT’s direction, purchased and sold shares of KITD through Maiden Capital, for the purpose of manipulating KITD’s stock price and creating the illusion of greater volume in the trading for KITD shares.
For instance, Maiden, with Tuzman’s knowledge and approval, frequently engaged in match trading in which Maiden caused an account under Maiden’s control to buy or sell KITD stock, and on the same day caused an account under Maiden’s control to take the opposite position. Tuzman also directed Maiden to make timely purchases of KITD stock in an effort to manipulate the price of KITD shares at certain critical times, including, for example, when KITD was seeking to raise additional capital and in the weeks before KITD’s stock was uplisted to the NASDAQ. At times, Maiden was responsible for nearly all of the day’s trading activity in KITD stock.
Amanat’s Fabrication of Evidence
Evidence at trial also revealed that AMANAT produced to the Government and entered into evidence at trial emails that had been fabricated. After two evidentiary hearings, the Court allowed the Government to present to the jury evidence of AMANAT’s use of false and fabricated email evidence during the trial. After the verdict, Judge Gardephe revoked AMANAT’s bail and ordered him remanded into custody, citing numerous factors, including that “substantial evidence was introduced at trial that Mr. Amanat fabricated emails” showing “disdain for the court” and its procedures.
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AMANAT, 48, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered of pay a fine of $175,000.
Tuzman, 49, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gardephe on September 10, 2021, at 12:00 p.m.
Irfan Amanat, 50, was convicted at a separate trial before Judge Gardephe in October 2018. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gardephe on September 8, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. She also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea M. Griswold, Joshua A. Naftalis, and Daniel M. Tracer are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] Maiden pled guilty to various offenses for his role in the schemes and cooperated with the Government.
North Carolina Man Indicted on Federal Charges of Sex Trafficking, Transporting an Individual to Engage in Prostitution, and Possession with the Intent to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Adolph J. Scott, a/k/a “A”, a/k/a “AJ”, a/k/a “Ghost”, a/k/a “Jay”, age 36, of Spring Lake, North Carolina, for the federal charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; interstate transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution; and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The indictment 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) Baltimore; and Chief Lisa D. Myers of the Howard County Police Department.
According to the three-count indictment, from at least January 2020 to February 2021, in the District of Maryland, the Eastern District of North Carolina, and elsewhere, Scott recruited, enticed, transported, advertised, and solicited Victim 1 to conduct sexual acts for his financial benefit.
Specifically, the indictment alleges from January 23, 2021 to January 24, 2021 that Scott transported Victim 1 from Maryland to North Carlina with the intent that Victim 1 would engage in prostitution and sexual activity.
The indictment further alleges that Scott also possessed controlled substances with intent to distribute including: a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, and a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.
If convicted, Scott faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison for sex trafficking. 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. Scott is currently detained on related state charges.
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.
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 and sex 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 commended HSI and the Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Setzer who is 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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New York Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Stealing Nude Photos of Dozens of VictimsRead the Press Release
A New York man was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for computer fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with his hacking of online social media accounts and theft of nude images of dozens of women.
Nicholas Faber, 25, of Rochester, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8. According to court documents, Faber admitted that from about 2017 to 2019, he worked with co-conspirator Michael Fish to access the school email accounts of dozens of female SUNY-Plattsburgh students and then used information from those school email accounts to gain access to the victims’ social media accounts. Faber then stole, and traded online with others, private nude photographs and movies stored in the victims’ social media accounts. As a result of Faber’s crimes, the university had to allocate money and staff to identifying compromised accounts, reviewing computer and server access logs, resetting passwords and notifying students and parents.
Faber obtained his undergraduate degree from SUNY-Plattsburgh, graduating in 2017.
In addition to the 36 month prison sentence, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a three year term of supervised release, which will start after Faber is released from prison, and ordered him to pay $35,430 in restitution to SUNY-Plattsburgh and a $200 special assessment.
Fish pleaded guilty to computer hacking, aggravated identity theft and child pornography offenses on May 19, 2020 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3.
This case was investigated by the FBI's Albany Field Office with substantial assistance from the SUNY-Plattsburgh Police Department.
Deputy Chief Michael Stawasz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Wayne A. Myers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York are handling the case.
New Haven Man Charged with Crack Cocaine Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging ZAQUAWN ARRINGTON, 22, of New Haven, with three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”).
The indictment was returned on July 27. Arrington appeared yesterday via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Arrington has been detained since July 21.
As alleged in court documents, on January 9, 2021, Arrington was arrested by West Haven Police after they found him in possession of crack cocaine packaged for distribution and $763 in cash. Subsequent analysis of an iPhone seized from Arrington at the time of his arrest revealed multiple photos and videos of firearms, including photos of Arrington possessing firearms.
It is further alleged that on June 22, 2021, New Haven Police attempted to stop a vehicle being operated by Arrington, but Arrington fled at a high rate of speed. On July 6, 2021, New Haven Police located Arrington and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Arrington possessed crack cocaine packaged for distribution and $580 in cash.
Arrington was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 21, 2021. A search of Arrington’s residence on the date of his arrest revealed crack cocaine packaged for distribution, a digital scale, and $2,075 in cash. It is further alleged that, the following day, a court-authorized search of a parked vehicle that Arrington had been seen accessing revealed a loaded ghost gun.
If convicted, Arrington faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count of the indictment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the New Haven Police Department and the West Haven Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven and West Haven Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Fresimuth
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New Hampshire man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Joseph Fall, 40, to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Fall pleaded guilty on March 29, 2021.
According to court records, between March 2018 and February 2019, Fall conspired with his wife and others to distribute methamphetamine in New Hampshire and Maine. During the conspiracy, Fall and his wife were stopped by the Illinois State Police while bringing methamphetamine back to New England from California. Law enforcement officers seized nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine from their vehicle as part of that traffic stop. Investigators later made multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Fall and his co-conspirators. Fall was living in Rumford, Maine at the time.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rumford Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, the Carroll County (New Hampshire) Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police investigated the case.
Nevada Medical Practice Agrees to Pay $1 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Medicare Reimbursement ClaimsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Nevada Advanced Pain Specialists (NAPS), a Reno-based medical practice, has agreed to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims for payment to Medicare for medically unnecessary urine drug testing (UDT).
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, NAPS admits that it ordered confirmatory UDT—testing designed to confirm the results of presumptive UDT—despite failing to first obtain presumptive UDT results. In fact, NAPS did not consult the presumptive UDT results before ordering their confirmation but continued to perform presumptive tests in-house and bill Medicare as if they were medically necessary. NAPS admits that its performance of presumptive UDT played no role in its medical decision-making regarding whether to order confirmatory UDT from a clinical laboratory.
“NAPS ordered presumptive testing in order to collect more from Medicare, not because the tests were medically necessary,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “It’s not supposed to work that way, of course. NAPS was improperly draining resources from an important federal program, and we commend it for resolving the matter expeditiously.”
“Healthcare providers are expected to closely follow Medicare rules and bill properly — nothing more, nothing less,” said Special Agent in Charge Phillip M. Coyne of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “When that obligation is violated, government health care programs – and American taxpayers – pay the price. We are committed to pursuing these types of allegations along with our law enforcement partners as we work to protect the integrity of our federal healthcare system.”
“Public health insurance programs, such as Medicare, incur staggering financial losses when their programs are exploited. Today’s settlement should make it perfectly clear that those who bill for medically unnecessary tests will be held accountable,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.
This settlement resolves claims brought as part of a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. In connection with today’s announced settlement, the relator will receive $150,000 of the recovery.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, HHS-OIG SAC Coyne, and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. The Department of Veterans Affairs also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham R. George and Charles B. Weinograd of Mendell’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Natchez Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Natchez woman pled guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court documents, on December 13, 2019, Williesia Laquanda Williams, 29, made a live social media video of herself driving and displaying a firearm. At that time, Williams was on parole and her parole officer saw the video. That evening, Williams was stopped by a Natchez police officer for a traffic violation and arrested for possessing the firearm as a convicted felon. Williams had been previously convicted of assaulting a correctional officer and possessing cocaine.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2021, and faces a maximum 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting 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.
Naknek Man Indicted on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Anchorage returned an indictment yesterday charging a Naknek, Alaska, man for possession and attempted possession of methamphetamine and heroin.
According to court documents, Kenneth Bruce Bishop, 61, arranged for an associate to fly from Anchorage to King Salmon, Alaska, with approximately 170 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 50 grams of heroin. Staff of a regional air carrier at Merrill Field Airport detected the illegal drugs during a routine screening on July 29, 2021, and the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team intercepted the drugs.
On August 3, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the illegal drugs via the U.S. Postal Service in King Salmon. After Bishop picked up the package at the local post office and drove away, Alaska State Troopers pulled him over and found the contents of the package on the floor of the truck. The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of $220,000 and included approximately 50 user doses of heroin and more than 1,700 user doses of methamphetamine.
Bishop is scheduled for his initial court appearance on August 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum 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 Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska and Colonel Bryan Barlow, Director of the Alaska State Troopers made the announcement.
The Alaska State Troopers, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team, Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Bristol Bay Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Yunah Chung is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Missouri Army National Guardsman and Department of Defense Subcontractors Indicted for Conspiring to Steal and Sell Military GearRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury in East St. Louis, Illinois, has returned an indictment charging three area men with conspiring to steal and sell sensitive equipment and other property belonging to the United States military.
Brandon Schulte, 43, of Jefferson City, Missouri, Jody (“Joe”) Stambaugh, 50, of Nashville, Illinois, and Gary Stambaugh, 77, of Fayetteville, Illinois, are accused of conspiring with each other and others unnamed to steal military uniforms, tactical robots, night vision sights, high frequency radios, and other functional military equipment.
“These allegations are very serious,” U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said. “The indictment charges a conspiracy to steal and sell sensitive military items. Any theft of government property harms the taxpayers, but worse, items such as equipment and uniforms could easily fall into the wrong hands and threaten the safety of our service members.”
“As the investigative arm of the Department of Defense, the DoD Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is charted to protect our warfighters, DoD equipment, funds and other resources,” said Michael Mentavlos, Special Agent-in-Charge – DCIS, Southwest Field Office. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment, along with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively pursue those that attempt to illegally profit from taxpayer funded resources.”
According to the indictment, Gary Stambaugh and Joe Stambaugh were co-owners of Stambaugh Enterprises, a scrap metal company located in Mascoutah, Illinois. Stambaugh Enterprises allegedly operated as a subcontractor on a DoD contract to pick-up, transport, and recycle scrap metal items from multiple DoD facilities in Illinois and Missouri, including Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois, and a Missouri Army National Guard facility in Jefferson City, Missouri.
The indictment alleges that the Stambaughs were obligated to mutilate and destroy all military property they hauled away from each DoD facility and were prohibited from reusing or refurbishing any military items for their own use or selling any military items to be reused or refurbished by someone else.
The Stambaughs allegedly removed truckloads of military property from DoD facilities but did not destroy or mutilate every item, in violation of their contracts. According to the indictment, the Stambaughs transported the military property to their place of business in Mascoutah and sorted through the items to determine what could be converted to their own use or sold to others.
From January-October 2017, Joe Stambaugh allegedly provided an unnamed person identified as J.S. with numerous military items to be sold for profit, including LED video screens, a high frequency radio, military night vision sights, a military antenna system, military flight helmets, and a military infrared thermal imager.
The indictment further alleges that the Stambaughs submitted “certificates of destruction” that falsely showed they had properly mutilated and destroyed the property when, in fact, they had stolen and retained items off the scrap piles for their own use and for sale.
Brandon Schulte was a national guardsman responsible for properly storing and disposing of military property at the Missouri Army National Guard facility in Jefferson City. According to the indictment, the Stambaughs received military uniforms and other unauthorized, sensitive military property from Schulte, even though Schulte allegedly knew the Stambaughs were authorized to receive only scrap metal.
The indictment charges that Schulte understood he was required to follow specific procedures to dispose of sensitive military items, including uniforms. Such procedures are vital to national security, as terrorist groups overseas have previously acquired U.S. combat uniforms and used them to impersonate American soldiers, endangering American troops. Nevertheless, Schulte allegedly supplied the Stambaughs with thousands of pounds of military uniforms and other non-scrap military equipment. The indictment charges Schulte with conspiring with the Stambaughs from 2015-2018, as well as making a false statement about his conduct to federal agents in 2019.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The Stambaughs and Schulte are due in federal court for their initial appearances and arraignments on Sept. 1, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Beatty in the federal courthouse in East St. Louis. If convicted, the Stambaughs face up to 10 years in prison on each of their three theft counts and up to 5 years in prison for the conspiracy. Schulte’s conspiracy count and separate charge for making a false statement each carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by agents with DCIS, the Defense Logistics Agency-Office of Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), FBI-Springfield, and the Department of Commerce.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke J. Weissler.Middlesex County Man Admits Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man today admitted that he possessed several kilograms of heroin with the intent to sell, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Eduard Avila Rivas, 33, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 10, 2020, Avila Rivas travelled to Clarksboro, New Jersey, and met with an associate in order to carry out a sale of several kilograms of heroin. Following Avila Rivas’ arrival, law enforcement officers searched his vehicle and seized close to three kilograms of heroin packaged for sale.
The drug trafficking count to which Avila Rivas pleaded guilty is punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a maximum fine $10 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 22, 2021.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Atlantic City Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Cary Shill, and the Gloucester County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Mexican National Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempting to Entice MinorRead the Press Release
EL PASO – Today a Mexican national was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor.
According to court documents, Cayetano Lopez, 50, of Mexico, attempted to entice a minor into engaging in sexually explicit conduct via a social media messaging application. On May 20, 2021, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of enticement of a minor. By pleading guilty, Lopez admitted that in July 2020, he engaged in sexually explicit communications with a female he believed to be 13 years old, attempting to entice her into having unlawful sexual intercourse.
Lopez has remained in federal custody since his arrest on July 19, 2020, when he arrived at a prearranged meeting with the minor, who turned out to be an undercover agent.
“According to new data released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, online enticement of children has increased 97.5% amid the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “In response, the US Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners, has redoubled our efforts to prosecute these very serious cases and keep our children safe while using the internet.”
“I am proud of the work done by FBI El Paso Violent Crimes Against Children personnel to ensure that another child predator was taken off the streets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey, El Paso Division. “The FBI remains dedicated in the fight to protect our nation’s future by ensuring our children can prosper where individuals like Lopez do not threaten their welfare.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Winters prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Toxic Marijuana Cultivation Operation in Stanislaus National Forest and Ordered to Pay for Environmental DamageRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Eleno Fernandez-Garcia, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced today to 4 and a half years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and ordered to pay $45,688 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the environmental damage that the toxic chemicals and cultivation operation had on public land, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, the cultivation operation contained 9,654 marijuana plants and was located in the Basin Creek drainage in the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County. Fernandez was found at the grow site in possession of pruning shears and two cellphones, and was covered with marijuana debris. Three other individuals fled from the area, which is near recreational activities and Sugar Pine Springs, a natural spring used by two companies for bottled water.
The cultivation operation caused significant damage to the environment. Within the grow site, investigative agents found the pesticide Weevelcide, which contains aluminum phosphide, a lethal restricted use chemical; two types of rodenticides; 837 pounds of soluble fertilizer; 45.65 gallons of liquid fertilizer; and a dead raccoon. Nearly all of the native vegetation was cut down to make room for the marijuana plants. Besides chemicals and fertilizer, there was over 2,000 pounds of trash and irrigation tubing.
The grow site was in a grazing permit area where cows roamed freely and had access to the plants and chemicals. The Basin Creek complex also lies upstream of several species of conservation concern, including the Central Valley steelhead, federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA); chinook salmon, federally threatened under the ESA; and yellow-legged frog, a candidate for listing as threatened under both the federal and the California ESA.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) of the California Department of Justice, and the California Fish and Wildlife. Assistance was provided by the Integral Ecology Research Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of wildlife and their ecosystems. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Found Guilty of Transporting Unaccompanied Minor from MexicoRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – Today a federal jury convicted a Mexican national for illegally transporting an unaccompanied child from Mexico.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Victor Manuel Monsivais, 67, was apprehended at 1 a.m. in an HEB parking lot in south San Antonio transporting an unaccompanied 8-year-old child from Mexico. Monsivais intended to give the child back to another person involved in smuggling the child from Mexico into the United States. Special agents with HSI, as well as officers from the San Antonio Police Department, were waiting for Monsivais at the HEB based on investigative intelligence about the intended exchange. Monsivais was found guilty of one count of illegal alien transportation.
Co-defendants Elida Kassandra Moreno, 28, a United States citizen and Nery Uriostegui-Dominguez, 28, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty to bringing in and harboring aliens and conspiracy to bringing in and harboring aliens. Moreno was sentenced to 36 months in prison and a $1,000 fine on February 20, 2021. Uriostegui was sentenced to 18 months in prison on April 1, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, San Antonio Division, made the announcement.
HSI with assistance from the San Antonio Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Banister and Holly Pavlinski are prosecuting the case.
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